Lake Anita State Park

About the Park

Lake Anita State Park is one of Iowa’s newer parks, constructed in the 1960s as a popular outdoor recreation destination in southwest Iowa. The centerpiece of the 1,062-acre park is a beautiful 171-acre artificial lake offering expansive fishing and boating opportunities.

Plan Your Visit

• Walk or bike more than five miles of trails at Lake Anita, winding through restored prairie and diverse habitats. The paved Grass Roots Trail connects the park to downtown Anita. A self-guided trail is also available for visitors to learn about the park’s plant life.
• Fish for largemouth bass, bluegill, crappie, channel catfish and more. Fishing jetties can be found along the shoreline and two boat ramps provide access to the lake for boat anglers. Dock space for pontoon boats may be reserved on a seasonal basis through the park office.
• Camp at a variety of campsites near the lake offering electric, non-electric and full hook-up sites, three modern showers and restrooms. One-fourth of the campsites are available on a first-come, first-serve basis and advance campsite reservations can be made through the online reservation system for Lake Anita State Park.
• Reserve one of seven open shelters for an outdoor gathering during your visit. Shelter 1 is ADA accessible, and many shelters and open picnic areas overlook the lake. Shelters can be reserved through the online reservation system for Lake Anita State Park.

Concessions

Concession services are available on Saturdays from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend from 7:30 PM to 10:00 PM at the concession stand. 

Items include: 

• Souvenirs (t-shirts and other small souvenirs), available for sale during movie nights
• Pre-packaged snack-type foods
• Soda
• Water

Yard games and firewood sales available through the campground host, typically from 5 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.

Questions can be addressed at the Lake Anita State Park Facebook page.

Amenities at a Glance

• Half-court basketball court
• Interpretive trails
• Hiking trails
• Playground
• Sand volleyball
• Swimming beach
• The Friends of Lake Anita Concessions
• Boat ramp
• Fishing jetty
• Fish cleaning station
• Shelters
• Modern restroom
• Showers
• Electric campsites
• Full Hook-up campsites
• Non-electric campsites
• Youth group only campsites
• Dump station

Explore the Park

• Lake Anita State Park map and flyer
• Lake Anita State Park campground map