Piedmont Heights Park

Piedmont Heights is more hockey area than playground, and the parking is a bit confusing.  We followed directions that took us on 23rd street, but that ended at the warming building and was still a decent walk to the playground.  There does appear to be a gravel lot on the other side of the park, at the end of Pineview Ave.  There is also a baseball field on the far end of the park, and there is a porta-potty next to the playground.

The playground is a sand surface, fairly overrun with grass.  The play structures are:

• 2 baby swings
• 2 swings
• Tilting ladder that kids can climb up and wobble on
• Ladders/stairs
• Bridge
• Monkey bars made of hard plastic ropes
• Steering wheel
• Fireman pole
• Slide

Duluth Parks page

Munger Park

Munger is a neighborhood playground in the East Hillside.  It is located next to a church and is tucked into a hill so it's nearly hidden from the road.  There are no swings, just a play structure and a small field, but it should be easy to keep a soccer ball within the confines of the park thanks to the land, buildings, and fencing.

The surface of the playground is sand and the structure has:

• 1 slide and 1 double slide
• Ladders/stairs
• Monkey bars
• Steering wheel

Duluth Parks page

Harrison Park

Harrison Park is a nice square in the Lincoln Park neighborhood.  The street facing the playground is busy and there is a bus stop right in front, but there is also a fence to prevent kids from running into traffic.  The fence has three openings including one right at the front, which would really be much better if it had a gate of some sort.  There is a community center, picnic tables, benches, basketball court, tennis courts, and a rubber-surface baseball field called Miracle Field.  I did not notice nets on the tennis courts, but I may have just missed them.  There is also a porta-potty, but I was told there was a wasp inside.  haha

The playground has a rubber chip surface and two distinct areas.  The first has:

• 2 diggers
• Speaking tube
• 2 swings
• 2 baby swings
• Ladders/stairs
• Slide
• Steering wheel
• Gears

The second area (bigger kids) has:

• Monkey bars
• Ladders/stairs
• Fireman pole
• Bridge
• Steering wheel
• Covered slide
• Double slide
• Rock climbing holds
• Ball maze

Duluth Parks page

Blackmer Park

Blackmer Park is pleasantly shaded by large trees, right off the St Louis River in Morgan Park.  There is a softball field nearby and a path that leads to train tracks and the river.  On the day we visited, there was a lot of broken glass at the beginning of the path but as you moved toward the river, there was none.

The playground is a sand surface and has:

• Monkey bars
• Pull-up bar
• 1 slide and 1 double slide
• Speaking tube
• Digger
• Rubber flap bridge
• Tic-tac-toe
• Ball maze
• Steering wheel
• Balance beam
• Track glider
• 2 swings
• 2 very low baby swings

Duluth Parks page

Riverside Park

Riverside park is nestled into a neighborhood in far west Duluth and has a playground next to a very large field and some sort of community center building.  All doors were locked.  The park has a baseball field, basketball hoop in the parking lot, and it appears to connect to some local trails.  There is no shade near the playground so on a summer day, it gets hot.

The playground has a sand surface and features: 

• 2 baby swings
• 2 swings
• Speaking tubes
• 1 slide
• 1 double slide
• Monkey bars
• Chain/foot climbing holds wall
• Bridge
• Steering wheel
• Fireman pole
• Stairs/ladders
• Ball maze

Duluth Parks page

Fairmont Park

Fairmont Park is located right outside the Lake Superior Zoo, but it is a public park with no admission charge.  There are walking paths and a little grove of trees, and you can hear a river bubbling by.  There is a bathroom building and picnic tables.

The surface is a bit unkempt, mixing sand, grass, and weeds.  When we visited, the grass you had to cross to get from the parking lot to the playground was water logged and it was hard to not get muddy.

Fairmont has:

• 2 baby swings
• 2 swings
• 3 steering wheels
• Pull-up bar
• 1 slide
• 1 double slide
• Fireman pole
• Bridge
• Speaking tube
• Ladders and stairs
• Monkey bars
• Tic-tac-toe
• Ball maze
• Digger

Duluth Parks page

Franklin Tot Lot

Franklin Tot Lot is a little playground right next to the Coast Guard station and across Minnesota Ave from a swimming beach and parking lot.  The park is fenced along Minnesota Ave and has one dead end street and one street going straight to the Coast Guard on the other sides of the triangle shaped park.

The playground is a sand surface and has:

• 1 slide and 1 double slide
• Ladders/stairs
• Rubber mat bridge
• Speaking tubes
• Monkey bars
• Pull-up bar
• Steering wheel
• 2 baby swings
• 2 swings

Duluth Parks page

Lafayette Park

Lafayette Park is on Minnesota Point, about 2 miles down the road after you cross the aerial lift bridge.  It has a community center, beach access, baseball field, community garden, tennis courts, and playground.  The entire square is fenced, which is good because there is a good amount of traffic on Minnesota Ave during the summer and it is right on it.  The only thing that would be better is if the entrance had a gate too.

The playground is a sand surface with a structure featuring:

• 2 baby swings
• 2 swings
• Steering wheels
• Ball maze
• Tic-tac-toe spinners
• Pull-up bar
• Track glider
• Stairs/ladders
• Bridge
• 1 double slide and 1 slide
• Fireman pole
• Digger
• Speaking tube

There is also a little plastic toddler structure off to the side in the shade of some tall trees.

Duluth Parks page

Lilliput Park

Lilliput is really just a small neighborhood park in a grassy lot.  It is located right next to Essentia Health so there is zero parking to be found.  There is a lot right next to the playground but it is for Essentia employee parking only.  We had to walk a good block to get to the park and there wasn't much to hold the kids' attention.

There are mature trees, 4 benches, and 2 picnic tables in the grassy area.  There is also some sort of garden to the uphill side of the lot.

The playground is a sand surface with:

• 2 baby swings
• 2 swings
• 1 slide
• 1 double slide
• Ladders and stairs
• Monkey bars
• Steering wheel

Duluth Parks page

Grant Park

Grant park is a playground that we had visited right after moving to Duluth, but had completely forgotten about.  It is a really nice playground right next to Meyers-Wilkins Elementary school and has a community resource center on site.  There are soccer fields, basketball courts, and a community garden.  I did have to watch the two year old near the garden boxes since he thought it looked enticing but after that, they playground captured his attention.  The park is fenced on two sides and there is only one road nearby.  It might be a concern on school days since it appears to be the school entrance, but it was very low traffic when we visited. There are picnic tables, benches, and shade trees.  It is in full sun and we got pretty hot before 10 a.m.  I assume there are bathrooms inside the community center but there was a group using the center when we were there and I didn't want to intrude.
The playground is sand surface with some rubber mat beneath the main steps.  Some features are:

• 2 swings
• 2 baby swings
• Bouncing circle to stand on
• Rock structure (no holds)
• Rock wall with holds
• 3 slides
• Speaking tubes
• Corkscrew
• Monkey bars
• Plastic ladder nets
• Ladders and stairs
• Pull up bar
• Spinning wheel to hang from
• Fireman pole
• Steering wheel

Update August 2017: the roller slide has been removed and replaced with a wavy plastic slide.  The covered corkscrew slide has been removed and replaced with a rock wall with holds.  My boys were very sad to see the roller slide gone but it's still a quiet and large park that is very pleasant to visit.

Duluth Parks page

Washington Square

Washington Square is a nice grassy area filled with trees plus a playground area, surrounded by housing.  It is right off Superior St, but the playground is on the opposite end of the square.
The playground has a sand surface and benches and picnic tables.  Some features of the playground are:

• 2 swings
• 2 baby swings
• Digger
• Tic-tac-toe
• Gears
• 3 Steering wheels
• Monkey bars
• Fireman pole
• Ladders and stairs
• 1 slide
• 1 double slide
• Bridge
• Pull up bar
• Speaking tubes

Duluth Parks page

Observation Park

This park is part playground, part dog park.  There are two sandy playground areas separated by some great climbing boulders, a basketball court, two fenced in dog areas (one for <20 lbs), and a large field that used to hold hockey rinks.  The field is separated from the playgrounds by what I'm assuming was a warming building.  It is now a community center managed by a boxing gym.

One of the playgrounds is the "adventure ship" that we have also seen at Memorial Park and Playfront Park.  It has:

• 2 slides
• Speaking tubes
• Ladders
• Periscope
• Steering wheel
• 2 baby swings

The other playground is sort of a mystery to us.  We aren't sure if parts have been neglected and broken or what their intention is.  But things we could identify were:

• 2 side-by-side track gliders
• Swiveling wheel for hanging
• Standing bouncy circle
• Pull up bar
• Two games - an arm wrestling challenge and a broken pinball game

Duluth Parks page

Dog Park page

Portland Square

Portland Square is a large square in a neighborhood with housing on three sides and some business, including Ski Hut, on the other.  4th Street is a fairly busy road but the playground is situated a good distance from it.  There is currently one porta-potty on site.
The park has large trees and some grassy area, plus a large circular sidewalk that is great for practicing riding bikes up and down hills and there is a sprinkler in the center of the circle that we have only seen on a couple of times.
There are two separate playground areas, one for younger children and one for older.  There are no baby swings at this park.

The little kid area has:

• Gears
• Xylophone and drums
• Spinning seat
• Steering wheel
• Connect four
• Porthole
• Mirrors
• Periscope
• Steps
• Double slide

The big kid area has:

• 4 swings
• Tire swing
• Corkscrew
• 1 slide
• Triple slide
• Rock climbing wall
• Bridge
• Fireman pole
• Spinning wheel monkey bars
• Monkey bars
• Ladders and steps
• Speaking tube
• Finger mazes
• Steering wheels

Duluth Parks page

Cascade Park

This playground is located in the middle of a residential area on a rather steep part of the hill. It used to contain a waterfall with a gazebo, but the waterfall has since been routed underground.  You can still go up in a gazebo and get a great view of the harbor.

The playground is a sand surface and contains:

• 2 swings
• 2 baby swings
• 3 slides
• Monkey bars
• Digger
• Speaking tubes
• Wobbly steps
• Balance beam
• Steering wheel
• Corkscrew
• Pull-up bar
  
  
  
  

Duluth Parks page

Playfront Park

Playfront is easily the most popular playground in Duluth.  It is located right off Interstate 35 between the downtown area (library and Depot, specifically), the Great Lakes Aquarium, and the Decc/Amsoil Arena.  Is is connected to the Bayfront Festival grounds and has a bathroom facility and recreation equipment rental area.  There is a good amount of parking that has a two hour limit and I have never found it full (barring an event at Bayfront).
Parking is on two sides and there are paths on the other sides.  Roads are far enough to not be worrisome, but some adventurous toddlers do like to take off on the paths....ahem....

The surface is recycled rubber tire chips which is a controversial material among some parents for fears of toxicity and off-gassing and it's worrisome when little ones inevitably put it in their mouths.  There is also rubber mat surface in select areas (under one tire swing, near the toddler area, and by some of the stepping stones.

Some features of the playground:

• 2 tire swings
• 4 baby swings (on different side of the park from regular swings)
• 5 swings
• 1 accessible swing
• 2 bouncy riders
• Pavilion in center of playground

The area designed for older children has:

• X-Wave 2
• Monkey bars
• Wobbly steps
• Netting to climb
• Hoops to climb through
• Rock wall structure
• Stepping stones

The area for younger children is a ship that features:

• Speaking tubes
• 2 slides
• Ladders and steps
• Periscope
• 4 steering wheels

Duluth Parks page

Lincoln Park

Lincoln Park is a beautifully wooded area that follows the Miller Creek downhill from Piedmont to the Lincoln Park neighborhood.  It is surrounded by housing on several sides with paths and sidewalks going off in many directions.

The playground is not fenced and it is right next to the road that goes through the park.  The road is solely for the park, so it is not busy, but it is a road nonetheless.  Across the road is a bridge over the Miller Creek to a field and closed off structure.  The creek is not very blocked off, so younger children will need close supervision.  We did not find any porta-potties or restrooms.

The park has a disc golf course, a pavilion, and plenty of paved and unpaved walking paths.

The playground is a sand surface with two separate areas, one for older children and one for younger.  When we visited, there were several abandoned sweatshirts and food wrappers throughout the playground area.

EDIT: I just read an article that Lincoln Park will be going through a major renovation to improve safety and access to natural elements!  http://www.duluthnewstribune.com/news/4061878-plans-improve-lincoln-park-get-boost-vikings-us-bank

The larger structure is one of the most varied we have come across.  It has:

• 2 slides and 1 double slide
• Track glider
• Monkey bars of several varieties
• Ladders and steps
• Wobbly balance beam
• Fireman pole
• 4 swings
• 2 baby swings

The other section is intended for toddlers.  It is a cute little house with a picnic table inside and also includes a steering wheel, tunnel, and two bouncy animals to ride on.

Duluth Parks page

Chester Park

Chester Park is located near the University of Minnesota-Duluth, at a small ski hill and former ski jumping hill.  It is a sand park with trails and a creek very nearby.  There is a ski chalet down the road and a stage where they host concerts on Tuesday evenings in the summer.

My boys love this playground but it isn't perfect.  The parking lot and road are very close to the playground itself and my toddler is constantly trying to go down by the cars.  The creek is also within toddler escape distance so I have to watch closely whenever he is on that side of the playground.  The big boys like to run onto the stage and dance for a few minutes as part of their play.

There are several picnic tables and three benches.  There are no bathrooms near the playground.  EDIT: I have been told that there are bathrooms inside the chalet.

Some features:

• 2 swings
• 2 baby swings
• Brand new swirly slide (the old one was metal and of questionable integrity.)
• Merry-go-round
• 2 double slides (great for racing)
• Rock wall with holds
• Track glider
• Steps and a curved ladder
• Spinning wheels monkey bars
• Pull-up bar

Duluth Parks page

Memorial Park

Memorial park is right downtown in West Duluth.  It is situated on the corner of Grand Ave. and Central Ave., and as you can guess by the names, they are very busy streets.  Fortunately, the entire park is enclosed by a chain link fence, minus one entrance/exit right at the corner.  It does make me a little nervous with a very adventurous two year old, but the entrance is a good enough distance from the playgrounds that I can see if he takes off before he would reach a street.

The park actually consists of two separate playgrounds but are close enough together that I wouldn't worry about kids being at both structures at the same time and trying to keep an eye on them.  Both are a sand surface with a fairly large area for kids to spread out and dig/drive trucks and not run into any other kiddos.  It is also located right next door to Laura MacArthur Elementary School (rubber tire chip surface), so if you want a lot of variety in play structures, this might be a fantastic location to go and flit from structure to park to park.

There are several benches surrounding the playgrounds, a picnic table or two out in the open and an entire pavilion filled with picnic tables.  There are three porta-potties next to the entrance.

The playground that is designed for younger kids is a ship, just like the one at Playfront park.  It consists of:

• 2 slides
• Speaking tube
• Periscope and steering wheel
• Ladders, steps

The older kid playground has:

• 2 slides
• Rock climbing walls (one with holds, one without)
• Digger
• Monkey bars
• Steering wheel
• Wobbly steps
• Speaking tube
• 2 swings
• 2 baby swings

Duluth Parks page