RAGBRAI Des Moines Parking

Water Works Park Event Parking

For those wanting to participate in the events at Water Works Park, we have several parking options:

Park & Ride downtown to Water Works Park; DART is running a special service between downtown Des Moines and Water Works Park. Avoid the traffic and leave your car at the 4th and Grand Ave parking garage downtown. Daily parking is $10 and you can purchase a daily wristband from DART for the day. Service runs 1PM – 11PM. You can park in other locations downtown and still catch the DART service at the 4th & Grand Ave location if preferred.
Lot B at Water Works Park. This grass parking lot is located directly South of Water Works Park, at the corner of George Flagg Pkwy and SW 30th St. The best way to access this parking lot is to take 63rd St South to Park Avenue (go East), and then head North on SW 30th; or take Fleur Drive North to Bell Avenue (go East), and then head North on SW 30th. Parking is $20 (card only, no cash allowed).
Bell Ave Business Center (1901 Bell Ave)—beginning at 5PM This parking lot is East of Water Works Park on Bell Avenue—there is a trail that connects to Water Works Park, through Gray’s Lake. To enter this park, take Bell Avenue from the East or West; or from the South, take Fleur Drive North to Bell Ave and head East. Fleur Drive will be closed from the North, so head to SW 7th Street to access Bell Ave and then head West. Parking is $20 (card only, no cash allowed).

Rider Meet Up

For those ending their day and not continuing on to Water Works Park and the campground, we have arranged for parking and rider meet up at the Iowa State Capitol. The Capitol parking lots are directly adjacent to the route. Please use the visitor Lots 3, 4, 15 and 26 to meet your rider. No overnight parking is allowed in these lots. Here is the Complex Parking Map for reference.

Overnight Parking

For those needing overnight parking, we recommend using a City of Des Moines parking garage. The garage at 4th and Grand Ave is the designated Park & Ride location for Wednesday, July 26th and will have a service running between downtown and Water Works Park. The full list of City of Des Moines garages can be found here.

In-Park Transportation

There will be a free tram service running inside the park, between the campgrounds and the concert area. There will be two loops—one that includes the RV camping area, and one that goes between the main campground and front of the park. A map of the tram stops can be found here.

Rideshare drop off/pick up is at the Water Works Administrative Building at 2500 George Flagg Parkway. Be prepared for delays, due to the amount of traffic and cyclists.

RAGBRAI Transportation

Des Moines Area Regional Transit Authority (DART) is your ticket to fun throughout Greater Des Moines! Park your bike and let DART get you where you want to go.

DART is running a special RAGBRAI service from Des Moines’ Water Works Park (the official RAGBRAI camping and concert location) to Downtown and the Historic East Village where you can access a wide array of food, drinks and entertainment.

This special RAGBRAI service will run from 1 to 11 p.m. on Wednesday, July 26. Riders can hop on (or off) anywhere along the route. Day passes are $4 and include unlimited rides. Riders can also purchase one-way fares for $1.75.

Tips for riding:

· Your best value is a day pass with unlimited rides at $4 per person. The day pass is half price ($2) if you purchase it in the MyDART app.

· DART ticket booths accept cash or credit cards. If you choose to pay as you enter the bus, no change will be given.

· Have you made your way Downtown and not sure how to get back to camp? All bus stops with RAGBRAI service will have easily identifiable RAGBRAI signage and all buses will have RAGBRAI service displayed on their external headway screen located above the bus windshield.

· Please remember, no bikes are allowed inside DART buses. Each bus is equipped with a bike rack that can hold up to two bikes, so it Is recommended you park your bike at camp and enjoy the (air conditioned) ride.

· Are you local and heading to the concert? A special event Park & Ride will be located at 4th and Grand and will be open from 3 p.m. until after the concert, and parking fees apply. Riders may purchase one-way or round-trip fares.

Questions about DART’s RAGBRAI service? Call 515-283-8110 or email dart@ridedart.com.