Park

Easter Lake Park park

Iowa, USA Des Moines watershed 41.530°, -93.551°
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Nearby campgrounds
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Easter Lake Park -- Iowa park
Easter Lake Park Iowa · Des Moines watershed
About this park

Easter Lake Park

Easter Lake Park is located in Polk County, Iowa, and offers visitors plenty of reasons to explore the area. The park covers over 1,200 acres and features a 178-acre lake that offers a variety of outdoor activities throughout the year.

One of the main attractions at Easter Lake Park is the lake itself, which provides opportunities for fishing, boating, and swimming. Visitors can rent boats, kayaks, and canoes from the park's boat rental shop. There are also several miles of hiking and biking trails that wind around the lake and through the park's wooded areas.

Other points of interest at the park include a beach area, playgrounds, picnic areas, and a disc golf course. The park is also home to a variety of wildlife, including bald eagles, deer, and other small mammals.

One interesting fact about Easter Lake Park is that it underwent a major restoration project in the early 2000s to address problems with water quality and sedimentation in the lake. The project included dredging the lake and building several wetlands and rain gardens to help filter and clean the water.

The best time of year to visit Easter Lake Park depends on the activities you're interested in. Summer is a popular time for boating, swimming, and other water activities, while the fall is a great time to hike and enjoy the changing colors of the foliage. Winter offers opportunities for ice fishing and snowshoeing, and the park's disc golf course is open year-round, weather permitting.
StateIowa
WatershedDes Moines
Latitude41.5295°
Longitude-93.5513°
Land designation

Park & land designation reference

A quick legend for the federal and state land categories Snoflo tracks. Each designation comes with different rules around access, recreation, and resource extraction.

National Park
Large protected natural areas managed by the federal government to preserve significant landscapes, ecosystems, and cultural resources; recreation is allowed but conservation is the priority.
State Park
Public natural or recreational areas managed by a state government, typically smaller than national parks and focused on regional natural features, recreation, and education.
Local Park
Community-level parks managed by cities or counties, emphasizing recreation, playgrounds, sports, and green space close to populated areas.
Wilderness Area
The highest level of land protection in the U.S.; designated areas where nature is left essentially untouched, with no roads, structures, or motorized motorized access permitted.
National Recreation Area
Areas set aside primarily for outdoor recreation (boating, hiking, fishing, often around reservoirs, rivers, or scenic landscapes); may allow more development.
National Conservation Area (BLM)
BLM-managed areas with special ecological, cultural, or scientific value; more protection than typical BLM land but less strict than Wilderness Areas.
State Forest
State-managed forests focused on habitat, watershed, recreation, and sustainable timber harvest.
Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Land
Vast federal lands managed for mixed use -- recreation, grazing, mining, conservation -- with fewer restrictions than national parks or forests.
Detailed forecast

Plan your visit down to the hour

Same weather feed Snoflo's iOS app uses -- updated continuously from NOAA / yr.no.

Hourly detail

Next 5 days, hour by hour

Temperature line with weather symbols on top, snow + rain accumulation as columns, humidity as a dotted line.

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Deep dive

5-day forecast table

Every 3 hours, broken out across temperature, snow, rain, humidity, and wind.

TimeConditionTemp (°F)Snow (in)Rain (in)Humidity (%)Wind (mps)Wind dir
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Long-term outlook

15-day temperature & precipitation

Daily temperatures, snow, and rain projected over the next two weeks.

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Stay nearby

Area campgrounds

Snoflo-tracked campgrounds within reach of Easter Lake Park, with reservations status.

Campground Reservations Toilets View
Cherry Glen Campground
Lake Ahquabi State Park Campground
Acorn Valley Campground
Water Trail Campsite
Around the spot

Plan a longer trip

The closest parks, lakes, fishing spots, and POIs so a park visit can grow into a full weekend.

Responsible recreation & Leave No Trace

Know before you go
Check the operator's site for hours, permit requirements, seasonal closures, and fire restrictions before heading out.
Stay on trail
Stick to marked paths to protect vegetation, prevent erosion, and avoid disturbing wildlife habitat.
Respect wildlife
Observe from a distance, never feed wildlife, and store food securely if camping is permitted on-site.
Pack it in, pack it out
Carry out all trash, food scraps, and gear. Many parks have limited or no trash service.
Leave what you find
Don't take rocks, plants, or artifacts. They make the park what it is for the next visitor.

Set push alerts in the Snoflo app

Save Easter Lake Park as a favorite, set a custom threshold (precipitation, freezing temperatures, fire-restriction days), and the iOS app will push the moment conditions cross.

FAQ

About Easter Lake Park

What can I do at Easter Lake Park?

Most Snoflo-tracked parks support hiking, picnicking, and wildlife viewing. Check the operator's site for activity-specific rules (camping, fishing, paddling, hunting).

How fresh is the weather data?

The hourly forecast updates throughout the day from NOAA / yr.no. Streamflow comes live from USGS streamgauges.

When is the best time to visit?

Use the 15-day temperature & precipitation outlook on this page to plan -- pick a window with comfortable temperatures and low precipitation.

How do I get to Easter Lake Park?

Tap Directions in the hero above to open driving directions in Google Maps, or Open in map to center the Snoflo interactive map on the park.

Can I get alerts when conditions change?

Yes -- alerts are managed in the Snoflo iOS app. Favorite this park, set a threshold (temperature, precipitation), and you'll get a push the moment it crosses.

More parks

Other parks near here

Snoflo-tracked parks within driving distance of Easter Lake Park.