Birding Pleasant Creek State Recreation Area by Jim Durbin (2005)

The lake can be full of waterfowl during migration and the woods can have many warblers.

Important Bird Area.
In western Linn Co, ten miles northwest of Cedar Rapids. For all points except the south section of the lake: From Blair’s Ferry Rd. at the north edge of Palo, take Palo Marsh Rd./W-36 three miles north to the park entrance road on the left (west). The drive you come to skirting the lake does not completely circle the lake. Turning left it will end at some jetties and boat launches, on the south shore (the lakeside pines with owl sightings are reached from the parking area here), and to the right it will end in the campground, which is actually away from the north shore, and without scoping possibilities. However, look for a lefthand turnoff just before the campground, at the top of a rise, which leads to good viewing of the lake and of an inlet. Probably the most consistently fruitful waterfowl viewing is from the shelter area near the dam, just after you turn right onto the road skirting the lakeshore.
This is a public hunting area.

There are 8 miles of well-maintained trails.