Honey Creek State Park, Moravia, Iowa

Visitors to Honey Creek State Park return often to enjoy the beautiful setting of 828 acres of rolling, timbered hills against a background of beautiful Rathbun Lake, Iowa's largest lake. In 1954, Congress authorized the construction of Rathbun Lake because the Chariton River Valley, in south central Iowa, was susceptible to flood and drought problems. The dam was completed in 1969 by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Rathbun Lake provides flood protection for 149,300 acres of land along the Chariton River. In addition to Honey Creek State Park, the Iowa Department of Natural Resources manages the Rathbun Fish Hatchery and Fisheries Research Facility located below the dam.

Honey Creek is a favorite camping destination. There is a myriad of modern campsites with showers, rest rooms and a trailer dump station. Some of the sites have full recreation vehicle hookups (sewer, water, electricity), and most are equipped with electricity only. Electricity is available year-round in the campground and the shower building is heated in the winter. The full hookups, however, are closed during the winter. Advance campsite reservations can be booked through the park reservation system. One fourth of the campsites are still available on a first-come, first-serve basis. Rathbun Lake is very popular with sailboaters, power boaters, water skiers and anglers. Crappie, walleye and channel catfish are available to challenge anglers. The park has excellent boat launching ramps and conveniently located fish cleaning facilities.