Allison L
July 28, 2025
We had a great time for my son’s first birthday party!
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About Sandpiper Recreation Area
Sandpiper Recreation Area is a day-use facility located on the 26,000-acre Saylorville Lake Project, which stretches over 50 mi up the Des Moines River Valley. The lake provides a wide variety of recreational activities, including boating, swimming, fishing, hiking and hunting.
Activities & Attractions
Nearby
Boating
Spring
Summer
Fall
Fishing
Year-round
Hiking
Year-round
Hunting
Year-round
Swimming
Summer
Year-round
Fishing
Nearby
Hiking
Nearby
Hunting
Nearby
Spring
Boating
Nearby
Summer
Boating
Nearby
Swimming
Nearby
Fall
Boating
Nearby
Seasonal information
2026
(Current year)
2026 Season availability
Current season
Upcoming seasons
Past seasons
Closed periods
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Currently closed
Campground Amenities
Most popular amenities
Parking
Picnic Table
Restrooms
Playground
Water and Hygiene
- Restrooms
Cooking and Fire
- Picnic Table
Parking and Transport
- Parking
On Site Services
- Playground
- Volleyball Court
Water Access
- Lake Access
Missing information?
Reviews
14 reviews
Summary
The Sandpiper Recreation Area features restrooms and a playground, making it a nice venue for gatherings, as highlighted by the positive experience during a son's first birthday party. However, cleanliness was a concern, with reports of debris on the concrete that attracted flies. Overall, it offers a pleasant space with room for improvement in maintenance.
Based on guest feedback
4.5
Overall rating
Based on 14 reviews
5 stars
64.3% (9)
4 stars
21.4% (3)
3 stars
14.3% (2)
2 stars
0.0% (0)
1 star
0.0% (0)
Showing 14 reviews
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Allison L
July 28, 2025
We had a great time for my son’s first birthday party!
Helpful
Tamara J
June 6, 2026
Nice area with restrooms and playground
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Tamara C
August 29, 2026
We have been having our businesses annual family picnic at the Sandpiper shelter for over 6 years now and will continue doing so for many years to come. It's a great location for family's! It's not secluded, but does have a tree edge keeping it quiet from traffic noise. Great sized parking lot, shelter, and grass area for our size group. And the playground is perfect for the younger kids. Bathrooms are always clean and just the right location from the shelter and playground. There's a ball diamond and a sand volleyball court. This location works perfect for our group and it's always clean. There's an electrical outlet in the shelter and 2 water spickets, one on either side of the shelter. There are plenty of trash cans around the shelter and the big main trash is located right in the parking lot far enough away from everything that it doesn't bother us, yet close enough that we can easily put our filled trash bags into it throughout the day.
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Location & Directions for Sandpiper Recreation Area
Saylorville Lake Administration Office, Johnston, IA 50131 United States
Elevation: 274 ft
Getting There
Physical Address: 7101 NW Polk City Drive Polk City, IA 50226
From I-35, take Exit 92 and go east on First Street approximately 5 mi to HWY 415. Turn right (north) and travel approximately 3 mi to recreation area on the right.
Highway access
The Sandpiper Recreation Area is accessible via I-35 at Exit 92, followed by First Street and HWY 415.
Policies & Rules
General
- Special Event Permits are required for inflatable bounce houses and water features. Special Event Permits may be required for events that may impact nearby shelters, are open to the public, wedding events, company picnics etc. Please contact the Saylorville Lake Administration Office at 515-276-4656 to inquire.
- Shelters may be reserved up to 4 days in advance. If shelters are not reserved, they are available free of charge on a first come, first served basis.
- Reservations include parking, baseball field and sand volleyball court (ball not provided); playgrounds and restrooms near shelters are open to the public.
- Click here for more information .
- Click here for a virtual tour of the Saylorville Lake area.
- The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers welcomes you to Saylorville Lake. Our goal is to make your visit a safe and enjoyable experience. A complete list of rules, Title 36 “Rules and Regulations” and other helpful maps and brochures are available from the Visitor Center, Park Rangers, Park Attendants or Hosts. Please contact any member of our staff if you have questions or need assistance. Please help maintain and protect park facilities and natural resources by following these guidelines when picnicking at Saylorville Lake.PICNIC AREA HOURS:Month of April .May through Labor Day .The day after Labor Day through October .Rules:1) Clean up is the responsibility of the picnic users. Please clean up all spills and dispose of litter. If you have more trash than the garbage cans hold, please use area dumpsters. Leave the area in the condition you would like to find it.2) The Possession of Fireworks, explosives, firearms, ammunition, bows or other projectile firing devices is prohibited.3) The operation and parking of vehicles off roadways is prohibited.4) Only street legal vehicles are allowed.5) Amplified sound systems are not allowed without a Special Event Permit.6) Yard games such as water balloons and egg toss are prohibited.7) Trailer Roasters are allowed only in parking areas. Do not place hot roasters, grills, skillets or grease pan directly on picnic tables.8) Pets must be confined or on a leash less than 6 feet long. Pets are not allowed in the restrooms. Please pick up and properly dispose of all pet waste.To contact a Park Ranger during normal business hours Monday—Friday, .To contact a Park Ranger after normal business hours, call the Polk County Dispatch at (515) 286-3334THANK YOU FOR YOUR COOPERATION
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Last updated: October 7, 2026
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Explore Johnston, IA
Population: 24,384
Nearby city: Ankeny, IA
Approx. 6 mi away (straight-line distance)
Elevation: 833 ft
Johnston, IA
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Managed by the US Army Corps of Engineers