Best RV Parks & Resorts near Brighton, IA

Recent RV Reviews near Brighton, Iowa

287 Reviews of 82 Brighton Campgrounds

• 

  Stuart K.

  Legend

  

  Jan. 1, 2024

  Diamond Lake County Park

  Lakeside Campground Bliss

  While it was our first time camping in Iowa, we were extremely lucky to land upon this slightly hidden fresh water centered campground just a 20 minute drive south of Route 80 near Montezuma, wherein one needs only follow Road#63, before coming across Diamond Lake County Park. With the fall colors being in full bloom when we visited, the entire campground was awash in bright yellows, reds and oranges from the changing colors of the leaves. Also, as we were visiting in mid-October, versus some of the other reviews here, we found that we had the place mostly to ourselves, which made for a rather peaceful sublime respite we were searching for. 

  As for the campground itself, what we enjoyed most was how this location is, for the most part, very well organized in keeping the RV'ers and 5th Wheeler crowds together, while preserving a nice slice of verdant lakeside pasture for us primitive camper types. Each of the sites for camping come equipped with (in most cases) fairly new aluminum picnic tables, fire ring with folding BBQ grill. While we didn’t stay in the RV areas, given our tent-pitching persuasion, what we did see was fairly impressive and looked altogether rather brand new with freshly poured concrete slots and fairly mint-looking RV hook-ups (50 amp electric and water) and this same area also boasted a brand new restroom facilities. 

  Obviously, the main attraction here is Diamond Lake itself, with its more than 90 acres of fresh water, albeit murky fresh water, was certainly a hit with this camping family. We enjoyed being able to get out on the lake with our kayaks and canoes as well as go for very long walks around the circumference of the lake itself, with which you will find simply splendid trails. And if that’s not enough exploration for you, then head further inland and away from the lake to explore this parks other 660 acres of grassy prairieland. 

  From an amenities standpoint, there’s a decent amount, including: three shower houses, four shelters, 2 dump stations, three his / her latrines (some much more dated than others), boat ramp and fishing dock, a dedicated fish cleaning station and what looked to be a fairly new kids playground. In all there’s a total of 120 sites to choose from, with 80 designated for RVs / 5th Wheelers and 40 earmarked for primitive camping, which do not come with any electric, which was on one hand the biggest bummer, but on the other hand, offered up front-row access to lakeside camping bliss as many of these primitive campsites are located right on the water’s edge. 

  Insider’s tips? Here’s a few: (1) Check-in is self-registration and is done onsite, so net-net, this place is first-come, first served as no online or advanced registration is taken. While we didn’t mind this, and given that we arrived right around noon as folks were actually checking out, we got the ‘pick of the litter’ of campsites. Electric sites are $20 / night and non-electric are $10, so this place is incredibly affordable; (2) If you are looking for some grub nearby after growing weary of another meal of franks & beans, then there’s really just a few nearby options: Subway, Sauced Pizza & Pub, Casey’s and Yolanda’s Tacos over in the little town of Montezuma; (3) While there are actually few different campgrounds here at Diamond Lake, for primitive campers, the best sites IMHO are located as far southwest as you can possible go around the lake, where there’s more than a dozen or so sites that sit right in front of the water and present a completely isolated surrounding. 

  Happy Camping!

• 

  Phillip B.

  Guide

  

  Jun. 11, 2021

  Tailwater West Campground

  Great sights and clean

  This is a great campground has full hook up sites and other sites have electric and water. Very short walk to the overflow of the dam. People are friendly facilities are clean.

• B

  Brenda A.

  Ranger

  

  Aug. 5, 2021

  Crossroads RV Park - Iowa

  Really clean and nice

  Very nice personnel and clean, updated facilities. There are some long-term residents, but everyone seems very kind and helpful. Clean restrooms and laundry. You can buy quarters for the laundry. We’ll controlled dogs here! That’s Nice. Parking is drive thru, but sites are pretty close. We

• 

  Alan B.

  Guide

  

  Jun. 1, 2021

  Little Bear Campground

  Little Brear is just right!

  Very conveniently located off I-80, Fair price, full hook up and pull through site $33.00.

• 

  Shannon G.

  Legend

  

  Oct. 27, 2019

  Little Bear Campground

  Cute and Quaint

  Little Bear Campground is located right off I-80 at the West Liberty exit. It is right next to a trailer park. There are a few tent sites ($22/ night)and Rv sites($33/night). We pulled in late to stay the night. It had full hook ups with a fire ring and picnic table. The spot was good sized and clean. There is an office/ gift shop and a convent store within walking distance. There is 2 cute little cabins which run $49 a night. There is a pool(closed for season), and a playground for kids. I was surprised that the interstate noise was much quieter than I thought it would be. All and all it was a pleasant place to stop over.

• 

  Lisa M.

  Scout

  

  Jul. 9, 2022

  Lake Macbride State Park Campground

  Nice State Park

  My niece who lives nearby recommended this place to stay when we went to visit her since was a short drive from where she lives.  Full hook-ups, nice clean bathhouse, quiet nearby trail within walking distance, beautiful lake. Will stay here again when come back to visit her.

• A

  Andrew P.

  Scout

  

  Jun. 17, 2023

  Wilson Lake Park

  Nice quiet place

  Nice campground with a decent sized fishing pond. Campground host is super friendly! They ran over when we pulled in and helped guide us into our site. We stayed at site 2 which is a little smaller than we would’ve liked but it is all concrete and has full hook ups. Did not do any fishing so can’t comment on that. Did go to the creamery nearby. If you stay here and don’t visit the creamery, you’re definitely missing out!

• 

  Shana D.

  Legend

  

  Jun. 25, 2023

  Sugar Bottom Campground

  Huge!

  This place is huge! We stayed here for one night on a cross country road trip. This is definitely a popular local campground. Lots of different sites to choose from (Primitive to fill book up). We had a full hook up site that was nice and back up to a tree line. Most of the sites back up to your neighbors and a lot of sites were very close together. . Clean, individual stall bathrooms. Very nice lady working the check in booth. Swim beach is also a hot spot.

• 

  MickandKarla W.

  Legend

  

  Aug. 26, 2023

  Sugar Bottom Campground

  Okay COE

  Check-in was quick and easy. We proceeded to back-in site 61 with water and electric(50/30/20 AMP). We were one and done on what we thought might be a more difficult back-in, but there was enough level ditch in front to allow an easy swing. Our site was somewhat level, but we did have to put blocks under the passenger-side tires. We could back far enough in our site to park our F-450 in front of our rig at an angle and still put our back deck out. We got 2 bars on Verizon and could put out our Starlink. They have a double-hole dump station that can be accessed in both directions. This large COE has a variety of sites, with the 300 loop being full hook-ups. The sites down by the boat launch have electric only and tent sites. There are shower houses throughout the CG. Compared to other COEs we’ve stayed at, the sites here are closer together. The CG wasn’t full during the week but filled up on the weekend while we were there.

• 

  Stephanie S.

  Scout

  

  Sep. 5, 2021

  Ottumwa City Park

  Fishing on the lake

  Campground has nice mature trees and lots of spots available. $18 for full hook up. What a deal. Has a lake you can fish at right in campground. Although it is right next to a major road, but also extremely close to downtown and anything you might need. Bathrooms were outdated and the reason this place got 4 instead of 5 stars.(could have been a little cleaner but they were old.) Shower heads were very low in women’s bathroom. I’m 5’8 the shower heads were at my chin or lower. They only have one dump site. But a wide variety for any size of camping. Along with playground and a couple bigger covered eating areas, but no laundry.

• 

  Sarah J.

  Scout

  

  Aug. 1, 2019

  Crossroads RV Park - Iowa

  Good stopover while traveling

  Great staff and RV park amenities. Camped for two nights and it was quiet.

• 

  Kimberly B.

  Guide

  

  Sep. 18, 2021

  Amana RV Park & Event Center

  Very convenient for visiting the Amana Colonies.

  We tent camped here for two nights so we could visit the Amana Colonies. This is an RV park with tent sites on the lawn around the perimeter. A bit of a walk to the bathroom and showers, but the sites were level with short grass. The bathrooms and showers were very clean, and everyone was extremely friendly. The only drawback was that the tent sites don’t have picnic tables, but for two nights we made it work. We’d stay here again.

• 

  John C.

  Traveler

  

  Sep. 8, 2023

  Crossroads RV Park - Iowa

  Nice RV Park … if you want NOISE

  The rv park, itself, is very nice! Clean, well organized and spacious. The issue is NOISE!! Constant train traffic all night! Horns blaring! The tracks are less than 1/4-mile away. And quite a bit of freeway noise, too! It's all by about location, location, location and this park doesn't have it. Spent three(3) sleepless nights. We would have moved on but we were visiting our son who lives in the immediate area. Next time, l'll drive 30 minutes more to find someplace quiet.

• 

  Mary F.

  Scout

  

  Jul. 16, 2018

  Indian Lake Park

  very nice

  it has full hookups, tent site swim beach, fishing, canoes,and f, playgrounds also cabins a stone lodge for family get togethers some sites just have electric and water on site and there are some full hookups also a shower house and modern restrooms, fire wood for sale We go at least 3 times a year . So nice and quiet the lake is clean they also have a dump station

• 

  Stuart K.

  Legend

  

  Apr. 1, 2024

  Little Bear Campground

  Convenient EZ On- & Off-Highway Family-Style Campground Outpost

  It’s smaller than a football field and tucked behind one of those old-school gas stations that you see in the middle of a desert that looks permanently closed, but then you see old Jethro sitting on the corner around the bend from the fuel pumps smoking a cigarillo not worrying about whether the place blows up or not. That’s how I found Little Bear Campground. When I arrived, the place was closed, but thankfully there was a sign posted on the door to call Mike, so I did. And he couldn’t have been nicer, offering me up any open site in the place. 

  So, I took a spin around the joint, which I would describe as ‘intimate’ with all of the very level grassy spots being fairly close to one another, interspersed with plenty of cover shadow from all of the trees that you’ll find this place populated by. The place was half empty, so I guess whatever crowdedness might actually exist in reality was somewhat lost on me. That said, if you are driving an RV or hauling a 5th Wheeler, I would certainly be less than impressed by seemingly the great proximity you will have to your fellow neighbor. Maybe that matters to you or maybe it doesn’t as many of the RV locations I have seen over the past year all land on more intimate quarters than not. The sites for RV / 5th Wheelers are small rock / gravel, which I gather from my mobile home hauling friends is that it is the preferred surface when concrete is not available. 

  While we showed up the last week of the season to encounter that the community pool was closed, apart from this, there really wasn’t a ton of other amenities to speak of although there was a community hall where I understand that group activities like bingo, euchre and other family-friendly games are played. Of course, there were the basics of in-ground fire ring and standard-issued picnic tables. There was a kid’s playground with swingset and teeter-totters that had definitely seen better days. Apart from the main office, which I presume served also as a mini-market and as I understand has both showers and laundry facilities (although I wouldn’t know as it was locked up) there isn’t much here. 

  The few primitive camping sites that do exist here are located on the western side of the property up against the corn fields, which I actually appreciated, and had very good mature trees growing around the area, but one would definitely feel like a ‘second class citizen’ here. As a tent pitcher myself I was absolutely bummed by the lack of privacy, where seemingly you would be on full display for the rest of the RV parking crowd having full view of your campsite. In all, there’s 45 RV slots here with all of the basic hook-ups including water, sewage and 30 / 50 electric amp. By my count, there was 5 or so individual primitive camping sites. And for $22/night for tent camping and $33/night for RV parking, you really can’t beat the prices. 

  Insider’s Tips? Here’s a few: (1) Should you be looking for some place to try out the local fare, while there’s Taste of India (which by the look of the place I would steer you away from), there’s only just a handful of other joints nearby that might be of interest like Saap Saap, a Loatian joint (yeah, I just said that, a Loatian joint in the middle of nowhere, Iowa) that is actually quite good in the little town of West Liberty, which is, ironically, south of here (not west) and offers up a few other culinary finds like JB’s Grub & Pub, Shanghai Chinese, Puebla Mexican Restaurant and El Patio; (2) If you are looking to marinate in some good US history, then you are in luck as there is a museum near here to little known / revered President Herbert Hoover that has a bunch of exhibits and other dusty things; and (3) Should you be wanting to embrace nature, then head west to Hickory Hill Park that offers up some really nice hiking, biking and walking trails on 185 acres of pristine Midwest prairieland. 

  Happy Camping!

• M

  Melissa A.

  Guide

  

  Oct. 24, 2021

  Crossroads RV Park - Iowa

  Nice overnight spot

  This was a nice spot for an overnight stay. The site was a full hookup- electric, water and sewer. I wouldn’t stay longer than an overnight. The sites were close together and very close to a train track.

• 

  Stuart K.

  Legend

  

  Dec. 26, 2024

  Sleepy Hollow

  Short Jog to This Campground Outpost From I80

  If you’re looking for a family-friendly place to pull over for a decent escape to nature, then you may very well want to consider Sleepy Hollow, which is just a few minutes north of I80. Given its proximity to the busy interstate highway, this campground scores high on the convenience factor being EZ on- and off-, but it is just far enough away where you will feel as though you have escaped both the non-stop whir of incessant highway traffic and the unsightly view of a heavily trafficked main roadway. Add on top of this that you’ll find this location is perfectly suitable to the RV crowd as much as it is the tent-pitching bredren that belong to my tribe of outdoor enthusiasts.

  Here at this campground you’ll find RV and 5th Wheel sites offering both pull-thru and back-in sites complete with full hook-ups (water, 30 / 50 amp electric and sewage). There’s 7 tent sites that are very well shaded, have a decent patch of land and include picnic tables, fire pits and scattered stand-up BBQ grills. Whether you have a tent, an RV or not, this campground has a small handful of cozy cabins available to rent that come with running hot & cold water as well as electricity and are located close to the fishing pond. What I enjoyed most with the primitive camping area was the serenity offered by the abundance of new growth Oaks that shaded the place, along with unfettered views of the lake itself. Priceless.

  Sleepy Hollow offers a number of amenities including: ‘catch& release’ pond (both swimming and fishing potential), ball pit, kid’s playground, puppy park, designated dumpsters, fairly decent WiFi, community firepits, general market store, laundr-O-mat, shower facility, pavilion, horseshoes, game room, volleyball and basketball courts, artificial beachhead with swim area and windmills. There’s a lagoon with hundreds of ducks, but depending upon how you look at this, it may or may not be considered an amenity, but if you have kids like I do, it’s a great distraction that offers up a lot of duck-feeding fun.

  Insider’s tips? Here’s a few: (1) If you’re looking for a decent bit of hiking, there’s a nice slice of nature near here at Sleepy Hollow a bit NE called Hawkeye Wildlife Management Area where there’s plenty of trails, shooting ranges and some fairly decent bird watching; (2) When you get tired trying to conjure up that next meal from your cooler or on-board fridge, then head over to nearby Renee’s Roadhouse where this roadside stand serves up standard Americana fare like burgers, sandwiches and wraps. For anything more substantial, you’ll have to take a longer drive east to Iowa City of which I recommend Steak & Shake, Back Berner Bar & Grill or Barrel House; (3) If you’d like to embrace the Amish vibe that exists here in rural Iowa, then head due north to Amana Colonies where you’ll come across hand-made blankets and artisan-crafted cabinetry all while offering you some very warm Midwestern hospitality.

  Happy Camping!

• J

  Jeremy

  Scout

  

  May. 22, 2021

  Big Hollow Recreation Area

  Full Hookup!!!

  This is a great campground. Sites are pretty level and easy to get parked. Full hookup!!! There is a good sized lake that we have kayaked and swam in. The conservation officers are very nice and usually stop by to make sure everything is going great. They continue to improve the campground every year

• 

  Jacob B.

  Guide

  

  Oct. 7, 2020

  Lake Macbride State Park Campground

  A little crowded but very nice!

  This park has two campgrounds. The modern side on the north end of the park with full hookups, and the primitive side on the south side of the park with no electricity or water hookups. Both campgrounds have flushing toilets but only the modern side has showers. All restroom facilities are very well kept. Beautiful park with lots to do! Only thing keeping me from giving it 5 stars is how busy both campgrounds get on weekends and holidays giving you little to no privacy since sites are pretty close together.

• 

  Matthew K.

  Guide

  

  Aug. 1, 2020

  Delabar State Park Campground

  Very nature forward

  Camp ground is a bit different than the rest. You pick out what spot you want and the host will come around to you. No sewer hookups for RVs they do have power stations and water. Have to share water at some spots. It’s about a 5 min drive either way to go fishing. There’s a town close by if you would like to go shopping for supplies. Has a small playground on site very out dated. Every spot looks very nature forwards there’s not very many concrete spots to park on. Plenty of space so your never right next to someone. Not very busy either

• D

  David B.

  Ranger

  

  Jun. 10, 2022

  Camp Nauvoo

  Great value, nice campground

  Camp Nauvoo is a nice, church operated, park only 5 minutes from downtown Nauvoo. We stayed one night on our way to Minnesota. The sites are sunny and all are pull-through.but some have shade. The park streets are gravel with concrete pull-through sites. The park is very quiet. Great value for $32. Full hookups. 

  Stayed in campsite#10 which has no shade. It was a concrete pull-through with more than enough parking for my TT and truck and grass on either side. The site included: picnic table. Utilities were located in different spots. 20A/30A/50A electric in the middle, water near the rear, and sewer near the front. Site was level. No neighbor on passenger/awning side. 

  AT&T had 3 bars of LTE and Verizon 1 bar of LTE service. AT&T Speedtest: 56.8 Mbps down, 9.3 Mbps up. Free WiFi available, but I had trouble connecting. 

  If you are southbound on Illinois Hwy 96, the left turn off the highway is very sharp and steep. Might be easier to continue about a mile south and use the scenic turnout to turnaround. It is a pull-through turnout. Then, turn off the highway on the right.

  Would stay here again. We camped at Camp Nauvoo in a Travel Trailer.

• 

  Jeremy B.

  Guide

  

  Jul. 20, 2023

  Lake Macbride State Park Campground

  Not Too Shabby

  Pros:

  • clean bathrooms
  • good Starlink north clearing (site 13)
  • right next to trails
  • quiet
  • pretty level sites

  Cons

  • bugs (actually had a hornets nest in my electrical plug-in compartment)
  • showers had to be continually pushed to keep rolling
• 

  Todd C.

  Traveler

  

  Jul. 6, 2021

  Little Bear Campground

  Perfect for overnight camping

  Very cute campground right off highway. I called while traveling and Mike was very accommodating. Full hookups and showers. Even got a pool. Gas station nearby full of character.

• 

  Greg K.

  Guide

  

  May. 16, 2024

  Lacey-Keosauqua State Park

  Beautiful park

  Nice drive in gorgeous country. 23$ site without water 28 w/ water 35 full hookups. Decent showers nice playground for kids lakeside spots as well. The host sells firewood and 2 sizes of ice. Cheap too. Walking trails nearby.

• 

  Sam H.

  Guide

  

  Nov. 16, 2023

  Rodeo Park

  Perfect for a work trip

  I stayed at the RV section right next to the rodeo arena. Full hookups for only $20 per night with a self-service registration box. I forgot to count but looked like maybe 20 spots max. I was here mid-November in town for work and there was no more than four other campers at any point. Pretty basic surroundings though. There's barrel trash cans, didn't see a dumpster. Didn't see any toilet or shower buildings. Hardly any trees near the sites. Decent playground close by though, and a heavily wooded park with trails beyond that.

• C

  Christoph R.

  Guide

  

  Oct. 29, 2020

  Amana RV Park & Event Center

  Functional but Barren

  The campground is great for RVs and anybody who has a setup that doesn't rely on shaded areas. They hosts had a super efficient hygiene protocol to get you to your spot. Campground is a nice bike ride away from the Amana villages and overall a great base camp

• A

  Alan K.

  Scout

  

  Sep. 23, 2021

  West Overlook Campground

  Great Fall location

  We stayed in campsite W44, a very level site with a great view of the lake.