Volga River State Recreation Area

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About the Park

Volga River State Recreation Area in scenic northeast Iowa is often referred to as “Little Switzerland” because of its rugged topography. Old steel bridges cross the Volga River and striking rock formations, prairie areas and natural woodlands characterize the 5,700-acre area. 

A variety of wildlife, including deer, red fox and beavers are often spotted in the park, which is open to public hunting during hunting season.

Plan Your Visit

• Hike or Bike more than 20 miles of multi-use trails at Volga River. Trails are groomed for equestrian riders, and are popular for mountain bikers, snowmobilers and cross-country skiers in different seasons. Please call the park office about trail conditions and accessibility.
• Fish for bluegill, crappie, ringed perch, largemouth bass and more at Frog Hollow Lake. A floating fishing pier, shoreline sidewalk and fishing jetties are all universally accessible and provide great fishing access. Anglers can also fish in the Volga River, which meanders through the southern portion of the recreation area. The river contains channel catfish and bass, and float trips for kayaks and canoes are popular activities on the river.
• Boat fin the waters of Frog Hollow Lake. Kayaking and canoeing are popular lake activities, and a universally accessible, three-lane boat ramp is available. Any size boat motor can be operated at “no wake” speeds on the lake.
• Hunt at Volga River, which is also a 5,700-acre public hunting area. A variety of wildlife species including waterfowl, small game, wild turkey and whitetail deer are abundant in the region. The Don Avenson Archery range is west of the scenic overlook and includes a trail with 40 targets for visitors to practice their skills from mid-April through the end of September.
• Camp at the modern Lakeview Campground or Albany Campground. The Lakeview campground contains electric campsites, a modern shower and restroom facility, and RV dump station. The Albany Campground has equestrian sites with electricity and non-electric, non-equestrian sites. One-fourth of the campsites are available on a first-come, first-served basis and advanced campsite reservations can be made through the online reservation system for Volga River State Recreation Area.
• Reserve an open picnic shelter for an outdoor gathering during your visit. Two main picnic areas are available at Volga River and are located near the lake and equestrian campground. The shelter can be reserved through the online reservation system for Volga River State Recreation Area.

Amenities at a Glance

• Hiking trails
• Equestrian trails
• Boat ramp
• Universally accessible fishing pier
• Fishing jetty; ADA accessible
• Shelters
• Albany Campground: equestrian, electric campsites
• Albany Campground: non-electric campsites
• Lakeview Campground: electric campsites
• Lakeview Campground: full hook-up campsites
• Lakeview Campground: modern shower building
• Lakeview Campground: Buddy campsites
• Lakeview Campground: youth group only campsites
• Dump station

Explore the Park

• Volga River State Recreation Area map and flyer
• Volga River State Recreation Area campground map
• Volga River Forest Stewardship Plan