Best Dog-Friendly Camping near Cedar Falls, IA

George Wyth State Park Campground accommodates pets at all sites with electric hookups and riverside camping options. Black Hawk County Park, Big Woods Lake, and Waterloo - Lost Island Waterpark KOA maintain pet-friendly environments throughout their grounds. Most campgrounds require pets to remain leashed at all times, though dedicated pet exercise areas exist at several locations. Tent campers, RV owners, and cabin seekers all find pet accommodation options, with Big Woods Lake and Hickory Hills Park offering pet-friendly cabin rentals. The campground shower houses remain clean and well-maintained, though mosquitoes can be abundant during summer months, especially near stagnant water areas at George Wyth. Campground data and reviews near Cedar Falls, Iowa is regularly updated on The Dyrt.

Extensive paved trails throughout George Wyth State Park provide excellent dog walking opportunities connecting to over 100 miles of Cedar Valley bike paths. Multiple lakes and the Cedar River offer water access points for dogs that enjoy swimming, with fishing docks scattered throughout the park system. Deerwood Park features a lake very close to the camping area popular with pet owners. Wildlife encounters require keeping dogs properly restrained, particularly during early morning and evening hours. During summer months, the heat can affect pets quickly, so morning or evening exercise proves most comfortable. The park hosts maintain friendly attitudes toward responsible pet owners, though barking restrictions apply during quiet hours. Overnight temperatures can drop significantly even during summer camping seasons, requiring appropriate shelter for pets.

Best Dog-Friendly Sites Near Cedar Falls, Iowa (84)

    1. George Wyth State Park Campground

    14 Reviews
    Cedar Falls, IA
    3 miles
    Website
    +1 (319) 232-5505

    $12 - $20 / night

    "** Iowa state parks are a bargain! This one is $11 for a non-electric site, $16 for an electric site. (Rates go down to $6 and $11 from 10/1-4/30.)"

    "Off a main highway, but you feel like you are a long ways from no where. If you are a biker there is a wonderful bike path."

    2. Waterloo - Lost Island Waterpark KOA

    10 Reviews
    Evansdale, IA
    9 miles
    Website
    +1 (319) 233-3485

    "The fenced dog park was fantastic for those of us with dogs. A lake with beach area and an area for fishing founded it out! Would recommend!"

    "Just stayed one night passing through Iowa. Very pretty Campground with colorful Kabin’s and a lake for swimming or paddle boats. Level sites but not much shade."

    3. Black Hawk County Park

    3 Reviews
    Cedar Falls, IA
    3 miles
    Website
    +1 (319) 433-7275

    "Right on the bike trail.. Hot showers.. Good place to camp..."

    4. Big Woods Lake

    2 Reviews
    Cedar Falls, IA
    3 miles
    +1 (319) 266-6813

    "Nice park with a bike path around the lake. A few nature trails, but nothing I would call hiking. Two vault toilets placed on the bike path. One modern bathroom with showers in the campground."

    "The lake is small, no wake lake - but great for using your SUP or kayaks."

    5. Deerwood Park

    4 Reviews
    Evansdale, IA
    9 miles
    Website
    +1 (319) 493-0655

    "Nice lake very close to the campground."

    6. Grundy County Lake and Campground

    2 Reviews
    Cedar Falls, IA
    10 miles
    Website
    +1 (319) 345-2688

    $15 / night

    "Surprisingly with it's location in relation to Hwy 20, it's actually pretty quiet. There is a paved trail that'll take you over to the lake so it's not a bad walk."

    7. Siggelkov County Park

    4 Reviews
    Oelwein, IA
    18 miles
    Website
    +1 (319) 433-7275

    "Sigglekow Campground in Black Hawk County Iowa is one of a kind! Quite and secluded, if that's what you're looking for. To get out and decompress it's a great spot."

    "Would be nice if it had gravel parking but that's a small inconvience.. also good kyack location."

    8. Bremer County Park Cedar Bend Park

    2 Reviews
    Waverly, IA
    16 miles
    Website
    +1 (319) 882-4742

    "The trails and hiking was the best part though. We went for hours with our dogs and had so much fun. They were easy."

    "We like this campground a lot, very nice shade, playground area, as well as nice trails. Clean restrooms and shower stall"

    9. Cedar Bend Park

    2 Reviews
    Waverly, IA
    17 miles
    Website
    +1 (319) 882-4742

    "great trails, older playgrounds, nice bathroom, good price"

    10. Hickory Hills Park

    3 Reviews
    Evansdale, IA
    19 miles
    Website
    +1 (319) 342-3350
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Dog-Friendly Camping Reviews near Cedar Falls, IA

224 Reviews of 84 Cedar Falls Campgrounds


  • Mary S.
    Aug. 31, 2018

    George Wyth State Park Campground

    Another bargain at an Iowa State Park

    Why Should You Camp Here?

    • Iowa state parks are a bargain! This one is $11 for a non-electric site, $16 for an electric site. (Rates go down to $6 and $11 from 10/1-4/30.) There is no separate park entry fee (unlike some states).

    • You can rent kayaks, canoes or pedal boats near the campground at Wyth Lake. And there are 3 other nearby lakes.

    • There's a small beach at Wyth Lake.

    • The Cedar River is on the edge of the campground.

    • You're so close to Cedar Falls and Waterloo which means there are craft breweries!

    • We were only there for a night but I saw this on reserveamerica.com: "The Lake-to-State Park Bike Route is a 50 mile route connecting Pine Lake and George Wyth State Park. The route primarily utilizes county highways and established bike routes and paths once inside Cedar Falls/Waterloo." 

    • We didn't do everything we could do there, because we were just passing through. Check this out: https://iowastateparks.reserveamerica.com/camping/george-wyth-state-park/r/campgroundDetails.do?contractCode=IA&parkId=610125

    Amenities

    • The usual fire ring and picnic table

    • Dump station and potable water

    • Flush toilets and running water in bathrooms along with push button showers. Ok, push button showers are not ideal. Just keep pushing that button and hopefully you'll be okay with the temperature that you can't control!

  • SThe Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 19, 2021

    George Wyth State Park Campground

    Mosquito Ranch

    Perhaps it is just a season, but there were tremendous amount of mosquitoes at the campground during our visit. Lots of stagnant water, lake, etc. Reasonably priced, however, and close to Cedar Falls. The bathroom were a little sketchy and the noise from the highway was quite loud. OK stay for a night.

  • Kerry M.
    Aug. 25, 2021

    Riverview Park Campground

    Urban campground is near a busy highway

    This campground has many sites to choose from - RV with hookups as well as some non-electric tent sites. There are quite a few activities in Marshalltown, and it is within the Marshalltown city limits.

    The downside is proximity. It is right next to the highway. When I was there in a tent, the hog trucks would drive by all night (loud and smelly). The RV sites are closest to the road, so maybe it is not so bad in an RV, but it is not particularly enjoyable in a tent.

    Pros:

    + Marshalltown has quite a few places to eat

    + Nice bike trails (and a great bicycle store downtown)

    + It is near the Iowa River

    + Nice park in general with activities like a dog park

    + Camp host on-site

    + Decent sized campsites

    + Playground for the kids

    Cons:

    + It can get busy on a summer weekend

    + Noisy - right by the highway

    + Mosquitos are really bad here

  • Stephanie J.
    May. 29, 2018

    George Wyth State Park Campground

    Great place for biking

    This has so much to do. Fishing, kayaking, boating, swimming and camping. Great park in campground and two more parks in area. Off a main highway, but you feel like you are a long ways from no where. If you are a biker there is a wonderful bike path. It will take you all the way through Cedar Falls and Waterloo you could bike all day long. Nice little cozy places to enjoy lunch along the bike trail.

  • Max K.
    Aug. 3, 2020

    George Wyth State Park Campground

    Good Base Camp to Explore Cedar Falls

    It was kind of loud, but it was busy. The lake for swimming was a little gross but we did it anyway. The bike trails are excellent and same for hiking. Bathrooms were a little old but clean when we were there, but there were massive hornets all over the bathroom area. It's also pretty bright here at night because it's right in the city. But overall, a decent, cheap place to tent camp if you want to explore Cedar Falls.

  • RThe Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 22, 2024

    Oelwein City Park

    This is a beautiful city park campground

    I enjoyed my 5 night stay at Oelwein City Park Campground. It's located on the south end of town, there is only one business within walking distance. It's a great restaurant (Oelwein Family Restaurant) and it's about a 15 minute walk.

    There is one shower house, and several vault toilets throughout the park. The shower house is old and a little run down but was very clean. I had no problems using it.

    The city park is adjacent to the campground and has picnic shelters, a playground, and a dog park.

    There are electric and water hookups at most sites, and there is a dump station. The park was pretty full on the weekend as you would expect, but very quiet during the week.

    I had great Verizon and T-mobile service here.

  • L
    Aug. 22, 2020

    Waterloo - Lost Island Waterpark KOA

    Something for everyone

    Great RV park. Lots of room and cabin rentals for folks that don’t have an RV. The fenced dog park was fantastic for those of us with dogs. A lake with beach area and an area for fishing founded it out! Would recommend!

  • m
    Oct. 5, 2022

    Wilder City Park

    Beautiful city park

    Wilder Park is a beautiful city park. Very much a gem, quiet and peaceful . 50 + sites with about half of them full hook up. Costs for a full hook up in 2022 was under $25 a night. The park has two fishing areas, a dog park,pickle ball, volleyball mini golf, basketball and two playgrounds. A beautiful walking and bike path connects the parks to the neighboring cities. A free dump is also available. We highly recommend this park. 1

  • S
    Dec. 25, 2020

    George Wyth State Park Campground

    Great campground with lots of activities.

    If you're looking for a wooded campground that offers you both quiet sites to relax but also offers a variety of activities for all ages, this is the place for you to setup your tent, or RV. For little ones, there is a large sand playground area with slides and swings. There is a sand beach to swim, where they also rent kayaks & canoes. The campground is located along the Cedar river, for those who want to boat and fish on a river, as well as multiple lakes to fish and a lake to ski. There are numerous soft bike trails throughout the park. And a hard trail that is part of 150 miles of bike trails in the Waterloo & Cedar Falls area.

    The campground's shower house is handicap accessible. All sites have 50 amp service and the water provided is from the city of Waterloo. There is an onsite dump station.


Guide to Cedar Falls

Cedar Falls, Iowa, offers a variety of pet-friendly camping options for outdoor enthusiasts looking to enjoy nature with their furry companions.

Tips for camping with dogs near Cedar Falls

Dog owners appreciate the amenities

  • Many campgrounds, such as Hickory Hills Park, provide electric hookups and drinking water, making it easier to accommodate your pet's needs.
  • Facilities like showers and toilets are available at Cedar Bend Park, ensuring a comfortable stay for both you and your dog.
  • Campgrounds such as Wilder City Park feature picnic tables and trash disposal, helping to keep the area clean and enjoyable for all visitors.

Dog-friendly activities while camping near Cedar Falls

  • Enjoy hiking trails that are perfect for exploring with your dog at Black Hawk County Park, where you can both take in the scenery.
  • Fishing opportunities abound at Grundy County Lake and Campground, allowing you to spend quality time outdoors with your pet.
  • Engage in fun activities like swimming or playing fetch at the beach area of Big Woods Lake, ensuring your dog has a great time while you relax.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular dog-friendly campsite near Cedar Falls, IA?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dog-friendly campground near Cedar Falls, IA is George Wyth State Park Campground with a 4-star rating from 14 reviews.

What is the best site to find dog-friendly camping near Cedar Falls, IA?

TheDyrt.com has all 84 dog-friendly camping locations near Cedar Falls, IA, with real photos and reviews from campers.