Picnic Shelters
Saylorville
Lake operates seven day use areas with over twenty picnic shelters available
for reservation. Shelters may be reserved by calling (515) 270-6173,
Monday and Wednesday only between 9 am and 3:30 pm,
January through October.
A non-refundable special facility use fee is required to reserve a shelter.
Use fees, area open dates, amenities and other site information
for each shelter is listed in the chart below.
Picnic
Shelter Areas |
Use
Fee |
Shelter
# |
Capacity |
Parking
Spaces |
Other
Information |
Bob
Shetler
Open
May 1 - Sep 30
(Bike
trail, river & pond fishing access, near camping)
|
$50* |
1 |
100 |
40 |
Near
river |
2 |
100 |
40 |
Near
pond, sand volleyball w/net, play area & restroom across road |
(Bike
trail access, near boat ramp & camping) |
$50* |
1 |
100 |
37 |
No
play area within view of shelter |
2 |
75 |
31 |
Near
baseball diamond |
3 |
50 |
20 |
4 |
100 |
34 |
No
play area, limited open space |
5 |
125 |
50 |
View
of lake |
6 |
200 |
76 |
(bike trail
access, fishier pier, volleyball with net available at each shelter) |
$50*
|
1 |
75 |
25 |
No
close playground |
2 |
100 |
34 |
No
close playground, limited open space |
3 |
100 |
34 |
4 |
250 |
104 |
Near
river, lots of open space |
5 |
100 |
37 |
Across
road from pond, lots of open space |
6 |
100 |
37 |
7 |
100 |
35 |
Secluded,
lots of open space |
8 |
100 |
35 |
Lots
of open space |
9 |
75 |
31 |
Near
river |
Oak
Grove
Open
May 26 - Sep 3
(Bike
trail access)
|
$50* |
1 |
50 |
17 |
Wooded
area, limited open space, beach 1/4 mile |
2 |
50 |
21 |
Walnut
Ridge
Open
Mar 31 - Oct 31
(18
hole disc golf, hiking trail to Acorn Valley)
|
$50* |
1 |
125 |
50 |
Near
hiking trail |
2 |
250 |
105 |
View
of lake |
3 |
75 |
30 |
Wooded,
no fireplace nor play area, portable toilet |
Sandpiper
Open
May 1 - Sep 30
(beach
& boat ramp 1/2 mile, trail access)
|
$110* |
1 |
500 |
123 |
"L"
shaped, patio, sand volleyball w/net & baseball diamond |
|
Free,
Non-Reservable |
1 |
100 |
40 |
First-come
first-serve. view of lake, adjacent to boat ramp |
All
picnic areas have; restrooms, water & playgrounds.
Each shelter has (unless otherwise noted); volleyball uprights
(no net), a fireplace, group grill, lighting, 4 electric outlets
(20 amp) and 10 picnic tables (Sandpiper has 35 tables and 10
electric outlets). All shelters are available on a first
come basis for free, when not reserved. |
Guidelines
for Saylorville Lake Picnic Areas
Special
Event Applications
Mail
special event applications to: Saylorville Lake, 5600 NW 78th
Ave, Johnston, IA 50131 or email them to Saylorvillelake@usace.army.mil.
*Special
Event Permits are required under unusual circumstances involving such
things as listed below. Permit requirement for some activities is waived
if the event/activity is held at a reserved picnic shelter. Please ask
our staff for details when making your shelter reservation.
- Events/Activities
open to the public that involve DJ services, bands coming into a recreation
area, fireworks, carnival type facilities (inflatable bouncies, dunk
tanks, train rides etc.)
-
Special services like ranger presence, blocking of road ways, additional
facilities (trash cans, extra tables, etc.)
-
Events/Activities where fees are charged to participate in an activity.
-
Events that are open to the general public to participate in (boat
races, car races/driving courses, large fishing contest (Catch Big
Jake), radio station promotions, running events, biking events.
- Any event than
requires a fee to participate, the Government has the right to 2%
of the gross revenue, as well as audit of records.
NOTE:
Permit fee is $50 and non-refundable. Events/Activities that are
open to the general public and not restricted to a club or organization
are required a minimum $1,000,000.00 (that is $1 million) comprehensive
liability insurance coverage as well as insurance for bodily injury
for each person and property damage for each occurrence. Typically $1,000,000.00
coverage is what organizations purchase.
*In
some instances, described below, permits may still be issued, but fees
waived. In these cases, the permit
serves as the "approval" from this office that their
event or activity can take place in a recreation area or below the spillway.
This permit also serves as proof that ranger staff is aware of the function,
in the event a ranger or law enforcement officer questions their activity.
- The event or
activity is of short duration or special permission is granted.
- Driving courses/training
set up by local law enforcement agencies.
- Training exercises
conducted by local EMS agencies, search and rescue organizations.
- Weddings at
the butterfly garden or VC overlook: less than 20 people total and
of short duration (20-30 minutes).
- Grade school/high
school/college organized or sponsored activities.
- Organizations
who qualify as a non-profit group for IRS 501(c)(3) guidelines, organization
must show proof of their non-profit status.
Special
Events Application
Mail
special event applications to: Saylorville Lake, 5600 NW 78th
Ave, Johnston, IA 50131 or email them to Saylorvillelake@usace.army.mil.