Iowa’s Lakes: Where to Swim, Camp & Explore

1. Backbone Lake

Set within Backbone Lake State Park, Backbone Lake is a beautiful recreational lake that offers an array of outdoor and recreational fun on both land and water. Formed by the impoundment of the Maquoketa River by the Civilian Conservation Corps, the lake offers boating, sailing, canoeing, kayaking, and swimming and is an excellent spot for fishing for trout, bass, and catfish. There is a protected beach for sunbathing and swimming, a boat ramp for launching small craft, and a concession stand that sells refreshments. Other facilities around the lake include picnic shelters, camping, cabin rentals, a network of hiking, mountain biking, and multi-use trails, and challenging climbing and rappelling routes in the rugged dolomite limestone cliffs around the lake.

Backbone State Park: 1347 129th Street, Dundee, IA 52038

2. Big Creek Lake

Resting around 11 miles north of Des Moines near the town of Polk City, Big Creek Lake is an 883-acre lake that provides the residents of Polk City and visitors with multiple recreational opportunities. Formed as part of the Saylorville Project by the Army Corps of Engineers in the 1970s, Big Creek Lake offers some of the best year-round fishing in central Iowa, with an abundance of bluegill, channel catfish, crappie, muskie, largemouth and smallmouth bass, and particularly walleye. Other water-based fun on the lake includes pleasure and power boating, canoeing and kayaking, sailing and swimming, jet-skiing, wakeboarding, and waterskiing. The lake is bordered by 3,550-acre Big Creek State Park and a wildlife refuge, which features the 26-mile paved Neal Smith Trail, where visitors can walk, jog, cycle, or skate all the way to Des Moines.

Big Creek State Park: NW Big Creek Drive, Iowa

3. Black Hawk Lake

Located on the southeast tip of the town of Lake View in Sac County, Black Hawk Lake is a 387-hectare body of water and the country’s southernmost glacial lake. Named after Chief Black Hawk of the Sauk Native American tribe, Black Hawk Lake is a favorite recreational spot, with an array of activities to enjoy, such as boating, kayaking, and swimming. An abundance of bluegills, channel catfish, crappies, sunfish, walleyes, and several types of bass offer a challenge for all levels of angler, and Black Hawk State Park provides camping, picnicking areas with grills and tables, a volleyball court, and a large playground facility. Around the lake, there are plenty of great hiking trails, including the Stubb Severson Nature Trail, which boasts a wealth of birds and wildlife along the way.

Black Hawk State Park: 228 S. Blossom, Lake View, IA 51450

4. Brushy Creek Lake

Situated within the Brushy Creek State Recreation Area, Brushy Creek Lake is a tranquil lake on the Des Moines River that offers a beautiful spot for a day of relaxation. The lake provides a myriad of outdoor and recreational activities, including boating, fishing, and swimming at a designated beach area. The 690-acre lake is a no-wake lake, with no high-intensity watersports such as skiing, tubing or wakeboarding allowed, making fishing a favorite activity with an abundance of panfish and smallmouth bass and several boat ramps and fishing jetties. The lake’s shoreline offers camping, equestrian camping, picnic areas and shelters, and approximately 45 miles of multi-use trails for hiking, horseback riding, mountain biking, cross-country skiing, and snowmobiling.

Brushy Creek State Recreation Area: 2802 Brushy Creek Road, Lehigh, IA 50557

5. Carter Lake

Set within the southwest region of Iowa, Carter Lake is an oxbow lake that was formed in 1877 when the Missouri River changed its course. Carter Lake quickly earned a reputation as a fantastic recreation destination, a title which it still holds today with visitors flocking to its shores to enjoy boating, swimming, wakeboarding, and waterskiing. The 315-acre lake has an average depth of 8 feet and a maximum depth of 28 feet and is stocked with bluegill, channel catfish, largemouth bass, and the occasional walleye, making for excellent fishing. The northern shore of the lake is home to Levi Carter Park, which has public boat ramps, ball fields, restrooms, and a picnic pavilion.

6. Clear Lake

One of 34 naturally occurring glacial lakes in Iowa that were formed by the melting and movement of glaciers over 14,000 years ago, Clear Lake is a boater’s paradise and is renowned for excellent sailing. Home to the Clear Lake Yacht Club, the 1,500-hectare lake offers an array of watersports from pleasure and power boating to sailing, tubing, wakeboarding, and waterskiing, as well as more relaxing activities such as canoeing, kayaking, and swimming. The lake also provides excellent fishing, with an abundance of bullhead, channel catfish, yellow bass, and walleye and plenty of boat ramps, jetties, and a fish cleaning station. The lake’s 27-mile shoreline is peppered with residential and summer homes and includes Clear Lake State Park.

7. Coralville Lake

Formed by the Coralville Dam in 1949, Coralville Lake is the star of east-central Iowa's recreational lakes, attracting visitors to its waters and shores for more than 60 years. Originally built to control flooding and regulate water levels on the Iowa River, the Coralville Reservoir fast became the go-to destination for water-based fun. Stretching for 23 miles and fed by the Iowa River, the lake provides outdoor activities such as superb fishing, swimming, sailing, and pleasure boating as well as camping, hiking, mountain biking, and beach volleyball. Coralville Lake is home to three campgrounds, which feature more than 500 campsites together, along with sheltered picnic areas and quiet, shady places to relax by the water.

8. East Okoboji Lake

A remnant of the Ice Age dating back 13,000 years, East Okoboji Lake is a 743-hectare natural body of water and is the longest and third largest lake in the Iowa Great Lakes chain of lakes. Named by the Dakota people, who once called the shores of the lake their home, East Okoboji Lake is relatively shallow at just 10 feet, which makes it quieter than its neighbors regarding watersports. It is, however, a popular fishing destination due to its abundance of bullheads, and sees more relaxing pursuits such as boating, sailing, and swimming. The western shoreline of the lake is home to Elinor Bedell State Park, which features camping grounds, picnic areas, a network of hiking and mountain biking trails, and boat ramps for small craft.

9. George Wyth Lake

Located in Black Hawk County, George Wyth Lake is a 100-acre lake with several water areas for various watersports, namely Brinker Lake with 120 acres for power boating; George Wyth Lake with 75 acres of no-wake water, a wheelchair-accessible fishing pier, and several fishing jetties; Fisher Lake, with 40 acres of natural lake; Alice Wyth Lake, with 60 acres for electric motors only; and Cedar River. Other watersports, such as sailing, windsurfing, and kiteboarding, are also popular on the lake, along with swimming at the popular George Wyth beach. Fishing is extremely popular, with lovely scenic backdrops for anglers trying to catch channel catfish and northern pike, and the natural beauty of George Wyth State Park, which is set on the shores of the lake, is perfect for picnicking, camping, hiking, and mountain biking.

George Wyth State Park: 3659 Wyth Road, Waterloo, IA 50703

10. Iowa Great Lakes

The Iowa Great Lakes are a chain of lakes in the northwest region of Iowa just south of the Minnesota border, which offer a variety of recreational pursuits, ranging from boating, various watersports, and fishing to land-based activities such as hiking, mountain biking, and wildlife watching. The lakes in the chain include Spirit Lake, Little Spirit Lake, West and East Okoboji Lakes, the Gar Lakes, Center Lake, and Silver Lake and are home to well-maintained state parks, wildlife management areas, and recreation areas. The Iowa Great Lakes is one of the region's most popular retirement and vacation destinations, with a variety of lodgings around the shorelines, ranging from residential homes and summer cabins to chain hotels and vacation condos.