Reservations are available at this county-managed campground along Bloody Run Creek, where sites include fire grates, picnic tables, and enough space to accommodate multiple tents and vehicles. The park sits just outside McGregor, within reach of the Mississippi River and the small towns of Marquette and McGregor. Pit toilets are on-site and described by multiple visitors as surprisingly well-maintained for a primitive setup.
Trout fishing draws most campers here. Several reviewers caught German brown trout directly from the creek running through the campground, and the water is clear enough to see from the sites. Hiking trails wind through the surrounding woods. The park tends to stay low on crowds, which multiple visitors noted as a draw. One practical caveat: firewood must be purchased on-site, and collecting downed wood from the park is not permitted.
The Canadian Pacific Railroad runs through the campground, and trains pass through around 10 p.m. and again near 3 a.m., horn blaring. Light sleepers should come prepared. As Jazz C. put it, the site along Bloody Run Creek turned out to be "the sweetest spot." Nearby options include Pikes Peak State Park Campground to the southeast and Sports Unlimited Campground across the river in Wisconsin. Cell service is available. Earplugs are worth packing if the train schedule is a concern.
Description
Located just west of Marquette, this park is nestled between rolling limestone bluffs. The 138-acre Bloody Run County Park enjoys immense popularity with local wildlife enthusiasts thanks to its setting along Bloody Run Creek, an Iowa Outstanding Water and popular trout stream, adjacent to the 909-acre Bloody Run State Wildlife Area, and within an Audubon-designated Important Birding Area.
With 20 primitive campsites, campers have the opportunity to enjoy nature without the hum of air conditioners. The campground is located along Bloody Run Trout Stream and is also home to Iowa’s largest woodpecker, the Pileated. Primitive camping is available for $15.00 per night, on a first come first serve basis. You can now reserve your favorite campsite online by visiting this link - ONLINE REGISTRATION
PROJECTS:
An Iowa Habitat Management Grant allowed the CCCB to bring in a Conservation Corps of Iowa (CCI) crew to perform timber stand improvements consisting of thinning, along with cut-stump herbicide treatments for non-desirable species, on approximately 6 acres of high-quality remnant oak savanna at Bloody Run County Park. The project will expand and combine three existing restorations into two units, separated by a large ravine, and initiate restoration on the last remaining degraded savanna along the property’s southwest edge. This in turn will create a more sizeable and diverse habitat structure to support greater populations of the wildlife species already colonizing the area and provide suitable conditions to recruit species not yet documented on the site.
RV Road Trip Guides
Map & DirectionsBloody Run County Park is located in Iowa near Marquette
Public CampgroundDirections
West of Marquette/McGregor off Hwy. 18
Coordinates
43.04400095 N
91.21200097 W
Connectivity
T-MobileNo Coverage
VerizonLTESome Coverage- AT&TNo Coverage
Connectivity
- T-MobileNo Coverage
- VerizonLTESome Coverage
- AT&TNo Coverage
Access
- Drive-InPark next to your site
- Walk-InPark in a lot, walk to your site.
Site Types
- Tent Sites
- RV Sites
- Standard (Tent/RV)
- Dispersed
- Group
Features
For Campers
- Trash
- Picnic Table
- Firewood Available
- Phone Service
- Reservable
- Toilets
- Alcohol
- Pets
- Fires
For Vehicles
- Pull-Through Sites
Contact
General Info
Reservations
Drive Time
- 1 hr 13 min from Dubuque, IA
- 1 hr 14 min from La Crosse, WI
- 1 hr 33 min from Waterloo, IA
- 1 hr 44 min from Cedar Rapids, IA
