Lake Wapello State Park
- Status
- Open (per official listing)
- Entrance fee
- Not posted
- Day-use reservations
- None mentioned
- Dogs
- Statewide rule — see below
- Camping
- YesAlso cabins
- Official site
- iowadnr.gov(641) 722-3371
Official page last checked Oct 29, 2026. How we keep this current
Current alerts 1
Partial closure Lake Wapello State Park: Modern Facilites ClosureModern Facilites Closure: The campground showerhouse and beach restroom will be closed for the season beginning Monday, October 19th and will reopen… (more)
Modern Facilites Closure: The campground showerhouse and beach restroom will be closed for the season beginning Monday, October 19th and will reopen in April of 2027. All vault toilets remain open. Water hydrants and sewer services will remain available in the campground. (Posted 10/12/26)
Posted by the park 2026-10-12. Official alert
Overview
In Davis County, about 16 miles southwest of Ottumwa, Lake Wapello State Park covers about 1,161 acres.
Things to do include swimming, boating, fishing, and hiking. On the water side, there is a swimming beach, a boat ramp, and a fishing pier. Camping is available: campsites, including RV sites with full hookups, group camping, and showers. Roofed lodging includes cabins.
Hours
Park, gate, office and facility hours are listed separately because they often differ. Alerts above override normal hours.
| Facility | Days | Hours | Season |
|---|---|---|---|
| The park’s wording doesn’t give clock times — see the official wording below. | |||
Official wording
Stay overnight in one of 13 family cabins or at the park’s campground. One cabin is ADA accessible. All cabins can sleep up to four people and contain a restroom, shower, stove and oven, microwave and a refrigerator. Two cabins are open year-round and the other cabins are available from April through October. Lake Wapello’s campground contains full hook-up, electric and non-electric sites near the lake with modern showers and restrooms nearby. Advance campsite reservations can be made through the online reservation system for Lake Wapello State Park. The campground is 100% reservable and a reservation is required.
Source: official park page, checked Oct 29, 2026. Times are local to the park (America/Chicago).
Pets
Privately owned animals must be on a leash of max six feet or confined; pets may not be left unattended in campgrounds; most cabins/yurts are pet-free.
Statewide rule from Iowa's park system (source). This park’s page doesn’t state its own pet rules, so check for local restrictions.
Reservations
- Day use
- No day-use reservation requirement mentioned
- Camping
- Required
- Booking system
- Iowa State Parks reservation system (ReserveAmerica)
- Phone
- 1-877-427-2757
The campground is 100% reservable and a reservation is required.
We link to the official booking system rather than showing live availability, which changes minute to minute.
Camping
| Campground or site type | Sites | Hookups / features | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Campsites Stay overnight in one of 13 family cabins or at the park’s campground. One cabin is ADA accessible. All cabins can sleep up to four people and contain a restroom, shower, stove and oven, microwave and a refrigerator. Two cabins are open year-round and the other cabins are available from April through October. Lake Wapello’s campground contains full hook-up, electric and non-electric sites near the lake with modern showers and restrooms nearby. Advance campsite reservations can be made through the online reservation system for Lake Wapello State Park. The campground is 100% reservable and a… | — | Electric campsites; Full hook-up campsitesShowers | — |
Camping details from the park
Stay overnight in one of 13 family cabins or at the park’s campground. One cabin is ADA accessible. All cabins can sleep up to four people and contain a restroom, shower, stove and oven, microwave and a refrigerator. Two cabins are open year-round and the other cabins are available from April through October. Lake Wapello’s campground contains full hook-up, electric and non-electric sites near the lake with modern showers and restrooms nearby. Advance campsite reservations can be made through the online reservation system for Lake Wapello State Park.
From the official park page, checked Oct 29, 2026. Site counts and prices can change; confirm when booking.
Cabins and lodging
- Modern family cabins
Things to do
HikingSwimmingBoatingFishingCamping
Trails
Hike the seven-mile Lake Shore Trail, winding around the lake and through the park. A nature trail is located on the north side of the park and cross-country skiing and snowmobiling are popular activities in the winter on designated trails.
Swimming
Boat or Swim at Lake Wapello, featuring one of the best sand beaches in southern Iowa. A large beach house is located near the lake, and boats may be operated at speeds up to 5 mph.
Fishing
Fish for bluegill, red ear sunfish, channel catfish and more at Lake Wapello. Largemouth bass are catch-and-release only. Fishing jetties, universally accessible piers and the shoreline provide great fishing opportunities for anglers of all ages. The lake’s underwater reefs, sunken cedar trees and spawning beds create healthy fish habitats.
A state fishing license is usually required.
Amenities
Facilities
- Restrooms
- Flush toilets
- Showers
- Playground
Water
- Swimming beach
- Boat ramp
- Fishing pier
- Fish cleaning station
Camping
- RV dump station
- RV camping
- Electric hookups
- Water hookups
- Sewer hookups
- Group camping
Lodging
- Cabins
Accessibility
- Accessible trails
- Accessible fishing
✓ listed by the park · ✕ the park says it is not available. Anything not shown here isn’t mentioned by the official source — that means unknown, not unavailable.
Accessibility
- Accessible trails
- Accessible fishing
Official accessibility information
Conditions change. Contact the park to confirm specific accessible features before your visit.
Getting there
- Address
- 15356 Campground Road
Drakesville, IA 52552 - Nearest town
- Ottumwa — about 16 mi southwest (straight line)
- Coordinates
- 40.8221, -92.5789
- Phone
- (641) 722-3371
- Lake_Wapello@dnr.iowa.gov
Nearby state parks
Sources and freshness
- Iowa State Parks — park page — last checked Oct 29, 2026
- Iowa DNR 'All Parks' directory (Drupal view, ?page=0..3) — state parks, recreation areas, a state preserve and state forests
- Wikidata
- USGS PAD-US 4.1 (boundary and acreage)
“Last checked” is when our system last read the official source. No change has been detected since this page was first published. Hours, fees and rules can change without notice — confirm with the park before you go. Methodology