Iowa / Polk County

Lake View Recreation Area

Closed — Closed for the season. The shelter operates seasonally and reopens in spring.

About

Lake View Recreation Area is a day-use facility located on a ridge overlooking the west side of Saylorville Lake, a 26,000-acre project stretching over 50 miles up the Des Moines River Valley. The facility features a group picnic shelter that can accommodate up to 50 people, equipped with water and electricity. Public flush restrooms are available on-site. The recreation area is surrounded by dense timber stands with abundant wildlife including white-tailed deer, turkeys, pheasants, and waterfowl. Visitors enjoy excellent boating, sailing, water skiing, and fishing opportunities on the lake. Anglers fish for walleye, wiper, largemouth bass, catfish, crappie, and northern pike. A boat ramp provides direct lake access. The paved Neal Smith Trail, a designated National Recreation Trail, runs on the east side of the lake and extends 24 miles from Des Moines to Big Creek State Park. It is used for biking, hiking, jogging, walking, and in-line skating. The shelter can be reserved up to 4 days in advance via Recreation.gov or used free of charge on a first-come, first-served basis when not reserved.

Directions

From I-35, take the Ankeny Exit 90 (Oralabor Road) and go west 4.8 miles; the road turns into Highway 415. Turn left onto NW 37th Street and go 0.3 mile, then turn right onto NW Horseshoe Road. Continue past the Saylorville Lake Visitor Center and cross the Main Dam for 2.6 miles until you reach NW Beaver Drive. Turn right and drive north for 0.5 miles. Turn right into Lake View Recreation Area. From I-80, take Exit 131 (Merle Hay Road) and go north 2.7 miles. Turn left onto NW Beaver Drive and go 1.6 miles. Turn right into Lake View Recreation Area.

Nearby Campgrounds