Best Parks/Playgrounds In Wichita Falls – Our Top Five

Cluttered house, Kids running up and down the hall screaming, easy cheese all over the dog – yep, it’s summer time!

Summer has typically been the time for family vacations and long trips, but with increased travel costs these days more and more people are keeping it close to home this summer.  For parents of school age children, this means that those long summer days will be filled with daily announcements from the peanut gallery consisting of – “I”M BORED!”

Let’s get those little ankle bitting rug rats out of the house to burn off all that energy at some of the best parks and playgrounds in Wichita Falls.  In no particular order, here’s our top five.

Lake Wichita Park – Google Street View

Lake Wichita Park

Located along the northern most end of Fairway Blvd, This park covers about 235 acres.  On the south side of Lake Wichita Park you will find your traditional modular playground that can be seen at almost any park, but it’s the non traditional playground that is made out of,  well – ground, that put Lake Wichita Park on the list. Unofficially named ‘Mt. Murphy’, this extra large mound of dirt is more than enough entertainment for any kid, or adult for that matter. My first thought when I saw the giant mound of dirt was – wow they must have big landscaping plans for this park.  But 11 years later there it stands, still just as big as it’s ever been, which makes it clear to me that it was put there for the very reason that it is being used today – for fun.  A couple of trips up and down good ‘ole Mt. Murphy and your whipper snappers will be begging you to go to bed tonight! Oh yeah, and be sure to wear your sneakers, because you just may not be able to resist conquering the largest “mountain’ in Wichita Falls!

Kiwanis Park Playground -photo courtesy of the City of Wichita Falls (cwftx.net)

Kiwanis Park

This park sits on 60 acres and is located off Southwest Parkway east of Fairway, not to far down the street form Lake Wichita Park park. Kiwanis park has one of the larger playgrounds in town, with several portions designed especially for smaller children. If for some reason the playground is no match for your kids’ almost non-existent attention span, don’t worry, just a stones throw from the playground is the park’s own resident wildlife – the Prairie Dog Town. Who doesn’t love watching a bunch of chubby hairy little rodents run around?  So bring your old stale bread to donate to the Prairie Dogs and if there’s a good wind bring a kite too. Kiwanis Park is the only area in the city that has been specifically designed exclusively for flying kites.

photo courtesy of the city of Wichita Falls (cwftx.net)

Lucy Park

This 178 acre park comes complete with 3 playgrounds. Lucy Park is located in the center of the city on a bend of the Wichita River and is home to Falls Fest, Texoma’s best outdoor annual festival held the last weekend of every September.  With an abundance of huge tree’s, Lucy Park is a great place to sit in the shade and relax while your mini-me’s run wild.  If you can drag your teenagers away from whatever it is that teenagers do, bring them along to take on the 18-hole disc golf course spread throughout the park.

Scotland Park

Located on the northbound side of I-44, this park is one of the smaller ones in town.  Although small it may be, Scotland Park’s well kept playground  is a shady haven surrounded by large trees.   Plenty of colorful flowers and an ornamental pond with a fountain help set that easy going summer mood making Scotland Park a perfect place for a little outdoor fun.

Spray Park - iowapark.com

Spray Park (Iowa Park)

Ok, I know this one is technically not in Wichita Falls, but my family and I liked it so much I had to include it.  Located just outside of Wichita Falls in Iowa Park, this water logged playground is definitely a must visit this summer.  The Iowa Park Spray Park and Municipal Pool has a beach-style play area designed specifically for small children with four mini-dinosaur water slides, several fun foam, water spraying animals, and even a patrolling life guard to help keep your little ones safe.  I have a 3 year old daughter and she absolutely loves the spray park.  Sliding down the neck of a brontosaurus is her favorite thing to do along with laying and splashing in the super-shallow water.  And the full size municipal pool a few yards away is sure to keep the older kids busy too.

Those are just several of the noteworthy parks and playgrounds in the area – there are many more great outdoor areas around so turn off those video games, save the movie for a rainy day and take a family trip to one of the many fun parks and playgrounds our area has to offer.  If you have a favorite park, playground or any other outdoor place that you like to frequent – tell us about it in the comments section below!