Dog walking in Marshalltown

Central Marshalltown

Central Marshalltown is a community filled with small businesses, a retail district, and busy streets. Although the area is normally pretty busy, a quiet place to spend the day is Susie Sower Park, a small green space in the middle of the neighborhood. The park has a sidewalk that encircles the park, with an open area to play in, a large tree that offers lots of shade, a playground, benches, and water fountains. The BPW Park is another .8-acre park in the town that's partially fenced-in, with a grassy lawn and a playground to use. Dogs must be on a leash inside both parks.

E Main St/ S 7th Ave

The East Main Street and South 7th Avenue neighborhood is on the east side of the city, right outside the city's central shopping area. Backed by old farmlands is Optimist Park, a 1.2-acre rural park that's partially fenced-in and offers amenities such as a pavilion, open space, a playground, benches, and trash bins. The park is quiet and secluded for pups to play in, but if you're looking for more space, head over to Anson Park. Anson Park has 8.8 acres to offer, with a fenced-in baseball field, basketball courts, a playground, paved walkways, and shaded sitting areas. Additionally, you and your leashed pup can also enjoy water fountains, trash bins, benches, and nighttime lights.

South Marshalltown

South Marshalltown is a rural place to live, filled with farmlands, open fields, and rows of residential homes. The largest park in the area is Timber Creek Park, a park that sits along Timer Creek and surrounds the pond the creek flows into. The park is the best place for fishing and its .4-mile walking trail. Leashed pups can also run around and play, or enjoy other amenities like water fountains, a pavilion, a playground, or restrooms. If the park is too full, Kiwanis Park offers more space just a few blocks north. The playground in the park is surrounded by large trees, with an open field and small looping trail. Leashed pups can play in the park, but remember to bring water and clean-up bags with you.

Route 30/ S Center St

The Route 30 and South Center Street neighborhood is on the east side of the park, mostly filled with old fields and rolling hills. The most notable field to enjoy is the Grimes Farm and Conservation Center, which has a nice preserve of natural lands and museum. Although pups are not allowed in any facilities, they can enjoy the trails that are mapped out through the park, and walk up to 1.2 miles along dirt and paved trails, with access to water fountains, benches, and trash bins. Morris Park is a similar park, offering over 11.9 acres of open space to play in. The special thing about Morris Park is that pups don't have to be on a leash inside the park and can play freely. You will need to bring your own water and clean-up bags though.

Marietta

Marietta is a packed residential community on the northwest side of town. Inside the center of the community is Tankersly Park, a recreational park with a fenced-in baseball field, enclosed tennis courts, and a soccer field surrounded by a paved track. There's plenty of open area surrounding the fields for pups to play in that also house additional features like a picnic area, a playground, water fountains, trash bins, and benches. Arnold Park is a quieter park, and although it has less space,  it still offers lots of room to play in and is entirely fenced-in. The park is not a dog park though, and still requires pups to remain on a leash, but offers shaded sitting areas, benches, a playground, a pavilion, and a basketball court.