Iowa / Polk County

Oak Grove Picnic Area

Closed — Closed for the season. Reservations available April through October. Shelters may be reserved up to 4 days in advance or used free of charge first-come-first-served when not reserved.

About

Oak Grove Picnic 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 picnic area is nestled among a heavily wooded forest of stately oak trees on the east side of the lake, offering a scenic setting for family gatherings and group events. The facility features picnic shelters that can be reserved through Recreation.gov or used on a first-come-first-served basis when not reserved. A large beach is within walking distance, and the area provides access to the paved Neal Smith Trail, a 24-mile National Recreation Trail that connects Des Moines to Big Creek State Park. The trail is popular for biking, hiking, jogging, walking, and in-line skating. Saylorville Lake offers excellent opportunities for boating, sailing, water skiing, windsurfing, swimming, and fishing for walleye, wiper, largemouth bass, catfish, crappie, and northern pike. Wildlife is abundant throughout the project, with white-tailed deer, turkeys, pheasants, waterfowl, and other small game animals commonly spotted in the area.

Directions

From Ankeny, travel 3.4 miles west on 1st Street. Turn right onto HWY 415 for 0.9 miles, then left onto NW 44th Street, which turns slightly right and becomes NW 98th Ave. The picnic area is on the right at 4801 NW 98th Ave, Polk City, IA 50226.

Nearby Campgrounds