Pleasant Creek State Recreation Area
Notice: Pleasant Creek State Recreation Area: Modern Facilities Closure — details
- Status
- Open (per official listing)
- Entrance fee
- Not posted
- Day-use reservations
- None mentioned
- Dogs
- Dogs allowed, with restrictions
- Camping
- YesAlso cabins
- Official site
- iowadnr.gov(319) 436-7716
Official page last checked Oct 29, 2026. How we keep this current
Current alerts 2
Closure Pleasant Creek State Recreation Area: Modern Facilities ClosureModern Facilities Closure: Modern restrooms and water are shut down for the season. Facilities will be turned on around May 1st, 2027 depending on… (more)
Modern Facilities Closure: Modern restrooms and water are shut down for the season. Facilities will be turned on around May 1st, 2027 depending on weather. (Posted 10/26/26)
Posted by the park 2026-10-26. Official alert
Construction Pleasant Creek State Recreation Area: Campsites ClosedCampsites Closed: The Pleasant Creek Campground 3 standard electric sites 61 and 63 are closed through November 15, 2026, due to renovations.… (more)
Campsites Closed: The Pleasant Creek Campground 3 standard electric sites 61 and 63 are closed through November 15, 2026, due to renovations. (Updated July 15, 2026)
Posted by the park 2025-12-12. Official alert
Overview
Covering about 1,985 acres, Pleasant Creek State Recreation Area lies in Linn County, about 8 miles northwest of Hiawatha.
The park supports horseback riding, hunting in season, canoeing and kayaking, swimming, and boating. On the water side, there is a swimming beach, a boat ramp, and a fishing pier. Overnight options include campsites, with RV sites with full hookups, tent sites, and showers. Roofed lodging includes cabins.
Reservations
- Day use
- No day-use reservation requirement mentioned
- Camping
- Required
- Booking system
- Iowa State Parks reservation system (ReserveAmerica)
- Phone
- 1-877-427-2757
100% of the campsites are reservable and a reservation is required.
We link to the official booking system rather than showing live availability, which changes minute to minute.
Pets
Dogs allowed, with restrictions
Not allowed in or on: the fenced beach area.
Alcohol, glass containers and pets are not allowed within the fenced beach area.
Service animals are generally permitted where pets are not. Check with the park for specific areas.
Camping
| Campground or site type | Sites | Hookups / features | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Campsites Camp in one of three, non-equestrian campgrounds. The campgrounds contain electric and non-electric sites along with two modern shower and restroom facilities. Rustic, pine log camping cabins are available and offer visitors a sense of the pioneer lifestyle. The seasonal cabins feature microwaves, small refrigerators, basic furnishings and electricity. Advanced campsite and cabin reservations can be made through the online reservation system for Pleasant Creek State Recreation Area. 100% of the campsites are reservable and a reservation is required. The campground accepts reservations April… | — | Electric campsites; Full hook-up campsites; Non electric campsitesShowers | — |
Camping details from the park
Camp in one of three, non-equestrian campgrounds. The campgrounds contain electric and non-electric sites along with two modern shower and restroom facilities. Rustic, pine log camping cabins are available and offer visitors a sense of the pioneer lifestyle. The seasonal cabins feature microwaves, small refrigerators, basic furnishings and electricity. Advanced campsite and cabin reservations can be made through the online reservation system for Pleasant Creek State Recreation Area. 100% of the campsites are reservable and a reservation is required. The campground accepts reservations April - October and is closed November - March.
From the official park page, checked Oct 29, 2026. Site counts and prices can change; confirm when booking.
Cabins and lodging
- Camping cabins
Things to do
HuntingHorseback ridingHikingSwimmingBoatingCanoeing and kayakingFishingCamping
Trails
Hike more than eight miles of trails winding through restored prairie and connecting to scenic overlooks. Explore this multi-use trail system while hiking, biking, and horseback riding, or by cross country skiing and snowmobiling in the winter.
Swimming
Swimming is allowed from sunrise to sunset and swimming is only allowed at the designated beach area.
Alcohol, glass containers and pets are not allowed within the fenced beach area. Alcohol may not be possessed or consumed within the fenced designated area.
Boating and paddling
Boat in Pleasant Creek Lake, one of the larger lake destinations in eastern Iowa. Any size boat motor may be operated at a “no wake” speed. Four boat ramps and a kayak launching area provide easy access to the water. Kayaking, canoeing, scuba diving and windsurfing are popular lake activities.
Fishing
Fish for a variety of species, including muskellunge, channel catfish, largemouth bass, white bass and more. Fishing jetties provide access to shoreline fishing, and all ages and abilities are encouraged to test their fishing skills.
A state fishing license is usually required.
Amenities
Facilities
- Restrooms
- Flush toilets
- Showers
Water
- Swimming beach
- Boat ramp
- Fishing pier
- Fish cleaning station
Camping
- RV dump station
- Tent camping
- RV camping
- Electric hookups
- Water hookups
- Sewer hookups
Lodging
- Cabins
Recreation
- Horse trails
Accessibility
- 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 fishing
Official accessibility information
Conditions change. Contact the park to confirm specific accessible features before your visit.
Getting there
- Address
- 4530 McClintock Lane
Palo, IA 52324 - Nearest town
- Hiawatha — about 8 mi northwest (straight line)
- Coordinates
- 42.1206, -91.8100
- Phone
- (319) 436-7716
- Pleasant_Creek@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