Best Equestrian Camping near Anita, IA

To be perfectly honest we camp at Nodaway often- but that because of its location - close to work and such. However there are limited activities at Nodaway.

The camp sites are nice and large- easy to get into and each one had its own water and electric. There are 11 on what we call the upper circle and 4 on the lower circle. The bath house is located at the far end so if you are on the lower circle or at the end it can be a walk. It isn't fancy by any means- a single sink, toilet, and shower in the same room- one for each sex. It gets the job done- but it is no frills. There is a dump station centrally located that you can easily pull up to on your way out.

The park is big- lots of trails for hiking and horses. They are usually very well maintained- they keep them mowed in nice wide paths and the trails range from nice and flat to a bit more steep.

There is a little pond but there are no fish in it and it could use some work- lots of moss and such.

There are several different picnic areas and a second bathroom away from the campgrounds. The playground is outdated but there is a large area where kids can play soccer or tag and while the equipment is old it is not in bad shape.

There is a beautiful look out area (away from the camprounds) that looks over Clarinda and is very nice to watch the annual 4th of July fireworks from the Clarinda A's baseball team.

We love Nodaway not because of the amenities but because we can all get together and be close to work/school/home. Camping here does require some yard games and activities for entertainment- but you are just a couple minutes from the store if you forget something!

Be careful not to drive by Hucklebarney Woods, if you're not careful you will pass it by. There is a sign but it is not very visible and you may have to hit your brakes pretty hard, so be careful.

The first entrance to the park is an equestrian campground that was closed when I arrived. Don't stop there, keep driving another 300 yards and you will find the main entrance to the park.

For a county park with limited resources it meets expectations. The biggest detractor is all of the goose poop but I suppose you can live with that, especially if you are pulling a camper. You can't swim in the pond but the views are nice. I would honestly say that this is not where I would choose to camp but it is a great place to stop and have a picnic.

I stayed at this campground from August until November 13 in my pull behind camper.

Water,gas and Sewer was $15 daily,$105 weekly, and$420 monthly. Prices go up to $120 weekly when it gets cold. Shower house was shut down for COVID and shuts down in winter. 

Tenting is cheaper$11

No ground fires allowed.

Friendly,helpful hosts on site.

Close to the Bridges,John Wayne sites,lauandromat,and grocery stores.

You might get a view of bridesmaids and grooms at the fairgrounds on the weekend heading to a wedding in the fairground building, nice to see during my work COVID isolation.

When the trees get big and fill in and COVID is over and the shower house is open it will be 4 stars.

I never know what to expect when I go to a County run campground and park. Usually they have more limited resources than their State counterparts so my expectations are usually pretty low. I didn't even have Lake Icaria on my radar, I just happened to be driving by and decided to stop.

It is not far off the main road and has a nice marina and boat ramp. There are a few hiking trails and some real nice picnic areas with nice views of the lake. The campground is clean with very nice spots for your camper or tent.

There were actually a lot of campers for a hot July day in the middle of the week but there were still plenty of open spots and although there were a good number of folks it didn't feel crowded or seem too noisy. This is a solid place to visit.