Paddling near West Des Moines, IA
Set in Polk County at the edge of the Des Moines metro, West Des Moines sits within the Iowa Confluence Water Trails (ICON) network — roughly 150 miles of rivers and creeks linking the Des Moines and Raccoon River systems. The closest water is Raccoon River Park, home to 232-acre Blue Heron Lake and the Raccoon River Boathouse. Bigger reservoirs — 26,000-acre Saylorville Lake and Lake Red Rock — lie a short drive away.
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