Sugar Bottom Day Use Area

About

Sugar Bottom Day Use Area sits among heavily wooded mixed hardwood forest on the east side of Coralville Lake in Johnson County, Iowa. The facility features large group picnic shelters equipped with drinking water and electricity, a swimming beach, playground, and flush restrooms. Shelters are available first-come, first-served at no charge, though special event permits are required for large gatherings. Recreational opportunities include the Sugar Bottom Disc Golf Course with 18 partially wooded and open holes, and the Sugar Bottom Mountain Bike Trail system with routes for all skill levels. The Cedar Valley Nature Trail and a barrier-free asphalt path also run through the area. The nearby Devonian Fossil Gorge below the dam offers a unique opportunity to explore a 375-million-year-old sea floor. This is a day-use facility only and must be vacated by sunset. Overnight camping is not permitted here; visitors seeking to camp should reserve sites at the adjacent Sugar Bottom Campground.

Directions

From Interstate 380 (North Liberty, Iowa), take Exit 4 towards North Liberty. Travel east on W. Penn St. for 2.2 miles. At the four-way stop sign, turn left onto N. Front St./Mehaffey Bridge Road NE. Continue on Mehaffey Bridge Rd. NE for 2.9 miles. Right after crossing the Mehaffey Bridge, turn right onto Sugar Bottom Campground Access Rd. Continue for 1.1 miles; entrance to Sugar Bottom Day Use Area will be on the left.