Brown's Woods

Brown's Woods
Type	Wildlife Preserve
Location	Des Moines, Iowa
Coordinates	41°32′28″N93°42′30″W / 41.541210°N 93.708390°W / 41.541210; -93.708390
Area	486 acres (1.97 km2)
Established	1972 (1972)
Hiking trails	Brown's Woods Tail

Brown's Woods is a wildlife preserve in Des Moines, Iowa and is Iowa's largest urban forest. There are 4.4 miles (5km) of hiking trails in Brown's Woods with a total elevation gain of 213ft (64.92m). ^[1] Around 70,000 people visit Brown's Woods every year. Brown's Woods provides an essential stopping place for spring and fall migratory birds, such as warblers and vireos. ^[2] Showy orchids are listed as endangered species and can be found in Brown's Woods. ^[3] 100–200 feet (30–61 m) of bluffs are found at the western boundary where Raccoon River is. ^[4]

The wildlife area is named after Tallmadge E. Brown, a Des Moines lawyer who acquired large tracts of land around Des Moines in the late 1800s. One of them was this forest acquired by the Conservation Board in 1972. ^[5]

Park Hours

Summer	6:30am - 10:30pm	April 1 - October 31
Winter	Sunrise - Sunset	November 1 - March 31

References

1. "Brown's Woods Trail". AllTrails. Retrieved 2024-09-13.
2. Danley-Greiner, Kristin. "Hikers can find more trails at Brown's Woods". The Des Moines Register. Retrieved 2024-09-13.
3. Des Moines River Basin, Iowa and Minnesota: Communication from the Assistant Secretary of the Army (Civil Works) Transmitting a Corps of Engineers Report ... Department of Defense, Department of the Army, Corps of Engineers. 1979.
4. Des Moines and West Des Moines Flood Protection: Environmental Impact Statement. United States. Army. Corps of Engineers. 1979.
5. "Brown's Woods - Polk County Iowa". Polk County. Retrieved 2024-09-13.