No detected openings were recorded in the last 90 days. Campsite Sniper monitors Walnut Ridge Recreation Area continuously and will alert you if that changes.
Of the 92 tracked reservation dates (Sep 18 – Oct 31, 2026): 38 open for online reservation · 2 reserved · 8 on sites not offered for online reservation (first-come, first-served or administrative) · 24 closed · 20 unavailable (cause unspecified).
Where the open windows are
Load status
Sep 18 – Oct 31, 2026Of the open reservation dates on mapped day-use units, 22 fall on weekdays and 16 on weekends (Fri–Sun).
Open dates by month
Sep 2026 – Oct 2026October holds the most room. 20 of 53 reservation dates are still open there.
Holiday windows — day use
Units open per date · of 3 day-use units| Window | Date | Units open | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Labor Day | SAT Sep 5 | 0 | None open |
| SUN Sep 6 | 0 | None open | |
| MON Sep 7 | 0 | None open |
Labor Day: no online availability on any tracked date.
Availability by day-use unit
Most open reservation dates · tracked window| Unit | Open reservation dates |
|---|---|
| 03 | 20 |
| 01 | 18 |
The 2 day-use units with the most open reservation dates in the current snapshot. Pair a bookable date with a free alert to cover everything else.
Next windows
As of Sep 18, 2026 snapshotThe next bookable date is Sep 22; the first open weekend starts Sep 25. Campsite Sniper can watch later dates for you.
Reservation dates
All 2 day-use units with current availability
| Unit | Open reservation dates | Consecutive dates | Dates |
|---|---|---|---|
| 03 | 20 | 20 dates | Sep 22, Sep 23, Sep 24, Sep 25, Sep 26, Sep 27, Sep 28, Sep 29, Sep 30, Oct 1, Oct 2, Oct 3 +8 more |
| 01 | 18 | 12 dates | Sep 22, Sep 23, Sep 24, Sep 25, Sep 26, Sep 27, Sep 28, Sep 29, Sep 30, Oct 1, Oct 2, Oct 3 +6 more |
About Walnut Ridge Recreation Area
Overview
Walnut Ridge Recreation Area is a day-use facility located on the 26,000-acre Saylorville Lake Project, which stretches over 50 miles up the Des Moines River Valley. The lake provides a wide variety of recreational activities, including boating, swimming, fishing, hiking and hunting.
Recreation
The 18-hole Walnut Ridge Disc Golf Course runs throughout the recreation area. The beautifully manicured course contains both open and wooded fairways with blind pins and tunnel shots.
Visitors come to Saylorville Lake for its great boating, sailing and swimming opportunities. Anglers fish for walleye, wiper, largemouth bass, catfish, crappie and northern pike.
The paved Neal Smith Trail winds 24 miles from Des Moines to Big Creek State Park and connects the campgrounds on the east side of the lake. It is designated as a National Recreation Trail and is used for biking, hiking, jogging, walking and in-line skating.
Facilities
This day-use area offers three group picnic shelters with water and electricity. Amenities include flush toilets, a playground, and hiking trails.
Natural Features
The area is situated on a wooded ridgeland on the west side of Saylorville Lake. Large shade trees cover the area.
Wildlife is abundant throughout the project. White-tailed deer, turkeys, pheasants, waterfowl, and other small game animals roam the lands around the lake.
Getting there
Use address 9125 NW Beave Drive, Johnston IA 50131. From I-35/80 north of Des Moines, take Johnston/Saylorville Lake Exit (131). Go north on Merle Hay Rd for 2.7 miles, then turn left onto NW Beaver Drive for 3.1 miles. Recreation area is 0.3 miles ahead on the right.
View on Recreation.gov ↗ Get directions ↗
Photo gallery
FAQ
How do I get a reservation at Walnut Ridge Recreation Area?
Reservations for Walnut Ridge Recreation Area are made through Recreation.gov. 38 of 92 tracked reservation dates are currently open (41.3%). Pick the unit on the map to see its reservation calendar, or set a free Campsite Sniper alert. You complete the reservation yourself on Recreation.gov.
Does Campsite Sniper book this facility for me?
No. Campsite Sniper sends alerts and direct Recreation.gov links. It never books, pays for, holds, hoards, or resells reservations.
How current is this availability data?
Campsite Sniper re-checks public Recreation.gov availability for this facility every hour and republishes whenever anything changes. This facility's data last changed at Sep 18, 2026 17:19 UTC; an older timestamp means nothing has changed since that time, not that checking stopped. Always confirm final availability on Recreation.gov when you book.
Which month has the most availability at Walnut Ridge Recreation Area?
October 2026, with 20 open reservation dates in the current snapshot of 53.
When is the next open date at Walnut Ridge Recreation Area?
As of the Sep 18, 2026 snapshot: the next open date is Tue, Sep 22 and the next open weekend starts Fri, Sep 25. Detected openings can add earlier dates at any time; a free Campsite Sniper alert catches those the moment they appear.
Let the app watch this shelter
Choose the reservation dates you want at Walnut Ridge Recreation Area.
Campsite Sniper can monitor this facility and notify you if a selected date becomes available.
When a selected date becomes available, you get a push with a Recreation.gov link so you can review and book it yourself.