Located in Lake Manawa State Park in the city of Council Bluffs and close to bordering Nebraska, Lake Manawa is a 618-hectare lake surrounded by lush forests and dense woodlands teeming with birds and wildlife. Formed when the Missouri River flooded in 1881, Lake Manawa is named after a Native American term meaning “peace and comfort” and offers locals and visitors from neighboring Nebraska just that. The lake is a popular vacation destination, offering pleasure and power boating, canoeing, kayaking, paddle-boarding, wakeboarding, and water-skiing as well as facilities such as boat ramps, picnic areas, campsites, and protected beaches for sunbathing and swimming.
Lake Manawa State Park: 1100 South Shore Drive, Council Bluffs, IA 51501