Brushy Creek State Recreation Area: Slowly but surely

Brushy Creek campground updates proceed slower than expected

-Messenger file photo <br>Park Manager Amber O’Neill points out some of the planned renovations at Brushy Creek State Recreation Area to Gene and Linda Timmons. The retired Webster City couple are frequent campers and came out to hear about the plans at an open house in April 2024.

-Messenger file photo <br>Fishing is a favorite pastime for visitors to Brushy Creek State Recreation Area.

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-Messenger file photo <br>Park Manager Amber O’Neill points out some of the planned renovations at Brushy Creek State Recreation Area to Gene and Linda Timmons. The retired Webster City couple are frequent campers and came out to hear about the plans at an open house in April 2024.

-Messenger file photo <br>Fishing is a favorite pastime for visitors to Brushy Creek State Recreation Area.

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LEHIGH -- Work on an ambitious series of upgrades to the campgrounds at Brushy Creek State Recreation Area continues to inch forward.

But because the projects are advancing at a slower rate than expected, it will be awhile before any campers can make reservations.

Campers hoping to go to the sprawling park in southeastern Webster County are urged to visit the Iowa Department of Natural Resources campsite reservation page and sign up for email alerts that will inform them when reservations are being accepted for Brushy Creek.

Work on the project, which was originally envisioned to be done by the end of last year, started late, according to Park Manager Amber O'Neill.

Most of the planned water line work at the North Equestrian Campground has been completed, she said. The water lines that were there dated to the 1980s and needed to be replaced.

The North Equestrian Campground is the site of the most work. O'Neill said almost every inch of ground there will be disturbed for the project.

In addition to the new water lines, these additional upgrades are planned at that campground:

• An electrical upgrade to 50-amp service for 87 campsites.

• Additional gravel pads for parking areas.

• A 15-foot wide, one-way road bisecting the west grass loop.

• New grills and picnic tables.

• 5,000 feet of new water lines.

• Upgraded layout of the north cul-de-sac with new camp pads having both 50-amp electrical and water hookups.

• Upgrading 25 sites to full hookups.

At the Beach Campground, the plan is to expand parking by adding a 40-space parking area east of the campground entrance and upgrading 20 sites to full hookups.

Lastly, at the South Equestrian Campground, the plan is to construct a 15-foot-wide, one-way road bisecting the east grass loop and to install approximately 12 pull-through campsites with full hookups.

The contractor on the job has until May 15 to finish. If the work goes beyond that date, the company will face financial penalties.

O'Neill said in a worst-case scenario, the campgrounds may be closed until mid-July.