Red Haw State Park

The eastern redbud is a small understory tree that blooms before its leaves come out, wreathing its bare branches in clusters of rosy-pink flowers. Red Haw's hillsides hold thousands of them, and when they open together in spring the whole park glows. The bloom is a beloved local event, and the timing shifts a little each year with the weather, generally arriving as the first warm days settle in.

The show is brief. Within a couple of weeks the flowers fade and the trees leaf out into ordinary green, so catching the peak takes a bit of timing and luck. Those who do come away with the memory of a hillside that looks lit from within, mirrored in the still water of the lake below.

Like many of Iowa's older lake parks, Red Haw took shape during the 1930s, when work-relief crews of the Great Depression built the dam that impounded the lake and laid out the roads, shelters, and campgrounds. The lake was created for recreation and as a haven for fish and wildlife in a landscape otherwise given over to farming.

That heritage gives the park its comfortable, well-worn character, with mature timber, stone-and-timber structures, and a layout scaled for quiet family outings rather than crowds. It remains a public state park, welcoming visitors to fish, camp, and walk its shores through every season.

The lake is a favorite of local anglers, stocked with bluegill, largemouth bass, crappie, and channel catfish, and calm enough for canoes, kayaks, and small electric-motor boats. A beach area draws swimmers in summer, and the shoreline is easy to explore on foot.

Wooded trails loop through the timber around the water, gentle enough for a casual walk and best of all in spring when the redbuds and early wildflowers are out. Campsites and cabins sit close to the lake, making Red Haw an easy overnight base for exploring the rolling country of southern Iowa.

Spring is the marquee season, first for the redbud bloom and then for the wildflowers and returning birds. It is the busiest and most beautiful time to visit, so plan around the peak if you can.

Summer brings warm days for swimming, fishing, and camping, and thicker green shade over the trails. Fall turns the oaks and maples to color and quiets the campground, and winter leaves the lake still and the park hushed, a peaceful place for a cold-weather walk.

The closest Boutel™ stays, so you can turn this stop into an overnight. Each is an independently owned, editorially selected place to stay.