Lake Aquabi now has some competition for students looking to getaway from classes to take in a little sun, catch some fish and justhave some fun.

Banner Lakes at Summerset State Park is a 222-acre site thatfeatures two ponds that will be accessible for winter troutfishing, along with a pair of boat ramps. There is a two-mile pavedbicycle loop, which connects the park to the Summerset Bike Trailthat travels from Carlisle to Indianola.

If uneven terrain is more your style, there is a three-milemountain bike trail that will be unpaved and more physicallydemanding than a usual bike path.

The park also has a supervised shooting range that will open inthe near future.

Jim Priebe, director of the Warren County Conservation Board,said that this is a great addition to area recreation.

“We’re really pleased to see this because it adds anotherrecreational opportunity to Warren County,” Priebe said. “Itprovides a recreational area in the northern part of Warren Countyand it’s right between Des Moines and Indianola in a heavilytrafficked area.”

The new park is only the second state park to be built in Iowain the past 27 years, but this new recreational opportunity willgive students another option when looking to be outside.

“It gives you (students) one more place to have fun,” Priebesaid.

One unique addition to the area’s recreation is that BannerLakes will be the only central Iowa trout fishery.

Assistant director of student activities and director ofIntramurals, Nicole Darling, said that anytime you add arecreational area is added to the community, it is great forIntramurals.

“Anything that is new is always a good option,” Darling said.”We could use the park for a lot of things within Intramurals andthere is the potential for new or better Intramurals events.”