In the middle of uptown Phoenix, a few blocks of desert give way to one of the city’s prettiest surprises: Steele Indian School Park, a 75-acre green oasis at 300 East Indian School Road, right by the Indian School/Central Ave Valley Metro light rail station.
The park wraps around a serene, tree-shaded lake and lily pond, crossed by the Promenade Bridge and ringed by palms, ramadas and wide green lawns. A waterfall tumbles through the grounds, a horseshoe pit and sand volleyball courts keep things playful, and the 2.2-acre dog park gives four-legged visitors their own place to romp. The Circle of Life plaza and the Entry Garden Overlook offer quiet corners to take in the mountain views, and the park’s open lawns regularly host community festivals and gatherings.
History lives here, too. Three historic buildings of the former Phoenix Indian School survive on the grounds: Memorial Hall (1922), the Grammar School and the Band Building (1931). After the school closed in 1990, the city traded the old Phoenix Memorial Hospital site to create the park, saving the buildings and turning the grounds into a public gathering place that honors the site’s past. Fun detail: the park’s lakes and grounds are irrigated with reclaimed water, keeping all that green going in the desert.
Best of all, there is no entrance fee, and parking is free in the park’s lots off Indian School Road and 7th Street, with light rail and bus stops right at the door. Pack a picnic, bring the dog, and claim a patch of shade by the water.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
