Physical Location
Location Address
21914 Park Loop
Onawa, IA 51040
Areas Served
Phone(s)
Park Alerts & Notices
For current closures or important information please visit, Park Alerts and Notices.
About the Park
Lewis and Clark State Park in western Iowa is both a picturesque park and a historic location along the Lewis and Clark expedition trail from 1804. The park is a popular destination for boating, fishing and other outdoor recreation, with an opportunity to engage in history at the Visitors Center, with a full-size reproduction of Lewis and Clark’s keelboat. The Visitors Center is open seasonally May through October with varying hours; please call in advance for operating hours.
Plan Your Visit
- Hike a variety of trails featuring the sights and sounds of the park’s wildlife and plant life, including an accessible, paved lakeshore path.
- Boat in the waters of Blue Lake or enjoy at the sandy beach area. No restrictions are placed on motor size and a double boat ramp is available for easy lake access. Please note: Due to drought, the lake is very low. While boats are able to be launched, boaters are asked to use caution. Additionally, water levels are currently low at the beach, which may impact ability to swim.
- Fish for panfish, bass, channel catfish and northern pike at Blue Lake. High numbers of bullhead and carp are often found in the water. Fish trap structures are in place as part of a lake restoration project.
- Camp at the lakeshore campground featuring a new playground, electrical hookups and full hook ups. Modern restrooms, showers and a trailer dump station are also available. Advanced reservations can be made through the the online reservation system for Lewis and Clark State Park. 100% of the campsites are reservable and a reservation is required. The campground accepts reservations April - October and is closed November - March.
- Reserve a day-use lodge for large events such as wedding receptions or family reunions. The lodge was constructed in the 1930s by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) and can be reserved through the the online reservation system for Lewis and Clark State Park.
Amenities at a Glance
- Visitors Center (open seasonally; call park office in advance for operating hours when planning your visit)
- Keelboat Display
- Hiking trails
- Playground
- Swimming beach (Please note lake levels are low at this time)
- Boat ramp
- Day-use lodge ; ADA accessible
- Shelters
- Modern restrooms
- Showers
- Electric campsites
- Full hook-up campsites
- Youth group only campsites
- Dump station
Explore the Park
Beach Information
For current beach advisories please visit the beach monitoring dashboard or call the monitoring hotline at 515-725-3434.
The dashboard and hotline are updated on Fridays during the monitoring season.