Best Dog-Friendly Camping near Ames, IA

Spots kind of level, lots of choices of pull thru or buddy sites. Decent playground, water pillow for bouncing, fishing pond, dog park, swimming pool. Well maintained, lots of planned activities. KOA, so not a lot of nature. But no traffic or train noise. Full hook ups, including TV.

Some full hook ups, sites not very level, playground ok. Can hear shots from gun range next door. Dog park, pool, arcade. We have camped here a couple times, and stored our rig here for a while. Didn't find there was that much going on here to keep us busy. Not a lot of nature, no trails or biking accessible from campground.

The campground was nice, but it seems more for RVs. Sometimes you have to share a fire pit with other tents if it's busy. They have a small petting zoo and a small beach. This place feels more like a neighborhood verses camping in nature. Most people use this as a "summer home".

One of my favorite locations to camp in Iowa as a Boy Scout growing up was Ledges State Park. Since I hadn't been back in years, I decided to check it out and spend a night camping there. It's close to how I remember it.

The campground has a good picnic area, restrooms, and an excellent trail. It's also inexpensive.

What I enjoy most about this park compared to others in Iowa are the sandstone ledges and the slopes on the trail. There are some excellent views, so make sure your phone has enough battery to take photos (unlike me). I also spent a lot of time off the trail. It isn't too hard to get around. I'm not one who enjoys staying at a park that is mostly flat, so this is definitely a good place in Iowa for me to camp.

If you are looking for a cool place to camp within an hour of Des Moines, you should seriously consider this park.

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.

Very nice, clean and comfortable campground for an overnight stop. Price is right! The “office” is a little gas station, hamburger cafe with a very efficient and friendly check in person. The sites are mostly pull through with full service electric, water, and sewer. The only real issue is the constant noise from I-80 which is just to the south of the campground. But nothing that a good set of earplugs can’t fix. Our little dog especially liked the two chicken coops at east side of the the campground! (Not noisy or any problem - just a reminder that you are in Iowa!). Overall, very nice and has clean restrooms. The sign on the “office” says they have Iowas “BEST” Hamburger. We didn’t try it, but will take their word for it!

Very friendly people working there! A group of us had a loop and had a great weekend! The only down side of this was the grass was really long so it was bad when taking the dog out in the evenings or mornings. You would come back in with a soaked dog and wet feet. It really needed to be mowed.

The facilities were clean. A huge playground area for the kids! It’s huge and well maintained.

We have used this camp many times and the long grass is my only complaint!

the sites are great. the noise level is unbearable. dogs bark all night and day. no water or sewer electrical only

I camped here in 2021 and I enjoyed it but the first night I was there I ran my vehicle down the second night I was there I took a tour on the campgrounds and got verbally accosted but another camper for walking near their campground and then I mistakenly left some food out and my dog and I were woken up by wild dogs.
In 2022 I came out again and it was a much better adventure the campgrounds are beautiful they have two different electric sights and they have a newly furnished tent site.

Perfect weather last weekend and loved the little creek to splash around in with the dogs. Loads of rock stairways to enter and edit the creek throughout the park. Also has a fishing pond however we didn't pack our poles.

Drove 6 hours to find out the campground is closed (apparently for all of fall and winter) without any awareness of that being the case online. Now I have to figure out somewhere to go at dinner time with my over-tired toddler and two dogs. Frustrated.

I loved camping at ledges! Tons of beautiful views and fun hiking! We went a bit off the path with our dog, which made it a bit more fun!

The only reason it doesn't get a solid five stars is because it was a bit difficult to buy firewood!

We have a last minute change in plans so needed a place to stay for a couple of nights. 

Level sites with full hookups

Plenty of space to walk the dog

Right next to a gas station with great burgers and tenderloins! 

It was cold and windy so we didn't get out much to explore. It is right next to the interstate for easy on and off and it's very quiet.

Took my new to me PUP on her maiden voyage to Jester Park in July with my two kids, best friend and her daughter. We BARELY made it, pulling in on a Thursday around 4, and snagged one of 2 spots left! We were lucky enough to get a corner lot with some good shade trees. Staff was friendly, bathrooms were SUPER clean and campground was very quiet! The downfall is that raccoons in the park have 0 fear of humans, and I had an unknown hole in the wheel well cover... OF COURSE right into the cabinet where I kept the dog food. After a grand total of 3 hours sleep trying to figure out what on earth these critters were SO FASCINATED with at our site, we patched the hole with duct tape, the cabinet with duct tape and used a broom for security at 4am. (Yep, they got right in to my camper but no harm came to the sleeping kids, the snoring dog, the gang of 4 raccoons or the two adults unless you consider a severe lack of sleep to be harmful!) There's a lot to do at Jester Park including a natural playscape and plenty of beaches nearby. Would 100% stay again with a reservation and a solid raccoon proof plan!

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 😂

Large modern KOA with sites to accommodate all sizes of rigs and also tent campers. Gravel sites require some leveling. Not much privacy between sites nor shade. Bathhouses were clean and private. Laundry available. Off leash dog area available. Convenient to John Wayne’s birthplace and covered bridges of Madison County. Bulk propane tanks were on site for winter campers. Camper cabins available. Small store with Hunt Brothers pizza to order. Gathering room on site and pedal car racetrack. Verizon cell signal was good. Garbage dumpster and dump station on site.

I'm pretty particular about researching and reviewing campgrounds before I book, especially with the kids in tow. This campground 100% lived up to review expectations. Took the PUP, two kids, dog and grandma (first time in 20+ years) this past weekend. Booked an outer ring site surrounded by trees (and some pretty bold raccoons around bonfire time ;) ). Upon arrival the host swiftly checked our reservation and sent us on our way after a few questions on where to obtain firewood. Sites were great, facilities were immaculate, playground and pond were awesome for keeping kids entertained. Just a short hike down Corydon to the lake, and a short drive to Jester Park for the natural playscape. Would def stay again!

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.