Best Camping near Algona, IA

Join the fun near Algona. With tons of outdoor activities and scenic camping, this is an excellent vacation spot for all kinds of travelers. There are tons of hikes and other fun activities to partake in. Experience some of the most stunning views that Iowa camping has to offer. At The Dyrt, campers like you share their favorite spots, plus tips and photos. No matter where you're headed in Algona, you'll find the best spot for you and your camping crew.

Best Camping Sites Near Algona, IA (68)

Showing results 1-10 of 68 campgrounds

Recent Reviews in Algona

147 Reviews of 68 Algona Campgrounds


  • Lee D.The Dyrt PRO User
    Camper-submitted photo from Clear Lake State Park Campground
    Oct. 8, 2024

    Clear Lake State Park Campground

    Surprisingly quiet campground on a summer weekend

    We tend to stay at campgrounds during the off or shoulder season for a quieter experience so it was with some apprehension that we reserved this campground for a summer weekend so that we could meet friends for Paddlefest. We were happy to discover that despite being a full campground, it was quiet at almost all hours of the day and night. It was, however, an entirely different story on the lake itself, where boats gathered all day to party!

    There is little separation between the sites but there are trees located throughout, some of which provide shade to the site. The camper pads were a mix of dirt and gravel and mostly level. We were lucky to snag Site 34 (reserved about three months in advance) – it was on the end, making it a much larger site than the interior sites (all end sites in our section were larger) and we had plenty of shade trees, a welcome relief on a very hot weekend. 

    The paved roads leading to the sites are very narrow and would appear to be one-way but are not designated as such, resulting in some confusion. The site numbers are only listed on one side, even though most of the sites appeared to be pull-through. 

    The restrooms and showers were clean and had soap and (dated) air dryers. 

    Overall, we had a very pleasant two-night stay even though we were prepared for a different experience.

  • RThe Dyrt PRO User
    Camper-submitted photo from Dows Pool Park & Campground
    Sep. 28, 2024

    Dows Pool Park & Campground

    Shady, quiet campground with electric & water hookups and a dump station

    I only drove through here I did not camp. It was quiet and the sites were shaded. I saw water, electricity and a picnic table at every site. The pads are gravel and very level.

    You can easily bike into town.

    There is a dump station.

    I had 3 bars of Verizon 4G which provided 70 down and 12 up.

    On T-mobile I had 5 bars of 5G and 100 down and 7 up.

  • MThe Dyrt PRO User
    Camper-submitted photo from Inglebretson Park County
    Sep. 24, 2024

    Inglebretson Park County

    Great overnight location

    Very inexpensive, convenient, nice place to stay for a layover. It's a first come basis with I believe 22 RV sites. They have a dump, clean bathrooms with hot showers(which super clean), a playground for the kids and a couple of walking/hiking trails nearby. The very long Cerro Gordo County trail is close to 50 miles long. Believe the cost was only $15 on our summer early September rate and drops to $10 basically in October for a few months, which includes a small fire pi, tabke, and electric! I'll just say a gem of a simple place.

  • RThe Dyrt PRO User
    Camper-submitted photo from Pilot Knob State Park — Pilot Knob State Preserve
    Sep. 16, 2024

    Pilot Knob State Park — Pilot Knob State Preserve

    Great place!

    Standard site without electric was only $10.00 a night which includes a nearby water spigot to fill your tank with. Put toilets and showers available. The friendly hosts made a point to come by to chat. Two fawns were born there, under one of the picnic tables and they were around all weekend. I’ll be back !

  • RThe Dyrt PRO User
    Camper-submitted photo from Pilot Knob State Park — Pilot Knob State Preserve
    Sep. 14, 2024

    Pilot Knob State Park — Pilot Knob State Preserve

    Great site to camp - non electric sites are $10.00 -“and electric are $18.00

    Nice place to spend the weekend or a week! Came in late and a resident helped me find a great spot. When driving to my site two fawns were laying near the playground.

  • Jim L.The Dyrt PRO User
    Camper-submitted photo from Blue Earth City Campground
    Sep. 8, 2024

    Blue Earth City Campground

    Clean And quiet

    Didn’t realize it was on the fairground. Very small. Very clean. Host family was very friendly and helpful. Free firewood was nice. Enjoyed our stay. Great for a one day stop

  • T
    Camper-submitted photo from Flying Goose Campground & Resort
    Sep. 5, 2024

    Flying Goose Campground & Resort

    Nice campground on nice lake

    Large campground with a play park and other sporting area. Lake to swim in - no lifeguard offered. Large sites with water/electric hook up - some full hook sites and big rig friendly. The site we were put in was not set up well for the connections however it was a large site. Very muddy site but they offered to let us use a rug so we didn’t get ours all Muddy.

  • JThe Dyrt PRO User
    Camper-submitted photo from Clear Lake State Park Campground
    Aug. 15, 2024

    Clear Lake State Park Campground

    Nice but crowded campground

    Nice campground with grassy pull thru sites. But very close together. If full, you would have no privacy. Fortunately, it was 1/4 full, so no problem. Bathrooms clean, nice warm showers! Nice beach, lots to do. Would be a fun place if you don’t mind camping next to neighbors!

  • BThe Dyrt PRO User
    Camper-submitted photo from Flying Goose Campground & Resort
    May. 30, 2024

    Flying Goose Campground & Resort

    Just beautiful

    Very quiet and clean, goid WiFi. Gary was very helpful. This campground is just beautiful. There is a lake you can fish,swim,rent kayaks and canoe. Laundry and showers.

  • cThe Dyrt PRO User
    Camper-submitted photo from Everett Park
    May. 29, 2024

    Everett Park

    Beautiful, peaceful, not too far out of the way.

    It was serene and beautiful. The sunset over the water was absolutely amazing. Breathtaking scenery. There is a shower and toilets. And it costs $20 for a tent sight, $25 for a power hookup sight. We'll worth the stop, I almost didn't want to leave. I would stay here again!

  • SThe Dyrt PRO User
    Camper-submitted photo from Rice Lake Wildlife Management Area
    Mar. 30, 2024

    Rice Lake Wildlife Management Area

    Good spot, but not exactly private

    It's a nice spot off of the main road. It's pretty quiet, but there aren't many spots to camp. When you come in on the dirt road, it hooks to the right, and you'll come upon a dirt cul-de-sac. On the right, you'll see a grassy area set into the woods where you could camp. Other than that, your parking in the perimeter. There's enough room that virtually any size camper could navigate into this spot, but if there are other people, that will really complicate your life.

    There is a boat launch and paths down each side of the launch you could fish. On the way in, you'll see a deck to the left, providing a scenic overlook. There's also a spot there you could potentially park, but you'll be very exposed if there is any foot traffic.

  • SThe Dyrt PRO User
    Camper-submitted photo from Eagle Lake State Wildlife Management Area
    Mar. 29, 2024

    Eagle Lake State Wildlife Management Area

    Nice spot at the end of the dirt road

    This spot is exposed with virtually no privacy. (Winter/ early spring) It's about a 1/4 mile off of the dirt road and makes a left towards the end with water access that is great for a kayak. During the summer, when the corn is in, it's looks like there would be plenty of privacy. There are NO amenities here. There's plenty of room here for any size rig.

  • S
    Camper-submitted photo from Blue Earth City Campground
    Sep. 19, 2023

    Blue Earth City Campground

    Great Stop Near I-90

    We stayed here per the recommendation of a friend and had a great experience. The camp host, Denise, was very nice upon arrival. The grounds were quiet and bathrooms were clean. Fast wifi and free firewood were great added benefits that made our night after a long day of driving.

  • Pam H.
    Camper-submitted photo from Grotto Campground
    Sep. 5, 2023

    Grotto Campground

    Nice quiet camping

    Stopped for the night , so I could see the Grotto in the morning. Very clean restrooms/showers. Only one other camper here. Shaded spots, great Wi-Fi, good cell service. Next to train tracks but only one train came by and it wasn’t loud. Definitely recommend if you’re in the area. You pay at the gift shop across the street. $20 for RV and $10 for tent.

  • C
    Camper-submitted photo from Flying Goose Campground & Resort
    Aug. 5, 2023

    Flying Goose Campground & Resort

    Well kept campsite

    Well maintained campground with fishing piers and a swimming beach. A lot of seasonal/permanent sites. Transit spots were a little tight but owners did what they could to space you out. Very accommodating.

  • M
    Camper-submitted photo from Blue Earth City Campground
    Jul. 12, 2023

    Blue Earth City Campground

    Kind Host, quiet and quaint RV park

    The host is very kind, helpful. This was our first stay at an RV park. Although we did not realize this coming in, we were pleasantly surprised at the cleanliness and quiet surroundings in this cute little RV park. For an incredibly low price, we were able to connect to water, dump, and electricity. Neighboring RV’s were equally kind and helpful to provide helpful hints with hookup. Thank you for making our last stay from South Dakota before we reached home in Wisconsin, very pleasant and safe.

  • Becky M.
    Camper-submitted photo from Clear Lake State Park Campground
    Jul. 3, 2023

    Clear Lake State Park Campground

    Great State Park

    This is our second time camping at the Clear Lake State Park. The park is clean, the shower house is nice. It’s hard to control the temperature in the showers, too hot for little kids to stand directly in the water. The playground was fun for the kids, nice beach access! Limited full hook up sites. I wish there were more full hook ups that you could reserve. Paved roads are great for bike riding. Great shaded spots. DNR cruises the park daily which is nice to see.

  • Amy B.
    Camper-submitted photo from Blue Earth City Campground
    Jun. 24, 2023

    Blue Earth City Campground

    Perfect overnight stay

    Great location right off I-90! Camp host was very friendly and the facilities are clean! It’s right by the 60’ Green Giant statue! Pretty buggy this time of the year as one would expect!

  • R
    Camper-submitted photo from The Grotto of the Redemption RV Park
    Jun. 22, 2023

    The Grotto of the Redemption RV Park

    Nice place to stop while visiting the Grotto

    We stayed at the Grotto of the Redemption RV park for two nights. We were in our class C while slowly making our way across the country. We had no problems getting a spot here. There are two areas. One is very close to a train line, which runs infrequently. Sites are grass, level, and reasonably well maintained. All sites are pull through. Only electrical hookups are available at the sites. This is in good condition. There is fresh water and a dump station available. Each site has a nice grassy area and there are plenty of large trees. Staff was very friendly and helpful. There was a park nearby with a playground. 

    The RV park is near the Grotto. The Grotto is a fascinating achievement worth a look if you are in the area.

    We had 2 bar LTE with Verizon. Our hotspot was usable and performed very well. Campground wifi was not available.

    We enjoyed our brief stay at this campground. We will stay again when traveling this way.

  • V
    Camper-submitted photo from Clear Lake State Park Campground
    Jun. 12, 2023

    Clear Lake State Park Campground

    Nice place

    Overall nice place to stay. We stay each year with family so there are about 4 of our campers all there together.distance between sites can be wide or narrow depending on which site you’re on.

    Pros: Clean/well maintained, easy short path through the trees to get to the beach, sturdy picnic tables all around, long “driveway” for campsite

    Cons: pads are gravel and not very level, pads are very narrow, beyond the trees on one side of the campground is a major road so you’ll hear cars passing by, not a lot of restroom/bathhouses

  • D
    Camper-submitted photo from Korte's Checkers Welcome Campground
    Jun. 11, 2023

    Korte's Checkers Welcome Campground

    Worth a Stop

    Very polite staff. Roads are nice. Facilities are clean. Sites are pull through but are set up with utilities for back in sites. $40 a night. It looked like some campers were extended stays. Good Verizon signal and right off Interstate 90.

  • Becky M.
    Camper-submitted photo from Clear Lake State Park Campground
    Jun. 10, 2023

    Clear Lake State Park Campground

    Very clean park!

    We spent 4 days here and the park is a busy place! Very clean!!!!! Dump station was easy access! We were right by the shower houses. Check in and out was simple. We made our reservations online. The park had paved roads, great for bike riding, playground was a hit! The sunset was gorgeous in the evenings at the beach! We will be back!

  • t
    Camper-submitted photo from Blue Earth City Campground
    Jun. 9, 2023

    Blue Earth City Campground

    Blue Earth Campground

    Amazing campground, highly recommend! The facility is ran by a very nice and knowledgeable owner—you are greeted right away and given lots of information to make your stay enjoyable. Services were easy to hookup. Bathroom/showering area was very clean. The whole facility was great, nice and quiet and best of all dog friendly!

  • Jeannie D.
    Camper-submitted photo from Featherstone County Park
    May. 25, 2023

    Featherstone County Park

    Snug

    Snug if you have slide outs, must watch to see you don't hit neighbor's trailer as you extend. Awnings literally touch neighbors. Crazy good time, if that's what you're into. I like the cabins!

  • Jeannie D.
    Camper-submitted photo from Joe Sheldon County Park
    May. 25, 2023

    Joe Sheldon County Park

    Beautiful hiking!

    This is a lovely and expanding park. Spacious, level pull through sites with full hookups. Decent Verizon coverage. Shower houses could use updates.



Guide to Algona

Camping near Algona, Iowa, offers a variety of experiences for outdoor enthusiasts. From serene lakes to well-maintained campgrounds, there’s something for everyone looking to escape into nature.

What to do

  • Hiking and Biking: Explore the scenic trails at Dolliver Memorial State Park Campground. One visitor mentioned, "The hiking is so good, it'd be silly to worry about much of anything down here."
  • Fishing and Kayaking: Beeds Lake State Park is perfect for fishing and kayaking. A camper shared, "Nice trails to hike or bike, beautiful small lake, great for kayaking and fishing."
  • Wildlife Watching: Keep an eye out for deer and other wildlife at Pilot Knob State Park. One reviewer noted, "We saw a few deer and other animals."

What campers like

  • Clean Facilities: Campers appreciate the cleanliness of the restrooms and showers. A visitor at Blue Earth City Campground said, "The bathrooms were clean, and fast wifi and free firewood were great added benefits."
  • Friendly Hosts: Many campers rave about the welcoming atmosphere. One camper at Jackson KOA mentioned, "The owners are very helpful and friendly! Best camping experience yet!"
  • Quiet Surroundings: Campers enjoy the peaceful environment. A review for Briggs Woods Park stated, "Very quiet park, we stayed in the back."

What you should know

  • Site Layout: Some campgrounds have sites that are close together. A camper at Beeds Lake noted, "Many of the RV sites are very close together, which is the norm in Iowa."
  • Limited Cell Service: Be prepared for spotty cell coverage in certain areas. A visitor at Dolliver Memorial State Park mentioned, "Cell service cuts out as you drive down into the park."
  • Seasonal Availability: Check the campground seasons before planning your trip. For example, Clear Lake State Park Campground is open from April 1 to December 31.

Tips for camping with families

  • Choose Family-Friendly Campgrounds: Look for campgrounds with playgrounds and activities for kids. One reviewer at Brushy Creek State Recreation Area said, "There was also a nice playground for the kids surrounded by a well-maintained, large, grassy area."
  • Plan for Bugs: Be aware that some areas can be buggy, especially in warmer months. A camper at Big Island Campground noted, "Bugs were in full force."
  • Pack Snacks and Drinks: Having snacks on hand can keep the kids happy during outdoor activities. One camper at Clear Lake State Park mentioned, "The playground was fun for the kids, nice beach access!"

Tips from RVers

  • Check Hookup Availability: Make sure the campground has the right hookups for your RV. A visitor at Jackson KOA said, "Water pressure was good, no issues with electric."
  • Look for Dump Stations: Ensure there’s a dump station nearby. A camper at Pilot Knob State Park mentioned, "The dump station was closed, but it was publicized on their website."
  • Consider Off-Peak Times: Camping during the week can mean fewer crowds. One camper at Big Island Campground enjoyed, "We were here mid-week and pretty much had the place to ourselves."

Camping near Algona, Iowa, has its perks, from friendly hosts to beautiful scenery. Whether you're in an RV or tent, there's a spot waiting for you!

Frequently Asked Questions

  • What camping is available near Algona, IA?

    According to TheDyrt.com, Algona, IA offers a wide range of camping options, with 68 campgrounds and RV parks near Algona, IA and 2 free dispersed camping spots.

  • Which is the most popular campground near Algona, IA?

    According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular campground near Algona, IA is memoirs park with a 4.2-star rating from 6 reviews.

  • Where can I find free dispersed camping near Algona, IA?

    According to TheDyrt.com, there are 2 free dispersed camping spots near Algona, IA.

  • What parks are near Algona, IA?

    According to TheDyrt.com, there are 2 parks near Algona, IA that allow camping, notably Saylorville Lake and Lake Red Rock.