Best Tent Camping near Cantril, IA

Recent Tent Reviews near Cantril, IA

133 Reviews of 11 Cantril Campgrounds

• L

  Lisa M.

  Scout

  

  Aug. 12, 2021

  Big Hollow Recreation Area

  Nice simple place for tent camping

  We tent camped here a few weeks ago and it was pretty nice. You self check in and cost is only $10/night for primitive. They don’t have electric or water hookups for tent camping which was ok for us. It was easy to find and quiet. The only downside is the lake was filled with algae. So if you’re wanting to fish or swim, this isn’t the place for you! There’s a gun range, horse farm, playground, bathrooms, and even a place to use a few telescopes to see the stars!

• J

  Jeri B.

  Scout

  

  Sep. 27, 2020

  Geode State Park Campground

  Relaxing

  Grew up camping here every summer! Nice tent sites and good hiking!

• 

  Dani K.

  Guide

  

  May. 31, 2017

  Lake Darling State Park Campground

  Favorite Childhood Site

  The Lake has been recently drained and refilled. The new trails around the lake are so wonderful. Electric and tent sites. Brand new five season cabins. Great all year round!

• K

  Keri B.

  Guide

  

  Sep. 5, 2022

  Thousand Hills State Park Campground

  Very clean and well kept

  I stayed one night for an activity at the state park the following day. The shower houses had individual, private, large, and very clean facilities. It was not crowded at all. Campground #2 was the smaller of the two campgrounds. The spots seemed more fitting for RV’s vs tent but there were a couple of tents. I slept in my van so it wasn’t an issue for me. I may reconsider visiting this park for tent camping.

• 

  Frank H.

  Guide

  

  Jul. 22, 2024

  Hickory Haven Campground

  Great Tent Camping

  Level grass tent sites. Shade of trees. Electric outlets at sites. Water accessible. Bath house kept very clean. Plenty of hot water for showers. Picnic table & fire ring at site. Economical. Laundry. Ice bags available. Picnic shelter with sides, 3 picnic tables, small mini fridge, electric lights & outlets, ceiling fan, portable fan, water and deep sink available for campers to use.

• 

  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

• 

  Dave N.

  Guide

  

  Jul. 14, 2020

  Indian Lake Park

  Beautiful

  This park has something for everyone. They have primitive tent sites, electric only, electric+water, and fhu. They also have cabins for rent. All very reasonably priced. Most of the sites are nice and shady and level. A bathhouse with showers. A stone lodge for large parties. There is a playground, a few nice hiking trails, and a lake with a nice sandy beach. Almost empty during the week, but very busy on summer weekends. Hiking,fishing, swimming, kayaking,bird watching. There are many things to keep you busy here.

• T

  Tracy J.

  Guide

  

  Sep. 3, 2020

  Waubonsie Trail Park

  Iowa Gem!

  Cute little RV/tent campground. Very nice hosts. Only stayed 1 night. Definitely on the 'let's go back' list. Waubonsie trail behind park is a short hike to the covered bridge and Dutchman's Store. Perfect Way to stretch your legs after a long day on the road. Bathrooms and showers were exceptionally clean. Horseshoe pit, playground and campfire swing area were nice surprises. All for under $20 for electric RV site! Great campground for a small group event.

• j

  john S.

  Guide

  

  Jun. 14, 2018

  Union Ridge Conservation Area

  Union Ridge Conservation Area

  As a Conservation Area, it has very limited amenities. Only primitive camping is allowed on or immediately adjacent to the parking areas. Having said that, the CA is large consisting of over 8,000 acres. There are hiking trails throughout the CA that connect to the parking areas of which there a quite a number. In addition, two of the parking areas are noteworthy and clearly marked on the materials on the Missouri Department of Conservation web side regarding this CA. One has bathroom facilities and large grassy areas suitable for tent camping along with fire pits. The other has a boat ramp for access to a small lovely lake in addition to bathroom facilities. I'm giving this 3 starts primarily because the camping is limited and the location is somewhat remote. If you're ok with the primitive camping and don't mind the drive to get there, it would be nice.

• 

  Matt S.

  Legend

  

  Aug. 13, 2016

  Lacey-Keosauqua State Park

  Lacey-Keosauqua State Park - My 2 cents

  Lacey-Keosaqua State Park is a gem located in Southeast Iowa in Van Buren County. It is off the beaten path but it is one of oldest Iowa State Parks. The Park and campground are well maintained and clean. We visited over Labor Day weekend and the park was only two-thirds full. It was a variety of Tent campers and RV's. The camp sites are spaced really well so you don't feel like you are on top of one another. They have electric and non-electric sites and the shower is very clean. There are almost 80 sites in the campground.

  Don't miss the hiking trails and the Beach House and swimming lake. Don't miss lake Sugema, the Indian Mounds or the Ely Ford Mormon Trail crossing.

• 

  Matt S.

  Legend

  

  Sep. 24, 2016

  Honey Creek State Park Campground

  Ranger Review: Goal Zero Light House 250 at Honey Creek State Park

  Campground Review: Honey Creek State Park is on Rathbun Lake, a very popular place to boat, fish and camp in Southern Iowa. We camped in the Group Campground with out Boy Scout Troop. We pulled into camp after dark and between the headlights of our vehicles and our lanterns (My Goal Zero Light House 250) we set up camp in the dark.

  We explored the campground, there were some nice trails and nice spots to camp. The bathrooms were clean but they were a little bit of a walk from the Group Site. The weather was great and the bugs weren't bad. I would recommend Honey Creek State Park.

  Ranger Review: The Goal Zero Light House 250 is a nice lantern. I give it 4 out of 5 stars. The light settings are perfect. You can use half of the lantern or the full lamp power. You can adjust the lighting power by turning the knob on the front. It can be charged with a wall charger, a solar panel, or the green hand crank on top of the lantern.

  We used it when setting our tent up in the dark and it did a good job. At 250 lumens it is just the right amount of light to let you see what you need with out blinding you in the dark. We did not start a campfire that night, instead we placed the Goal Zero Light House 250 on the ground and we surrounded the lantern with our camp chairs as if it was a camp fire. We were up for three hours talking and never did the lantern light weaken.

  I like this light. It is too heavy and bulky for backpacking but it is great for car camping. There is a smaller model but I don't know if it will work for backpacking.

• 

  Amanda B.

  Traveler

  

  May. 12, 2024

  Donnelson Unit - White Oak Campground — Shimek State Forest

  Peaceful Paradise

  Nice little campground in Iowa. We stayed for three nights, there's vault toilets, and the fire rings are tiered and really nice. It's wooded and tucked away. There's a lot of nice little trails and a couple lakes. There's a $10 a night fee on the honor system so I would not consider it free. We would come back.

• 

  Travis R.

  Guide

  

  Nov. 17, 2024

  Lower Augusta Skunk River Access

  Great campsite

  Campsite is directly next to the river. Most sites have power but there are a few tent sits as well (those are right on the river). We'll maintained vault toilets. Site has a shared spicket.

• 

  Bradley H.

  Ranger

  

  Jul. 25, 2022

  Wildcat Springs Park

  Wildcat Creek Campground, Hamilton , Illinois

  Wildcat is a very nice campground operated by the City of Hamilton, Illinois. Campground has only 17 RV slots of various sizes. We had room to put our 32 foot fifth wheel and room to park our truck alongside. Ours was one of a couple of sites large enough to handle our size.

  Their website says the nightly fee is $15 for tents and $25 fir RV. When we arrived we were informed that it had gone up to $20 fir tent and $30 for RV.

  Service excludes electricity of 30 and 50 amp. Water is also available at each site. A dump station is on site.

  Also on site is a very nice public pool and interesting Disc Golf course.

  Very quite and peaceful surroundings. Just a half mile off of the Mississippi River.

  We will definitely return here when we get back to the area.

• R

  Robert F.

  Traveler

  

  Nov. 5, 2019

  Lake Darling State Park Campground

  Beautiful getaway

  We stayed on the primative group side of the lake.  There is a small pond that we were able to let some of our scouts get started in kayaks and canoes before getting into the main lake.  Great fishing and walking paths.  Iowa has done a great job fixing up this area.  The cabins are small but clean.

• 

  Jon L.

  Guide

  

  Sep. 8, 2020

  Thousand Hills State Park Campground

  Fun Labor Day weekend

  Thousand Hills SP was great. Huge swim beach, lots of trails, pavilions, playground equipment and beautiful views. Park has a full service marina where you can rent kayaks or fill your boat with gas. It also has a restaurant. Restaurant was not a little more upscale. I wouldn’t show up in flip flops and swim trunks. If you don’t have a RV or tent there are cabins to rent as well.

• 

  Travis R.

  Guide

  

  Nov. 18, 2024

  Big Hollow Recreation Area

  Full Featured Camping

  This site has a large number of mostly cement camper spots, including pull through. There is a large playground and shower house. Primitive camping for single or group spots. Campgrounds also include a shooting range, beach, equestrian trails, canoe rentals, and launch, and I saw a sign for primitive cabins, though I didn't have time to check those out. This is the .most full service camp site that I have seen in Iowa so far.

• 

  Matt S.

  Legend

  

  Sep. 29, 2016

  COE Rathbun Lake Buck Creek

  Buck Creek is a solid campground on the west side of Rathbun Lake

  Buck Creek is operated by the Army Corps of Engineers and is one of several campgrounds on Lake Rathbun. There are a lot of campsites with plenty of views of the lake. The campground is clean but needs to be updated.

  If you have an RV, or camper, or you prefer to sleep in a tent, there are plenty of sites that would accommodate you. This is a nice campground.

• 

  Desiree R.

  Guide

  

  Apr. 15, 2019

  Ottumwa City Park

  Camping in town

  This camp ground is smack dab in the middle of town. But once you're inside the campground surrounded by others it's hard to tell. You do hear quite a bit of traffic but depending on where your site is, you may not see it. I was disappointed when after years and years we were told we can no longer have a tent on your site with your camper. We would have to have our family members camp in a different part of the park.

• 

  Jason C.

  Ranger

  

  Sep. 20, 2018

  Thousand Hills State Park Campground

  Great state park.

  Nice calm lake great for swimming, fishing, canoeing, kayaking, and small motored boats. There are several trails, picnic areas, and play areas for kids. Campground 2 is small and quite with clean shower/bathrooms. Camground 2 Site 58 is a joined drive with no tent space, however you get an isolated area, and has an uneven pad for camper. It has a large patio and picnic table. Campground 1 is much larger with several great sites.

• 

  Crystal B.

  Traveler

  

  Sep. 18, 2020

  Thousand Hills State Park Campground

  A great getaway

  I’ve camped here in a tent as well as a travel trailer and it’s great either way! Nice camping spots, generally a very quiet campground. The campsites are a bit of a hike from the lake but there is lots to do when you get there. Paddle boats, a beach, several playgrounds for kids, fishing, a marina and a great restaurant. There are several different trails you can hike or bike.
  A great and affordable place to stay in north Missouri.

• 

  Matt S.

  Legend

  

  Sep. 24, 2016

  Prairie Ridge

  Prairie Ridge has some nice wild flowers and a good view of Lake Rathbun

  Lake Rathbun is a destination for boaters and campers in the State of Iowa. The Army Corps of Engineers operates and maintains several facilities around the lake. Prairie Ridge campground is one of those facilities.

  The campsites are good. They have a fire pit, a place to hang food to keep away from raccoons, electricity, and a nice gravel pad for your vehicle or camper. It has modern toilets and some of the campsites have a nice overlook of the lake.

  What stands out at this campground is the prairie grass and all of the wild flowers. It is a nice weekend getaway.

• 

  Matt S.

  Legend

  

  Sep. 24, 2016

  Island View Campground — Lake Rathbun

  Island View has nice views of Rathbun Lake

  Rathbun Lake is a destination for boaters and campers in the State of Iowa. The Army Corps of Engineers operates and maintains several facilities around the lake. Island View campground has some really nice views of the lake.

  Island View campground is clean. The sites are pretty open, there are trees but there is also a lot of open space. The park has a nice play set for kids and there are baseball fields nearby.

  This is a great place to go if you like to boat. There are three different boat ramps in the park.

• 

  Matt S.

  Legend

  

  Sep. 29, 2016

  Honey Creek Resort

  If you like camping and golf you need to stay at Honey Creek Resort

  Honey Creek resort has everything. Golf, nice dining, camping, boating, and lots of fun. This resort has RV camping and beautiful cabins. It is a State owned facility but don't confuse it with Honey Creek State Park (which is also a nice park, you can read my review on thedyrt.com).

  If you are looking for a place to pitch your tent and hike go to Honey Creek State Park. If you want luxury camping with cabins and 9 holes of golf, Honey Creek Resort is for you. It is not cheap but it is a nice place to plan a short vacation of relaxing fun.

• M

  Mia L.

  Guide

  

  Jun. 27, 2019

  Honey Creek Resort

  Not your typical RV site

  Honey Creek resort run by the state of Iowa (not to be confused with Honey Creek State Park nearby) is not your typical camping spot. There is a resort hotel with an indoor waterpark, cabins for rent, and an RV Park. The hotel and the RV park are right on the lake. Rathbun is maybe the nicest lake in Iowa (I would say Okoboji, however that has become an overcrowded mess). 

  The RV sites: There are not many of them, 20 I think. But they are all paved, level, full hook ups, spacious, with a view of the lake. I don't even think we exchanged harsh words setting up it was so easy. ;)  There are even a couple sites on the side that have equipment for fall hunters. Trees around the RV area, but not in. Fire ring and picnic table. The boat ramp is at one end of the RV area, so people may drive through with boats. Playground a short walk away on a path, but not right in the RV area. 

  Indoor waterpark: Probably geared to the 4-10 crowd. Only one bigger slide, lazy river, hot tub, pool with some balance platforms and a rope and a basketball hoop. Then a small kiddie pool with a pirate ship structure with some small slides and some fountains. Not a ton to do, however when we were there it rained for an entire day so that was very handy. Snackbar that serves booze. 

  Lake: one of the biggest in the state, not too busy as it is 2 hours from Des Moines so not a lot of day traffic (unlike Saylorville and Red Rock). Boat rentals available. 

  Resort hotel: I haven't been in the guest rooms. There is a lobby, restaurant/bar. I have not eaten at the restaurant. There is a little shop with necessities and firewood. There is a nature program where you can check out backpacks for kids to explore nature. Grounds are nice and lush, paths for walking and biking. There's a golf course.

• M

  Mitch C.

  Traveler

  

  Jul. 3, 2018

  Honey Creek State Park Campground

  Site 95 - South Loop

  Honey Creek State Park is located on the north side of Rathbun Lake in southern Iowa. Boat ramp at the park is large (6 lanes) with several docks to assist loading and unloading. Location is about 10 minute drive from Honey Creek Resort which provides a nice 18 hole golf course, water park, and restaurant.

  Shower house / bathroom was very clean. Camping site contained a few trees so we were able to string up a tarp to provide shade and protect firewood and furniture from rain. We were there the week before the 4th of July and during the week, there were only about 6 other campers there. The weekend was a bit busier but still sites to be had. Be careful driving around the park as I don't think there was a day we didn't see at least 8 deer wandering around the campsite or near roads.

  Nice park - would definitely stay there again.

• 

  Annie C.

  Legend

  

  Jul. 24, 2018

  Canton City River Park

  On the Mighty Mississippi River

  I tried to camp here, but it was closed temporarily due to high water on the Mississippi River. In fact, part of the the campground road was under water. However, I was able to check it out and talk with a city worker who was mowing the empty campground. This is a primarily RV campground next to the Mighty Mississippi, with all spots having nice gravel parking pads, hookups, and great views of the river. The worker told me that tents are welcome, but not what they usually have show up. There is no dump station. Bathrooms were porta-potties (it wasn’t clear if this was the permanent bathroom situation because of the river flood potential or temporary), and there were no showers. There was a nice playground in the middle of the campground. Just up the road a short walk is the lock and dam that you can visit with interpretive signs and nice benches to sit on while you watch the barges go through the locks.