Spring Lake Park - Jefferson, Iowa

 

Spring Lake Park in Jefferson is just an hour from the Des Moines area and a cute place to camp.  We chose the easiest camping option this weekend and stayed in a very nice cabin.  There are only two cabins and they get booked early, so you definitely need to plan ahead.  

CABINS

The cabins have four beds (all double size) with two on the lower level (bunk beds) and two on the upper level.  There are no bedroom doors and the living room is on the upper level.  The cabins have a bathroom, but there is no shower/bath.  The shower house is a 0.3 mile walk each way from the cabin.

ROLLER SKATING

The park is known for its historic, indoor skating rink with a wooden floor.  They open the sides in the evening, so it kind of feels as if you're skating outdoors.  Rentals are available at the skating rink.  We didn't get a chance to try skating, but we enjoyed the music while playing nearby at the playground.

PLAYGROUND

The park has two playgrounds, with the bigger one near the skating rink and a much smaller one near the non-electric campsites.  There are also two basketball courts, one of which has a low hoop for little kids.

CONCESSIONS

The Ice Cube Concession Stand is a 0.4 mile walk each way from the cabin and offers delicious Ashby's ice cream, along with other treats and camping supplies.  Concessions are right next to the swimming beach, but we didn't swim because the water looked murky and it's not a sandy beach.  I could not find any information online about water quality.

Roller Skating Rink

Swimming Beach