Ashton Wildwood Park, near Mingo, Iowa, is a charming campground that offers a peaceful escape into nature. With spacious sites tucked away in the woods, it’s perfect for those looking to unwind and enjoy some quality time outdoors.

The campground features picnic tables and fire rings, making it easy to gather around the fire and share stories under the stars. Visitors have noted the rustic vibe, with some mentioning the well-maintained hiking trails that lead to a creek and a bird-watching station. One camper highlighted, “The entire property was well maintained,” which speaks to the care put into this spot.

For those interested in stargazing, the nearby observatory is a must-visit. Open on Saturdays, it offers a chance to learn from knowledgeable astronomers and enjoy clean facilities, including flush toilets and hot showers. Families will appreciate the small playground for kids, ensuring that younger campers have a place to play while the adults relax.

While the campground is quiet and not overly crowded, it’s a great spot for both tent camping and glamping. Whether you’re here for a quick overnight trip or a longer stay, Ashton Wildwood Park provides a serene backdrop for your outdoor adventures.

Ashton Wildwood Park

Looking for the best campgrounds near Mingo, IA? Camping, hiking, biking: however you want to spend your days near Mingo, you'll find great campgrounds with The Dyrt. Search nearby campsites and find top-rated spots from other campers.

Mingo

The Best Camping Near Mingo, Iowa

Quiet campground and big campsites. Lots of trees and nature.

Camping with observatory 

The campground has some very nice spots and wasn’t busy at all. The bathroom at the campground doesn’t have plumbing and no water available so make sure to bring plenty of water. There is a small park to play at for kids.

There are a couple of hiking trails in the park that are maintained. One goes to a creek and a bird watching station. There is also a orienteering course but you have to walk in the woods to finish it.

The observatory that’s open on Saturday’s (except the 1st Saturday) was awesome and the astronomers were great people and very knowledgeable. They showed how their telescopes worked and took us a tour of the building and classroom. The bathrooms at the observatory had plumbing and were very clean. 

All in all it was a great campsite, not really anyone there and we had a lot of fun on the trails and the observatory. 

Pretty happy

Definitely follow the directions on Dyrt, google took us on a winding gravel road that led to the same place. 

The sites are very spacious, could easily accommodate multiple tents. 

We arrived just after 9p after a long long day of driving and found the park easy to navigate. 

Please be courteous when finding a spot after dark. The park was mostly empty but even still some people were shining flashlights at our tent. 

Hoping to do an early morning hike, the trails, observatory and orienteering course all look awesome. 

The entire property was well maintained, previous campers enjoyed copious amounts of beer and threw the cans into the brush, but I can't fault the park for that. 

Rustic. Huge sites. Nature. 

I live just 7 miles away, but I love to take my grand daughter here for overnight camping.  Most of the sites are tucked into the woods and very spacious.  It's only $7/night!  There is some play equipment for children.  There is only a pit toilet in the campground and it's nice enough for midnight runs.  (Bring your flashlight!)  Drive up the road to the observatory and there is a bathroom with flush toilets and a hot shower, also a water spigot on the back side.  There is also a big group site for family get togethers.  There is a nice little circle hike that's not too difficult and was great for rehab after my knee replacement.  I'd highly recommend it, but I don't want it to get too crowded!

I love this secluded little campground!

Very clean, easy to reserve. Bathroom was a pit toilet but clean. Camp spot was clean and well-maintained.

Photos of Ashton Wildwood Park

Real photos from real campers