This is a list of 63 state parks and recreation areas in Iowa. These state parks of the U.S. state of Iowa can be split into two groups based on management. The first group are those state parks managed by the Iowa Department of Natural Resources (Iowa DNR). The second group are those state parks managed by the county in which they are found.
DNR-managed state parks
Park nameCounty or countiesNearby cityAreaDate establishedAll data come from respective Iowa Department of Natural Resources webpage unless otherwise noted.Body of waterRemarks acres ha Ambrose A. Call State Park Kossuth County Algona 1925 Des Moines River Features heavily wooded hills and a reconstructed log cabin on the site of the first cabin in Kossuth County, built in 1854 by settler Ambrose A. Call. Backbone State Park Delaware County Strawberry Point 1919 Maquoketa River, Backbone Lake Features a rock ridge up to high, a recreational reservoir, and a museum on the Civilian Conservation Corps in Iowa. Badger Creek State Recreation Area Madison County Van Meter 1980 Badger Creek Lake Features a fishing lake outside Des Moines. Banner Lakes at Summerset State Park Warren County Indianola 2002 Banner Lakes Provides fishing and mountain biking opportunities on the site of a rehabilitated open-pit coal mine. Beed's Lake State Park Franklin County Hampton 1934 Beed's Lake Surrounds a reservoir crossed by a causeway built by the Civilian Conservation Corps. Bellevue State Park Jackson County Bellevue Mississippi River Comprises two units on high river bluffs, with a nature center and butterfly garden. Big Creek State Park Polk County Polk City Big Creek Lake Surrounds an recreational reservoir originally created as a flood control project. Black Hawk State Park Sac County Lake View 1935 Black Hawk Lake Comprises shoreline on the southernmost glacial lake in Iowa. Brushy Creek State Recreation Area Webster County Lehigh Des Moines River, Brushy Creek Reservoir Forms one of the state's largest public outdoor recreation properties, with a reservoir. Cedar Rock State Park Buchanan County Quasqueton 1981 Wapsipinicon River Offers tours of a Frank Lloyd Wright house built in 1950 in his Usonian style. Clear Lake State Park Cerro Gordo County Clear Lake 1924 Clear Lake Abuts the south shore of Clear Lake. Dolliver Memorial State Park Webster County Lehigh 1925 Des Moines River Showcases tall river bluffs and narrow ravines. Elinor Bedell State Park Dickinson County Spirit Lake 1998 East Okoboji Lake Provides public access to one of the Iowa Great Lakes. Elk Rock State Park Marion County Knoxville 1978 Lake Red Rock Comprises two parcels on Iowa's largest body of water. Emerson Bay State Recreation Area Dickinson County Milford West Okoboji Lake Provides public access to one of the Iowa Great Lakes. Fairport State Recreation Area Muscatine County Muscatine Mississippi River Provides water recreation opportunities from Wildcat Den State Park. Fort Atkinson State Preserve Winneshiek County Fort Atkinson 1968 None Interprets the remains of a U.S. Army frontier fort manned from 1840–1849 to monitor the resettled Ho-Chunk tribe. Fort Defiance State Park Emmet County Estherville 1930 None Commemorates the site of a fort built to protect the Iowa border during the Dakota War of 1862. Geode State Park Henry County Danville Skunk River, Lake Geode Features a recreational reservoir and a display of geodes, the Iowa state rock. George Wyth Memorial State Park Black Hawk County Waterloo 1940 Cedar River and several lakes Protects a natural area within the Waterloo – Cedar Falls metropolitan area. Green Valley State Park Union County Creston Green Valley Lake Surrounds a recreational reservoir. Gull Point State Park Dickinson County Milford 1933 West Okoboji Lake Protects a natural area on one of the Iowa Great Lakes. Honey Creek State Park Appanoose County Moravia Rathbun Lake Provides outdoor recreation opportunities on the north shore of Rathbun Lake. Honey Creek Resort State Park Appanoose County Moravia 2008 Rathbun Lake Mixes outdoor recreation with higher-end amenities such as a lodge, luxury cabins, golf course, and indoor water park. Lacey-Keosauqua State Park Van Buren County Keosauqua 1921 Des Moines River Protects Indian mounds and a lake on a bend of the Des Moines River. Lake Ahquabi State Park Warren County Indianola 1936 Lake Ahquabi Surrounds a recreational reservoir named "resting place" in the Fox language. Lake Anita State Park Cass County Anita 1961 Lake Anita Surrounds a recreational reservoir. Lake Darling State Park Washington County Brighton 1950 Lake Darling Honors Ding Darling, two-time Pulitzer Prize for Editorial Cartooning winner and early conservationist, with a recreational reservoir. Lake Keomah State Park Mahaska County Oskaloosa 1934 Lake Keomah Surrounds an recreational reservoir. Lake Macbride State Park Johnson County Solon 1937 Lake Macbride, Coralville Lake Borders an recreational reservoir. Lake Manawa State Park Pottawattamie County Council Bluffs Lake Manawa Provides boating opportunities in the Omaha – Council Bluffs metropolitan area on a lake created by the Missouri River changing course after the Great Flood of 1881. Lake of Three Fires State Park Taylor County Bedford 1935 Lake of Three Fires Surrounds an recreational reservoir named for a Council of Three Fires meeting once held there by three Native American tribes. Lake Wapello State Park Davis County Drakesville Lake Wapello Surrounds a recreational reservoir. Ledges State Park Boone County Boone 1924 Des Moines River, Pea's Creek Showcases a deep sandstone gorge with concretions jutting from its side like ledges. Lewis and Clark State Park Monona County Onawa Blue Lake Commemorates the site where the Lewis and Clark Expedition camped on August 10, 1804; with a replica of their keelboat on a oxbow lake. Lower Gar State Recreation Area Dickinson County Arnolds Park Lower Gar Lake Provides public access to one of the Iowa Great Lakes. Maquoketa Caves State Park Jackson County Maquoketa 1921 Raccoon Creek Preserves 13 caves, some developed with lighting and walkways and others in a natural state. Marble Beach State Recreation Area Dickinson County Orleans Spirit Lake Provides the largest campground in the Iowa Great Lakes region. McIntosh Woods State Park Cerro Gordo County Ventura 1943 Clear Lake Provides the primary boating access to Clear Lake. Mines of Spain State Recreation Area and E. B. Lyons Nature Center Dubuque County Dubuque 1981 Mississippi River Features a monument to Julien Dubuque, the first European settler in Iowa, and recipient of a 1796 land and mining grant from then-owner the Governor of Spain. Mini-Wakan State Park Dickinson County Spirit Lake Spirit Lake Lies on the north shore of the state's largest natural lake, in the Iowa Great Lakes region. Nine Eagles State Park Decatur County Davis City Nine Eagles Lake Features a recreational reservoir and surrounding woods. Okamanpedan State Park Emmet County Dolliver Okamanpeedan Lake Provides fishing and boating access on the south shore of a lake on the Iowa – Minnesota border. Palisades-Kepler State Park Linn County Mt. Vernon 1922 Cedar River Features dramatic river bluffs and deep ravines on the site of an early 20th Century resort. Pikes Peak State Park Clayton County McGregor 1935 Mississippi River Features a river bluff named by Zebulon Pike several years before documenting Pikes Peak in Colorado. Pikes Point State Park Dickinson County Spirit Lake West Okoboji Lake Offers one of the most popular swimming beaches in the Iowa Great Lakes region. Pilot Knob State Park Hancock County Forest City 1923 Pilot Knob Lake, Dead Man's Lake Features an observation tower built by the Civilian Conservation Corps on Iowa's second-tallest point, and the state's only sphagnum bog. Pine Lake State Park Hardin County Eldora Iowa River, Upper and Lower Pine Lakes Encompasses two lakes surrounded by 250-year-old eastern white pines. Pleasant Creek State Recreation Area Linn County Palo Pleasant Creek Lake Surrounds a recreational reservoir located between the cities of Cedar Rapids and Waterloo. Prairie Rose State Park Shelby County Harlan 1962 Prairie Rose Lake Surrounds a recreational reservoir. Preparation Canyon State Park Monona County Moorhead None Preserves a section of the Loess Hills on the site of a town founded in 1853 by a Mormon splinter group led by Charles B. Thompson. Red Haw State Park Lucas County Chariton Red Haw Lake Surrounds a recreational reservoir. Rice Lake State Park Winnebago County Lake Mills Rice Lake Abuts a lake. Rock Creek State Park Jasper County Kellogg 1952 Rock Creek Lake Surrounds a recreational reservoir. Springbrook State Park Guthrie County Yale 1926 Middle Raccoon River Features a conservation education center, a rental retreat, a lake, and public hunting areas. Stone State Park Woodbury and Plymouth Counties Sioux City 1935 Big Sioux River Preserves a natural section of the Loess Hills. Templar State Recreation Area Dickinson County Spirit Lake Spirit Lake Provides a sheltered lagoon for launching boats on the Iowa Great Lakes. Trapper's Bay State Park Dickinson County Lake Park Silver Lake Offers additional public recreation space on the periphery of the Iowa Great Lakes region. Twin Lakes State Park Calhoun County Rockwell City North Twin Lakes Comprises two day-use areas on a natural lake. Union Grove State Park Tama County Gladbrook 1938 Union Grove Lake Surrounds a recreational reservoir. Viking Lake State Park Montgomery County Stanton Viking Lake Preserves natural areas surrounding a recreational reservoir. Volga River State Recreation Area Fayette County Fayette Volga River, Frog Hollow Lake Provides wildlife habitat and extensive recreation options along a waterway featuring limestone bluffs and old steel bridges. Walnut Woods State Park Polk County West Des Moines Raccoon River Preserves a bottomland hardwood forest within the Des Moines metropolitan area featuring the largest stand of black walnut trees in North America. Wapsipinicon State Park Jones County Anamosa 1923 Wapsipinicon River, Dutch Creek Features rocky cave- and crevice-ridden bluffs, a nine-hole golf course, and an 1877 steel bridge that is on the National Register of Historic Places. Waubonsie State Park Fremont County Sidney 1926 Lake Virginia Showcases unique Loess Hills topography, with rental facilities restored from a former Girl Scout camp. Wildcat Den State Park Muscatine County Muscatine Pine Creek Features cliffs, rock formations, and several historic structures, including an 1848 gristmill that is on the National Register of Historic Places. Wilson Island State Recreation Area Harrison County Missouri Valley Missouri River Showcases a bottomland hardwood forest on a former sandbar island named after former governor George A. Wilson.
County-managed state parks The following state parks are managed by local county conservation boards: Park NameCounty or CountiesNearby City Bobwhite State Park Wayne County Allerton Cold Springs State Park Cass County Lewis Crystal Lake State Park Hancock County Crystal Lake Eagle Lake State Park Hancock County Britt Echo Valley State Park Fayette County West Union Frank A. Gotch State Park Humboldt County Dakota City Heery Woods State Park Butler County Clarksville Kearny State Park Palo Alto County Emmetsburg Lake Cornelia State Park Wright County Cornelia Lake Icaria State Park Adams County Corning Margo Frankel State Park Polk County Saylorville Mill Creek State Park O'Brien County Paullina Oak Grove State Park Sioux County Hawarden Oakland Mills State Park Henry County Oakland Mills Pammel State Park Madison County Winterset Sharon Bluffs State Park Appanoose County Centerville Spring Lake State Park Greene County Grand Junction Swan Lake State Park Carroll County Carroll Three Mile Lake State Park Union County Creston
See also List of Iowa state forests List of Iowa State Preserves
References