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Best Tent Camping near Baldwin, IA

692 Reviews

Tent campsites near Baldwin, Iowa include several primitive options along waterways and in natural areas. Buzzard Ridge Wildlife Area offers hike-in tent sites along the Maquoketa River with fire rings and latrine facilities. Joinerville County Park provides primitive tent camping by permit application one month in advance, with river access and wooded surroundings.

Most tent camping in the area requires basic self-sufficiency, as amenities vary widely between locations. Buzzard Ridge features pit toilets but no drinking water, requiring campers to pack in all necessary supplies. Sites may be situated on natural, ungraded surfaces that can become muddy after rain. Joinerville Park has gravel access roads and river entry points with hard surface access, but lacks toilets and other facilities. Both locations follow Leave No Trace principles, with campers responsible for packing out all trash. Permits may be required at some locations, and advanced planning is essential.

The primitive tent areas offer unique natural experiences away from developed campgrounds. Areas adjacent to the Maquoketa River provide both fishing and paddling opportunities, with multiple access points for water activities. The sites maintain a natural setting with native plants and wildlife viewing possibilities. Many locations have limited signage and minimal development, preserving their secluded character. A visitor commented, "Unique hike or paddle primitive site. Native forbs and wildlife surrounding the area. Two parking sites to hike in or access by river." Wakpicada Natural Area, though farther away, offers additional tent camping with pond access, fire rings, and picnic tables.

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Best Tent Sites Near Baldwin, Iowa (19)

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Recent Tent Camping Photos near Baldwin, IA

4 Photos of 19 Baldwin Campgrounds

Tent Camping Reviews near Baldwin, IA

692 Reviews of 19 Baldwin Campgrounds

  • James M.The Dyrt PRO User
    Apr. 16, 2022

    Buzzard Ridge Wildlife Area

    Unique County wildlife site along Maquoketa River

    Unique hike or paddle primitive site. Native forbs and wildlife surrounding the area. Two parking sites to hike in or access by river. Site is along river, has table, fire ring, latrine. Pack in, pack out and Leave No Trace.

  • C
    Jun. 6, 2018

    Matsell Bridge Natural Area

    Nice little inexpensive primitive site... spaces almost always available

    Nice quiet little primitive campground next to the Wapsipinicon River. Unfortunately, when I was there the last weekend of May, the gnats were bad, and the mosquitoes were just starting to gear up. HOWEVER, take bug spray and enjoy the rustic peacefulness of this "best kept secret" for primitive and inexpensive camping sites. Beautiful location, ranger close by, wood for sale just across the bridge, fire pits and picnic tables at every site. Good for RV, trailer or tent camping… level ground and lots of shade. Primitive bathrooms, no showers or running water.

  • Stuart K.The Dyrt PRO User
    Mar. 7, 2025

    Bald Eagle Campground and Cabins

    Barren RV-Riddled Campground Outpost

    One of the 6 campgrounds that you will have to choose from here at Scott County Park, Bald Eagle CG & Cabins is one that is more geared for the RV driving and trailer toting tribes as each site has FHUs with electric, water & sewage, fire rings and picnic tables; however, if you wanted to pitch a tent here, you could, although I would recommend nearby Incahias as an alternative. Unlike some of the other campgrounds here, Bald Eagle kind of lives up to its name as there’s not much in the way of tree cover or brush, so the land is somewhat BALD. The land is incredibly flat, back-in slots are spacious, hard and very level grounds are incredibly well-organized and the bathroom / shower facilities with great HOT running water and are about as impeccably clean as can be.

    Near by Bald Eagle is Pride Lake, which makes this pet-friendly CG your top pick if you’re an angler or looking to get some decent oaring with your kayak or canoe. Sitting in front of Pride Lake are 2 very large shelters – Whispering Pines and Hickory Hills – as well as a playground for the kiddos and a restroom facility that is also spartan-clean. Surrounding Bald Eagle is also no shortage of hiking / biking / horse trails. We found the CG itself to be fairly quiet, although lacking in privacy without the benefit of any real brush or trees to blot out our next-door neighbors, but that said, everyone was incredibly friendly with full displays of Midwestern hospitality that this area is known for. There is also a single large cabin available for rent that has capacity for 10 people.

    We loved Scott County Park so much because there is a lot that this gem offers up, from fresh water catch & release lakes, a combination of topographies (from woodlands, wetlands and prairie grasslands), a beautiful 18-hole championship golf course, outdoor exercise areas, club house and concessions, stand-alone cabins for rent, designated dump stations and trash receptacles, numerous picnic areas, a massive heated swimming pool complete with a snake-like water slide, volleyball court, ranger stations, seasonal on-site hosts, firewood available for purchase at entry stations, Walnut Grove Pioneer Village and St. Anne’s church at the park’s NW perimeter, 7 community shelters, designated picnic areas, a memorial park, equestrian area and an incredibly well-paved network of roads that allows you to easily access just about every corner of this park.

    Happy Camping!

  • James M.The Dyrt PRO User
    Aug. 28, 2022

    Saulsbury Bridge Rec Area, Primitive Tent Camp

    Neat Primitive Tent CG along water

    The camp is walking only, with few tables and fire rings. Firewood available t main cg all ng with water and showers there too. Sites are spread along a waterway within bottom land woodlands with water access for fishing, paddling etc. Parking is within 100 yards so must pack in/out, use Leave No Trace ethics.

  • Jessica H.
    Jul. 11, 2018

    Saulsbury Bridge Recreation Area - Main Camping

    Ranger Review: VivoBarefoot Primus Trail SG Womens at Saulsbury Bridge

    Campground Review:

    Saulsbury Bridge Recreation Area is 675 acres, nestled between rolling fields of corn, dairy farms, native prairie, and the Cedar River. Located in Muscatine County in southeast Iowa, this rec area offers well-maintained campgrounds, hiking trails, fishing, kayaking/canoeing and seasonal hunting.

    There are three separate campgrounds. The main campground has electrical hookups, picnic benches, fire rings, modern restroom facilities including showers, a dump station, playground, and firewood for purchase. There are 24 sites, and they run $20 per night.

    The primitive campground area sits along Chicken Creek and offers four, tent-only sites, and is just off the main campground. The sites are well spaced and surrounded by large trees. These are walk in sites with parking in the main campground. It’s a short hike in from the parking area, and within walking distance of the restrooms and firewood. Primitive sites are $10 per night.

    Across the road from these two campgrounds is the main boat access and fishing dock for Chicken Creek. Only non-motorized boats are allowed here. If you don’t have your own, you can rent kayaks and canoes through the Muscatine County Conservation office. There is also a large shelter, which is reservable along with day use picnic areas, playgrounds, a sand volleyball court, and vault toilets. There’s large, open expanses of grassy fields and oak shade trees; perfect for relaxing on a hot summer day.

    The river campground sits right along the Cedar River and allows easy access to fishing along with a boat ramp. This campground is a short hike to the old Saulsbury Bridge and Lodge. The bridge has a small gazebo-like structure and bench which provides a nice view of the river. There are vault toilets in this campground, but the modern restrooms are within walking distance as well. There are 10 sites in this campground and run $17 per night.

    All campsites are self-registration and are on a first come, first served basis. There is a campground host on duty in the main campground and the park officer lives on site. Dogs are allowed, but must be on leash in the campgrounds and on trails. However, they are allowed to run in the designated hunting areas. These areas are marked with signs. If you plan to hike during hunting season, it’s a good idea to wear bright colors/blaze orange so you are visible to hunters and not mistaken for a deer or other wildlife.

    This park also has prairie/natural habitat restoration areas that, in spring and summer, attract Monarch butterflies, and an abundance of birds including indigo bunting, red headed woodpecker, and goldfinch. In the colder months you can spot bald eagles flying along the river. There are also deer, wild turkey, and pheasants. While there, we walked around the campground areas that were open and over to the day use area along Chicken Creek to roast marshmallows. We hiked the short distance out to the Saulsbury Bridge to watch the Cedar River flow by and caught a beautiful sunset.

    The one downfall to this park is the possibility for flooding. When the Cedar River is high, it pushes Chicken Creek out of its banks which can mean potential closure of campgrounds.

    A call ahead to the conservation office to check on closures is a good idea. We had hoped to camp at a primitive site, but learned the trail leading into the campground was under water, which also meant the river campground was closed as well. Though there was some water over the road in the main campground, it was minimal and we were able to choose an electrical site. We opted to car camp as we were only staying one night. Only about a third of the campground was filled and we had no one on either side of us which meant for a more quiet camping experience.

    This is one of my favorite local areas to hike and camp that’s close to home. It offers a full picture of Iowa’s varied landscapes and outdoor activity opportunities.

    Product Review:

    As a Ranger for The Dyrt, I get products to test from time to time. On this camping trip, I tried out VivoBarefoot Primus Trail SG Womens sneakers. VivoBarefoot’s goal is to provide an environment that allows the feet to remain in their natural state while providing a protective shoe. https://www.vivobarefoot.com/us/womens/off-road/primus-trail-sg-womens?colour=Olive

    1. Anytime I purchase a new pair of shoes, whether for daily use or outdoor recreation, I make sure to break them in as much as possible as I’m prone to blisters. I did wear the Primus around the house a few times and on my daily walks before taking them camping. Though they have a snug fit, they’re not uncomfortable. They also include a pair of removable inserts and extra laces. The laces are adjustable which allowed me to either loosen or tighten the shoe. Bonus; no socks needed. As someone who would opt to wear sandals year round if possible, I liked the fact I didn’t have to put an extra layer on my feet.
    2. The timing couldn’t have been better for testing out these sneakers; Saulsbury was experiencing minor flooding while we were there. Not only do they have rugged soles for gripping in wet and rocky terrain, the mesh material allows for quick drying if they do get wet, and provided easy clean up of mud and other debris.
    3. Honestly, I was really pleased with the fact that many of the women’s shoes came in neutral and earth tone colors (I absolutely checked out other shoe options on their website). While I don’t mind the brighter colors that seem to be the trend for women’s trail runners, I really prefer something a little more low key.
    4. One of the best things about these shoes was the ease of slipping them on and off, say in the middle of the night when nature called.
    5. All in all, I feel this shoe is a good match for the outdoor activities I enjoy; camping, hiking, bicycling, and kayaking. I’m looking forward to seeing how they hold up while hiking in the mountains out West this summer.
  • Lee D.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jan. 30, 2025

    New Wine Park Dubuque County Park

    Nice small county park campground

    General: This is a small (29-site) county park campground situated along the North Fork Maquoketa River. Nine of the sites are reservable, and the rest are first-come, first-served. Some sites are primitive, and some have water and 30-amp electricity hookups. There is one ADA-accessible site with a paved camper pad. 

    Site Quality: Most sites are level. The camper pads are gravel/grass, but not all are clearly defined. Each site has a picnic table and a fire ring. 

    Bath/Shower: The bath/shower house was closed when we were there in November but there are vault toilets about a quarter mile from the campground (in the day-use area) that were very clean and well-stocked when we were there. 

    Activities/Amenities: Many activities including disc golf, three hiking trails, volleyball, two playgrounds (one in the day-use area and one by the campsites). There are two reservable picnic shelters. There is also a dump station. 

    We were tent camping in November on a backpacking trip so we didn’t take advantage of any of the activities but would return in our van on a future camping trip. We were the ONLY ones in the campground at this time of year!

  • Emma N.
    Sep. 25, 2017

    Sugar Bottom Campground

    Boats and Beautiful Views

    Our one-night stay at the Sugar Bottom- Coralville Lake Campground was terrific! My husband and I stopped there during our cross-country road trip. We arrived around 7:30pm on a Sunday in September and easily got a spot. The lady at the entrance station was incredibly kind and answered all of our questions.

    The campground is very well marked, with easily visible site number labels. Each site is in a grassy area with a picnic table and fire ring with a grate. Our site had a tree or two that provided some shade, but some other sites were a but more shaded.

    We ended up staying in site #103, which is right by the water. What a beautiful view we had! Our campsite was very close to a boat dock, a sand volleyball court, and a sandy beach. We didn't have a chance to swim at the beach, but it looked really nice! It had a large, designated swimming area that was marked with floating ropes. We were also located close to a building with restrooms. Each restroom had a clean, hot shower. The showers were free, which was a plus!

    In my opinion, this is definitely a 5-star campground. I can't wait to come back!

  • James M.The Dyrt PRO User
    Aug. 5, 2021

    Swiss Valley County Park

    Great County park, preserve, campground

    Campground is well maintained, restrooms, showers, recycling station, fire wood available, campground host onsite, resident park ranger, standard RV sites, some electric tent sites otherwise primitive with fire rings and tables. Trout stream (Catfish Creek) runs through campground and park and is stocked by Iowa DNR, has Swiss Valley Nature center with trails.

  • Annie C.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jul. 31, 2019

    Fountain Springs County Park

    Solitude and not much else

    This campground also goes by the name of Holbert. Small campground but free with a handful of picnic tables and campfires. The vault toilets were cleanish, thou older. This campground is next to a pretty little creek that you can play and fish in. The campground is really just a series of campsites strung out along the creek and road. It was pretty quiet while I was there, not many campers at all. There are no hookups for RV’s/campers so it is primarily tent camping or dry camping. There is an interesting story about how this camping area has come to be: the land was donated by Ella Ellis in memory of her husband William Ellis. They apparently loved the land and wanted to make sure it was never developed and could be enjoyed by all. A lovely story.

Guide to Baldwin

Primitive camping options near Baldwin, Iowa concentrate along waterways including the Maquoketa and Cedar rivers. Most sites require self-sufficiency with limited facilities, appealing to experienced outdoor enthusiasts seeking natural settings. Terrain ranges from wooded riverbanks to open meadows with uneven ground that may become muddy after rainfall.

What to do

Fishing access points: Worthington Sportsman's Club provides pond fishing with productive catches in a secluded setting. According to one camper, "Great fishing while we were there too. I was skeptical about the pit toilets but the one closest to our site was very clean!"

River activities: Koch's Meadow Lake Campground offers paddling and swimming opportunities beyond fishing. A visitor notes, "This CG is a full service CG for RVs with community buildings, gravel road lanes, pet friendly, and lake access for fishing, paddling and swimming."

Observatory access: Wapsi River Environmental Ed. Ctr. features the Menke Observatory for stargazing programs. A reviewer mentioned, "Menke Observatory offers sky programs" while another noted the "dark skies" that enhance night viewing.

What campers like

Seclusion: At Worthington Sportsman's Club, campers appreciate the privacy despite accessibility. One reviewer shared, "So secluded without being in the middle of nowhere. People driving around the pond didn't even know we were there!"

Educational opportunities: Wapsi River Environmental Ed. Ctr. provides environmental learning experiences beyond camping. A visitor mentioned, "Education center onsite with live animals, trails, open year round."

River proximity: Tent campsites near Baldwin typically feature river access points for multiple activities. A camper at Cedar River Campground noted its location "along the Cedar River with camp store, ice, wood, propane, showers/restrooms."

What you should know

Reservation requirements: Several tent camping areas around Baldwin require advance planning. At Joinerville County Park, "primitive camping is by approved permit application 1 month in advance of stay."

Facility limitations: Prepare for minimal facilities at most primitive sites. Hidden River Campground has "Very rustic, older shower/bathrooms that could use an update."

Seasonal considerations: Many campgrounds operate seasonally. Hidden River Campground maintains specific dates: "They're open from April 15-October 15."

Management changes: Ownership transitions can affect camping experiences. Cedar River Campground has undergone changes, with one camper noting it was "Recently under new ownership, you can tell they've been working hard getting the place going again."

Tips for camping with families

Recreation amenities: Some tent campsites near Baldwin offer family-focused activities beyond natural surroundings. Cedar River Campground includes "mini-golf, a nice pool and a creative rugged play area for the kids."

Wildlife viewing: Wakpicada Natural Area provides nature observation opportunities with "good tree cover" and potential wildlife sightings.

Heat management: Plan for summer heat with shaded sites. A Wakpicada visitor noted, "Went when it was 110 degrees with humidity. Campsites right next to the pond and good tree cover made the experience fun anyway."

Noise considerations: Proximity to highways affects some camping experiences. At Cedar River Campground, "it is right off the highway, so it was loud when we were outside, but we couldn't hear it at all when we were in our Tab 400."

Tips from RVers

Site spacing: For RV campers transitioning to tent camping, expect different site configurations. At Cedar River Campground, "Spots are tighter than what we prefer" while another visitor noted "Sites are really close if you're a tent camper but it is good as far as RV parks are concerned."

Year-round options: Some locations accommodate extended stays. Hidden River Campground has "Many people seem to take advantage of the year round rates and stay all summer."

Hookup availability: Jungletown Ridge offers primitive tent sites with firewood and picnic tables but no electrical hookups for RVs, making it better for those seeking "quiet nights in the woods."

Frequently Asked Questions

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

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Baldwin, IA is Buzzard Ridge Wildlife Area with a 4-star rating from 1 review.

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

TheDyrt.com has all 19 tent camping locations near Baldwin, IA, with real photos and reviews from campers.

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