Big Creek State Park

Gorgeous fall colors right now. Love this place.

For being only 20 mins or less from Des Moines, this is an absolute go-to for hiking, fishing, beach time, and just being in nature. So quiet and peaceful and the trails and the map are super easy to figure out. They have volleyball courts also which is great!

Great place to sit and enjoy a spring afternoon. Beach has a lot of nice amenities. Awesome playground for the kids and plenty of room on the beach to have some space and avoid crowding. Nice cabana/shelters around the edge of the beach make nice places to stop and take a rest after riding the bike trail. Also a great place for fishing. I have pulled many a nice size fish from the lake.

The beach is not very big. There is a neat playground made of wood and rubber tires. There are plenty of restrooms. It says no pets allowed on the beach.

Nice clean lake, spent all day there, it was not enough tine

The disc golf course is really fun...lots of poison Ivy and wild parsnip. You can tell there has been a lot of coursework to get things in better shape which is much appreciated. The back nine is a bit more open and fun with some amazing mature trees. With continued coursework, this park could be amazing for disc golf.

Nice beach and lake. My family really enjoyed going here.

This park is a few miles north of Polk city, Iowa. It offers over 5500 acres to enjoy and explore. Over 800 acres of man made lake here.Many shelters to reserve for gatherings or picnics. Plenty of parking available including handicapped spots. I stopped by here after hiking at Ledges. Big Creek is just "a little bit bigger ". You can really put on the miles here. The trail system here is awesome. The lake is too. I see many speed boats as well as pontoon boats. And watercraft too. Stand up paddle boats, tubing, kayak, canoe. All readily available and witnessed everytime I visit. Safe, clean place to visit and relax and celebrate life in. This place is huge. If you leave here disappointed then it's your fault. In my opinion of course. Check out the beach. Or trails. Or just wander around. Hunting is permitted in designated areas. There is a concession available only when seasonal. I have seen dogs here but they are supposed to leashed. Safe, clean park. Parking area well lit and patrolled. Despite how big this park is all the time I'm here I have yet to see or hear any negative things going on. It's great place for families and friends and just relax in.

Beautiful lake and fun for family and friends to get together 😍

So many wildflowers! Beautiful views of the lake and a nice paved walking/biking trail. Lots of places to get close to the water along the trail. Tons of picnic tables. Disc golf course. Big wooden playground. I appreciate the foot wash at the beach to clean off sand.

Huge park with lots to do. Clean and well cared for.

We stopped at the fishing dock just before the marina. Beautiful space! Well maintained and handicap accessible.

Big Creek has a great paved trail that is about 3 miles long, and it leads to the rest of the 26 mile long Neil Smith Trail thats leads through Saylorville Lake, and through Des Moines. There's plenty to do at Big Creek: hiking, swimming, fishing, volleyball, cookout, etc.

This place is amazing! Can't wait to visit & fish this summer!!!

Nice and clean place. Good for afternoon walk and picnic plans

Wow, very nice! You will not believe your in Iowa! One of the largest cleanest beaches . Plenty of parking. Two impressive bathroom buildings. Nice concession building. Perfect place to spend a family day at!

Love this place! Great fishing! Great place to take the family!

The park is nice this time of years. Trails for walking or riding bikes. Plenty of shore fishing spots to choose from...or bring your boat to the no wake lake. There is a beach, playground, and marina with boat rentals.

Even during a busy it's possible to find a cove to fish. Most boaters do a good job of going slow and keeping wake to a minimum. Relatively well maintained grounds and facilities.

Beautiful state park with plenty of bike trails, fishing spots, and a large beach. Lots of parking throughout the park and a trailhead for the Neil Smith bike path.