Recreation

Stuart’s city park, Lawbaugh Park, is in the 200 block of S. Division St. It has playground equipment including many new play structures, disc (frisbee) golf, basketball hoops, horseshoe pits, a large gazebo, a shelter house, and restrooms. Several beautiful trees have also been donated.

The Stuart Sports Complex, located at the east end of S. 3rd St., has baseball/softball, football and soccer fields.

The new Walking/Bike Trail is a 1/2 mile, hard-surfaced trail near the athletic fields in the SE part of the city. The trail is handicapped-accessible and can be accessed at SE 3rd & Fremont Street.

The Stuart Recreation Center (American Legion Hall), 323 SW 2nd St., 523-1666, has a dance floor/roller-skating rink. It is also available to rent for parties, reunions, and other special occasions.

Across from the recreation center is the Stuart Aquatic Center , a heated outdoor swimming pool, open during the summer. Call City Hall, 523-1455, for information about the city park, the sports complex, the recreation center, and the pool.

There is a heated indoor pool at the AmericInn Lodge & Suites, 420 SW 8th St., and water aerobics classes are held there. Also, during the non-summer months, the pool is also available, for a fee, for pool parties and open swim. Call Faye Watts, 523-1345, for information about the classes, and AmericInn, 523-9000, for other information about the pool.

There are tennis courts at the high school, 323 NE 3rd St. Stuart also has a bowling alley (Stuart Bowl, 523-1422), a stock car racetrack (Stuart Speedway, 523-1319), and a nearby country club (the 5 x 80 Country Club, 524-2345) for golf, swimming, and dining.

The Dale Valley Vineyard and Winery is about 8 miles northwest of Stuart, at 3097 285th St. The gift shop is open on Saturdays and Sundays from April to December for wine-tasting and purchases, with special musical events periodically through the season. It is also available to rent for family gatherings, weddings, and other special occasions. The phone number is 523-2199. Dale Valley Vineyard will reopen for the 2012 season on March 31. They are open Wednesday-Sunday 10am-6pm.

Nation’s Bridge Park is a county park about five miles north of Stuart on county highway P-28 (Wagon Road, the continuation of North Division Street). It has 85 acres for picnicking, camping, hiking, and fishing. There are nature trails, playground equipment, picnic tables, grills, shelter houses, restrooms, showers, camping pads, electrical outlets, and a trailer dumping station. Call the Guthrie County Conservation Board, 523-1789, for more information.

The Raccoon River Valley Trail is a 33-mile asphalt-paved route from Yale through Panora to Waukee; it is mainly a bike trail, but walkers, joggers, rollerbladers, cross-country skiers, and birdwatchers also use it. Call the Guthrie County Conservation Board, 523-1789, for more information.

Raccoon Ridge 3-D Archery, north of Stuart at 3281 298th Lane, is a 3-D archery course. Raccoon Ridge Music Hall, at the same location, has barn dances, karaoke, and gospel music events. It is also available to rent for parties, reunions, and other special occasions. Call Linda and Gary Thompson, 523-1351, for more information.