5 campgrounds · Check availability for any dates.
Bedford, Iowa offers several tent camping options within a short drive of town. Ross County Park in Braddyville provides primitive tent camping with no facilities or hookups, making it suitable for campers seeking a more remote experience. Mozingo Lake County Tent Campground, located across the state line in Missouri, offers a more developed camping experience with amenities including showers, toilets, and picnic tables. Both locations accept tent campers and provide different levels of wilderness immersion.
Tent camping areas near Bedford feature varying levels of amenities and accessibility. Ross County Park offers true primitive camping with no drinking water, toilets, or developed sites. Campers need to bring all necessary supplies including water and waste disposal equipment. Sites are accessible via drive-in access but have minimal infrastructure. Mozingo Lake County Tent Campground provides more amenities including drinking water, showers, toilets, and trash disposal. Fire rings are available at both locations, and both allow pets. One camper noted that Ross County Park is "a nice out of the way location with no services of any kind, there is a shelter house, and trash barrel."
The backcountry tent camping experience varies significantly between these locations. Ross County Park offers a more remote experience with less traffic and fewer visitors. A visitor commented it's "perfect" because it's "remote and not used much." The park features multiple ponds and provides opportunities for fishing and solitude. Mozingo Lake County Tent Campground offers a more developed camping experience while still maintaining a natural feel. A review mentioned that "tent camping sites were actually surrounded by trees" rather than being placed in open fields like many campgrounds. The area includes walking paths and playgrounds around the lake, along with a disc golf course nearby, providing recreational activities beyond the campsite. Fall camping at Mozingo Lake is noted for having fewer visitors, with the campground described as "not too busy at all" during October.
"Nice out of the way location.
no services of any kind, there is a shelter house, and trash barrel.
nice place to get away from people"
"Loved that the tent camping sites were actually surrounded by trees, I see way to many tent campsites that are basically just in the middle of a grass field."
from $15 / night
Check Availability"King Lake Conservation Area is a great spot if you want a quiet, secluded camping experience away from crowded campgrounds. There are only 6 campsites, which makes it peaceful and relaxing."
"There are no facilities here—no toilets, restrooms, or picnic tables—so you need to be fully prepared."
ScoutHave come up here a few times now just to get away for a couple days. Lots of folks come through and use it for an overnight stay or others for turkey hunts during turkey season. You can roam the conservation but don’t plan to fish the ponds, they are terrible. Overall, decent place to just find some peace for a couple days and collect your thoughts.
ScoutWe camp here lots during the summer. No issues to speak of. Although it would be nice if they didn’t dig their fire pits deep. Mine. Is below ground level by 6 inches or so. Can barely see the fire. Today it rained and now it’s 6pm and my pit is full of water. It’s done raining. Kind of hard to have a fire now.!!!!
ScoutWe’re on our third trip staying here. We have family in Bethany, so it’s nice to be close to them. It’s right off I-35, behind some stores and restaurants. There are about a dozen spaces, each with water, sewer, and electric. They have picnic tables, but no fire rings. There aren’t any shower or laundry facilities, but there is a laundromat down the street. There are several trailers parked here that are unsightly, that have been poorly patched up with things like plywood and Walmart bags covering up windows.
GuideOut of the way from the hwy. Over an hour or so. No privacy. The spots are just 3 driveways 12 ft apart each with a fire ring. Good cell signal. I was only one there.
ScoutThis is a small lot behind McDonalds and Taco Bell. If you’re looking for a place to enjoy nature, have campfires, etc., I wouldn’t recommend it. If you just want to get off of I-35 for a few days, it’s nice enough. The sites share utility posts, so check that the wattage you need is available before you unhitch. Also, try to avoid the lower loop. It seems to flood pretty easily.
TravelerQuiet and clean campground. Bike/walk trail surrounding the lake. Lots of amenities for fishing and sightseeing on the lake
ScoutSuch a wonderful, quiet, and peaceful place. We stayed Thur-Sat so we were basically the only ones here.
I have never seen such clean and gorgeous bathrooms at a campground before along with a very clean laundry room. The bathrooms were large and HC accessible with rain showers and benches.
There are campers and a cabin to rent, and a nice walking trail. While we didn't use any, they have a driving range, archery, waterside, and paddles boats.
There's a gas station only a couple miles away so we could gas up the night before leaving without pulling our camper with.
The only downside was the amount of Ticks. I know with camping comes Ticks but I wish they would spray or something to control the amount of them crawling across our camping rug and into our camper.
If we come this way again, will definitely stay here as it's just a 15 minutes off I-35.
RangerKing Lake Conservation Area is a great spot if you want a quiet, secluded camping experience away from crowded campgrounds. There are only 6 campsites, which makes it peaceful and relaxing. The campsites sit close to the lake with plenty of shoreline access for fishing, and the wooded areas around the sites provide good shade throughout the day. Each campsite has a fire ring, which is nice for cooking or relaxing by the fire at night. However, there are no picnic tables or restrooms, so be prepared for more primitive camping. I definitely would not recommend forgetting any supplies because the closest store is about 15 miles away. Overall, it’s a simple but beautiful place to camp if you enjoy nature, fishing, and a more private atmosphere.
GuideLoved it here, stayed 2 nights. Well maintained gravel entrance splits off. Turn right and you’ll find a large parking/turn around area. Up from it are 4-5 gravel areas with fire rings (no picnic tables). Only other person I saw was a game warden, driving through. Had both AT&T and Verizon service.
Bedford's camping options extend beyond established campgrounds to include rustic, dispersed sites within a 30-mile radius. Located in the rolling hills of southwest Iowa near the Missouri border, this region features elevations between 900-1,200 feet and seasonal temperature variations that can drop below freezing in fall and winter months. Primitive tent campsites near Bedford, Iowa typically don't require reservations and many operate on a first-come, first-served basis.
Fishing opportunities: At Ross County Park, visitors can access multiple fishing ponds for recreation. One camper noted, "Multiple ponds. People also go out there and shoot off guns on the upper pond... I fucking love this place. One of my favorites to go fishing and drink a few...." (Jayson H., Ross County Park).
Disc golf courses: The area around Mozingo Lake County Tent Campground offers recreational activities beyond basic camping. A reviewer mentioned, "if you like disc golf than this is the place to go, there is a brand new 18 hole course right next to the camp!" (Sayler O.).
Playground access: Families with young children can take advantage of playgrounds near campsites. "There are walking paths and a couple of playgrounds around the lake close enough to walk to but far enough away they wont ever be a bother," notes a camper about Mozingo Lake facilities.
Privacy from tree cover: Unlike many developed sites, tent camping near Bedford often features natural screening. A visitor to Kokesh Co Park appreciated that it's "Nice ring of trees around the outside so protected from the wind. Cute grass well maintained."
Low visitor traffic: Many campers value the solitude available at less-developed sites. One reviewer appreciated that Ross County Park is a "Nice out of the way location... nice place to get away from people" (Kory K.).
Off-season camping: Fall camping presents opportunities for greater privacy. At Mozingo Lake, a camper reported staying "on a friday night in October and the campground was not too busy at all.. maybe only 5 other groups there" (Sayler O.).
Limited level parking: Some campgrounds in the area present challenges for RVs and campers. A visitor to Pioneer City Park mentioned it was "Impossible to park a small camper van flat, though I completely would have stayed and done some exploring in the area, but literally impossible to get flat."
Service limitations: Many sites offer minimal or no amenities. At Ross County Park, there are "no services of any kind, there is a shelter house, and trash barrel" (Kory K.).
Site types vary widely: Tent campsites near Bedford range from primitive to semi-developed. At Kokesh Co Park, you'll find "Three spots with electric tiny playground area and some spots for tents. Pit toilet electric water, those are the services" (Teresa T.).
Best age-appropriate sites: When camping with children, choose locations with appropriate infrastructure. Ross County Park may be better suited for older children as one camper noted it's "not so much for camping. Its more of a day trip kinda place" (Jayson H.).
Maintain supervision: Some camping areas permit activities that require parental awareness. At Ross County Park, "People also go out there and shoot off guns on the upper pond" (Jayson H.), suggesting the need for extra caution with children.
Consider seasonal timing: Fall camping can offer less crowded experiences for families. A camper who visited Mozingo Lake "with my 5 year old" found that "Showers and bathroom were all fine, campsite was clean and well maintained" during their October visit.
Size restrictions apply: Many tent campsites near Bedford aren't suitable for larger vehicles. A camper at Kokesh Co Park warned, "This is also not for big rigs. If you're gonna come, you gotta come with something small enough to fit into the spaces" (Teresa T.).
Prepare for uneven terrain: Even small RVs may struggle at some locations. At Kokesh Recreation Area, a reviewer with a camper van found it was "completely would have stayed and done some exploring in the area, but literally impossible to get flat" (Teresa T.).
Limited hookup availability: Most primitive sites near Bedford lack substantial RV amenities. While some parks like Kokesh offer electric hookups, many like Ross County Park provide no utilities whatsoever, making them better suited for self-contained camping.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular tent campsite near Bedford, IA?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Bedford, IA is Ross County Park with a 5-star rating from 2 reviews.
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