O’Brien County in Northwest Iowa has one of the nicest state parks in Iowa. It sits right outside of Paullina, Iowa, and is worth a stop! Check out the video below! I had a chance to stop and explore the park with my youngest son.
The focal part of the park is Mill Creek Lake, which is small in size but offers plenty of recreational use with great fishing, canoeing, or kayaking and swimming off the beach.
If you love camping, there are plenty of sites for RV, Camper, Tent, but along the lake, they have several beautiful camping cabins built and offer fantastic views of the lake with close proximity.
O’Brien County should be proud to have this gem. The beautiful thing about the state parks in Iowa is that they are completely free! It offers plenty of space to explore and take it the environment through healthy outdoor activities. If this is a stay-cation year for you (and it will be for A LOT of people this year) check out what you have in your own back yard! With state parks, rivers, lakes, and other naturally social distance type activities, there is plenty of opportunities to be active.
ADVICE:
Talking with the local DNR about exploring the parks, they just want to make sure that everyone is being careful. Pay attention to if different facilities are closed or off-limits, remember to wash hands, and remember to be respectful to others by watching close proximity and distance from one another up to 6 feet.
The other day I was walking the same trail around Mill Creek Lake, and two other hikers were coming towards me. We both stopped about 50 feet from each other and equally changed our course. There’s nothing wrong with being outside and enjoying the natural beauty. It’s good for the soul, and it’s good for your physical and mental health. Just remember to be safe.
O’Brien, Clay, Cherokee, Buena Vista, Dickinson, Sioux, Osceola Counties…Mill Creek State Park is close and provides plenty of opportunities for staying close to home this summer 2020. Consider visiting your local county and state parks!
Also, consider checking out online county resources like www.obriencounty.com and https://www.mycountyparks.com/county/obrien/Park/Mill-Creek-Park.aspx for more information on local county parks in O’Brien County, and tourism ideas close to home on O’Brien County FaceBook page https://www.facebook.com/Tour-OBrien-County-106536804185451/
And of course….if there is anything I can ever help with, write me a comment and I can help answer any questions or help you with any travel or tourism information in the area.
Dan- “The Country Pilgrim”
Country Pilgrim 
I’ve really enjoyed this brief tour, each one just gets better & better. Keep em coming‼️😍 Sandi
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