Big Creek Wildlife Area - Usacoe

Big Creek Wildlife Area in Polk City provides excellent boat ramp access to Big Creek Lake, a popular destination for paddlers and motorboaters alike. The facility features five modern boat ramps (three on the west side, two on the east) with dedicated parking areas and sailboat rigging zones. Amenities include a fishing pier, multiple fishing jetties, fish cleaning station, picnic areas, and a 102-berth dry-dock area at the northeast corner. Canoe, motorboat, and sailboat rentals are available through the on-site boat concession.

Big Creek is a medium-sized river (Stream Order 5) with a drainage area of 174 square miles and an average flow of approximately 142 cubic feet per second. The stream has a moderate gradient of 16.1 feet per mile, making it suitable for various water activities. All motorboats are limited to 5 mph wake speeds on the lake. The area also offers trails, beach access, and is home to excellent fishing opportunities, particularly for crappie, walleye, and bluegill.

For facility information and campground reservations at the nearby Walnut Ridge Recreation Area on Saylorville Lake, contact 515-276-4656. The Big Creek area is located approximately 50 miles north of Des Moines in the Des Moines River Valley.

Overview
Walnut Ridge Recreation Area is a day-use facility located on the 26,000-acre Saylorville Lake Project, which stretches over 50 miles up the Des Moines River Valley. The lake provides a wide variety of recreational activities, including boating, swimming, fishing, hiking and hunting.Recreation
The 18-hole Walnut Ridge Disc Golf Course runs throughout the recreation area. The beautifully...

Overview
Walnut Ridge Recreation Area is a day-use facility located on the 26,000-acre Saylorville Lake Project, which stretches over 50 miles up the Des Moines River Valley. The lake provides a wide variety of recreational activities, including boating, swimming, fishing, hiking and hunting.Recreation
The 18-hole Walnut Ridge Disc Golf Course runs throughout the recreation area. The beautifully manicured course contains both open and wooded fairways with blind pins and tunnel shots.

Visitors come to Saylorville Lake for its great boating, sailing and swimming opportunities. Anglers fish for walleye, wiper, largemouth bass, catfish, crappie and northern pike.

The paved Neal Smith Trail winds 24 miles from Des Moines to Big Creek State Park and connects the campgrounds on the east side of the lake. It is designated as a National Recreation Trail and is used for biking, hiking, jogging, walking and in-line skating.Facilities
This day-use area offers three group picnic shelters with water and electricity. Amenities include flush toilets, a playground, and hiking trails.Natural Features
The area is situated on a wooded ridgeland on the west side of Saylorville Lake. Large shade trees cover the area.

Wildlife is abundant throughout the project. White-tailed deer, turkeys, pheasants, waterfowl, and other small game animals roam the lands around the lake.

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