Because the John Pat Dorrian Trail is an urban pathway, there are no dedicated parking lots. However, the various Des Moines administrative buildings have large parking lots on Robert D. Ray Drive and E. Grand Avenue. Pete Crivaro Park at the trail's southern endpoint has a parking lot at the intersection of SE 11th Street and E. Railroad Avenue. In the north, consider parking at the Des Moines Botanical Center or Birdland Park and Marina located just off Saylor Road.
Decided to start at the trailhead of this one and continue up to the NST and onto Big Creek. This trail is in pathetic shape. Many spots of missing trail turned to mud, tons of cracks, uneven surface. When will construction and maitenence be done?
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