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Iowa Great Lakes Region . . .
Welcome to the Iowa Great Lakes! If you are not acquainted with this wonderful area, we hope to enlighten you to the many vacation, sight-seeing and recreational opportunities that are to be found at the Iowa Great Lakes! Our region includes Spirit Lake, Okoboji, Arnolds Park, Milford, and Lake Park.
The Iowa Great Lakes is a group of natural glacial lakes, known for both their impressive scenic splendor and the many recreational activities to be enjoyed. The three principal lakes of the group are Spirit Lake, West Okoboji Lake, and East Okoboji Lake. They are the largest natural lakes in the state of Iowa. These excellent lakes, along with Minnewashta, Center Lake, and Upper and Lower Gar, are the Iowa Great Lakes. In addition, there are more than a dozen other lakes within minutes of the Iowa Great Lakes region.
Big Spirit Lake is a natural body of water, approximately 5,684 acres in area, the largest lake in Iowa. It is part of the chain of lakes known as the Iowa Great Lakes. The northern shore of the lake straddles the border with Minnesota. It is the largest natural lake in Iowa. Its deepest point is 24 feet, with an average depth of 17 feet. Geologically, the lake is a glacial pothole, a remnant of the most recent ice age approximately 13,000 years ago.The lake is a popular fishing destination in the region. Spirit Lake contains over 40 species of fish, 13 of which are commonly caught. Fishing for walleye and perch is frequently done by boat in warm weather and by ice fishing during the winter time. Fishing for bullhead is common from the shore during the spring. The all-time big fish records for freshwater drum and muskellunge were set with catches from Big Spirit Lake.
Spirit Lake was called “Minnewaukon” by the Indians, and “Lac D’ Espirt by French woodsman, which translates into “Lake of the Spirits”. According to various Indian legends, Spirit Lake was believed to be under the watch of an evil spirit. No Dakotah ever dared to cross it in their canoe and no Indian canoes were ever found in the vicinity of this lake by the early settlers. Whether there are demons who dwell in the lake or not, the waters of Spirit Lake are never quiet.
West Okoboji, one of just a handful of blue water lakes in the world, is known for its depths and clear water. It is a natural glacial lake created by the Wisconsin glacier some 12,000 years ago, currently reaching depths of up to 140 feet, making it the deepest lake in Iowa. It covers approximately 3,847 acres; it is
second in size only to Spirit Lake. Though this lake has gained popularity with boaters and water sports enthusiasts, the state records for smallmouth bass, white bass, shortnose gar, tiger muskie, and northern pike were all set with West Okoboji catches.
West Okoboji was called “Minnetonka” by the Sioux Indians and translated into “Great Waters”. The first settlers decided to use a version of the name “Okoboozhy” for both lakes known today as the “Okoboji” lakes.
East Okoboji, the third largest lake in the chain and the longest lake in Iowa, is a long and narrow waterway, shallower than the others, and with river-like traits. The average depth of the lake is 10 feet and it has a maximum depth of 22 feet, and it covers approximately 1,835 acres. East Okoboji is often fishermens' choice for many species of fish when the other local lakes are crowded or unproductive, though it is becoming more and more popular among water sports enthusiasts as well. It begins at the foot of Big Spirit Lake, from which it is separated by a narrow isthmus, and runs south until it meets West Okoboji at the bridges that seperate the cities of Okoboji and Arnolds Park. The cities of Spirit Lake and Okoboji sit along the western shore of East Okoboji Lake.
The Indians called the lake “Okoboozhy,” and the name is said to mean 'Reeds' or 'Rushes', as they once surrounded the lake.
Upper Gar, connecting at the northern end to East Lake Okoboji at the Hinshaw Bridge (near Trigg’s Resort) and at the southern end connecting to Lake Minnewashta at the Sawmill Bridge. It is a small narrow lake with a depth of about five feet. The Gar Lakes were named for their outlet known as Gar Outlet. This was because schools of gar fish were working their way upstream at this point.
Originally, there were three lakes known as the Gar lakes, forming a chain about two miles in length, and were called Upper, Middle, and Lower Gar lakes. Around 1900, the name Middle Gar was changed to “Minnewashta,” which is Dakotah for good or nice.
Lake Minneswashta, located in Arnolds Park, has a depth of 5 to 15 feet. Lake Minnewashta connects Upper Gar Lake at the Sawmill Bridge and connects to Lower Gar Lake at the Trails Bridge.
Lower Gar, the last lake in the Iowa Great Lakes chain, is a natural lake. Lower Gar connects to Minnewashta and drains to the Little Sioux River at a dam on the southern end of the lake. Lower Gar covers an area of approximately 242 acres and has a maximum depth of 6 feet. Most of the western portion of the Lower Gar Lake is privately owned, and current development on the east and northeast sides includes housing and a golf course. Lower Gar's more sheltered location is good for boating and water skiing when wind conditions limit these activities on the larger lakes.
Silver Lake, twelve miles west of Spirit Lake, adjacent to the city of Lake Park, is another member of the Iowa Great Lakes. Silver Lake has 1,041 acres of water with an average depth of 6 feet and a maximum depth of 11 feet. The water is usually clear, as it is fed largely from springs along the southwest shore. Several species of fish are commonly caught in the lake, including walleye, northern pike, crappie, yellow perch and bullhead. .
