Lake Anita State Park - Anita, IA
Lake Anita State Park Dog Park Guide
If you’re searching for a dog park in Anita, Iowa with ample amenities and scenic views, Lake Anita State Park should be on your list. Known for its clean, well-maintained spaces and pet-friendly trails, the park welcomes families—and their four-legged companions—for lakeside fun. The paved walking and biking trail wraps around the lake, offering dog owners a great dog-friendly hiking option with views and plenty of space.
While not dedicated as an off-leash dog park, the area is very dog-friendly as long as your pet remains leashed. Visitors appreciate the clean surroundings and the family atmosphere, with facilities such as playgrounds, picnic areas, and a clean beach. One note for dog owners: the park currently has limited shade, though more trees are growing in each year, and the beach sometimes gets overgrown with seaweed. However, the large space, accessible walking paths, and pet-welcoming vibe make it a perfect place for a day out with your pup.
Lake Anita State Park FAQ
- Are there walking or hiking trails connected to the park? Yes, there is a fully paved biking and walking trail that goes most of the way around the lake.
- Is there a playground or activities for kids nearby? Yes, there is a playground in the park along with other family activities.
- Is the park regularly cleaned and maintained? Yes, reviews mention the park and facilities are well maintained.
- Is there parking available? Yes, the park features tiered parking areas with lake views and good access to park amenities.
- Is the park open year-round? The park serves as a year-round recreation area, though some amenities may be seasonal.
Reviews
It’s a great state park. Nice and well maintained. It has a paved bike/walking trail around the lake. The campsites are well groomed and level. The shower house is clean. It has a nice playground for the kids. The lake is clean. The beach could use some work. We had a nice time camping here last weekend.
Gorgeous state park. Loved the tiered parking for campers which allowed everyone to have a great view of the lake. Clean beach, plenty of docks and well kept trails.
Very surprised about this awesome campground and park. I had never heard of it before we stayed there. Beautiful layout and friendly staff. It was quiet and really family friendly. Awesome park super close to Des Moines!
What I would call a typical lake based state park. It suffers from not having any trees to cut the wind so if you’re camping, the wind coming across the lake is strong. The trail around the lake is fully paved and does not go completely around the lake without walking on the road. Good for bikes but not very for nice hiking
We love this park and come every year. It gets 4 stars though because there is little to no shade. Trees will grow in and in 10 years it will be perfect. Great amenities, clean park, quiet and fun for kids. The beach was a little overgrown with seaweed but it’s free admission. Geese have taken over with poo everywhere but not quite sure how you fix that. Kids had fun fishing and we walked the entire paved trail around the lake. Will be back again next year.