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Red Oak, IA

Recreation

There are plenty of ways to enjoy the great outdoors in Red Oak and Montgomery County. From golf and tennis, to playgrounds and skate parks, to unspoiled natural areas, to
hunting, enthusiasts of every kind can always find something to do.

Parks

Eleven city parks make for plenty of green and recreational space in Red Oak:

• Chautauqua Park
• College Park
• Dutton Park
• Eggert Park
• Fountain Square Park
• Indian Gulley
• Kelly Park
• Legion Park
• Wilson Park
• Wilson Playground
• Yatker Park

Among amenities available at Red Oak parks are an abundance of tennis courts, playgrounds, a ball complex and a skateboard park complete with ramps for
perfecting skills.

Fountain Square Park is especially meaningful to area residents, as it is the home of memorials for Red Oak’s veterans of World War I, World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War. The fountain is a tribute to the men lost during World War I. Fittingly, Fountain Square Park is also the site for several festivals and special events, where Red Oak residents can enjoy the wonderful life and freedom for which the city’s sons and daughters fought so hard.

Red Oak Country Club

Golfers can get out on the links at Red Oak Country Club, a semiprivate club with an 18-hole course featuring
bent-grass greens, bluegrass fairways and a driving range. The course is open for play from April 1 through November.

1.But golf isn’t the only fun available. Red Oak Country Club has something for everyone, with lighted tennis courts, a swimming pool, a lounge and a full restaurant for a quiet dinner or a special occasion.

Viking Lake State Park

Among the most popular state parks in Iowa because of its easy accessibility and variety of recreation, Viking Lake State Park is a 1,000-acre park that has in large part been left entirely in its natural state. Plenty of wildlife populate the park, and visitors may catch a glimpse of beavers, turkeys, muskrats, ducks, shore birds and white-tailed deer. Native Americans once camped on what are now the grounds of Viking Lake State Park, and artifacts were uncovered while the lake’s dam was being constructed.

Among the activities available at the park are:

• Fishing — crappie, bluegill, bass, walleye, yellow perch, bullhead and catfish
• Swimming — sandy beach
• Boating — a boat ramp and docking area are available; additionally, there are motor, paddle and pontoon boats for rent
• Eating — picnic tables and open shelters; concessions/restaurant
• Camping — 119 campsites: 73 have electrical hookups, and 22 have full hookups
• Trails — over six miles of trails through natural areas; snowmobiling is permitted on designated trails in the winter

Anderson Conservation Area

A 229-acre area of rolling hills, trails, prairie and marshland, the Anderson Conservation area has been set aside for the preservation and reintroduction of native Iowa wildlife and vegetation.

Wolfe Nature Center, located within Anderson, offers seasonal displays and classroom/meeting areas, as well as
educational programs that can be conducted both on site and in schools. Guided hikes are available for both school students and adults.

Hunting

Southwest Iowa is home to abundant game bird and deer populations. Top-quality pheasant, quail, turkey and deer hunting can be found here. Local businesses offer scheduled hunts on private land for both shotgun and bow hunters.

Montgomery County Family YMCA

Fun and fitness are found year-round at the Montgomery County Family YMCA, which offers facilities and programs for all ages and fitness levels. In 2004, the Montgomery County Family YMCA’s state-of-the-art facility was one of only 46 YMCAs in the entire United States to be recognized with YMCA of the USA’s “Excellence in Facilities” award. Comprehensive facilities and programs include:

• health and fitness center
• full-court gymnasium
• babysitting service
• suspended walking track
• zero-depth-entry swimming pool
• four-court indoor tennis center with viewing area
• indoor golf/softball/baseball range
• racquetball/squash/wallyball court
• Jazzercise®

All these facilities are enhanced by beautiful landscaping, ample parking and outside lighting. The YMCA also has an elevator and is fully ADA-accessible.

With extremely affordable yearly, monthly and day rates, residents and visitors of Red Oak can take full advantage of the YMCA.