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Best Tent Camping near Clarksville, IA

175 Reviews

Tent camping options surround Clarksville, Iowa with several primitive sites located within a 30-minute drive. Chickasaw Park in Ionia offers tent campsites in a rustic setting with basic amenities and a $10 per night self-pay system. River Ranch Camping in Nashua provides backwoods tent camping experiences with picnic tables and water hookups but limited other facilities. Roadman Roadside Park in Dike features walk-in tent sites set among trees near a small lake, with flush toilets and drinking water available. These locations primarily serve tent campers seeking simpler accommodations away from developed RV parks.

Most tent-only campgrounds in the Clarksville area feature grassy or dirt surfaces with minimal site preparation. Chickasaw Park maintains mowed grounds but offers limited maintenance beyond that, with pit toilets that campers report are poorly maintained. Roadman Roadside Park provides well-maintained grounds with mown grass that "made for a nice bed for my tent," according to one visitor. Stoehr Fishing Area allows primitive tent camping with a strict 24-hour stay limit and no fire pits. Many sites operate on a first-come, first-served basis with self-registration. Campers should bring their own water to most locations, as potable water access is inconsistent throughout the region's tent campgrounds.

Tent-only sites in this region offer varied natural settings. Chickasaw Park provides access to both river and quarry environments where fishing is permitted, though cliff jumping is prohibited due to safety concerns. One camper noted, "It is adjacent to an old quarry where swimming and fishing is currently allowed at your own risk." Roadman Roadside Park offers quiet surroundings that tent campers appreciate, with one visitor reporting having "the whole place to myself." River Ranch Camping emphasizes backcountry tent camping experiences without extensive amenities. The region's tent campgrounds generally provide good access to water features including rivers, quarries, and ponds, making them popular with anglers. Most primitive tent sites permit pets, and several allow alcohol consumption, though specific regulations vary by location.

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Best Tent Sites Near Clarksville, Iowa (22)

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Tent Camping Reviews near Clarksville, IA

175 Reviews of 22 Clarksville Campgrounds

  • TThe Dyrt PRO User
    Jun. 13, 2024

    Lime Creek Park

    Nice campground with a Quirk

    The pros: $10 fee ($15 electric), campground seems well maintained (grass is mown, security light works, tables in good repair, gravel access road in good shape, etc); no one here but us, the sound of the running Creek is soothing, vault toilet is probably the cleanest I've seen; ATT cell service was 3bars 5G The unusual: no specific site, no specific place to pull into, no site numbers or designation except on the electric pedestals. It's all grass. Pull onto the grass near the table or electric pedestal you want. The cons: highway traffic noise is easily heard and doesn't seem to stop for more than a few seconds (though the crickets/bug sounds and the creek sound is sometimes louder so you hear that instead), dust from vehicles passing on nearby dirt road filters thru the trees (due to dry weather?), and, well, it is, after all, a vault toilet-not my fav,

  • Kerry M.
    Aug. 25, 2021

    Wolf Creek Rec Area

    Quiet campground in the heart of Iowa

    Wolf Creek is a nice little campground near Beaman, IA (Beaman is very small, near Conrad as well which has a grocery store).

    There are 10 RV sites, which are $15/night and several tent/small camper sites which are $10/night.

    The campground has potable water but no showers. There are vault toilets.

    The campground has a nice playground, which was a feature we enjoyed when my daughter was little.

    My favorite part about this campground is the privacy. The tent sites are spread out and it is fairly easy to find one without neighbors too close.

    Activities:

    + Playground

    + Creek fishing

    + Nice benches and swings

    + Comet trail for hiking and biking

    + Hunting nearby

  • RThe Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 28, 2024

    Cedar View Park

    Beautiful park, gross bath house

    This is a lovely park. It is fairly quiet, you can hear some highway noise in the distance. The lake is lovely and clean. The spots are gravel, most sites will require some leveling but are not too bad. 

    Each site has a newer electric pedestal with 30 and 50 amp service, and each site has a water spigot, as well as a picnic table and fire ring.

    There are a few sites that back up directly to the lake. There is a swimming beach and a dock. There is a city park adjacent to the campground with a playground and picnic shelter.

    I had 3 bars on on T-mobile which got me 64 down and 18 up. On Verizon I had 3 bars which got me 65 down and 12 up.

    The shower house was pretty bad though. It was older, which doesn't bother me, but it was dirty. There are camp hosts on site but I guess their duties do not include ever cleaning the restroom. There was food trash in there all week, and if you look around you'll find feces, blood, and personal hygiene trash including used condoms.

    I would stay in this campground again because I have a self contained unit and do not need to use the on-site shower house.

  • B
    Jun. 12, 2022

    Lake Meyer County Park Campground

    Great spot, tents included

    This is a great little park if you need a place to stop for the night. It was very inexpensive for tents ($10 I think) and the tent camping area was very nice with 3 giant pine trees and some picnic tables and fire rings. As someone who bicycle tours I appreciated fire wood being on site and close to where the tent area is. The bathrooms aren’t the best but they worked. Overall its a safe, clean, welcoming campground for both tents and RV’s.

  • Chantal C.The Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 22, 2021

    Chickasaw Park

    Used to be a Quarry

    We love love love to come camping here. It's $10.00 per night last we stayed, placed into a self pay pole. While the grounds are mowed that is about all that is done on the camping side of the river for maintenance. I won't walk into the pit style restrooms let alone use them (kids can be jerks 🙄). There is a small park on the adjacent side that does have a shelter. There are no hookups so consider this a primitive campground. It is adjacent to an old quarry where swimming and fishing is currently allowed at your own risk. Due to multiple accidents and or deaths jumping/diving and cliff jumping is no longer allowed and can be a misdemeanor charge if found doing so. On the river side there is a small dam that also offers fishing. If you're not afraid of ghosts, are respectful, and you follow the road ALL THE WAY BACK there is a very old cemetery (we found it foraging firewood) which we thought was very intriguing.

  • Ax H.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jul. 29, 2025

    Shellrock River Co Preserve

    Great Free spot for tent camping

    Big grassy field surrounded by huge (walnut) trees. There a gravel track that goes along a large river. Trees everywhere so bring bug spray. Quiet, peaceful. Not private but worth it. Free, 3 day max stay

  • Lee D.The Dyrt PRO User
    Oct. 8, 2024

    Clear Lake State Park Campground

    Surprisingly quiet campground on a summer weekend

    We tend to stay at campgrounds during the off or shoulder season for a quieter experience so it was with some apprehension that we reserved this campground for a summer weekend so that we could meet friends for Paddlefest. We were happy to discover that despite being a full campground, it was quiet at almost all hours of the day and night. It was, however, an entirely different story on the lake itself, where boats gathered all day to party!

    There is little separation between the sites but there are trees located throughout, some of which provide shade to the site. The camper pads were a mix of dirt and gravel and mostly level. We were lucky to snag Site 34 (reserved about three months in advance) – it was on the end, making it a much larger site than the interior sites (all end sites in our section were larger) and we had plenty of shade trees, a welcome relief on a very hot weekend. 

    The paved roads leading to the sites are very narrow and would appear to be one-way but are not designated as such, resulting in some confusion. The site numbers are only listed on one side, even though most of the sites appeared to be pull-through. 

    The restrooms and showers were clean and had soap and (dated) air dryers. 

    Overall, we had a very pleasant two-night stay even though we were prepared for a different experience.

  • 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!

  • Kerry M.
    Aug. 29, 2021

    T. F. Clark Co Park

    Off the beaten path county park in Iowa

    This campground offered much privacy when I went - I was the only person camping (tent camping). It was very quiet.

    That being said, there are not many amenities. It has a vault toilet. I did not check the water hydrant, or even try to locate it, since I brought my own water for one night of camping. There is a small playground for the kids, but it is definitely not a modern playground (think back to the 1970's style playground when I was a kid!).

    There are opportunities to hike and view wildlife - my favorite outdoor activities.

    This campground is a real bargain. It was $10/night for any site, including the electric (I stayed in one of the non-electric sites near the back).

    For me, it offers solitude. I will be coming back regularly.

Guide to Clarksville

Tent camping near Clarksville, Iowa offers a chance to immerse yourself in nature while enjoying the simplicity of outdoor living. With a variety of campgrounds nearby, you can find the perfect spot to pitch your tent and unwind.

Tent campers like these nearby activities

  • Enjoy a peaceful stay at River Ranch Camping, where you can experience backwoods camping and connect with nature.
  • Visit Chickasaw Park for a primitive camping experience, complete with opportunities for fishing and exploring the adjacent old quarry.
  • Take a break at Roadman Roadside Park, where you can relax by a small pond and enjoy the tranquility of the surrounding trees.

Local attractions to enhance your camping experience

  • Explore the scenic beauty of the area while camping at Thunder Woman Park, although camping is currently not allowed, the wildlife area is worth a visit for its natural surroundings.
  • Discover the charm of Twin Ponds Co Park for a day trip, where you can enjoy the peaceful environment and take in the sights of the ponds.
  • Experience the rustic feel of West Fork Forest Access, perfect for those looking to escape the hustle and bustle.

Tips for tent camping near Clarksville

  • Be prepared for a more rustic experience at Howards Woods, as it offers no amenities but plenty of natural beauty.
  • If you're looking for a quiet spot, consider South Fork Access, which is free and allows for a peaceful night under the stars.
  • Remember to bring your own supplies when camping at Chickasaw Park, as it has no electric hookups or markets nearby.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular tent campsite near Clarksville, IA?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Clarksville, IA is River Ranch Camping with a 5-star rating from 1 review.

What is the best site to find tent camping near Clarksville, IA?

TheDyrt.com has all 22 tent camping locations near Clarksville, IA, with real photos and reviews from campers.

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