Polk County Conservation

At Jester Park, over 6 miles of cross-country ski trails provide winter recreation opportunities for our local community. Each year, members of the Des Moines Nordic Club in partnership with Polk County Conservation and other members of our community help to maintain the trails and utilize equipment to groom the ski trails as the snow flies. Volunteers can help maintain these trails in primarily two ways: 1) Seasonal maintenance including mowing, removing sticks and other debris from the trails 2) Trail grooming utilizing Polk County Conservation's grooming equipment during the ski season To have either of these roles, volunteers are expected to complete a training provided by Polk County Conservation staff and pass a motor vehicle record check. In addition, volunteers will work closely with members of the Des Moines Nordic Club who provide leadership on annual maintenance and care for these trails.