Rock Creek State Park

About Rock Creek State Park

Rock Creek State Park has something for everyone and the park is a paradise for many different animal species. Rock Creek Lake, which covers 602 hectares, is the state's third largest artificial lake and is home to a variety of bird species, reptiles, amphibians, birds of prey, fish, turtles and more.

Rock Creek was officially inaugurated on August 24, 1952 and is one of the oldest state parks in the United States with a history of over 100 years.

The extreme northern end of the lake is maintained by the Iowa Department of Natural Resources and the outer southern end of Rock Creek State Park.

The concentration of teal, blueberry and mallard provides excellent opportunities for bird watching. Thousands of ducks fleeing their summer hatcheries into the solitude of Rock Creek. In spring, these ducks perform courtship and courtship displays in full plumage and in summer they migrate to the breeding birds.

Park visitors often see a variety of animals, including white-tailed deer, elk, elk, coyote, fox, wolf and other wildlife. Mallards are also seen at the southern end of the lake, where the overflow zone is relatively ice-free.

Rock Creek is one of the central campsites in Iowa, and all camping permits are issued by self-registration at the campsite. The largest campsites along the lake shore have a large number of camper pitches as well as picnic tables, picnic areas and other amenities.

You can pay your camping fee on site and enjoy a variety of hiking, cycling, canoeing, kayaking, camping, fishing and other activities in the park.