List of parks in Fort Wayne, Indiana Facts for Kids

Fort Wayne, Indiana is home to many wonderful parks! The Fort Wayne Parks and Recreation Department takes care of 87 public parks, covering a huge area of about 2,805 acres. That's like having over 2,000 football fields of green space! They also look after four golf courses and thousands of trees along streets and in parks.

The biggest park in Fort Wayne is Franke Park, which is about 329 acres. It's a fantastic place for adventures! On the other hand, the smallest park is Orff Park, which is tiny, only about 0.02 acres.

You can also find the Foellinger-Freimann Botanical Conservatory in Fort Wayne. Its beautiful gardens are filled with over 1,200 different plants, including many types of cacti. It's a great spot to learn about nature!

Besides the public parks, there are also some private parks within Fort Wayne. These parks are owned by private groups but are often open for everyone to enjoy.

Discover Fort Wayne's Public Parks
- Featured Public Parks
- More Public Parks to Explore
Private Parks in Fort Wayne
See Also

Discover Fort Wayne's Public Parks

Fort Wayne has many amazing public parks, each with its own special features. Let's explore some of them!

Featured Public Parks

Franke Park: Fort Wayne's Biggest Adventure

The entrance to the Fort Wayne Children's Zoo, located within Franke Park.

Franke Park is the largest park in Fort Wayne, covering about 329 acres. It's one of the most visited parks in the city. Here, you'll find the famous Fort Wayne Children's Zoo, where you can see animals from all over the world!

The park also has Shoaff Lake, the Foellinger Theatre (an outdoor stage for shows), and lots of other fun things. You can enjoy three picnic areas, restrooms, a BMX bike track, and a sledding hill for winter fun. There are also playgrounds and hiking trails to explore.

Foster Park: A Riverside Gem

A beautiful view of Foster Park.

Foster Park is one of Fort Wayne's most popular parks. It was first opened in 1912 and has grown a lot since then. This park is a major part of the Fort Wayne Rivergreenway, offering four miles of beautiful riverside paths along the St. Marys River.

At Foster Park, you can find one of the city's public golf courses, tennis courts, volleyball courts, and a dog park where your furry friends can play. There are also baseball and softball fields, playgrounds, and community gardens. You can even see a special bridal glen and floral gardens, plus a replica of Abraham Lincoln's birth cabin!

Headwaters Park: Festival Fun and More

Headwaters Park is a lively downtown park, created between 1995 and 1999 as a way to help control floods along the St. Marys River. It's a hub for many events!

The park has large areas for festivals and hosts the biggest festival in the region, the Three Rivers Festival, every year. In the winter, you can even go ice skating! Headwaters Park also features two pavilions, a sculpture garden, an outdoor stage, restrooms, and a splash pad for cooling off. It's also connected to the Fort Wayne Rivergreenway.

Johnny Appleseed Park: A Historical Spot

The grave of Johnny Appleseed in Fort Wayne.

This park is named after the famous American hero, Johnny Appleseed, who is believed to be buried here. Located along the St. Joseph River, the park connects to the Fort Wayne Rivergreenway.

You can go fishing or launch a boat here. The park also has a campground with 41 sites, a picnic area, and a playground. Every year, it hosts the popular Johnny Appleseed Festival. The park is right next to the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum.

Lakeside Park: A Garden of Roses

The beautiful rose garden at Lakeside Park.

Lakeside Park is famous for its stunning sunken floral gardens. It has been a National Rose Garden since 1928, boasting over 2,000 rose plants of 150 different types!

The park also features three ponds where you can fish, a beautiful fountain, basketball courts, two picnic areas, a playground, and tennis courts. It's a perfect place for a peaceful stroll or a fun family outing.

Promenade Park: Downtown Riverfront Fun

Promenade Park opened in 2019 and is a wonderful addition to Fort Wayne's downtown riverfront. It's connected to the Fort Wayne Rivergreenway and is split into two parts by the St. Marys River.

This park features a playground, a space for events, a small restaurant, and equipment for outdoor games like table tennis and cornhole. It's a modern and exciting place to enjoy the river and city views.

More Public Parks to Explore

Fort Wayne has many other wonderful public parks, each offering unique features for fun and relaxation!

Bob Arnold Northside Park: This park has tennis courts, a playground, a soccer field, and a public swimming pool.
Buckner Park: One of the city's largest parks, it offers two playgrounds, a splash pad, and trails through beautiful woods and prairie.
Camp Allen Park: A historic site from the U.S. Civil War, now with a playground and basketball court along the St. Marys River.
Courthouse Green:

The Allen County Courthouse, next to Courthouse Green.

This beautiful downtown green space features floral displays and benches.
Freimann Square:

The fountain and sculptures in Freimann Square.

An urban park with a fountain, gardens, and sculptures, featuring a statue of General Anthony Wayne.
Ivan Lebamoff Reservoir Park: Once the city's first reservoir, it now has a fishing pond, a community center, basketball courts, and a playground.
Japanese Friendship Garden: A small, peaceful garden gifted by Fort Wayne's sister city, Takaoka, Japan.
Kreager Park: A large park with lighted softball fields, the city's first "boundless playground" (accessible for all kids), a splash pad, tennis courts, and soccer fields. It connects to the Fort Wayne Rivergreenway.
Lawton Park: One of the city's oldest parks, it features a large skate park, ball fields, and a greenhouse. It connects to the Fort Wayne Rivergreenway.
Lindenwood Nature Preserve: A beautiful nature preserve with a pond, dense forest, and hiking trails.
Lions Park: This park has pickleball courts, a baseball field, basketball court, tennis court, playground, and a pavilion.
Little Turtle Memorial:

The memorial for Chief Little Turtle.

This special place is the resting spot for Miami tribe chief, Little Turtle.
McCulloch Park:

The grave site of Samuel Bigger in McCulloch Park.

Once a public cemetery, it now has a gazebo, playground, and picnic tables.
McMillen Park: The largest park on the southeast side, with a community center, a golf course, a driving range, a public pool, and sports fields.
Nuckols Memorial Park: Renamed in honor of Fort Wayne's first African American city councilman, John Nuckols, with a monument.
Old Fort Park: The oldest city park, it includes volleyball courts, horseshoe pits, and the original well from a 1794 fort.
Orff Park: The smallest park, with a monument featuring a statue called Let's Go Swimming.
Shoaff Park: Along the St. Joseph River, with a boat launch, golf course, disc golf, splash pad, and trails.
Solomon Farm Park: Maintained as a working farm, it includes a learning center, a pond, wetlands, and walking trails.
Swinney Park:

The historic Swinney Homestead, located in Swinney Park.

A historic park with fishing, playgrounds, tennis courts, a Japanese pavilion, and gardens.
Tillman Park: Has a soccer field, playground, three ball fields, a tennis center, and picnic tables. It's the southern end of the Fort Wayne Rivergreenway.
Waynedale Park: Features tennis courts, a basketball court, a horseshoe pit, a playground, a splash pad, and exercise stations.
Weisser Park: Has a ball field, recreation center, a pavilion, a playground, basketball court, and tennis courts.