§ 02 — OVERVIEW
Bob Shetler Picnic Area is a day-use facility located in the tailwater area below Saylorville Dam, and is a popular destination for shoreline fishermen. The 26,000-acre Saylorville Lake Project 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.
Visitors come to Saylorville Lake for its great boating, sailing, water skiing, windsurfing 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.
The day-use area offers two large group picnic areas with water and electric hookups. Amenities include flush toilets, a volleyball court, playground and hiking trails.
Large shade trees dot the open grassy land around the picnic area, which offers pleasant views of the Des Moines River. Wildlife is abundant throughout the project. White-tailed deer, turkeys, pheasants, waterfowl, and other small game animals roam the lands around the lake.
§ 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
Today
97°F
Sunny
5 mph NW
Tue
86°F
Patchy Smoke
6 mph NE
Wed
89°F
Sunny
1 to 6 mph SE
Thu
88°F
Partly Sunny
3 to 9 mph SSE
Fri
80°F
Showers And Thunderstorms Likely
5 to 10 mph SW
Sat
81°F
Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms then Mostly Sunny
7 to 12 mph N
Sun
86°F
Sunny
2 to 6 mph NNE
AT&T
T-Mobile
Verizon
Based on FCC availability data. Actual signal may vary in remote terrain.
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