Lake Easter
Des Moines, Iowa · on Yeader Creek · Easter Lake Park
Verified · 5 independent sources · top-verified
- WATER
- lake
- ACCESS
- Designated swim area
- FEE
- Free
- SEASON
- Best in summer
About Lake Easter
Easter Lake Park is a 468-acre Polk County Conservation park in southeast Des Moines built around a roughly 165 to 178 acre lake on Yeader Creek, formerly the site of the county's last operating coal strip mine before the lake opened in 1967. The park's Athene North Shore Recreation Area includes a free, unguarded public swimming hole and beach with a zero-entry accessible ramp, alongside a splash pad, playground, and boat/kayak rentals.
The lake sits in an urban southeast Des Moines park at the corner of SE 14th St. and Army Post Rd., surrounded by paved trails, picnic shelters, ballfields, and greenspace; the lake itself was formed by damming/flooding a former coal strip-mine site, so the shoreline and lake basin are a reclaimed industrial landscape now landscaped as parkland.
Swimming at Lake Easter
Swimming happens at a designated, sandy public beach on the lake's north shore with a zero-entry ramp for easy, accessible wading in; it suits families and casual swimmers (there is a splash pad and playground alongside it) rather than open-water swimmers, and there is no lifeguard on duty so swimmers are on their own for supervision.
How to get to this swimming hole
Easter Lake Park is at 2830 Easter Lake Drive, Des Moines, IA, at the corner of SE 14th St. and Army Post Rd.; the North Shore beach/Athene North Shore Recreation Area is reached at 2816 Shoreline Road on the lake's north side.
Parking: On-site parking lot at the North Shore Recreation Area; broader park has multiple lots serving picnic shelters, boat ramp, and trail access (exact capacity not documented in sources found).
The hike in
- Time on foot
- Under 5 minutes on foot from parking lot to beach
Drive-up access: the beach is reached via a short, flat, paved path directly from the North Shore Recreation Area parking lot (under a 5-minute walk). No trail hike is needed.
Paved, accessible route connects the 104-space lot directly to the zero-entry beach and launch; the park also has separate perimeter walking/biking trails unrelated to reaching the swim area.
Plan your visit
Bringing kids
OK with supervision
The North Shore beach has a zero-entry accessible ramp designed for easy wading, a splash pad, and playground right next to it, which suits young kids well. However there is no lifeguard on duty at any time, and Polk County Conservation's own weekly summer E. coli monitoring found the lake unsafe to swim in as recently as August 27, 2025, so parents should check current water-quality status before letting kids swim.
Parking
Free
Flat, paved on-site lot at North Shore Recreation Area with 104 standard spaces and 11 accessible spaces, plus a loading zone west of the lot for larger vehicles; no cost mentioned. The broader park has additional lots serving picnic shelters, the boat ramp, and trails.
Restrooms
Yes
Accessible single-user restrooms at the Athene North Shore Recreation Area, open daily 6am-10pm, including one with a universal child/adult changing station; an all-season restroom near the north side of the concession building is available in winter. Additional restrooms exist elsewhere in the broader 468-acre park.
Water clarity
Varies with season and flow
Athene North Shore Recreation Area's own site describes a 'crystal clear lake,' but Polk County Conservation's weekly summer E. coli testing found bacteria levels that made the lake unsafe to swim in on August 27, 2025, and the lake was listed among Iowa's polluted waterways in 2008. Independent visitor descriptions of clarity and color are scarce, so treat clarity as day-dependent and check current advisories before visiting.
Hours
North Shore beach concessions & equipment rentals (Memorial Day-Labor Day): Wed-Fri 12pm-8pm, Sat-Sun 10am-8pm; splash pad daily 10am-6pm; restrooms daily 6am-10pm. Broader park hours: summer (Apr 1-Oct 31) 6:30am-10:30pm, winter (Nov 1-Mar 31) sunrise to sunset. Note: an older park-wide listing separately states the swimming beach is open 8am to sunset daily, so hours may vary by source/season.
On the water
Restrictions: No-wake rules apply lake-wide, since Easter Lake is managed as a walleye/bass/catfish fishery; motorboats and personal watercraft typically launch from the south-shore boat ramp off Easter Lake Drive, while kayaks, canoes, and paddleboards can also launch from the accessible canoe/kayak launch at North Shore Recreation Area.
Pontoon boat rides are offered only through scheduled Polk County Conservation programs, not as an on-demand public rental. An adaptive/accessible watercraft launch (transfer bench, rollers, guide rails) is available at North Shore.
Rentals nearby
Kayaks, canoes, and stand-up paddleboards (including adaptive/accessible equipment); a separate park-wide listing also mentions paddle boat rentals
On-site at 2816 Shoreline Road, Des Moines, IA 50320, at the North Shore beach/launch · Memorial Day-Labor Day: Wed-Fri 12pm-8pm, Sat-Sun 10am-8pm (equipment reserved via the site's FareHarbor booking link)
Backstory
The site was Polk County's last operating coal strip mine, closed in 1959; the lake was created and the park officially opened in 1967. The historic Owens Covered Bridge, built in 1878, was relocated into the park in 1968. The park drew about 400,000 visitors in 2000. The Athene North Shore Recreation Area, opened more recently, was built as one of the most universally accessible-designed parks in the country.
Lake Easter: FAQ
Does Lake Easter charge a fee?
Beach use is free.
Is Lake Easter kid friendly?
The North Shore beach has a zero-entry accessible ramp designed for easy wading, a splash pad, and playground right next to it, which suits young kids well. However there is no lifeguard on duty at any time, and Polk County Conservation's own weekly summer E. coli monitoring found the lake unsafe to swim in as recently as August 27, 2025, so parents should check current water-quality status before letting kids swim.
Do I need to hike to reach Lake Easter?
No significant hike is required. The swimming area is close to parking and access.
Where do I park for Lake Easter?
Flat, paved on-site lot at North Shore Recreation Area with 104 standard spaces and 11 accessible spaces, plus a loading zone west of the lot for larger vehicles; no cost mentioned. The broader park has additional lots serving picnic shelters, the boat ramp, and trails.
Can I bring a kayak or paddleboard to Lake Easter?
Pontoon boat rides are offered only through scheduled Polk County Conservation programs, not as an on-demand public rental. An adaptive/accessible watercraft launch (transfer bench, rollers, guide rails) is available at North Shore.
When is the best time to visit Lake Easter?
Summer (the swimming beach and swim-season water quality monitoring operate seasonally).
What are the rules at Lake Easter?
No lifeguard on duty at the swimming beach. Sources give differing beach hours: one official park listing states the swimming beach is open 8 a.m. to sunset daily, while the North Shore beach specifically is listed elsewhere with weekday hours of noon-8 p.m. and weekend hours of 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Polk County Conservation monitors water quality weekly for E. coli during the summer swim season and has issued swim advisories when levels are unsafe.
What water body is Lake Easter on?
Lake Easter is on Yeader Creek, a natural lake verified in USGS hydrography data.
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