Beed's Lake State Park in Iowa, USA - map and visitor information

Research checked: 2026-10-27. Check linked official notices before travel.

Beeds Lake State Park near Hampton, Iowa, combines a shoreline walk with fishing access and a Civilian Conservation Corps limestone dam. Iowa DNR manages the park. Choose a walk around the lake, a fishing stop on the causeway, or a reserved campsite—but prepare for reduced services during the winter water shutdown.

A lake walk and a limestone spillway

• The dam: the limestone face is the park’s most distinctive built feature. Access is from the lake’s east side.
• The shoreline: a roughly two-mile trail connects lake views with the spillway area.
• Fishing access: the causeway, south-shore docks and jetties provide several places to fish without launching a boat.

Plan around the season

Fees, hours, and seasonal access

Check water conditions before a lake visit

Use Iowa DNR’s beach-advisory information before entering the water. Its monitoring hotline is 515-725-3434; the hotline and dashboard are updated on Fridays during the monitoring season.

Keep boating slow

The entire lake is a no-wake area. Jet skis and high-speed boating are prohibited. Use the modern ramp for boat access and follow the posted park rules.

Reserve a campsite before staying

The campground is fully reservable, and a reservation is required for every campsite. Review current prices and site options through Iowa DNR’s campground booking link before choosing your stay. Shelters and the day-use lodge can also be booked; the lodge’s renovation dates restrict that option.

Getting to the lake near Hampton

Use 1422 165th Street, Hampton, IA 50441 for the park. The official park map and flyer distinguishes the dam approach, boat ramp, campground and day-use areas. The dam approach starts on the east side of the lake; a mapped park point is not a substitute for choosing the correct parking area.

Nearby parks

• McIntosh Woods State Park: a road-served option at 1200 East Lake Street in Ventura, on Clear Lake’s northwest shore.
• Pine Lake State Park: an alternative near Eldora, reached at 22390 County Road S56.

Walk, fish or paddle at no-wake speed

Use the shoreline trail for a walk or bike ride, with the dam as a useful focal point. The park also lists cross-country skiing on its trails in winter; that activity depends on suitable snow conditions.

For fishing, choose between the causeway and south-shore access points. Bass, catfish and panfish are among the lake’s fish. Check Iowa DNR’s fishing-license requirements and current lake limits before casting. Boating offers a different way to explore the lake, subject to its no-wake rule.

Campsites and practical access

The campground includes electric sites, tent-only sites and youth-group sites. Its normal facilities include modern restrooms, showers and a dump station; plan any stay around the water shutdown rather than assuming these services operate throughout winter. The park map also identifies nonmodern toilets as year-round facilities.

An accessible fishing jetty is near the boat ramp, and DNR lists accessible shelters. The renovated beach building contains a dining area and kitchen for group gatherings. These specific provisions do not imply that every trail or dam approach is accessible.

The landscape and its working history

From a mill water supply to a CCC park

The park takes its name from former owner William Beed. The causeway originally held water for a mill raceway downstream of the present dam. CCC construction later shaped the park’s built landscape. The local-fieldstone lodge began as a beach concession and was converted to its present use during the 1990s.

Lake habitat

The lake supports bass, catfish and panfish. Its shoreline and fishing structures make the water, rather than a long backcountry route, the focus of a visit.

Contact the park

Call 641-456-2047. The official Iowa DNR park page provides the campground booking link and current visitor resources.