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Best Tent Camping near Elma, IA

263 Reviews

Tent camping options around Elma, Iowa range from basic sites to more rustic locations within a 30-minute drive. Chickasaw Park offers primitive tent camping with basic amenities for $10 per night, adjacent to an old quarry where swimming and fishing is permitted at visitors' own risk. Little Turkey Campground in Waucoma provides a more developed option with drinking water, electric hookups, picnic tables, showers, and toilets available for tent campers.

Most tent sites in the area have minimal facilities, with Chickasaw Park providing only pit toilets that reviews note are poorly maintained. Sites typically feature flat, grassy terrain with some tree cover. Several campgrounds like Adolph Munson Park and Haus Park offer no water sources or restroom facilities, requiring tent campers to be entirely self-sufficient. Drive-in access is available at Chickasaw Park and Little Turkey Campground, though some sites may require walking a short distance from parking areas. Seasonal availability varies, with Saude Recreation Area operating from April through October.

The tent camping experience near Elma provides opportunities for quiet retreats and outdoor recreation. Little Turkey Campground receives positive reviews for cleanliness and amenities, with one visitor noting it offers "clean showers, free wood, and friendly staff." Chickasaw Park features both riverside camping and a small adjacent park with a shelter. For those seeking solitude, some campgrounds like Twin Ponds County Park and Howards Woods offer more secluded experiences with fewer amenities. The nearby Schmidt Farm by Forestville (across the Minnesota border) provides a highly-rated tent-only experience with large, secluded sites where "the peace and quiet allowed me to have one of the best nights of sleep while camping."

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Best Tent Sites Near Elma, Iowa (15)

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Recent Tent Camping Photos near Elma, IA

4 Photos of 15 Elma Campgrounds

Tent Camping Reviews near Elma, IA

263 Reviews of 15 Elma Campgrounds

  • J
    Oct. 24, 2017

    Sylvan City Park

    Close to bike trail and downtown

    Stayed here in a tent while on a bicycle camping trip and it was adequate. It is located in a city park within a couple minutes walk of the downtown area. The bike trail crosses the south end of downtown so close to that too. This would not be a good place to camp if you'd like to be out in nature

    Biggest gripe is the slope of the tent sites. The majority of the tent sites are on an incline around a pond. There are also a lot of ducks that aren't very afraid of humans. None got into my gear though. There are fire rings at the tent sites. No picnic tables at the individual sites but there are some nearby in the park and there's also a covered picnic shelter. Hammocks would be difficult to impossible as the tent area is a strip of grass between pond and bluff, which has mostly brush or too whimpy of trees to hang from at the base. There are a couple huge oaks but none in pairs.

    Quarter showers and clean restrooms are available. $20/night/tent which seemed a bit steep to me considering how slanted the sites were and quarter showers. It is cheaper than the other places within immediate biking distance which were $25/night.

  • Jessica H.
    May. 23, 2018

    South Bear Creek

    South Bear Creek Entrance

    The South Bear Creek entrance is located near Highlandville, IA off of Quandahl Road. This is Iowa Department of Natural Resources land and offers primitive camping only. There are no shower or restroom facilities and we brought our own water. There was a makeshift fire ring made out of rocks and so we used this to build our campfire. Be sure to bring a camp shovel for bathroom breaks. There was no fee at the time to camp here. It might be a good idea to call ahead to the Iowa DNR to see if that has changed.

    Bear Creek is known for trout fishing and is stocked by the DNR. Bear Creek runs for a little over 5 miles at this entrance. Highlandville does have a general store, so you can stock up on items such as snacks, firewood, and angling supplies if you plan to fish the creek.

    Note: There is also a Bear Creek Campground which offers electrical sites along with restrooms, showers and a playground as well as Bear Creek Cabin rentals if you're looking for something with more amenities.

    We camped the last weekend in October and had the entire area to ourselves. We walked along the creek and Quandahl Road. It was a quiet area and we enjoyed camping in a more primitive setting.

  • B
    Jun. 12, 2022

    Lake Meyer County Park Campground

    Great spot, tents included

    This is a great little park if you need a place to stop for the night. It was very inexpensive for tents ($10 I think) and the tent camping area was very nice with 3 giant pine trees and some picnic tables and fire rings. As someone who bicycle tours I appreciated fire wood being on site and close to where the tent area is. The bathrooms aren’t the best but they worked. Overall its a safe, clean, welcoming campground for both tents and RV’s.

  • RThe Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 28, 2024

    Cedar View Park

    Beautiful park, gross bath house

    This is a lovely park. It is fairly quiet, you can hear some highway noise in the distance. The lake is lovely and clean. The spots are gravel, most sites will require some leveling but are not too bad. 

    Each site has a newer electric pedestal with 30 and 50 amp service, and each site has a water spigot, as well as a picnic table and fire ring.

    There are a few sites that back up directly to the lake. There is a swimming beach and a dock. There is a city park adjacent to the campground with a playground and picnic shelter.

    I had 3 bars on on T-mobile which got me 64 down and 18 up. On Verizon I had 3 bars which got me 65 down and 12 up.

    The shower house was pretty bad though. It was older, which doesn't bother me, but it was dirty. There are camp hosts on site but I guess their duties do not include ever cleaning the restroom. There was food trash in there all week, and if you look around you'll find feces, blood, and personal hygiene trash including used condoms.

    I would stay in this campground again because I have a self contained unit and do not need to use the on-site shower house.

  • GoWhereYouAreDraw N.The Dyrt PRO User
    May. 30, 2019

    Forestville Mystery Cave State Park Campground

    Great experience!

    We tent camped here and loved it. We were able to do a lot of trail exploring and had a great time on the “scenic” cave tour. The trails were well maintained but difficult to understand in some places as signage was lacking.

    There is a primitive loop with pit toilets, a tent loop with no electricity but access to showers and flush toilets, and a trailer loop with all accommodations.

    There are great cold water trout streams that are shallow enough to wade in and play in if the weather is warmer. Hiking trails of varying skill levels but all in mostly wooded areas. Forestville townsite is closed during the week but you can wander around the outside of the buildings and site. No gates or posted restrictions.

  • Chantal C.The Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 22, 2021

    Chickasaw Park

    Used to be a Quarry

    We love love love to come camping here. It's $10.00 per night last we stayed, placed into a self pay pole. While the grounds are mowed that is about all that is done on the camping side of the river for maintenance. I won't walk into the pit style restrooms let alone use them (kids can be jerks 🙄). There is a small park on the adjacent side that does have a shelter. There are no hookups so consider this a primitive campground. It is adjacent to an old quarry where swimming and fishing is currently allowed at your own risk. Due to multiple accidents and or deaths jumping/diving and cliff jumping is no longer allowed and can be a misdemeanor charge if found doing so. On the river side there is a small dam that also offers fishing. If you're not afraid of ghosts, are respectful, and you follow the road ALL THE WAY BACK there is a very old cemetery (we found it foraging firewood) which we thought was very intriguing.

  • Steph H.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jul. 17, 2017

    Lake Louise State Park Campground

    Great Group Site

    Our group of 12 stayed at one of the two group sites at Lake Louise State Park. Our site holds up to 30 and the neighboring site holds up to 50. Our site was a beautiful spot with large shade trees, three picnic tables and two fire pits. We also had a large grassy area to play and an area to put up our tents that was away from the activities. A vault toilet was beside us but it was also for the other group site so they had to constantly walk thru our site to get to it. The trails were nice but small and the beach is not recommended. Even though it's part of a river it was very stagnant yucky water and dirty sand.

  • Ax H.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jul. 29, 2025

    Shellrock River Co Preserve

    Great Free spot for tent camping

    Big grassy field surrounded by huge (walnut) trees. There a gravel track that goes along a large river. Trees everywhere so bring bug spray. Quiet, peaceful. Not private but worth it. Free, 3 day max stay

  • Lee D.The Dyrt PRO User
    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.

Guide to Elma

Tent camping near Elma, Iowa offers a variety of experiences, from serene natural settings to engaging outdoor activities. Whether you're looking for a peaceful retreat or an adventurous getaway, there are several options to explore.

Tent campers like these nearby activities

  • Enjoy fishing and swimming at the scenic Chickasaw Park, which is adjacent to an old quarry, perfect for a day of fun in the water.
  • Experience the charm of Little Turkey Campground, where you can relax in a clean environment and enjoy friendly staff while taking advantage of the nearby hiking trails.
  • Discover the backwoods camping vibe at River Ranch Camping, where you can immerse yourself in nature and enjoy the tranquility of the outdoors.

Local attractions to explore

  • Visit the historic cemetery near Chickasaw Park for a unique glimpse into the past while foraging for firewood.
  • Take a short drive to Colwell County Park during the warmer months to enjoy picnicking and outdoor activities with your family.
  • Explore the natural beauty surrounding Saude Rec Area, where you can hike and enjoy the peaceful atmosphere.

Tips for tent camping near Elma

  • Be prepared for primitive camping at Chickasaw Park, as there are no electric hookups or reservable sites, making it essential to bring all necessary supplies.
  • If you prefer more amenities, consider Little Turkey Campground, which offers electric hookups and clean facilities for a more comfortable stay.
  • Always check local regulations regarding swimming and fishing at places like Chickasaw Park to ensure a safe and enjoyable experience.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular tent campsite near Elma, IA?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Elma, IA is Chickasaw Park with a 4-star rating from 1 review.

What is the best site to find tent camping near Elma, IA?

TheDyrt.com has all 15 tent camping locations near Elma, IA, with real photos and reviews from campers.

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