Ledges State Park Campground

Level sites and very quiet. Great hiking location and photo opportunities.

There’s not a lot going on in the vicinity of this state park, which is on the smaller side, and you will hear some cows, but all in all the campground exceeded my expectations for the two nights I stayed. This was partially because my site, 65, offered ample room away from the neighboring sites and backed up to a small green area with the road further back (minimal noise, aside from the random loud dirt bike). It also had a good mix of shade and sun if you’re hoping for a bit of solar charging, though no shore power or water. The site was long and mostly level with just the smallest tilt, but not enough to be a bother even without leveling blocks. The dumpster is nearby, but it’s a tiny one and was well maintained (aka not smelly). The brand new shower house was within easy walking distance as well. I had enough service (Verizon) to send texts and watch a bit of YouTube (buffering times were a smidge slow), but you likely wouldn’t have a strong enough signal for much more.

If you want to tent camp, bring a cart or something to haul everything with. The parking lot is a LONG WAY from any private tent site. Youth group camp, the ones with all the energy and strength, is next to parking lot. That's messed up.

Great vibes. Camp's pretty far from the bones of the park, but the hike's relatively plesant. Cell coverage is terrible out here, and there is no WIFI to help keep people connected.

Canyon road and limestone cliffs are awesome. Secluded spots in the trees. If you have Verizon and rely on data this may not be the campground for you.

I stayed at Ledges in June and hiked the trails again in February. The campground is well kept but busy in the summer months with it being a popular hiking destination for Des Moines locals. With most of the surrounding areas having little to no elevation changes there are a few nice hikes along some rocky hills beside the river both in summer and winter.

Large campground, accommodates RVs & tents. Wooded & open sites. Appear level. Clean restrooms & shower stalls. Water. Playground. Friendly & helpful campground host. 3 bars T-Mobile. Great hiking trails in park.

We have hiked here and it was really busy when we did. We decided to come back and camp a few months later. The campground was large but the DNR was helpful when finding our spot along with nice signs everywhere. We didn’t have any problems, people seemed friendly. Didn’t use the bathrooms but the outsides looked nice. We traveled to Des Moines when we stayed but there is lots to do near by. I would suggest the “high tressel trail” for bike riders, lots of cute bars to stop in along the way. Madrid has a bakery and some other cute places. Boone has a scenic train ride if that’s your thing. And the town of Luther, about 4 miles from the campground has a BBQ place that a lot of people travel to.

Excellent amenities well run Very clean. Surroundings very pretty

Great selection of campsites for a wide variety of needs. Wonderful views from most sites. Access to multiple walking trails. Beautiful, wooded setting. Clean bathrooms/showers.

Bottom line. My bad but the site said electric. In all the other parks I’ve been to “electric” includes water. Which this park does not. Many trees, very pretty. Cell reception is weak.

Our camping experience was very nice. Pulling up to this park was surreal, considering the surrounding farmland that suddenly shows a lone forest. Some of the sites are pretty close, luckily we were next to a friendly couple with a cute dog. We were able to buy a good $5 bundle of firewood from the camp host. It was extremely quiet, until a camper pulled up with its generator. Still, a calming environment. A devious pack of raccoons stole our marshmallows (from a CLOSED bag) when we went in the tent for five minutes. So beware of that I guess 😂

Picturesque location south of Boone Ia. Close to town with stores with plenty of camping supplies. Arrive early sites fill-up fast. Online site for reservations and to check site availability.

Coming here on a Hot Day in the summer is the best. Lush trees and water to wade in. Recommend the hikes and walking the water river beds.

Campsites have the right amount of privacy while being close to the clean bathroom & playground. Outside the campground is Canyon Road, with multiple trails great for hiking up and along the scenic ledges. The road crosses the river several times, and on the weekend these crossings are lined with children & adults demanding you “go faster” so they get splashed!

Comfortable and scenic park in Iowa with forested trails, gorge, and natural water features amidst the farm fields and rolling hills.  Campground sites are well spaced and mostly level, many with shade and decent privacy.  Mix of hookups for different needs; access to water and trash was easy.  The bathrooms were a bit dated and unclean when we visited, but not terrible.  Good cell coverage in the area and we could do work and school with our Verizon Hotspot.  Beware of the raccoons!   They were not aggressive from the standpoint of approaching us, but they were brash in approaching camper and supplies after dark, and they were a constant presence at the dumpster.  Do not leave food out!  Deer and other small game/wildlife seem abundant.  Trails were poorly signed, but the park is relatively small and getting lost or wandering does not have bad consequences; you'll find where you wanted to go without too much trouble.

My favorite part about this camp is the variety of sites offered. We went with a hike in site to throw some adventure into our lives. For only $11 a tent sit this place is amazing. Trees everywhere with privacy if wanted or also a great social scene. Honestly this camp is for anyone. The trails around the park are also amazing. Just don’t leave a Cheeto bag out on accident when you fall asleep because raccoons can smell everything, and when they do, they own the place.

Ledges State Park

Ledges is an amazing place. It has so much to do. There are long trails to hike, creeks to play in.

You can bring your tent or RV and camp. The RV camps have water/sewer hookups. The primitive tent sites are usually pretty clean and can get pretty busy on the weekends.

There are lots of bridges that get flooded out and are fun to drive over. Most of the kids like to hang out near them and get splashed.

Its a fantastic place to enjoy the outdoors and especially in the fall. Also if you go to Ames stop at Great Plains pizza company.

One of the best in the state!

The park is well maintained, clean bathrooms and showers in camping area. 

Very nice trails.  The campsite, we have a RV, was very clean, and like many other parks, we were not right on top of each other.  They have water and sewer hook up at the site.

The views are beautiful of the sand ledges.  Definetly plan on returning.

Growing up in Iowa maybe 50 miles from the Ledges was one the the best things for me. Campground is clean and well kept with both electric and primitive with a few hike in spots. It is a beautiful park with some good trails and a creek running through the bottoms of the "canyon". Loved going all the time when I was a kid and now 30 years later I have taken my family there several times making the drive from Kentucky just for some relaxation time.

We had a great time camping here with several family members. The trails were very nice and scenic for the little amount of work to hike them. The Des Moines river passes right through here and I’d love to make a float trip out of it some day.

Excellent hiking trails!

Nice place. Family has camped here a few times. Had immense fun playing in the river as a kid. Enjoyed the hikes too.

Stayed at this campground for my college visit to ISU and I nearly went to the university just because I wanted to be here at this park every weekend.

The views around the park are some of the very best in Iowa. Hiking trails often found you coming face to face with deer who look at you inquisitively. Fun for family as the waters over the roadways are a splash for adults and children alike. It's a hidden gem, just outside Boone Iowa.

This park offers wonderful hiking trails and easy access to campsites, water play, and restroom facilities. Great place to camp for individuals and groups. I went in the fall with a church group and absolutely loved hiking among the colorful foliage!

I’ve been camping here since I was a child, and it’s spoiled me for other campgrounds. Because of the Ledges, I still expect campsites to be surrounded by trees for privacy, and I am surprised when I arrive at a campground where this is not the case.

If you’re lucky in the spring you might find morel mushrooms in the woods, and you might stumble upon wild blackberries or mulberries in the summer. At least, we did when I was young.

The Lower Ledges are very fun to explore. Bring swimming suits for the kids to play in the stream that crosses the road. Bring hiking clothes for the trails. Bring a camera to capture the view. We like to bring bikes for the whole family and ride around the campground and down to the Lower Ledges.

(Please do note that the whole park is closed this year, 2018, due to flooding, and the Lower Ledges were closed last year as well. I believe they are redoing the road down.)

The hike-in camp sites are the way to go! We spent a weekend out here a couple times every summer and love the primitive hike-in sites 1000x more than any other option. You have your own space, you can still add an additional tent on site for friends, and the noise is minimal.

Have a plan to secure your food! Unfortunately, raccoons are used to getting leftovers from campers and are highly domesticated in terms of coming in to the campgrounds. Make sure to leave the area how you found it or in better condition. And bring your hammock! Lots of great trees to lounge around in between.

Though it’s closed this summer :( - the Ledges State Park campground is a long time favorite of ours. Lots of electrical and non electrical spots and also an entire section of hike-in tent camping that is just a short hike down to a secluded section of the Des Moines River. Secure your food at night or the racoons will dine lavishly on your supplies. :)