Looking for the best campgrounds near Carter Lake, IA? There are tons of hikes and other fun activities to partake in, as well as sights to see and explore. You're sure to find the perfect campground for your Carter Lake camping trip.
$10 - $50 / night
"The tent campsites are close together in the campground all of them have fire rings with grates. There is a vault toliet just up from the site."
"Hitchcock Nature Center is north of Crescent, IA and just let outside Omaha, NE. A short drive from the city and you are in the Loess Hills that were explored by Lewis and Clark on their trek west."
"Our family and another family shared a primitive tent site near the back of the park. We were first and foremost impressed with the freedom we had in choosing our site."
"Sites were gravel, with a picnic table, fire ring, and electrical hookup. Our site was well shaded with trees."
"The campground itself was fine and very convenient in location to vIsIt famIly."
"Not only was it paved, but also had a huge patio with a table and Adirondack chairs, and a fire pit with additional seating."
$25 - $475 / night
"Picked up our pull-behind and drove straight here on a recommendation from the dealer. Great location, pretty grounds."
"Mahoney State Park. There are challenging trails overlooking the Platte River and railroad line. Bring your camera."
$25 - $330 / night
"Tents, cabins and RV camping. Toilets, showers, fire rings. There is a small lake with paddle boats and kayaks for rent. They have a pool and dining hall for rent."
"Love Platte River State park. Lots to do, especially fun for kids. Cute cabins. Camp sites are decent and bathrooms are clean."
$80 / night
"It’s flat and easy for young kids to bike around all the different lakes(ponds). Plus the Platte river is right there too that adds a great ambient sound. Lots of cottonwood trees for shade."
"Playgrounds are old, but kids had a blast"
$30 / night
"Goldenrod is one of 6 campgrounds at Twin Rivers State Park. Half of this campground has electric and half has none. It is right next to lake 4 with some beach access."
"Very nice camp sites and playgrounds for children nice clean fishing lakes and river access."
$30 / night
"The state Rec Park is by both the Elkhorn and Platte rivers, thus it’s name, Two Rivers."
"State park with many amenities! River and small lake fishing as well. No wifi, good T-Mobile cell service"
$35 / night
"This is a small campground a little ways before you get to lakeside campground. These spots are electric with fire pits and picnic tables. It is near the road and the dump station is in view."
"Great spot but no wifi"
LegendTents, cabins and RV camping. Toilets, showers, fire rings. There is a small lake with paddle boats and kayaks for rent. They have a pool and dining hall for rent. Tons od trails and many of them a taylored to mountain biking. There are 2 types of cabins, basic that has a bed amd refrigerator. Then there are luxury glamping cabins.
GuideOur family and another family shared a primitive tent site near the back of the park. We were first and foremost impressed with the freedom we had in choosing our site. Tent camping here is non-reservable, but once you enter the park, you may choose from any spots containing a fire pit outside of RV loops. Tent sites range from lake-front, to playground side, to more private sites on the outer rim of the park. We chose a large, private site at the back of the park. This site was well maintained and had enough space to easily accommodate two families of four. We even had a picnic shelter all to ourselves. Our site was lined by woods and farmland and had a good view of a small pond. The night was full of exciting animal noises from both the nearby farm and pond. Vault toilets were a short walk away with clean shower facilities just a few loops away. The kids enjoyed riding bikes up and down gravel roads, looking for frogs, and playing on the playground. Canoe and paddle boat rental is extremely reasonable. Hiking trails near the park entrance are rugged. The staff was incredibly kind and easy-going, yet attentive. Just a short drive from neighboring towns, this is a good starter campground for families with younger kids. We hope to return in winter to check out the camping cabins.
GuideLove Platte River State park. Lots to do, especially fun for kids. Cute cabins. Camp sites are decent and bathrooms are clean. Lots of hiking on well maintained trails, the pool is usually pretty busy on weekends.
ScoutIf you enjoy some extra comforts, rent one of the train cabooses which feature a small kitchen, bathroom, AC and beds with mattresses. Our kids loved the lofted full sized bed (but we kicked them to the bunk beds). There are charcoal grills outside, a close by swimming area, and lots of space to wander.
GuideIt is a nice spot a bit off of the main roads. Many of the tent sites allow you to camp right next to the lake. It's generally pretty quiet and people respect the 10 pm quiet hours rule. Each site has a picnic table and fire ring.
LegendPlatte River State Park is a beautiful, full service park with plenty of amenities. There are playgrounds and a splash pad for the kids, canoe rentals, and plenty of trails to hike or bike. Sites are concrete pads with full hookups and include a fire ring and picnic table. The campground also has a bathroom and dog park. 5 bars of AT&T @ 120Mbps!
LegendThe tent campsites are close together in the campground all of them have fire rings with grates. There is a vault toliet just up from the site. There are also a lot of hike in sites that are equiped with a fire ring, no bathrooms though. Tons of hiking trails ranging from hard to easy. Plenty of RV spots and they have cabins
RangerHitchcock Nature Center is north of Crescent, IA and just let outside Omaha, NE. A short drive from the city and you are in the Loess Hills that were explored by Lewis and Clark on their trek west. The is a $3 day use pass or a $20 yearly pass available.
This place has a lot to offer anyone. They have Nature education events, archery range, a handicapped accessible boardwalk trail, hiking trails, camping, etc. There are miles of trail available with backcountry camping available for $10 per night. RV camping is also available for $15 per night with electric, showers/bathrooms, picnic tables, fire rings, etc. They also offer a couple cabins for rent.
The hiking is fantastic and offers something for every skill level. There are absolutely gorgeous views of the Missouri River valley below. All trails are marked and the a multiple different trailheads, many which start around the visitors center/tower Overlook. During the winter they even over snowshoeing events. It is really a nice place to get outdoors anytime of the year.
LegendStayed one night on Sept 4. Camped at site 35 in the non-equestrian campground; non-electric fee $15. Parked van on the grass at this site. Like nearly all of the sites in this campground, this site was close to the campground road. Overall, I felt that the campsites were all bunched together - offering no privacy and spacing between sites. The shower house was closed during our visit. Water was also turned off at the wayer pumps in the campground. There was one single vault toilet available for all of the campers; it was reasonably clean. Wayne, the campground host, was nice & helpful. There is a self-serve firewood station in the campground; cost is either $5 or $10, depending on the amount of wood you purchase. The campsites have a picnic table & metal fire ring. I wasn't too pleased with this campground, but I was very happy with the nearby hiking trails within the park. It's a pretty state park with hills & lush forest. The day use areas looked great. I recommend those traveling along I-29 to stop at this park - not necessarily for the camping, but for the hiking. Had some T-Mobile 4G service.
Cabin camping near Carter Lake, Iowa, offers a fantastic way to immerse yourself in nature while enjoying the comforts of home. With a variety of campgrounds featuring cabins, you can find the perfect spot for a relaxing getaway.
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According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular cabin campground near Carter Lake, IA is Hitchcock County Nature Center with a 4.7-star rating from 29 reviews.
TheDyrt.com has all 20 cabin camping locations near Carter Lake, IA, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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