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The Local

Parks and recreation Providence

A fact block on every park, plus the dog and splash pad rules

Every park in Providence, and what is in it.

Providence runs its recreation out of one busy anchor and a handful of quieter parks. Zollinger holds the ball fields, the lighted tennis and the batting cages; Alma Leonhardt has the summer splash pad and the pickleball; Von Baer is open bench ground with disc golf; and Brookside is a short creek path. Add four neighborhood pockets, one clear dog rule, and gates that open at eight in the morning and close at ten at night. Here is each park with an address, a season and the honest reason to go.

On this page The short answer The parks compared Zollinger Park Neighborhood parks FAQ
By Scott Buehler, Moving Utah Updated August 2026

The short answer

If you want the whole town in one park, go to Zollinger, on 200 West a few blocks off Main. It is where the ball fields, the lighted tennis, the batting cages and the two pavilions are, and it is where Providence throws Sauerkraut Days each summer. For the splash pad and pickleball, cross to Alma Leonhardt near 300 West. Von Baer on the east side is open ground with a disc golf course, and Brookside is a short walk along Spring Creek. Four small neighborhood parks fill in the rest. Every city park keeps the same hours, eight in the morning to ten at night, and dogs are allowed on exactly three trails: Brookside, Von Baer and Zollinger. The mountain hike everyone asks about is up Providence Canyon, which has its own page.

Where Nine city parks across Providence, from the 200 West core to the east bench
From central Providence Every park is within a few minutes; Zollinger sits right in the middle of town
Season Open year round, 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.; the splash pad runs Memorial Day to Labor Day
Cost Free to use; only pavilion reservations carry a fee
Time needed An hour at any one park, an afternoon to see the four main ones

The parks compared

Five parks, side by side, so you pick the right one.

What each park is actually for, where it sits, and whether you can bring the dog. Drive times are from the middle of town and are estimates, not published figures.

The park Where What stands out Season Dogs on the trail
Zollinger Park200 West, centralBall fields, lighted tennis, batting cages, two pavilionsYear roundYes, on the trail
Alma Leonhardt Park300 West and Providence PlaceSummer splash pad, four pickleball courtsSplash pad in summerNo
Von Baer Park350 East Center StreetDisc golf, open bench ground, walking trailYear roundYes, on the trail
Brookside Park38 E Spring Creek PkwyShort creek path, grass play areaYear roundYes, on the trail
Neighborhood parksFour pockets across townPlaygrounds close to homeYear roundNo

One dog rule to remember

Providence does not allow dogs inside its parks, leashed or not. The only exception is the walking trails at Brookside, Von Baer and Zollinger, and at Von Baer that means the trail, not the park itself. Keep them leashed and clean up.

Hours are the same everywhere

The city parks are open 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. The one thing on a shorter clock is the Alma Leonhardt splash pad, which runs 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. from Memorial Day through Labor Day. Smaller pockets can close for winter.

Booking a pavilion

Zollinger, Alma Leonhardt and Von Baer all have pavilions you can reserve, with Zollinger's two available roughly May through September. Contact Providence Parks and Recreation to hold a date before a birthday or a reunion.

Zollinger Park, the town's main ground

200 West, central Providence Free Open 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Zollinger is the park Providence runs its organized life out of. It covers about 13.2 acres on 200 West, a few blocks west of Main Street, right in the middle of town, and it carries almost everything with a schedule attached: the ball fields, the batting cages, two lighted tennis courts for evening play, a sand volleyball court, horseshoe pits, a half basketball court and playgrounds. Two pavilions, one large and one small, are reservable roughly May through September, each with tables, grills, power and water.

It is also the stage for the town's signature summer festival. Sauerkraut Days, the celebration that traces back to Providence's German and Swiss settlers, runs its parade down to Zollinger and stacks the weekend with lawn games, food trucks, a local legends baseball game and a closing drone show over the field. The festival itself, with its evening schedule and its history, is on the sibling things to do in Providence page; here it is enough to know this is where it lands.

The walking trail at the edge of the park is one of only three in Providence where a leashed dog is allowed, alongside Brookside and Von Baer. Everywhere else in the city's parks, dogs stay home, so Zollinger is a genuinely useful place to combine a walk with an errand.

The details

WhereOn 200 West, just west of Main Street in central Providence
From central ProvidenceYou are basically there; it sits in the middle of town
SeasonYear round, 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.; pavilions reservable May to September
CostFree; a pavilion reservation carries a fee
Time neededAn hour for a walk, a full afternoon on a game or festival day

Good to know

  • The two tennis courts are lit, so this is the park for a game after work in the long summer evenings.
  • Dogs are allowed on the trail only; the ball fields and playgrounds are off limits to them.
  • The Sauerkraut Days weekend fills the park; expect closed lanes and full lots on those days.
  • Book a pavilion early for summer weekends through Providence Parks and Recreation.

Alma Leonhardt Park, the splash pad and pickleball

300 West and Providence Place Free Splash pad Memorial Day to Labor Day

Alma Leonhardt is the summer park. Its splash pad runs from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. between Memorial Day and Labor Day, which makes it the reliable hot afternoon answer when Zollinger is booked with a game. Around the water sit a playground with swings and slides, a shaded pavilion, a tennis court and, the draw for a lot of people, four dedicated pickleball courts.

The pickleball is worth a plain note. The four courts are permanent and hard surfaced, but they are first come, first served, with no reservations and no lights, so this is a daylight game. Come early on a summer weekend if you want a court without a wait. Unlike Zollinger, Brookside and Von Baer, Alma Leonhardt is not one of the dog trail parks, so leave the dog at home for this one.

The details

WhereNear 300 West and Providence Place, on the west side of town
From central ProvidenceA couple of minutes west of Main Street
SeasonYear round park; splash pad 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., Memorial Day to Labor Day
CostFree, splash pad and pickleball included
Time neededAn hour or two on a warm afternoon

Good to know

  • The splash pad keeps shorter hours than the park itself, and only in the summer window.
  • Pickleball is first come, first served with no lights, so plan a daylight game.
  • This is not a dog trail park; dogs are not allowed here.
  • The shaded pavilion can be reserved through Providence Parks and Recreation.

Von Baer Park, disc golf and open ground

350 East Center Street Free Year round

Von Baer is the big, loose park on the east side of town, out toward the bench at 350 East Center Street. It spreads across about 20.8 acres of open ground and trail, and it feels different from Zollinger: less scheduled sport, more room to wander. The draw is the disc golf course laid out across the slope, along with walking and running trails that make an easy loop with a view back over the valley.

It is also a dog park in the narrow Providence sense: leashed dogs are allowed on the trail, though not in the park proper, which is the same trail only rule that holds at Brookside and Zollinger. A pavilion and fire pit are here to reserve for a group. If you want space and quiet over a lit ball field, this is the one.

The details

Where350 East Center Street, on the east side toward the bench
From central ProvidenceA few minutes east of Main Street
SeasonYear round, 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.
CostFree; disc golf is free to play
Time neededAn hour to walk it, a couple of hours for a disc golf round

Good to know

  • This is the town's largest and most open park, better for a walk or a round than a ball game.
  • Dogs are welcome on the trail on a leash, but not in the park proper.
  • Bring your own discs; the course is free and there is no shop on site.
  • The trail up Providence Canyon starts elsewhere; that hike is covered on the Providence Canyon page.

Brookside Park, a walk along Spring Creek

38 E Spring Creek Pkwy Free Open 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Brookside is the small, quiet one, a neighborhood park at 38 East Spring Creek Parkway built around a short walking path and a grass play area. The path runs a gentle eighth of a mile along Spring Creek, which threads through this side of Providence, and it is the third of the town's three dog trails, so a leashed walk by the water is the point of the place.

It is not a destination park, and that is the appeal. If you live nearby, it is a five minute loop with the dog before dinner; if you are seeing the town, it shows you the creek corridor that shapes the west side. For the bigger amenities, cross back to Zollinger or Alma Leonhardt.

The details

Where38 East Spring Creek Parkway, along the Spring Creek corridor
From central ProvidenceA few minutes from Main Street
SeasonYear round, 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.
CostFree
Time neededFifteen to thirty minutes for the loop

Good to know

  • The walking path is short and flat, an easy loop rather than a workout.
  • Leashed dogs are allowed on the trail here, the third of the town's three dog trails.
  • There is a grass play area but no large playground or sports facility.
  • Spring Creek runs cold and quick; keep an eye on small children near the water.

Before you go

The four rules that catch people out.

Providence keeps its parks simple, but a few local rules are worth knowing before you load the car, especially the dog policy and the split between park hours and splash pad hours.

Dogs, three trails only

Leashed dogs are allowed only on the trails at Brookside, Von Baer and Zollinger, and not in the parks themselves. Everywhere else, dogs stay home.

Hours, 8 to 10

Every city park opens at 8 a.m. and closes at 10 p.m. The splash pad is the exception, on a shorter 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. summer clock.

Splash pad is seasonal

The Alma Leonhardt splash pad runs only from Memorial Day through Labor Day. Outside that window it is off, so plan summer for the water.

Reserve to be sure

Pavilions at Zollinger, Alma Leonhardt and Von Baer can be booked through Providence Parks and Recreation; do it early for a summer weekend.

Closer to home

Four neighborhood parks in the pockets of town.

Beyond the four main parks, Providence keeps small neighborhood parks scattered through its subdivisions. These are playground and green space stops rather than destinations, the kind of park you walk to, and none of them are dog parks.

300 South 300 East

Braegger Park

A neighborhood green and playground on the south side of town, an easy walk for the streets around it.

575 Johnson Drive

Hampshire Park

A pocket park tucked into its subdivision, playground and open grass for the immediate neighborhood.

251 South 325 West

Meadow Ridge Park

A small park on the west side with a playground, a short walk for the homes nearby.

100 East 100 North

Uptown Park

A green space near the older core of town, close to Main Street and a quick stop for the blocks around it.

Keep reading

More of Providence, and the valley around it.

Start here

Things to Do in Providence

The Old Rock Church, Sauerkraut Days, the canyon and the parks, ranked in one overview.

Read the guide

The real hike

Providence Canyon

The trail up Canyon Road, the old quarry, and the winter ice climbing, with the honest cautions.

Read the guide

The landmark

The Old Rock Church

The 1870s meetinghouse on Main, its thick stone walls, and what the building holds today.

Read the guide

Minutes north

Logan Parks, Trails and River

First Dam, the Logan River Trail and the Aquatic Center, a short drive up the valley.

Read the guide

The whole valley

Cache Valley on The Local

Logan Canyon, Bear Lake, the ski hills and the farm country, plus every town's own guide.

Open the hub

The city guide

Providence homes and neighborhoods

Prices, neighborhoods, school boundaries and current listings, for anyone weighing a move here.

Open the city guide

Quick answers

The parks, answered.

Zollinger Park, about 13.2 acres on 200 West just west of Main Street. It carries the town's ball fields and batting cages, two lighted tennis courts, sand volleyball, horseshoe pits, playgrounds, and two reservable pavilions, and it hosts the city's Sauerkraut Days each summer. Like the other city parks it is open 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.

At Alma Leonhardt Park, near 300 West and Providence Place. The splash pad runs 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. from Memorial Day through Labor Day. The same park has four pickleball courts, a tennis court, a shaded pavilion, and a playground with swings and slides.

Only on the trails, and only at three of them: Brookside, Von Baer, and Zollinger. Providence does not allow dogs inside its parks otherwise, leashed or not, and at Von Baer the rule is the trail only, not the park itself. Keep them leashed and clean up after them.

The city parks are open 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. The Alma Leonhardt splash pad keeps shorter summer hours, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. from Memorial Day through Labor Day, and the smaller neighborhood parks can close for the winter season.

Alma Leonhardt Park has four dedicated pickleball courts. They are first come, first served with no reservations and no lights, so plan for daylight. For tennis, Zollinger Park has two courts with lights for evening play.

Yes, at Von Baer Park at 350 East Center Street. The park spreads over about 20.8 acres of open ground and trail, and its walking trail is one of the three in town, with Brookside and Zollinger, where leashed dogs are allowed.

The splash pad at Alma Leonhardt in summer, playgrounds at both Alma Leonhardt and Zollinger, and batting cages and ball fields at Zollinger. The neighborhood parks, Braegger, Hampshire, Meadow Ridge, and Uptown, add playgrounds closer to home in their pockets of town.

Yes. Zollinger Park has two, one large and one small, reservable roughly May through September, each with tables, grills, power, and water. Alma Leonhardt and Von Baer have pavilions too. Contact Providence Parks and Recreation to book a date.

The real climb is up Providence Canyon, which The Local covers on its own page. In town, the walking paths at Von Baer, at Brookside along Spring Creek Parkway, and at Zollinger are gentle loops rather than mountain trails, and all three are where dogs are allowed.

Scott Buehler, Moving Utah

A splash pad and a disc golf course are one way to read a town.

Where the parks sit tells you something about how Providence lives, but it does not answer whether a given street works for your household, which side of the bench sits above the winter air, or what a home here actually costs. Tell me what you are weighing and I will introduce you to a Cache County partner agent who knows Providence street by street, and stay on the file for the research and the financing side.

Browse Providence homes Talk to Scott

Referral disclosure. Outside Southern Utah, I connect home sellers and buyers with partner agents I trust in their area. If you choose to work with an agent I refer, that agent's brokerage pays my brokerage (Real Broker, LLC) a referral fee. The fee comes out of the agent's compensation; it is not an added cost to you. You are always free to choose any agent you wish, and using a referred agent is never required.