The Iowa Great Lakes Region is made up of the following areas: Claire Wilson State Recreation Area, Elinor Bedell state Park, Emerson Bay State Recreation Area, Fort Defiance State Park, Gull Poing State Park, Lower Gar Access State Recreation Area, Marble Beach State Recreation Area, Mini-Wakan State Park, Okamanpedan State Park, Pikes Point State Park, Templar State Recreation Area, and Trapper's Bay State Park. For a list of other areas and their associated facilities, click here.

Picnicking/Shelters
Templar Park has an open picnic shelter available on a first come/first serve basis which provides an excellent setting for family picnics and cookouts. Templar Park also has another open picnic shelter that may be reserved online through park reservation system.

Lake Activities(boating and fishing)
Located on the west side of Big Spirit Lake, Templar Park offers the user a boat ramp to launch their boat and several areas to fish along the shoreline. Templar Park's boat ramp is one of the most popular on Big Spirit Lake because it is situated on a lagoon that allows users to launch their boats on the windiest of days.

Spirit Lake is the largest natural lake in Iowa and provides some of the best fishing in the state. Anglers will find challenging sport pursuing a variety of game fish, including walleye, northern pike, muskellunges, smallmouth bass, white bass, perch, bluegills, crappies, catfish, and bullheads.

Crandall's Beach provides a fine place for young and old to sunbathe and splash in the clear water of Big Spirit Lake, and is located just north of Templar Park on Highway 276.

The "lakes area" of northwest Iowa offers a tremendous array of outdoor recreation opportunities, year-round. The unique setting of beautiful and clear Lakes East and West Okoboji, Big Spirit Lake and other water bodies truly provides wonderful opportunities for outdoor recreation.

Nearby Towns:
Templar State Recreation Area is located 2 miles north of Spirit Lake.

Contact Information
Physical Address:
Templar State Recreation Area
13185 Templar Dr. S
Spirit Lake, IA 51360

Mailing address:
Gull Point State Park
1500 Harpen Street
Milford, IA 51351
712-337-3211

E-mail address: Gull_Point@dnr.iowa.gov