Big Creek State Park
| Big Creek State Park | |
|---|---|
  Big Creek State Park Location in Iowa  Big Creek State Park Location in United States | |
| Location | Polk County, Iowa, United States |
| Nearest city | Polk City, Iowa |
| Coordinates | 41°48′59″N 93°44′44″W / 41.8163820°N 93.7455701°W[1] |
| Area | 3,550 acres (1,440 ha) |
| Elevation | 919 ft (280 m)[1] |
| Administered by | Iowa Department of Natural Resources |
| Website | Official website  |
Big Creek State Park is a 3,550-acre (1,440 ha) public recreation area located 15 miles (24 km) north-northwest of Des Moines in Polk County, Iowa, United States. The park's features include an 18-hole disc golf course, hiking trails, swimming beach, fishing jetty and boat ramps.[2][3]
Geography
[edit]Big Creek State Park was built alongside the 866 acres (350 ha) manmade Big Creek Lake.[3] Big Creek Lake was created as a result of a diversion dam to the Saylorville Lake Reservoir flood control project in the 1970s.[3]
Ecology
[edit]Known fish species in Big Creek Lake:[4]
- Lepomis macrochirus (Bluegill)
- Ictalurus punctatus (Channel catfish)
- Pomoxis (Crappie)
- Sander vitreus (Walleye)[5]
- Micropterus salmoides (Largemouth bass)
- Micropterus dolomieu (Smallmouth bass)
- Esox masquinongy (Muskie)
References
[edit]- ^ a b "Big Creek Lake". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
- ^ "Big Creek State Park". Iowa Department of Natural Resources. Retrieved March 20, 2025.
- ^ a b c "A Guide to Big Creek State Park in Central Iowa". Des Moines Outdoors. May 28, 2021. Retrieved December 18, 2021.
- ^ "Big Creek Lake, Iowa". LakeLubbers.com. Retrieved December 18, 2021.
- ^ Krogman, Rebecca M.; Dodd, Benjamin J.; Otting, Andy; Weber, Michael J.; Weber, Robert E. (2022). "Modeled Walleye regulation outcomes in a Midwestern reservoir with varying forage and Walleye density". North American Journal of Fisheries Management. 42 (3): 597–611. doi:10.1002/nafm.10718. ISSN 1548-8675. S2CID 240332772.
External links
[edit]- Big Creek State Park Iowa Department of Natural Resources
- Big Creek State Park Map Iowa Department of Natural Resources
