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 57 tracked reservation dates (Apr 15 – May 3, 2027): 57 open for online reservation.
Where the open windows are
Load status
Apr 15 – May 3, 2027Of the open reservation dates on mapped day-use units, 30 fall on weekdays and 27 on weekends (Fri–Sun).
Open dates by month
Apr 2027 – May 2027April holds the most room. 48 of 48 reservation dates are still open there.
Holiday windows — day use
Units open per date · of 3 day-use units| Window | Date | Units open | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Memorial Day | FRI May 28 | 0 | None open |
| SAT May 29 | 0 | None open | |
| SUN May 30 | 0 | None open | |
| MON May 31 | 0 | None open |
Memorial Day: no online availability on any tracked date.
Availability by day-use unit
Most open reservation dates · tracked window| Unit | Open reservation dates |
|---|---|
| 01 | 19 |
| 02 | 19 |
| 03 | 19 |
The 3 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.
Tracked window
CoverageCampsite Sniper's data for this facility starts Apr 15, 2027. That is about 164 days after the current snapshot was taken, so dates before Apr 15, 2027 are not covered by what Campsite Sniper tracks here — they are not known to be unavailable. The reservation dates shown on this page describe Apr 15, 2027 onwards only. Check Recreation.gov for earlier dates.
Reservation dates
All 3 day-use units with current availability
| Unit | Open reservation dates | Consecutive dates | Dates |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | 19 | 19 dates | Apr 15, 2027, Apr 16, 2027, Apr 17, 2027, Apr 18, 2027, Apr 19, 2027, Apr 20, 2027, Apr 21, 2027, Apr 22, 2027, Apr 23, 2027, Apr 24, 2027, Apr 25, 2027, Apr 26, 2027 +7 more |
| 02 | 19 | 19 dates | Apr 15, 2027, Apr 16, 2027, Apr 17, 2027, Apr 18, 2027, Apr 19, 2027, Apr 20, 2027, Apr 21, 2027, Apr 22, 2027, Apr 23, 2027, Apr 24, 2027, Apr 25, 2027, Apr 26, 2027 +7 more |
| 03 | 19 | 19 dates | Apr 15, 2027, Apr 16, 2027, Apr 17, 2027, Apr 18, 2027, Apr 19, 2027, Apr 20, 2027, Apr 21, 2027, Apr 22, 2027, Apr 23, 2027, Apr 24, 2027, Apr 25, 2027, Apr 26, 2027 +7 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. The current snapshot shows substantial availability: 57 of 57 tracked reservation dates are open (100%), though availability can change. 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 Nov 2, 2026 18:20 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?
April 2027, with 48 open reservation dates in the current snapshot of 48.
When is the next open date at Walnut Ridge Recreation Area?
Campsite Sniper cannot answer that from the current snapshot. The availability data held for Walnut Ridge Recreation Area begins Apr 15, 2027 — about 164 days after this snapshot was taken, so any earlier dates are outside what Campsite Sniper is tracking here rather than known to be unavailable. Check Recreation.gov for dates before Apr 15, 2027.
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.