Best Cabin Camping near Castana, IA

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. 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.

Scenic Park Campground is in South Sioux City along the Missouri River. Our campsite had a river view, picnic table, and fire ring. The campground is part of a large park and was full hookups with cable and wifi included. Our site was a pull through. The area was clean and had a nice appearance. There was also 4 unique modern looking cabins and a tent area.

The park also has tennis courts, soccer fields, and baseball fields. There is a swimming pool and playgrounds, along with trails. The trails I loved were along the river. The only con was that There was a major highway on the other side of the river and ambulances would pass by with sirens going. Otherwise a nice campground.

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. 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.

Planned to stay for the weekend to test out new tent but storms came through & we left after one night. Basic campground in shady area under trees. We did not get an electric hookup. Ground was mostly dirt not grass on our site & mostly dry. Large trees provided shade which helped as very hot & humid. We were next to a ravine but with plenty of bug spray did not get many bites. Hiked the Bear & Buffalo trails. Campground very quiet though a few people came & went. Washrooms are very basic & chose not to use shower. The Park Ranger did check on us & advise on weather conditions. Picnic table & fire pit were fine. Got only 1 bar signal on both Verizon & AT&T. No WiFi. Overall basic, woody/shaded. Good for short stay.

We stopped here for the night during our road trip. We were not sure we would even get a spot due to the July 4th Holiday. We found a primitive spot that had a fire ring and picnic table. It was very shady however the campsites are super close to each other and unfortunately the spots were quickly filled. The bathroom was so gross and the shower did not spray. It ran down the wall and I had to get really creative with washing my hair. It served its purpose, shoes were definitely left on while in the shower, and I guess I left cleaner then when I went in. The park ranger came by to verify our rental slip and was very nice. Everyone seemed to respect the 10:00pm quiet time.