Emmetsburg: Lake, Culture and Recreation

Emmetsburg offers a variety of reasons to visit: Five Island Lake, with summer water activities, opportunities to get active, and several historic and cultural sites. When planning your trip, you can choose between time by the water, sports activities, and history. There are also seasonal outdoor offerings and an annual celebration.

Five Island Lake and Water Activities

Five Island Lake is a glacial lake that is five miles long and half a mile wide. Its southern 90 acres lie within the city limits of Emmetsburg. In summer, the lake offers opportunities for fishing, boating, swimming, water skiing, and wildlife watching. This provides a range of water activities alongside the opportunity to observe wildlife.

Kearney State Park is on the west shore of the lake. It has 16 electric campsites and ten non-electric tent sites. The park also includes a public boat ramp, playground equipment, a bathhouse, and a fish-cleaning station. A public access point to Five Island Lake is available for fishing. For camping plans, the distinction between electric campsites and non-electric tent sites is especially clear.

The Des Moines River also offers opportunities for water activities. It runs along the outer edge of Emmetsburg, about a mile west of the city on Highway 18. The river near Emmetsburg is used for fishing, kayaking, tubing, and canoeing. The activities listed for the two bodies of water therefore differ: for Five Island Lake, summer swimming, boating, water skiing, and wildlife watching are also listed; kayaking, tubing, and canoeing are among the activities on the river.

Recreation and Seasonal Options

The Five Island Trail is suitable for walkers, joggers, runners, and cyclists. It ends on the east side of Rockport, a residential development in Emmetsburg. The public Five Island Golf Course is on the north edge of the city and is a 9-hole golf course. You can choose between a trail suited to several forms of exercise and a round of golf at a public course.

At Soper Park, the activity on offer depends on the season: in summer, you can swim at its sandy beach; in winter, ice skating is possible there. This seasonal variety adds a winter activity to the summer sports options at Five Island Lake.

Culture and History in Emmetsburg

The Blarney Stone in Emmetsburg was a gift from the residents of Dublin, Ireland, to the people of Emmetsburg. It is open to the public for viewing around the clock. Access to Jackman Cabin is different: Patrick Jackman built it in 1867, and it was restored by the Daughters of the American Revolution in 1921. Tours are available by appointment only. If you would like to see the cabin on a tour, arrange an appointment before your visit.

The statue of Robert Emmet stands on the Palo Alto County Courthouse Square. The Vandervelde Primitive Cultures Collection is a permanent exhibit at the Smith Wellness Center. The center has an indoor pool, a sauna, rooms for aerobics, cardio, and strength training, a racquetball court, and locker rooms. This location therefore brings together a permanent exhibit and a variety of fitness facilities.

Every year, Emmetsburg holds its St. Patrick's Day Celebration on the March weekend closest to March 17. If you would like to plan your trip around the celebration, check the specific event dates before making plans. This annual celebration adds a March-specific event to the attractions listed as available year-round.

Discover more destinations: Booth, Ayrshire.

Return to the regional travel overview: Palo Alto County.