Open
This is a day-use facility only with no overnight camping. The shelter and grounds are open April through October: 7am to 8pm in April and after Labor Day, 7am to 9pm from May through Labor Day. Shelters may be reserved up to 4 days in advance; unreserved shelters are available free of charge on a first-come, first-served basis.
About
Lake View Recreation Area is a day-use facility located on the 26,000-acre Saylorville Lake Project, which stretches over 50 miles up the Des Moines River Valley. The site includes a picnic shelter with capacity for 50 people, public restrooms with flush toilets, water and electricity at the shelter, and a boat ramp.
The facility provides access to the paved Neal Smith Trail, a 24-mile National Recreation Trail on the east side of the lake that connects to Big Creek State Park. The trail is popular for biking, hiking, jogging, and in-line skating. Dense timber stands surround the area, and wildlife including white-tailed deer, turkeys, pheasants, and waterfowl are common.
This is strictly a day-use area and does not offer overnight camping. Visitors seeking camping at Saylorville Lake should look at other recreation areas such as Prairie Flower, Oak Grove, or Cherry Glen, which are actual campgrounds within the Saylorville Lake project.
Directions
From I-35, take the Ankeny Exit #90 (Oralabor Road) and go west 4.8 miles; the road turns into HWY 415. Turn left (west) onto NW 37th Street and go 0.3 mile, then turn right onto NW Horseshoe Rd. Continue past the Saylorville Lake Visitor Center and take a right to cross the Main Dam for 2.6 miles until you reach NW Beaver Dr. Turn right and drive north for 0.5 miles. Turn right into Lake View Recreation Area.
