Strasser Woods State Preserve

BRAND PHOTO SHOOT 1 2 3 4 REN FAIRE REN FAIRE1 LODGE RENTAL RIBBON CUTTING EVENT

Discover Strasser Woods State Preserve in Des Moines

Strasser Woods State Preserve contains a 40-acre tract of forest within the city limits of Des Moines. Joseph and Elizabeth Strasser, who had owned the property since 1965, donated the woodland to the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation in 1981. The area was transferred to the Iowa Department of Natural Resources in 1982 and dedicated as a biological state preserve. 

Parking: From University Avenue turn north onto East 36th Street. Go 3 blocks through a residential area to the parking area at the end of the street. 

Visitors may collect the following for non-commercial use if the plant is not harmed:

  • Nuts
  • Fruit
  • Edible mushrooms
Removing plants, hunting, trapping animals, and cutting wood is illegal here.