McIntosh Woods State Park
Notice: McIntosh Woods State Park: Yurt Closure — details
- Status
- Open (per official listing)
- Entrance fee
- Not posted
- Day-use reservations
- None mentioned
- Dogs
- Statewide rule — see below
- Camping
- YesAlso yurts
- Official site
- iowadnr.gov(641) 829-3847
Official page last checked Oct 29, 2026. How we keep this current
Current alerts 2
Water quality McIntosh Woods State Park: Water OffWater Off: Modern facilities are closed for the season. This includes all restrooms, yurts, and fish cleaning station. (Posted 10/26/2026)
Posted by the park 2026-10-26. Official alert
Closure McIntosh Woods State Park: Yurt ClosureYurt Closure: Due to storm damage both Yurts are closed. (Posted 5/18/2026)
Posted by the park 2026-05-18. Official alert
Overview
McIntosh Woods State Park is a 65-acre park in Cerro Gordo County, about 4 miles west of Clear Lake.
Things to do include boating, fishing, and hiking. Facilities for water recreation include a boat ramp. Camping is available: campsites, including RV sites with electric hookups and showers. Roofed lodging includes yurts.
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 two yurts or at the park’s shaded campground. McIntosh Woods is the only state park with yurts, and one yurt is ADA accessible. The campground offers electric and non-electric sites, a modern restroom and a shower building. Advance campsite and yurt reservations can be made through the online reservation system for Mcintosh Woods State Park. The campground is 100% reservable and a reservation is required.
Camp at the campground featuring a new playground, and electrical hookup sites. Modern restrooms, showers and a trailer dump station are also available. One fourth… | — | Electric campsitesShowers | — |
Camping details from the park
Stay overnight in one of two yurts or at the park’s shaded campground. McIntosh Woods is the only state park with yurts, and one yurt is ADA accessible. The campground offers electric and non-electric sites, a modern restroom and a shower building. Advance campsite and yurt reservations can be made through the online reservation system for Mcintosh Woods State Park.
Camp at the campground featuring a new playground, and electrical hookup sites. Modern restrooms, showers and a trailer dump station are also available. One fourth of the campsites are available on a first-come, first-serve basis and advance reservations can be made through the online reservation system for Mcintosh Woods State Park.
From the official park page, checked Oct 29, 2026. Site counts and prices can change; confirm when booking.
Cabins and lodging
- Yurts
Things to do
HikingBoatingFishingCamping
Trails
Hike the 1.5-mile boardwalk trail through the mallard marsh leading to a wildlife viewing blind. A one-mile paved bike trail winds through Ventura West Cove on the west end of the lake. Spring and fall migration viewing is popular among bird watchers.
Boating, paddling and fishing
Boat and fish at McIntosh Woods, featuring one of the most popular boat ramps on the lake. The 3,643-acre Clear Lake is a Midwest destination for year-round fishing, including walleye, muskie, Northern pike, catfish, yellow bass and panfish. Two fishing jetties provide shoreline access; one is ADA accessible, and a fish cleaning station and modern boat ramp are available near the water.
Explore Ventura Cove, a 22-acre woodland with a popular paved bike trail. The trail continues further around the lake and along a roadway to make a full circle around the lake. Ventura Access is a 3-acre area with a two-lane boat ramp, 1/2 court basketball court, modern restroom, shelter and new aquatic boat cleaning station.
A state fishing license is usually required.
Amenities
Facilities
- Restrooms
- Flush toilets
- Showers
- Playground
Water
- Boat ramp
- Fish cleaning station
Camping
- RV camping
- Electric hookups
Lodging
- Yurts
✓ 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.
Getting there
- Address
- 1200 East Lake Street
Ventura, IA 50482 - Nearest town
- Clear Lake — about 4 mi west (straight line)
- Coordinates
- 43.1261, -93.4597
- Phone
- (641) 829-3847
- McIntosh_Woods@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
- 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