Best Dispersed Camping near Ames, IA
Eagle City County Park offers free primitive camping near Iowa Falls, about 45 minutes northeast of Ames. The park features both upper and lower campground areas along the Iowa River with multiple secluded sites. Campers have access to vault toilets in the lower area, fire rings, picnic tables, and a hand pump well for water, though recent visitors report the water pump may not always function. The park sits on 172 acres of maintained grounds with access via gravel roads suitable for most vehicles.
Recent policy changes now require a $10 permit fee for overnight stays, payable through a website accessible by scanning a QR code at the entrance. No reservations are accepted, and sites remain first-come, first-served. Most campsites accommodate tents and small RVs or vans, but are not suitable for large rigs. As one visitor noted, "You could easily park a van here, and probably a small trailer but nothing all that long." The nearby Cross Ford River Access provides another primitive camping option in the area, though it offers fewer amenities with no toilets or picnic tables.
