Riverside Park

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This profile of Ann Arbor’s Riverside Park Playground is part of our Playground Profiles Series. Are you interested in sponsoring the series? Contact us for details.

Each week Ann Arbor with Kids is profiling a different playground in the Ann Arbor area including Ann Arbor, Saline, Ypsilanti, Dexter, etc. Today we are profiling Riverside Park part of the Ann Arbor system.

Ann Arbor’s Riverside Park

Riverside Park sits along the Huron River behind the Kellogg Eye Center between Argo Cascades and Island Park. The playground features a central climbing structure, slide, and ground activities.

Riverside Park – Playground Features

Playground Profile Last Updated: June 13, 2023

Playground Best for: Kids Under 5, Kids 5-8, Kids 8-12, Teens
Structures: 1
Accessible Structure: No
Slides: 1, Curved Slide
Monkey Bars: No
Zip Line: No
Climbing Apparatus: Yes
Merry Go Round: No
Bouncers: Yes
See Saw: No
Sandbox: Yes
Natural Play: No
Swings: 2 traditional swings, 2 baby swings, 0 parent/baby swings, 0 adaptive swings, 0 tire swings
Ground Activities: Yes
Surface: Wooden Mulch
Shade: Partial Shade – Trees surround the playground.
Seating: Yes, Benches around playground. Additional benches nearby facing the river.

Riverside Park – Park Details

Park Owner: Ann Arbor
Location: 1000 Canal Street, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
Parking: Parking Lot – A small gravel lot on Canal St, UM lots are available on weekend and after hours for more parking. Be sure to follow UM parking restrictions
Bathrooms: No
Walking Trails: Paved – Trail along the Huron River
Water Play: Natural Water – Huron River flows right by Riverside Park. There are some access points. The river was a bit fast on our visit, but the water levels are high.
Picnic Benches: Yes, Nearby, Full Sun
Pavilion: No
Sports Fields: Baseball/Softball, Open Fields

Riverside Park Description

Riverside Park playground features a a central structure with multiple climbing elements connected via a circular platform. With our updated playground profile including information on the playground structure, I had a difficult time deciding whether I should classify this as a structure or a separate climbing apparatus. I decided to call it both. The platform is small and has no slides, so it is not quite a traditional structure, but it is more than a standalone climbing apparatus.

Ann Arbor Riverside Park - Climbing Wall

My daughter and her friend loved the bouncing tube. I don’t quite know how to describe it, so I’ll let the picture do the talking. My daughter and her friend were 12 on the visit shown below. At 15, my daughter still had to climb on the bouncer when we stopped by after visiting the Optical Shop at the Kellogg Eye Center.

Ann Arbor Riverside Park - Bouncing Pipe

Is your child a budding percussionist? Then Riverside Park is the place for them. There is a whole section of bongos, drums, and shakers.

Ann Arbor Riverside Park - Percussion Section

Another unique feature is the sailboat in a sand area. Currently, there is not a lot of loose sand, so the boat will work better as a feature for imaginative play.

Note, when we visited in July 2021 the park was overrun with Canadian Geese. Use caution particularly with young children in the sand box.

Beyond Riverside Park

We have visited Riverside Park several times in combination with a trip to the Argo Cascades. When we park in the Kellogg lot, it is a perfect spot for a picnic after tubing. We usually visit the Cascades in the evening or the weekend so we can park in the Kellogg lot.

Argo Cascades - Wednesday Activity Review - In the Parking Lot

Riverside Park is also a great stop before or after a trip to the Kellogg Eye Center. My daughter and I stopped by after a recent trip to the optical shop for new glasses.

The Riverside Park paved path connects to Argo Cascades and to sidewalks along Island Drive towards Island Park.