Viking Lake State Park
- Status
- Open (per official listing)
- Entrance fee
- Not posted
- Day-use reservations
- None mentioned
- Dogs
- Statewide rule — see below
- Camping
- Yes
- Official site
- iowadnr.gov(712) 829-2235
Official page last checked Oct 29, 2026. How we keep this current
Current alerts 1
Partial closure Viking Lake State Park: Modern Facilites ClosureModern Facilites Closure: The North and South Shower buildings in the campground is closed for the winter. The facilities will reopen by April 30,… (more)
Modern Facilites Closure: The North and South Shower buildings in the campground is closed for the winter. The facilities will reopen by April 30, 2027. (Updated 10/26/2026)
Posted by the park 2026-10-19. Official alert
Overview
In Montgomery County, about 10 miles east of Red Oak, Viking Lake State Park covers about 1,093 acres.
Things to do include swimming, boating, fishing, and hiking. Water access includes a swimming beach and a boat ramp. Camping is available: campsites, including RV sites with full hookups, group camping, and showers.
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 Camp in the spacious, shady campground located on the lakeshore. The campground contains electrical hookups, full-service hookups, buddy sites and non-electrical sites. Modern restrooms and showers and a trailer dump station are also available. Advance campsite reservations can be made through the online reservation system for Viking Lake State Park. The campground is 100% reservable and a reservation is required. | — | Electric campsites; Full hook-up campsitesShowers | — |
Camping details from the park
Camp in the spacious, shady campground located on the lakeshore. The campground contains electrical hookups, full-service hookups, buddy sites and non-electrical sites. Modern restrooms and showers and a trailer dump station are also available. Advance campsite reservations can be made through the online reservation system for Viking Lake State Park.
From the official park page, checked Oct 29, 2026. Site counts and prices can change; confirm when booking.
Things to do
HikingSwimmingBoatingFishingCamping
Trails
Hike the 5.5 mile multi-use trail around the lake or enjoy a hike on the one-mile Burr Oak Nature Trail.
Swimming
Boat in the waters of Viking Lake or swim at the sandy beach on the western shore. Four boat ramps offer easy access to the water and any size boat motor may be operated on the lake at “no wake” speeds. A concrete seawall is nearby and yearly boat rental spaces are available for reservation.
Reserve one of three open shelters for an outdoor gathering during your visit. The Lower Picnic Shelter contains a kitchenette and the Beach Point Shelter is located near the water’s edge. The Upper Picnic Shelter overlooks the lake and can be accessed by following the upper road. Shelter reservations can be made through the online reservation system for Viking Lake State Park for large group events.
Fishing
Fish for bluegill, red-ear sunfish, largemouth bass and more at the 136-acre Viking Lake. Six fishing jetties are located around the lake for easy shoreline fishing.
Open to fishing activity between the hours of 10:30 p.m. and 4 a.m. in addition to normal park hours. All fishing must be done from the bank in the areas designated for each lake or river. Vessels are not permitted on the lakes after 10:30 p.m. Parking is allowed in specially marked lots only.
The embankment of the dam from the parking area located southeast of the dam area northwesterly across the dam structure to its intersection with the natural shoreline of the lake.
A state fishing license is usually required.
Amenities
Facilities
- Restrooms
- Flush toilets
- Showers
- Playground
Water
- Swimming beach
- Boat ramp
- Fish cleaning station
Camping
- RV dump station
- RV camping
- Electric hookups
- Water hookups
- Sewer hookups
- Group camping
✓ 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
- 2780 Viking Lake Road
Stanton, IA 51573 - Nearest town
- Red Oak — about 10 mi east (straight line)
- Coordinates
- 40.9716, -95.0435
- Phone
- (712) 829-2235
- Viking_Lake@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