Dubuque, IA Curfew Laws: Park Curfew (2026)
Key Facts
- Default hours
- 7:00 A.M. to 10:00 P.M. daily
- Eagle Point/Flora/Murphy
- open to 11 P.M. Fri-Sat in season
- Gerald Red McAleece Complex
- open to midnight, March-November
- Bunker Hill Golf Course
- 7 A.M.-11 P.M., March-November
- Marshall/FDR Park
- open 7 A.M. to sunset
- After-hours vehicles
- deemed abandoned, subject to towing
Summary
Dubuque parks close to the public at 10:00 P.M. by default, opening again at 7:00 A.M., and section 10-5B-22 makes it unlawful to enter or stay past those hours without Parks and Recreation Director authorization, an approved special event permit or a rental reservation; several named parks and the Gerald 'Red' McAleece complex run later.
For the purpose of this section except as noted below all city parks are open to the public from seven o'clock (7:00) A.M. to ten o'clock (10:00) P.M daily, unless an alternate schedule or deviated schedule has been approved by the Parks and Recreation Director to meet operational needs, through the special events permit application process, or as conditioned by a City rental reservation. No person shall enter or remain in any park, parkway, trail, open space, or park and recreation facility other than during the hours designated in this section or authorized by the Parks and Recreation Director, an approved special event permit, City rental reservation, or Parks and Recreation Department sponsored program or activity ... Eagle Point Park, Flora Park and Louis Murphy Park shall be open for use by the public from seven o'clock (7:00) A.M. to ten o'clock (10:00) P.M. Sunday through Thursday, and from seven o'clock (7:00) A.M. to eleven o'clock (11:00) P.M. Friday and Saturday during the regular park season. ... Gerald "Red" McAleece Park and Recreation Complex shall be open for use by the public from seven o'clock (7:00) A.M. to twelve o'clock (12:00) midnight March through November.
Full Breakdown
Dubuque City Code section 10-5B-22, Park Hours, sets the default rule that all city parks are open from 7:00 A.M. to 10:00 P.M. daily and makes it unlawful for anyone to enter or remain in a park, parkway, trail, open space or park and recreation facility outside those hours unless the Parks and Recreation Director has approved an alternate schedule, a special events permit covers it, or a city rental reservation conditions it. Several named parks run later during the regular park season, which section 10-5B-22.B fixes as the first Saturday in May through the fourth Sunday in October: Eagle Point Park, Flora Park and Louis Murphy Park stay open to 10:00 P.M.
Sunday through Thursday but to 11:00 P.M. on Friday and Saturday, and the Gerald 'Red' McAleece Park and Recreation Complex stays open until midnight from March through November. Marshall Park and the public-use area of Franklin Delano Roosevelt Park close at sunset during the regular season instead of a fixed clock time, and Bunker Hill Golf Course runs 7:00 A.M. to 11:00 P.M. from March through November unless posted otherwise for operational needs. Section 10-5B-21 backs the hours rule for vehicles specifically: any car left in a park after closing is deemed abandoned and the city manager or a park ranger can have it towed at the owner's expense.
Violations & Fines
Entering or remaining in a Dubuque park, parkway, trail or open space outside the hours fixed by section 10-5B-22, without Parks and Recreation Director authorization, a special event permit or a rental reservation, is a municipal infraction under section 1-4-2: a civil penalty up to $750 for a first offense and up to $1,000 for repeat offenses, plus court costs; a vehicle left in a park past closing under section 10-5B-21 can also be towed at the owner's expense.
Frequently Asked Questions
What time do Dubuque parks close?
Do any Dubuque parks stay open later than 10 P.M.?
What happens if I leave my car in a Dubuque park after closing?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Dubuque
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