Lake Manawa State Park in Council Bluffs offers beach activities, fishing, and hiking, according to the Iowa DNR website. Built in 2018, Dream Playground is the largest accessible playground in Iowa under the American Disabilities Act at 18,000 square feet, according to the Iowa DNR.

How do the heads of state know the number of visitors?

That’s an estimate, DNR communications director Alex Murphy wrote in an email to IowaWatch. Some parks use car rentals while others deal with camping and rental use. Weather, events, construction and visual observations are also included in the estimate, Murphy said.

“Even in winter, I think it’s just beautiful out here,” said Lacroix.

Egan said she hopes the Iowa DNR will add camping to Lake Manawa.

Gull Point State Park in the Iowa Great Lakes region was the second most popular visitor in 2020 with 1.6 million. The lakeside park offers camping, fishing, and 1.5 miles of self-guided hiking trails.

Noteworthy: The August 10 dercho affected access to several parks and could have changed visitor numbers.

The 10 most visited parks (estimates):

Lake Manawa – 3.2 million

Gull Point – 1.6 million