The Johnston Brief
If Saylorville is the big, busy, powerboat lake on Johnston's doorstep, Big Creek is its calmer sibling: a no-wake lake with one of the largest beaches in the Iowa state park system, a short drive north of town. It's the go-to for a low-key swim, a paddle, or an easy family afternoon on the water. Here's the local guide.
Big Creek State Park is a 3,550-acre Iowa state park just north of Johnston near Polk City, built around an 814-acre no-wake lake. It has one of the biggest beaches in Iowa's state parks (about 1,300 feet of shoreline), five boat ramps, boat and paddle rentals, and a connection to the Neal Smith Trail. It's a mostly day-use park, calmer than Saylorville next door.
Big Creek's beach is the draw: about 1,300 feet of sand, one of the largest in the Iowa state park system, with a big playground, sand volleyball, open grass, and picnic shelters nearby. It's free, first-come, and unguarded, so swim at your own risk. Because the whole lake is no-wake, the water near the beach stays calmer than at Saylorville, which is part of why families like it.
The lake is no-wake, meaning any size motor can run but only at slow, wakeless speeds. That makes it ideal for sailboats, kayaks, canoes, and paddleboards, and safer for swimmers. There are five boat ramps around the lake, and seasonal rentals at the concession typically include pontoons, paddleboards, kayaks, canoes, and fishing boats, so you can get on the water without owning a thing.
Big Creek ties into the region's marquee path: the paved Neal Smith Trail runs from the beach south along Saylorville Lake toward Des Moines, about 26 miles of car-free riding with a Johnston trailhead. There are also hiking and, in winter, cross-country ski and snowmobile trails. See our Johnston trails guide for how it all connects.
Big Creek is a solid fishery for bass, bluegill, crappie, walleye, and more, with an Iowa fishing license required. The calm, clear water and shoreline access make it beginner-friendly. For water closer to town and the full license basics, see our fishing in Johnston guide and our Terra Park guide.
Big Creek itself is mainly a day-use park, so it's built for beach days and afternoons rather than overnight stays. For camping nearby, the Saylorville Lake campgrounds and Jester Park (just across the lake) both have sites and cabins. See our camping guide to compare. As with any lake here, conditions and beach status can shift, so check the Iowa DNR before you go.
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Big Creek State Park is a 3,550-acre Iowa state park just north of Johnston near Polk City, in Polk County, roughly a 15 to 20 minute drive from Johnston. It sits just north of Saylorville Lake.
Yes. Big Creek has one of the largest beaches in the Iowa state park system, about 1,300 feet of sand, with a playground, sand volleyball, and picnic shelters. It's free, first-come, and unguarded, so swim at your own risk.
Big Creek is a no-wake lake, so any size motor may run, but only at slow, wakeless speeds. That makes it great for sailing, kayaks, canoes, and paddleboards, and safer for swimmers than a full-speed lake.
Big Creek is mainly a day-use park, so it's built for beach days rather than overnight camping. For camping nearby, the Saylorville Lake campgrounds and Jester Park, across the lake, both have sites and cabins.
They sit next to each other north of Johnston. Saylorville is the large Army Corps reservoir that allows full-speed boating, while Big Creek is a smaller, calmer no-wake lake with one of the biggest state-park beaches, better for swimming and paddling.