§ 02 — OVERVIEW
Bob Shetler Recreation Area is located in the tailwater area below the 26,000-acre Saylorville Lake Project, which stretches more than 50 miles up the Des Moines River Valley.
The lake provides a wide variety of recreational activities, including boating, swimming, fishing, hiking and hunting.
Visitors enjoy Saylorville Lake for its excellent boating, sailing, water skiing, windsurfing and swimming opportunities. Anglers will find 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.
The campground offers 67 camping sites, all with electric hookups. Amenities include flush and pit toilets, showers, drinking water and a dump station. Nearby amenities include a visitor center, hiking trail, volleyball courts and a disc golf course. Boat ramps and an accessible fishing dock are also close by.
Large shade trees dot the open grassy areas of the campground, which offers excellent views of the Des Moines River. Most campsites are within easy walking distance of the shore. Wildlife is abundant throughout the project. White-tailed deer, turkeys, waterfowl and other small game animals roam the lands around the lake.
RV Information
Up to 70 ft
Maximum RV Length
Trailers up to 70 ft
67 sites with electric
§ 03 — CONDITIONS
National Weather Service · seven-day outlook · updated hourly
§ 04 — SIGNAL
FCC broadband data · actual signal varies in remote terrain
§ 05—08 — FROM THE FIELD
Community Intel from visitors, written reviews, dated trip reports, and reader-submitted photographs.
§ 06 — REVIEWS
§ 07 — TRIP REPORTS
§ 08 — COMMUNITY PHOTOS
§ 01 — VITALS
Tod
87°F
Mostly Sunny
6 to 10 mph SE
Fri
79°F
Showers And Thunderstorms
9 to 16 mph WSW
Sat
81°F
Mostly Sunny
14 mph N
Sun
84°F
Sunny
5 mph NNE
Mon
85°F
Sunny
2 to 8 mph SSE
Tue
87°F
Sunny
5 mph S
Wed
85°F
Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
3 to 7 mph NE
AT&T
T-Mobile
Verizon
Based on FCC availability data. Actual signal may vary in remote terrain.
Sign in to add your own photos.
No community photos yet — be the first to share one from your visit.
Trip Reports
0 reports
Sign the ledger to file a review.
