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

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

Norton Park

Norton Park is tucked in on a dead end street in the Norton Park neighborhood of West Duluth.  There is a community center and baseball field, basketball court, picnic table, and large trees to one side.

The playground has a coarse sand surface (almost like gravel is mixed in) and:

• 2 baby swings
• 2 swings
• 2 bouncy riders
• See-saw
• Ladders (NO stairs, but my two year old could make it up one of the ladders)
• Monkey bars
• Double slide
• Swirly slide
• Tunnel
• Corkscrew
• Fireman pole

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

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

Irving Park

Irving Park is a nicely fenced park in a rather quiet area (at least when we were there).  Interstate 35 is nearby, so there is noise from that, but it is nothing like some of the parks on main streets in town.

It has a large field area for soccer, football, and basketball courts.  There are a lot of trees bordering the park and shady areas to rest.
There are a couple of benches around the playground area, which is a sand surface.  The play structure has:

• 2 swings
• 2 baby swings
• Speaking tubes
• 1 slide and 1 double slide
• Digger
• Stairs/ladders
• Arm pedaling crank
• Monkey bars
• Fireman pole
• Corkscrew
• Tic-tac-toe spinners

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

Grosvenor Square

EDIT 6/1/17: This playground is no more!  The play structures have been removed.  :(

Grosvenor Square is a little playground next to a soccer field right off Superior Street in the Lakeside neighborhood.  It is a pebble surface with one structure and a little tunnel.
The structure has:

• 2 slides
• Fireman pole
• Ladders and steps

Duluth Parks 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

Morley Park

Morley Park is a square in a residential area with the playground area taking up half the square and the other side filled with grass and small trees.  The streets are rather low traffic and there is a decent distance from playground to street.  It is a wood chip surface and has benches and a picnic table.  There was no porta-potty when we visited.
The park is quite far up the hill and has no large trees so it gets a good amount of sun.  We like to visit on cooler days when the ample sunshine will help keep us warm.

Some features:

• Tire swing
• 2 baby swings
• 2 swings
• 2 bouncy riders
• Rock wall structure with "grill" in the middle (standing platform made up of metal bars)

There is a little structure off to one side of the playground for smaller kids with:

• Steps and ladder
• Corkscrew
• Slide

The large playground structure is almost an L-shape and features: 

• 3 slides
• Monkey bars
• Spinning oval
• Climbing wall with holds
• Ladders and steps
• Built in picnic table and benches

Duluth Parks page

Endion Park

Endion is a little sand surface playground in a square in a residential neighborhood and next door to a synagogue.  It is much like other playgrounds in the city, but also has a grassy area that would be good for tag or a little soccer practice.  Parking is on the street but we had no trouble finding a spot.  The park is surrounded on its non-synagogue sides by tall trees.  There was no porta-potty in view.

It has:

• 2 swings
• 2 baby swings
• Digger
• Speaking tubes
• Fireman pole
• Monkey bars
• Ladders and steps
• 1 slide and 1 double slide
• Corkscrew
• Tunnel connecting platforms
• Benches and a picnic table
• Tennis and basketball courts

Duluth Parks page

Hillside Sport Court Park

The hillside playground is in a residential area but borders the busier 7th St.  The playground is fenced and has a few entrances.  There is a large field to the west side of the playground that is included in the fenced area.  The parks website lists a parking lot, but close to the playground there is only street parking.

The playground is a sand surface and features:

• 2 swings
• Accessible swing
• 2 diggers
• 1 slide and 2 double slides
• Log roller
• Curved ladders and steps
• Bridge
• Speaking tubes
• Pull-up bar
• Monkey bars
• Fireman pole

Duluth Parks page