Union Grove State Park

Union Grove State Park, established in 1938, is a picturesque outdoor destination in Tama County. The 110-acre Union Grove Lake is a focal point of the park, along with an often-photographed waterfall and dam nestled in the woods. Anglers enjoy fishing for crappie, bluegill, channel catfish, largemouth bass and walleyes, and visitors can hike, birdwatch or camp while enjoying the park.

Hike three miles of scenic trails, winding through diverse plant and wildlife habitats. Deer, turkey, songbirds and waterfowl are often spotted, and a beautiful re-established prairie and pine plantation can be found in the northeast corner of the park. Snowmobiling is a popular trail activity in the winter.

Boat in the waters of Union Grove Lake or swim at the unsupervised swimming beach. Two boat ramps, one near the beach and the other on the west side of the lake provide lake access; boats can be operated at “no wake” speeds. Anglers of all ages and experience will find abundant bluegill, bass, crappie and catfish. 24 hour fishing access is available from the inlet stream to the west shelter and along the face of the earthen dam.

Stay overnight in one of two modern family cabins or at the park’s modern campground. Both cabins are ADA accessible, and the campground contains full hookup sites, electric sites, modern restrooms and showers, and a dump station. One-fourth of the campsites are available on a first-come, first-serve basis and advance reservations can be made through the online reservation system for Union Grove State Park.

Reserve an open picnic shelter for an outdoor gathering during your visit. Numerous shaded picnic areas near the lake are available at Union Grove, and the shelter can be reserved through the online reservation system for Union Grove State Park.

• Hiking trails
• Boat ramps (2)
• Modern restrooms
• Showers
• Shelters ; ADA accessible
• Modern family cabins ; ADA accessible
• Full hook-up campsites
• Buddy campsites
• Dump station