Little Paint Campground — Yellow River State Forest

Stayed in 2 primitive tent sites: table, fire ring, shaded. Great sites for hat are all within walking to stocked trout streams! CG is in valley, cooled air, shaded, cold water streams to cool off. Pit toilets, trash bins, self registration with some sites reservable.

Iowa only has a few state forests and this one has something the others do not... trout fishing.

There are actually three campgrounds in YRSF... one on Little Paint Creek, one equestrian campground on Little Paint Creek, and a campground on Paint Creek. I have stayed at both non-equestrian campgrounds multiple times. All of them, including the equestrian, have easy access to trout fishing. All are primitive - non-electric.

Little Paint Creek:

This is the larger of the two non-equestrian campgrounds. While there are no electric sites, there are many sites suitable for a small to large RV or camper. I generally camp in a tent here. Most of the sites are large with plenty of space between adjacent sites. Many are right next to the trout stream. This trout stream is excellent for beginners. It is stocked, and there are multiple pools that are easily accessible with one that is handicap accessible. The stream can get busy when the stock truck arrives. It is popular with fly fisherman as well as spinners and power-bait. The campsite itself is usually pretty quiet. There are several pit toilets available.

Paint Creek:

This is my favorite of the two sites and I have camped many nights here, mostly in a tent but once in a small camper. The trout stream is bigger than Little Paint and offers more challenging fishing. Fly fishing seems to be most successful but I catch most of my trout on an ultralight spinner rig. The campsite itself is usually pretty quiet and not very busy, but it can get more busy during Iowa deer season. There are two pit toilets available.

I have stayed in these campsites in spring and autumn months.

This was a quick stopover so I can't comment on the park overall.  It is nestled in the woods not far from the Indian Mounds area in Iowa.  I stayed at Little Paint Campground.  There are pit toilets, but the water said not for drinking.  A small river runs by the camp.  The park has hiking and equestrian trails.  There wasn't cellphone service at the campground, I had to drive out of the park and up the hill by the small church to get reception.  Water is available as you enter the park on the right side by the information stand.

The campground runs next to a trout stream and can be busy on weekends but with fishing, hiking, horse trails, the only setback is its primitive but being in the valley and near effigy mounds it's a winner at 9$ a night.