76 campgrounds · Check availability for any dates.
Camping in Carroll County, Iowa encompasses a variety of options from state parks to county-operated facilities. Swan Lake State Park Campground serves as the area's primary developed camping destination, offering both electric sites and full-hookup options for RVs. Several campgrounds within a 30-mile radius provide additional choices, including Spring Lake County Park in Jefferson and The Hausbarn Heritage Park with its historical attractions. Most locations accommodate tent camping and RVs, while several properties including Swan Lake and Spring Lake also feature cabin rentals for those seeking more sheltered accommodations.
Most campgrounds in the region operate seasonally from mid-April through October, with limited year-round options. Swan Lake State Park follows a typical Iowa state park season, closing for camping between October 31st and April 15th. "The bathrooms while nice had no working showers, they had showers but no way to turn on the water," noted one camper about Swan Lake, highlighting the importance of confirming amenity functionality before arrival. Cell service varies significantly across the region, with Springbrook State Park visitors reporting complete disconnection from networks. Water access represents a common feature, with many campgrounds situated near lakes or rivers that support fishing, kayaking, and other water activities.
Campers consistently mention the peaceful lake settings as a primary draw to the region's campgrounds. Swan Lake features a paved walking trail circling the water, frisbee golf, fishing piers, and swimming areas that appeal to families. The region's campgrounds vary in layout and privacy levels, with some visitors noting that certain campgrounds feel more oriented toward RV camping than tent camping. As one visitor to Swan Lake mentioned, "Beautiful park with playgrounds, swim beach, frisbee golf, paved trail, many fishing bars, and more." Sites with water views tend to receive the highest ratings, though weekend crowding can be an issue during summer months. Most developed campgrounds provide basic amenities including restrooms, picnic tables, and fire rings, while full-service RV sites typically offer water, electric, and sometimes sewer hookups with dump stations available for others.
"If there was a tent only location, I didn't see it. Those in campers that need water and electricity are regulated to gravel 'parking lot' sites."
"Great trail all the way around the lake, we took a bike ride around it was about 3 ish miles. Camp host was a gem. Bathrooms were very clean! Great view of the lake."
from $10 - $18 / night
Check Availability"You can camp at the waters’ edge. We love to fish and can fish off the back of our RV. Most sites are spacious, some a bit smaller."
from $150 / night
Check Availability"Park is right next to the lake. Beautiful lake. Pretty busy with lots of campers. Nice walking path around the lake."
"Beautiful view of the lake! Multiple options of camping sites. Clean RR and showers. Nice area!"
from $15 - $36 / night
Check Availability"Utility location did require us to use a longer hose and extension cord to reach from our site. Nice town and trails for biking nearby. "
from $16 - $50 / night
Check Availability"There are campsites along the lake with easy access to shoreline. There are approximately 100 sites. There is a playground and disc golf. There is a roller rink and a concession stand."
"Plenty of camping spaces, some right next to the lake. Swimming area, concession stand, boat rentals, and even a skating rink on the weekends. My favorite childhood camping spot."
from $20 / night
Check Availability"Pros: Not a far drive from Des Moines, but still quite remote
-Lots of nice hiking trails
-Easy access to large, mostly clean modern bathrooms
-The lake is a peaceful spot to spend the early mornings"
"You’ll love this little park if you want to really disconnect and get away from things as there was absolutely 0 cell reception where we were at."
from $14 - $200 / night
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GuideSome sites are amazing and others are interesting in the fact that guy almost have to share a site with others bc your spots face one another. The hosts are Amazing and even though there were quite a few people here it stayed quiet
GuideWe came in really late on a Saturday night and were the only ones here. Cons: women’s bathroom was inoperable and men’s was locked; sites aren’t numbered or differentiated that I could tell at 2am. Pros: green & shady in places, nice park, lots of grass. Parked under two shady trees in what I thought was a spot, paid the $10 and slept in the car as usual.
ScoutWe stay here as much as we can. There is lots of trees with a bit of shade at most all sites. You can camp at the waters’ edge. We love to fish and can fish off the back of our RV. Most sites are spacious, some a bit smaller. It only has electric hook ups, but you can fill up with a hose at water sites. Has a dump spot by bathrooms. Bath and toilets are clean. Over Al this camp is our favorite!
TravelerNice little city park camping area in Adair, Iowa. Basically 3-5 spots in the city park next to a bath house with showers! and a playground. We were the only campers that night (a Saturday). The town's main street is being repaved, so our little city park road was the main detour road, so we had a bit of traffic off and on. We drove about 10 miles down the road to Casey for ice cream and they have a similar city park camping area. It looked a bit nicer and we considered moving but decided to stay in Adair since we'd already paid our $10 (didn't need electric) and were pretty settled. Overall, a nice spot for a quick overnighter.
LegendSmall campground in a city park in Adair Iowa. Adair is known for its water tower with a big yellow smiley face painted on it. There is a lot of charmed to this town.
There is a number of spots in this city campground with electric hook ups. It’s kind of confusing where each site is, however. There are way more hookups than it seems there is room for actual vehicles.
Unfortunately, when I was there, there was some road construction happening, and the traffic was being diverted through the park. So there was more traffic than is probably usual.
Only two other campers spent the night while I was here. Super cute downtown and had a malted milkshake at the local ice cream store. Overall, a great spot to spend the night. $20 for electric hook up and there is a dump station as well.
LegendBeautiful campground on a man-made lake in Iowa. Very sparsely populated in the middle of the week even during the month of June.
A wonderful bike trail circumvent the lake. About 4 miles long.
The sites are pretty close together. For my first two nights I had no neighbors but then on my final night I was surrounded on all sides by a group that was camping together. Hard to escape their campfire, smoke and normal conversation voices.
I ended up staying an extra day because there were tornado warnings in the area. I was awoken at 6 AM to a tornado warning alarm and had to take shelter in the campground restroom. Thankfully, the restrooms were very clean and spacious. Good bonding experience with my fellow campers.
GuideWe were coming into town for the College World Series and intended to stay at Arrowhead. I called ahead and talked to a kind gentleman who let me know that Arrowhead would likely be full, but the fairgrounds would surely have space. With 24-hour self check-in, it was a perfect solution. Twenty-five minutes from Omaha and full, pull-through hook ups made this a solid stop over.
ScoutHad the entire campground to myself on a holiday weekend. Chose an 30$ site for the shade but the electric was for 50 amp RV with no 110 plug. Very clean and quite
TravelerLake Anita State Park is beautiful! Large expanse of green in a hilly terrain. Sites are open but roomy and many new trees have been planted to eventually provide shade. Ranger came through periodically to check on all. People come to fish off the shoreline. Nice shower and bath house nearby. Huge storm came through last night!
Campgrounds near Carroll, Iowa offer accessible Midwest outdoor experiences across rural rolling terrain. Camping options in the region typically sit at elevations between 1,100-1,300 feet above sea level with moderate summer temperatures averaging 75-85°F during peak camping months. Many campsites feature proximity to smaller lakes and the North Raccoon River with seasonal wildflower blooms from April through September.
Hiking trails: Spring Lake County Park features a network of walking paths around its central lake. "We were lucky and got a spot right along the lake. This park is peaceful... Bike/hiking trail, disc golf, kayak/paddle boat rentals, swimming beach, historic roller skating rink, playgrounds and more—something for everyone to enjoy!" reports Kimberly M.
Roller skating: A unique recreation option at Spring Lake County Park during the summer season. "There is a roller rink and a concession stand. This is a very busy campground in the summer," explains Dave M. The rink operates "from Memorial Day through Labor Day every year," according to Jeannie D.
Nature education: Springbrook State Park Campground offers environmental learning opportunities. "They had a little nature center which was closed but the nice lady opened it for my kids to go in and let them hold snakes and turtles! They were so excited!" shares Therese T.
Disconnected experience: Springbrook State Park provides a true technology-free camping experience. "You'll love this little park if you want to really disconnect and get away from things as there was absolutely 0 cell reception where we were at," notes Jesse P.
Lakeside camping spots: Many campsites near Carroll offer water views. At Swan Lake State Park Campground, RN P. recommends, "Electric only sites are small and spaced out well. Most have level drive perfect for sm camper or suv camping. Grass has slope, but I think you can find a good enough place for tent, I did. I enjoyed the privacy of lake-front site J."
Paved recreation trails: Swan Lake State Park features accessible walking paths. "We stayed one night, beautiful park! Great trail all the way around the lake, we took a bike ride around it was about 3 ish miles," notes Shane T.
Water recreation options: Spring Lake County Park offers multiple water-based activities. "Awesome open air roller skating rink and nightly grilling parties at the beach," mentions Jodi H., while another camper highlights the "swimming beach, concession stand, boat rentals."
Historical attractions: The Hausbarn Heritage Park campground offers cultural exploration alongside camping. Lee D. explains, "Nearby is a 350-year-old authentic German Hausbarn, brought over from Germany, where you can learn about life in Germany in the 1600s. It is across the street from the beautiful Trinity Lutheran Church and there is a historical farmstead nearby."
Bathroom limitations: Facility hours and conditions vary significantly between campgrounds. At The Hausbarn Heritage Park, "the bathrooms are closed from 9 pm-9 am! If you are not in a self-contained RV, this could be problematic," warns Lee D.
Site privacy varies: Campgrounds like Thirty Acres Campground offer waterfront views but may have limited site separation. As one camper noted about another campsite near Carroll, "there is no physical separation between sites."
Seasonal availability: Most campgrounds operate from mid-April through October with limited winter camping options. Carroll County Richey Access and many county parks close for camping during winter months.
Cell service challenges: Communication can be difficult at some campgrounds. A Springbrook visitor notes, "No cell reception, which could be a 'con' but we like that it forces us to unplug." Another mentions, "We have Verizon & AT&T and had no service. This is the first place we have been to without voice service (other doesn't matter). Just a bit worrisome in case of emergency."
Playground options: Several campgrounds offer children's play areas with varying quality. At Springbrook, "Nice playground, volleyball net, basketball court. Picnic tables and fire rings," notes Kandace F.
Water activities: Multiple recreational options keep children engaged during summer months. Taylor A. describes Spring Lake: "Very nice park you can pull your rig right up to the lake there is fishing and hiking. Can rent kayaks paddle boats you name this place is a nice quiet place to camp."
Educational opportunities: Some campgrounds offer nature programs. At Springbrook State Park, camp staff sometimes provide animal encounters that children enjoy, as mentioned by one family who had rangers open the nature center specially for their kids.
Consider timing: For quieter experiences with children, avoid peak season at certain campgrounds. "This is a very busy campground in the summer. There are reservable sites on mycountyparks.com," advises Dave M. about Spring Lake County Park.
Utility placement: Camp Crescent Park requires planning for hookups. "Utility location did require us to use a longer hose and extension cord to reach from our site," notes Bruce P., who adds that the campground offers "Many types of sites available from full hook to dry camping. Some paved but most are gravel sites."
Site selection strategy: Optimal RV sites fill quickly at popular parks. As one camper noted about Springbrook, "Most packed side by side, back to back. The few good sites are continually reserved."
Dump station timing: Plan for potential delays at limited facilities. "1 dump, long wait," reports a Springbrook visitor, while Spring Lake recently features an "updated two-way fresh-fill/sanitary dump station."
Holiday preparation: Higher occupancy affects camping quality during peak times. One Camp Crescent visitor notes the park "Gets busy on the holidays and some areas are pretty tight if your pulling a large unit. The camp staff was fantastic at managing the holiday traffic and keeping the bathrooms clean."
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular campground near Carroll, IA?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular campground near Carroll, IA is Swan Lake State Park Campground with a 4-star rating from 3 reviews.
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