I've lived in Moses Lake my whole life. I've got a son. I've spent a lot of time at parks. Here's what I actually think.
Moses Lake doesn't get enough credit for its parks. People drive through on I-90 and assume there's nothing here. They're wrong. This town has 48 parks and green spaces if you count the school grounds, and I've been through all of them with my son in tow. Some of them are genuinely great. Some of them are a swing set and a prayer. This guide tells you which is which.
I scored every park on 8 categories: bathrooms and facilities, BBQ and event gathering space, playground equipment, shade, water access, sports and recreation, cleanliness and upkeep, and community use. Each category gets 1 to 5 points. Maximum score is 40, which I convert to a score out of 10. School grounds automatically score a 1 in bathrooms, BBQ, and events since those aren't available to the public.
Let's get into it.
The Top Tier: Parks Worth Making a Trip For
This is the best all-around park in Moses Lake and it's not particularly close. Sandy beach, unsupervised swimming area, a boat launch, a fishing pier, an 18-hole disc golf course that's free to play, basketball courts, walking trails, three covered picnic shelters with grills, and seasonal restrooms that are actually clean and well maintained. The playground is solid for school-age kids and sits right next to the beach area so you can watch the kids play while keeping an eye on the water at the same time. Gets busy on summer weekends and shows some wear on peak days, but that's the price of a park this good.
If you're only taking your kids to one Moses Lake park this summer, make it this one.
McCosh is the heartbeat of Moses Lake parks. It's where the Farmers Market happens, where SpringFest sets up, where the 4th of July crowd gathers, and where the Centennial Amphitheater hosts concerts all summer. On top of the events, it has two playgrounds including one that's ADA accessible, lighted tennis and pickleball courts, basketball, waterfront access with lake views, and mature trees that give you real shade in July and August. The facilities are aging a bit and I've noticed some cracked tennis courts, but for everything this park does it still earns its spot near the top. These are the parks you will most likely catch me and my son at. Best event park in town by a wide margin.
Technically not in Moses Lake city limits but it's in our backyard and it deserves a spot on this list. Discover Pass required for day use. What you get for that pass: four boat launches, 100 feet of dock, swimming, waterskiing, kayaking, paddleboarding, year-round fishing, volleyball nets, horseshoe pits, three miles of hiking trails, sand dunes nearby, and over 200 bird species. The covered picnic shelters and shaded day-use area make it a legitimate full-day destination for families. Go mid-week or shoulder season. Summer weekends get very busy and the gates don't open until 2:30 PM on peak days, which is annoying if you're trying to get there early.
Managed by Moses Lake Irrigation and Rehabilitation District, not the city. Open Tuesday through Saturday from mid-April to November. About 30,000 visitors a season, which tells you something. This park has the best playground setup in Moses Lake. People call it a giant playground and that's accurate. Big structures, diverse slides, climbing equipment, something for every age. Add a shallow swimming beach, a two-lane boat launch, a dock, paddleboarding, fishing, abundant shade from mature trees, and plenty of covered and uncovered picnic tables with BBQ pits. The one thing I'll flag: there were some vandalism issues in 2025 that affected certain facilities and reduced operating hours. Check current conditions before you make the drive.
The Second Tier: Solid Parks Worth Regular Visits
The east side's answer to a full-service park. Free boat launch, temporary moorage, a seasonal swimming area, and the Kvamme Soccer Complex that draws youth and adult competitive soccer from all over the region. The playground is basic and better suited to younger kids, and the shade is hit or miss depending on where you are in the park, but the water access and the athletic facilities make it a regular stop for athletic families. On-site caretaker keeps things managed well through the camping season, April through September.
A neighborhood park that punches a little above its weight because of its waterfront location. 10-acre park with a boat launch, fishing access, and shoreline that makes it feel bigger than it actually is. Playground is standard neighborhood level, primarily for younger kids, but the lake views make it a genuinely pleasant place to spend an afternoon. Basic restrooms, some picnic areas, decent shade cover.
Specialty Parks: Know What You're Going For
Don't take your kids here expecting a playground because there isn't one. Two picnic tables and no grills either. This park exists for one reason: the water. Public boat launch, dock, and fishing access, and it's consistently one of the cleanest and most peaceful parks in the system. If you're a boater or a fisherman this is a go-to. If you're a parent looking for a place to run your kids around, look elsewhere. The 9-hole disc golf course is a bonus but the mid-day summer heat here is brutal with minimal shade.
Seasonal, spring through fall only. Not a kid destination by any measure. People I talk to in the community are pretty consistent that children will find it boring, and I don't disagree. But it's beautiful for adults. Ponds, a stream, a waterfall, lush trees and garden landscaping that give you genuine shade and quiet. A great spot for a date or to grab a book and chill out for a while and enjoy the peace and quiet. About a quarter mile of walking path. I'll be honest though, I noticed some algae in the water and some of the brick path is deteriorating. The upkeep is inconsistent.
The only off-leash dog area in the city park system. Scored lower because it's limited on amenities beyond the off-leash area itself, but if you have a dog that needs to run it's the right call. No toys for kids and no real amenities besides the dog park. The dedicated off-leash zone is the whole point here.
School Grounds: Know the Rules
There are 16 school properties on this list. A few things apply to all of them. Bathrooms, BBQ areas, and event spaces are not available to the public outside of school hours or school events. Most of them are accessible after hours and on weekends for informal recreation and that's how most families use them. Pet policies are generally yes on leash after hours but use common sense.
I coached youth football here in 2017 and spent a lot of time on these grounds. Football field and courts are solid for pick-up games and the open athletic space is better than a lot of the elementary school grounds. No real toys for school-age kids but plenty of space to throw around a football, have a catch, or shoot some basketball. Accessible after hours, dogs generally welcome.
The best high school athletic complex in the area. Football fields, track, baseball fields, tennis courts. Worth knowing about if you have older kids who want space for serious athletic practice. Nothing for younger kids, this is definitely a sports and big-kids spot. The grounds proper are generally not pet friendly.
Most of the elementary school grounds score in the 3.75 range. They're neighborhood playground spots, accessible after hours, and useful for what they are: convenient, close, basic. Garden Heights, Groff, Knolls Vista, Lakeview Terrace, Larson Heights, Longview, Midway, North, Park Orchard, Sage Point, and Peninsula Elementary all land in that range. Columbia Middle School and Endeavor Middle School score the same. They're fine. They're school playgrounds.
The Full Rankings
| Park | Type | Score | Pet Friendly |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blue Heron Park | City | 8.75/10 | Yes |
| McCosh Park | City | 8.5/10 | Yes |
| Potholes State Park | Bonus | 8.5/10 | Yes |
| Connelly Park (MLIRD) | Bonus | 8.25/10 | Yes |
| Cascade Park | City | 7.75/10 | Yes |
| Montlake Park | City | 6.0/10 | Yes |
| Lower Peninsula Park | City | 5.25/10 | Yes |
| Peninsula Park | City | 5.25/10 | Yes |
| Neppel Landing | City | 5.0/10 | Yes |
| Civic Center Park | City | 5.0/10 | Yes |
| Three Ponds Wetland Park | City | 4.75/10 | Yes |
| Japanese Peace Garden | City | 4.5/10 | Yes |
| Marina Park | City | 4.5/10 | Yes |
| Knolls Vista Park | City | 4.25/10 | Yes |
| Lakeview Park | City | 4.25/10 | Yes |
| Harrison K. Dano Park | City | 4.25/10 | Yes |
| Moses Lake High School | School | 4.25/10 | No |
| Peninsula Elementary | School | 4.25/10 | Yes |
| Frontier Middle School | School | 4.0/10 | Yes |
| Sage Point Elementary | School | 4.0/10 | Yes |
| Hayden Park | City | 3.5/10 | Yes |
| Basin Homes Dog Park | City | 3.5/10 | Off-leash |
| Carpenter Park | City | 3.25/10 | Yes |
| Vanguard Academy | School | 3.25/10 | No |
| Juniper Park | City | 3.0/10 | Yes |
| All other city parks: 3.5–4.5/10 range | All elementary schools: 3.75/10 | Middle schools: 3.75/10 | |||
The Bottom Line
If you're a parent in Moses Lake and you want to know where to take your kid on a Saturday morning, start with Blue Heron Park or McCosh Park. If you want a full family day with swimming and camping, go to Potholes or Connelly. If you want the best community events, McCosh is the park for that.
If you're new to town and someone tells you there's nothing to do here, send them this article. Moses Lake has 48 parks. You just have to know where to look.
