What Lost Planet in Des Moines looks like now

Linh here. Last month, we fondly remembered Lost Planet — a mysterious place near Water Works Park where teens used to hang out.

Driving the news: A common question we got from readers — what is happening at Lost Planet now?

State of play: Axios Des Moines reader Wendie O'Brien owns land near Lost Planet and brought me out to see what's become of it.

• Her family previously owned Robin Hills Stable, a horse riding academy near the lime pit area.
• Now, she calls her land "Robin Hills Meadows" and brings her horses there to ride.

The big picture: While walking the bridle path along Water Works Park, I saw Lost Planet is mostly vegetation with tall pampas-like grass as far as the eye can see. Water Works uses it to dispose of the river silt it can't reuse.

• Even though it's not totally desolate land anymore — it definitely still has an other-worldly feeling.

Go deeper: Learn more about DMWW and how they clean your water here.