Guide to Sertoma Park

Sertoma Park is one of Sioux City's best-known parks, with an iconic water tower, fun playground, scenic views, lots of space to run and play, and a great pavilion. Here's your ultimate guide to this wonderful park just south of Sioux City's Morningside neighborhood and the Southern Hills Mall.

What is Sertoma Park?

Sertoma Park is a 42-acre city park in the southern part of Sioux City, on the same hill as Cone Park. Essentially, the eastern side of the hill is Sertoma Park, while the western side of the hill is home to Cone Park and to the Lewis & Clark Park baseball stadium where the Sioux City Explorers baseball team plays. Also nearby is Thinker Toys and the Castle Pub, both housed in a castle across the street from Sertoma Park to the South. 

The history of Sioux City's Sertoma Park

Sioux City's Sertoma Park is one of its newer parks, dating to the turn of the millennium. In 1995, the Sioux City Sertoma Club made an agreement with the city of Sioux City to create the park, and the Sertoma Club as part of this agreement had to do the fundraising. They also did much of the manual labor inherent in turning undeveloped land into a scenic park for the community to enjoy. Most of the features originally planned for originally came to fruition, but one that is noticeable missing is ice skating. Luckily that's been somewhat remedied with an ice-skating rink on the other side of the hill at Cone Park! Sertoma has also historically been popular for sledding, and hosted the city's annual Cardboard Sled Races each winter for 15 years before the races were moved to Cone Park. 

Since its early days, Sertoma Park has been popular not just for casual walkers and hikers, but also as a cross-country meet host site. In 2003, Sioux City East hosted the first high school meet there, and in more recent years it's been an annual site for middle school cross country meets each fall. 

Where is Sertoma Park?

Sertoma Park is located at 4255 Lancelot Lane, just off Singing Hills Blvd in Sioux City, IA. 

There is ample free parking in the Sertoma Park lower lot, plus a smaller lot (also free) on the top of the hill near the water tower.

Trails and Amenities at Sertoma Park

Some amenities families can enjoy at Sertoma Park include:

• Playground areas including a small toddler-friendly climber and slide near the picnic shelter, and a large play area with many different components to climb, several slides, and some swings.
• 2-mile trail that goes all the way around Cone Park as well
• Public Restrooms  
• Sertoma Pavilion Picnic Shelter which is a well-maintained pavilion-style, ADA-compliant shelter with a capacity 150 and a grill

Disc Golf at Sertoma Park

Sertoma Park has an 18-hole, advanced level disc golf course that goes around the hill. It is temporarily closed while they construct the mountain bike features, but I sure hope they'll rebuild it afterwards. You can check out my post about Disc Golf in Sioux City and Siouxland for more ideas of where to play disc golf in the Sioux City area. 

Sioux City Sue

The Sertoma Park water tower is iconic, painted with the lyrics to the song Sioux City Sue. You can see it from all over the Singing Hills area, and it's fun to see it up close too! 

Sioux City Sue was first recorded in 1945, and that version by Dick Thomas spent 23 weeks on the country charts, including 4 weeks in the #1 spot, and his album containing the song hit #16 on the Billboard charts. 

But the songs biggest success was when recorded by Bing Crosby. Bing took it to the top, with 16 weeks on the Billboard best album list, including some time at #3. 

Gene Autry and Tony Pastor also recorded versions, which were popular as well. 

To hear several different versions, check out the Grandma's Attic exhibit at the Sioux City Public Museum.

Memorial Area

Sertoma Park also includes a Veterans Memorial area added in the late 2010s, with benches, flowers, and a Fallen Heroes arch, all honoring those who have served in the US Military. 

Mountain Bike area

Construction is beginning in 2023 on a mountain bike path around the hill plus a kids mountain bike area! The contract bid the city put out describes plans for 10.5 miles of mountain bike trails including an intermediate skills trail, progressive jump zone, and a beginners skill zone. The bid lists the official deadline for park opening as May 15th, 2024. The contract was awarded to Rock Solid Trail Construction, a building company based in Michigan that specializes in creating spectacular mountain biking trails throughout the Midwest and beyond. 

More information about Sioux City's Sertoma Park

To find out more about Sioux City's Sertoma Park, visit the Sertoma Park page on the Sioux City Parks and Rec site. There is also a Sertoma Park in Sioux Falls, so if you're looking for that one, go here instead.