Big Creek State Park is a public recreation area located north-northwest of
Des Moines
Des Moines is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of cities in Iowa, most populous city in the U.S. state of Iowa. It is the county seat of Polk County, Iowa, Polk County with parts extending into Warren County, Iowa, Wa ...
in
Polk County, Iowa
Polk County is located in the U.S. state of Iowa. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population was 492,401. making it the List of counties in Iowa, most populous county in Iowa, and was estimated to be 505,255 in 2023. It is ...
, United States. The park's features include an 18-hole disc golf course, hiking trails, a swimming beach, a fishing jetty and boat ramps.
Geography
Big Creek State Park was built alongside the manmade Big Creek Lake.
Ecology
Known fish species in Big Creek Lake:
* ''Lepomis macrochirus'' (Bluegill)
* ''Ictalurus punctatus'' (Channel catfish)
* '' Pomoxis (''Crappie
Crappies () are two species of North American freshwater fish of the genus ''Pomoxis'' in the family Centrarchidae (sunfishes). Both species of crappies are popular game fish among recreational anglers.
Etymology
The genus name ''Pomoxi ...
)
* ''Sander vitreus (''Walleye'')''Micropterus salmoides
The largemouth bass (''Micropterus nigricans'') is a carnivorous, freshwater, ray-finned fish in the Centrarchidae (sunfish) family, native to the eastern and central United States, southeastern Canada and northern Mexico. It is known by a v ...
'' (Largemouth bass
The largemouth bass (''Micropterus nigricans'') is a carnivorous, freshwater fish, freshwater, ray-finned fish in the Centrarchidae (sunfish) family, native to the eastern United States, eastern and central United States, southeastern Canada an ...
)
* ''Micropterus dolomieu'' (Smallmouth bass)
* ''Esox masquinongy'' (Muskie)
References
External links
Big Creek State Park
Iowa Department of Natural Resources
Big Creek State Park Map
Iowa Department of Natural Resources
{{Protected areas of Iowa
State parks of Iowa
Protected areas of Polk County, Iowa