Brushy Creek State Recreation Area in Iowa, USA - map and visitor information

Research checked: 2026-10-30. Check linked official notices before travel.

Brushy Creek State Recreation Area near Lehigh, Iowa, combines lake scenery with prairie and woodland trails. For a trail visit, begin with the gravel Lake and Pond routes. Soft trails are temporarily closed to bicycles and horses because of wet conditions, so check the notice before unloading equipment.

Use the gravel trails while soft routes recover

The Lake and Pond trails provide 14 miles of gravel routes. They give walkers and permitted riders an alternative during the current soft-trail closure. Choose a segment from the map rather than assuming that a 14-mile outing is necessary to see the lake.

Know before you go

Fees, hours, and seasonal access

Prepare for wet trails and severe weather

Hunting is an authorized use of this recreation area. Check the activity areas before choosing a walk. The park has no designated storm shelters. Use the current closure notices before a riding or cycling trip.

Protect soft surfaces and control pets

Use only designated riding and cycling routes. Keep pets confined or on a leash no longer than six feet. Carry trash out of picnic and day-use areas. Respect the wet-trail closure rather than riding around barriers.

Reserve a shelter or beach cabana

Three open shelters and four beach cabanas use the booking system linked from the official recreation-area page. Open shelters can be reserved up to 12 months ahead by an adult who remains present for the reservation.

Start from Brushy Creek Road near Lehigh

The park office address is 2802 Brushy Creek Road, Lehigh, IA 50557. The official map and flyer distinguishes lake access, picnic areas and trailheads. Select the parking area for your activity before setting off.

A nearby state park and a local preserve

Dolliver Memorial State Park is another road destination at 2757 Dolliver Park Avenue near Lehigh. Its modern shower building and restrooms are also closed for the season. Within Brushy Creek itself, the separately designated Brushy Creek State Preserve has foot access from the lake-overlook parking area near Brushy Creek Road and 280 th Street. Check current trail conditions before that walk.

Build the day around trails and a picnic

• Choose part of the gravel Lake and Pond trail system for a walk.
• Use a lake- or creek-view picnic area for a shorter stop.
• Book a cabana for a group of up to 10 people, after confirming its seasonal facilities.

Plan around seasonal restroom closures

The recreation area has picnic areas, shelters and an accessible fishing pier on the lake’s west side. The swimming-beach and Lakeview-shelter restrooms have seasonal closures. Confirm an available restroom near your chosen trailhead before a longer outing.

About this Webster County recreation area

Iowa DNR manages a landscape of prairie, grassland, timber, river and lake habitats. Its recreation-area designation allows uses, including hunting, that differ from Iowa’s state-park wildlife-refuge rules.

From a primitive recreation area to a reservoir landscape

Brushy Creek was dedicated in 1968. Dam construction began in 1993 and finished in 1998, creating the lake. A separate state preserve within the area received its designation in 1988.

Look across prairie, woodland and shoreline

The mix of open land, woodland and water provides varied habitat. The agency records pheasants, quail, white-tailed deer and wild turkeys among the area’s game species. Observe animals without approaching or disturbing them.

Contact

Call 515-543-8298 for trail and facility conditions. For seasonal beach-advisory information, call 515-725-3434.