Are you planning an RV camping trip to Collins? We've got you covered. Find the best information on RV campsites and dispersed camping near Collins, including sites, reviews, and tips for getting the most out of your RVing experience. Whether you're looking for a quiet location in the woods or a place near local attractions, The Dyrt makes it easy to find the perfect spot for your motorhome.
142 Full Hookup Campsites
AMENITIES
Two (2) Storm Shelters
Laundry
Private Showers
Restrooms
Recreation Pond Fishing
Recreation Room/Area
Coin Games
Play Equipment
Exercise Equipment
$35 - $90 / night
Welcome to River Oaks RV Park located on the Des Moines River in beautiful central Iowa. The park is full of fun things to do and is one of the premier campgrounds in Iowa. You can spend your day biking and hiking the miles of trails carved through the woods or enjoy the serene atmosphere throughout the park. You'll enjoy mature hardwood trees and large RV sites during your stay. Also, take advantage of our one-acre stocked fishing pond or cast a line out on the Des Moines River! Looking for RV storage near Des Moines? We offer RV storage during the winter months at an affordable rate. But wait, there's more! We also rent RVs! Come experience camping in one of our premium RV rentals. So, if you're looking at campgrounds in Iowa with full hookup RV sites, and primitive campsites nestled in central Iowa timber, come visit us at River Oaks RV Park!
$45 - $60 / night
Adventureland Campground is a full service campground with complete facilities including: electric hookups, modern showers and restrooms, RV facilities, tent camping, a swimming pool and recreational areas. Adventureland Amusement Park and Adventure Bay Waterpark contain over 100 rides, shows, and attractions including some of the country's most exciting roller coasters and thrill rides that can challenge the most avid amusement park enthusiasts. There are also plenty of rides for less adventurous guests including great water rides as well as a full compliment of children's rides spread throughout the park. But the entertainment doesn't stop with rides - Adventureland presents a full array of shows in the park - from thrilling circus acts and magic shows to live music and juggling - there's always something to suit everyone's taste. Simply the most fun you will have all year!
We are very excited to provide you and your family a memorable Iowa camping experience at the best rated Des Moines RV Park & Campground. If it's been years since you've camped at Des Moines West KOA, make it a point to stop back in to see all the new and exciting improvements, including 2 Dog Parks, Huge Jumping Pillow, Jump Shot (Trampoline Basketball), Water Wars, Paddle Boats, Organized Weekend Activities, Ladder Ball, Horseshoes, & Hunt Brother's Pizza & Wings. We promise you'll be pleasantly surprised. The park is nestled 1.5 miles north of I-80, off exit 106, amongst beautiful Iowa farm fields, in a peaceful rural setting, where the only thing you'll hear are the songbirds singing!
Crow’s Nest RV Resort is a full-hookup RV park and campground located less than 30 minutes from downtown Des Moines. We have a passion for the outdoors and want to share the ability to enjoy nature with each and every one of our visitors. With rolling hills and a stream running through the center of our resort, Crow’s Nest has the look and feel of a countryside escape with all the amenities you need for a relaxing stay. Enjoy full-hookup sites with grilling, running water, electricity plugins and free wifi. Plus, we have a multitude of activities throughout the year for all our guests to participate in.
Camp in one of several campsites near the park’s lake, featuring both electric and non-electric sites, a modern restroom and shower building. Several campsites sit on the water’s edge and provide beautiful views of Rock Creek Lake. One-fourth of the campsites are available on a first-come, first-serve basis, and advanced campsite reservations through the online reservation system for Rock Creek State Park
$6 - $12 / night
Millions of years before the plains of Iowa were inhabited by the Sauk, Fox and Sioux peoples, much of the American Midwest was covered by a shallow inland sea. It was at this time that the area’s sandstone deposits began forming. Fast-forward to just 13,000 years ago, with the inland sea now long gone, Ice Age glacial meltwater raced across the dry plains, carving and scouring channels and canyons into the sandstone terrain. One of these canyons can be found in Iowa’s Ledges State Park. This 1,000-acre nature preserve and recreation area is located on a wide bend on the Des Moines River, and is just 40 miles north of the city of Des Moines. The park is subject to frequent flooding when the river breaches its banks, but is otherwise a popular year-round outdoor recreation destination. Visitors to Ledges can enjoy a variety of hiking, fishing and paddling opportunities, as well as explore a prehistoric river canyon that showcases nature’s ability to sculpt the landscape.
The campground at Ledges State Park features 94 tent and RV sites situated among deciduous woods not far from the Des Moines River. Campers can choose from full-hookup, partial-hookup, or primitive tent sites. Most sites are back-in; only a few are pull-through for larger vehicles. Tent sites are located in both in the main camp area, and in a secluded walk-in area. There is also a youth group site. All sites are equipped with picnic tables, fire pits and cooking grills, and all have access to water faucets, flush restrooms, showers, and trash receptacles; a dump station is located near the campground entrance. The campground also features a kids’ playground, outdoor amphitheater, and is within walking distance of trails and picnic areas. Some roads and/or facilities may not be open or available in the winter. Reservations are accepted, however the park saves about half of the sites for first-come, first-served campers; sites are $11–$19/night.
$12 - $18 / night
Legend
CG has basic amenities- fire ring, table, gravel pad, electric, and water though shower houses are closed for season. Nature Center offers education displays and programs. Lake offers paddling, fishing, etc.
Guide
Very quite and nice campground, we camped on top of the hill in tents it was awesome view and potable drinking water next to camp, bathrooms and shower facilities was clean and nice
ScoutThis review is for the Wallaby cabin. This cabin supposedly has a bathroom with a shower, 3 beds and a kitchenette. The bathroom has a shower so small it is difficult not to rinse one's hair while applying shampoo. There is no sink in this room for brushing teeth, washing hands or face, etc. There is no mirror either, or hooks for towels or washcloths or clothes. There is also no heater. The cabin has no closet or any place to hang any clothes. There were several bugs crawling on the ceiling. The wall A/C could not help but spew dust, as it was coated with that on the filter and cover. The trash can had a clean bag, which occupants are required to leave in dumpster at checkout. When removing the bag, the stuck-on mess under it was appalling. The bed in each loft area had obviously been used and not changed, as the covers were in disarray and the bottom sheets not clean. The main bed has a zipped on plastic cover which the loose fitting fitted sheet will not stay on, causing occupants to end up sleeping on plastic. We purchased a blanket to go over it for the next night. We would not have stayed more than one night but, as we had reserved 3, it is not refundable. The tv is to the side of the immovable chairs, so that one must have head turned completely to one side to watch. The cabin has such a slant that a ball will roll by itself to the entrance side. All this for more than$350 for 3 night stay.
Scout
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Scout
Drove 6 hours to find out the campground is closed (apparently for all of fall and winter) without any awareness of that being the case online. Now I have to figure out somewhere to go at dinner time with my over-tired toddler and two dogs. Frustrated.
Guide
Large level gravel pad driveways surrounded by beautiful prairie grass. Fantastically clean & well maintained facilities. Nice beach down the road and some Greenway trails. One of the NICEST public campgrounds I've stayed at. Reserve online at rec.gov. America the Beautiful National Parks Pass pays your day use fees at the beach.
Legend
East not west as satellite view in Dyrt is old and doesn’t show East campground. I did add a screenshot of current satellite view. FHU. Easy in and around campground. A lot of space between sites. Sites are fairly level with hard pack gravel.
Legend
Loved this campground! We just stayed for one night, but wish it had been two. Small and quiet. A few trails to hike and a horse camp that I didn’t have time to explore. Nice lending library as well. Bathroom/shower combos are nice (1 is ADA). Not far off the interstate. Some sites are off with level & weird (ie stairs/door open on an incline and away from the table), and our picnic table was sloped. So pick your site carefully. 19E was ok - table not level and high stairs required from TT but good for Starlink connection and close water spigot (elec only at these sites)
Traveler
Nice and well maintained ! We parked at a site by the playground and bathhouse , and could sit at our camper and watch our son play at a safe distance
ScoutWe lived our time there. It was quiet and we loved listening to the wildlife at night. My only complaint is that they left people in to camp after 10. Which kept me awake for a bit.
Traveler
We've stayed here a number of times now in the past 2 years (not during fair weeks.) Campgrounds are located on the east side of the actual fairgrounds. There are hundreds of sites here. Some are flat, some are no where near flat, but there are so many, you can find one that will work for you! Almost all of the sites are full grass sites. The main shower house is the only one we've ever used and have no complaints. They are clean and bright and well kept.
The sites are $32/night.
Guide
Stayed a weekend here and was very enjoyable! This looks to be a relatively new campground as the trees are still very young and, therefore, not much shade. It was windy that weekend so plenty of air circulation made it nice. High didn’t hit 90 until Sunday afternoon so didn’t even need air conditioning.
ScoutLevel sites , we were in site B40. Easy to back in plenty of room. Clean shower house and restrooms. Would we go back that's a definitely yes.
Ranger
Large modern KOA with sites to accommodate all sizes of rigs and also tent campers. Gravel sites require some leveling. Not much privacy between sites nor shade. Bathhouses were clean and private. Laundry available. Off leash dog area available. Convenient to John Wayne’s birthplace and covered bridges of Madison County. Bulk propane tanks were on site for winter campers. Camper cabins available. Small store with Hunt Brothers pizza to order. Gathering room on site and pedal car racetrack. Verizon cell signal was good. Garbage dumpster and dump station on site.
Ranger
Well maintained campground with mature shade trees. Gravel sites, a little bit of leveling required. Poor Verizon cell signal, no internet signal. Not much natural privacy between sites, but sites were well spaced apart. Paved trail nice for biking and walking. Fishing nearby and the Dutch themed town of Pella is a short drive and a must see. Bathrooms and showers were nice, clean. Handicap camp site and bathhouse available. Firewood for sale at front gate. The potable water available at the dump station was clear and good for drinking. Dump station is easily accessible. Dumpsters were positioned around the campground. Staff was friendly. The night we stayed, there was a severe weather threat, and the staff, at the end of the night, had unlocked the storm shelters (utility area in the middle of the bathhouses) should the need arise. We ended up having to seek shelter because of a tornado warning.
Guide
30/50/110 power. Drinking water and dump onsite but not on sites. Wifi! Hot showers, playground,boat launch,fire pits,grills,good camp host.town is right there 2 bars and restaurants. Gas station I think was 8 blocks up to the right. Been hard to find all this for 15 bucks a day!
Scout
went out here with family and had a amtime azing
Scoutwe love it here people are great price is Right Showers are hot every time it a WOnderfull place •to be .
Guide
Great little hideaway of a campground, very reasonably priced and clean , fresh drinking water with dump stations and hot water showers and modern toilet facilities,
Scout
This turned out to be a very easy overnight stopover on our way north to Minnesota. My niece lives in Desert Moines and it was a short drive for her to come for a visit and bring some local, delicious tacos for dinner. We will definitely consider this spot next time through!
Legend
Literally a single stone’s throw from I80, one of the busiest thoroughfares you’ll find yourself on here in the great ‘Hawkeye State,’ this is one campground that very much deserves your attention, despite being a KOA. In fact, this campground outpost is so close to the highway that you’ll be hard pressed not to see or hear it during your entire stay. While this KOA does sit down a bit from the hustle & bustle that comes with a major interstate highway, a good number of the available RV sites sit on a sloping hill that is the same elevation as the highway itself, so if you do have the choice, opt for the lower sites (more on that later).
Sitting just 30 minutes east of Des Moines, Newton KOA offers up about 100 sites for RVs and 5th wheelers offering up all the standard hook-ups (water, sewage and 30 / 50 amp- but be careful because some sites only offer 30 or 50, while some do offer both, so be sure to ask when making your reservation). For mi tent pitching bredren, there’s about a dozen or so sites to choose from and all are fairly intermingled with the RV sites, although each site does sit on a plush patch of grass, so this KOA does a nice job on that front of integration. Oh, and if you don’t have an RV, 5th wheeler or a tent, on worries, this KOA will rent you one of its three cabins.
As this is a KOA you can expect a ton of amenities and this place does not disappoint with: catch & release fishing pond w/ fish cleaning station (that is oddly placed about as far away from the fishing pond as you can get), disc golf course, K9 camp for the puppies, cable TV, WiFi, in-ground pool (available 5/25 until 9/3) with ADA pool lift, horseshoes, meeting rooms, firewood for sale, LP gas refueling station, pool table, shuffleboard, social lounge, two kids playground, laundr-O-mat, basketball court, restroom & shower facilities, mini-market with basic groceries, ping pong, jump pad, game room, gaga pit, designated dumpster and dump station and of course the scattered fire pits and picnic tables. Just to go above and beyond, this KOA serves up free breakfast of flapjacks on Saturdays. Yahoo!
Insider’s tips? Here’s a few: (1) Whether you are pitching a tent or pulling up in your RV, the best sites IMHO are those in the lower valley, but located right in front of the main office, where there are 6 RV slots numbered #45 – 50 and 6 tent sites numbered T1 – T6; (2) Should you get hungry and might want to try some local fare, check out Taco John’s and La Cabaña Mexican Restaurant, which I guess stand for ‘local’ around here, although there is Newton Family Restaurant. If you are looking for something really different and amazing, I would suggest heading on over to Dan’s Sandwich Shop, which feels like real Americana from a bygone era, complete with a diner-esque vibe and matching elbow counter to warm up to over a nice piece of apple pie, scoop of ice cream washed down with a hot mug of coffee; (3) While this KOA has a mini-market, you will find a bigger selection with better prices just down the road at the local Walmart, where just due west of this, you’ll find a Hy-Vee Grocery store with a wine & spirits shop positioned there as well. Further down the road, you have excellent fresh cut meat from Fareway Grocery, but check out the local hotspot, Newton Market as well; and (4) While what you will discover from an outdoor standpoint at Newton KOA is interesting, if you want something more substantial, head to Newton Arboretum & Botanical Gardens for 6 acres of family-friendly landscape to explore with more displays and demonstrations that you can shake a stick at! Seriously, there’s a butterfly garden, peony border and nearly 200 individual species of trees here to check out.
Happy Camping!
LegendJake from the Dyrt here! We're excited to have this campground on the Dyrt and ready for you to book, check them out and make sure to leave a review!
Legend
I like this place, I really do. It certainly packs a punch with all of the amenities that Kellogg RV Park offers up, not least of which is partnering up with apparently the best burger joint in the whole of Iowa. Burgers and camping? Can it get any better? Well, while this location gets extra points for achieving EZ on- and off-again I80 highway access, that likely is also its downside, as you are so close to arguably the busiest of all thoroughfares here in the state of Iowa that it makes you wonder if you are really getting away from it all or just taking a quick pitstop.
As for the grounds themselves, they are very well organized and nearly everything on this property is either brand-spanking new or has a nice degree of ‘kitsch’ that just feels right where you are at in the middle of the Midwest. There’s a well-appointed separate laundry location on the NE corner of RV Park, with a community shower/ bathroom facility smack-dab in the middle of the place, making it central and convenient to get refreshed. There’s a simple little loop that will jog you around the place, where in all there’s some 38 spots perfectly carved out for RVs or 5th Wheelers. While the map for Kellogg RV Park indicates a playground behind the laundry, if it was there to begin with, it has been replaced by a chicken coop, which I have to admit is pretty dang awesome to be woken up by these fine-feathered friends each dawn. Plus, um, there’s fresh eggs for your brunch munching pleasure!
With amenities in mind, each pull-thru, gravel-strewn site (all 18’ wide with lengths ranging from 65’ to 85’) comes equipped with all of the typical hook-ups (20 / 30 / 50 amp electric, water and sewage) along with plenty of in-ground fire rings, stand-up BBQ grills and plenty of brand new picnic tables along with complimentary WiFi. There’s solar panels on the for southwest corner of the campground, which sadly eliminates the vibe that you are out in nature. If there was just one bit of advice I would give this place it’s this(and it’s quite simple): plant some trees! That’s the one thing I noticed that felt incredibly weird… there’s just a few trees in this whole place. Granted, it is somewhat surrounded by corn fields, but here’s a hint: After mid-September when all that corn is harvested, the place feels like a barren desert, so how you compensate for that is by planting trees, shrubs, bush or anything that would make this place feel like it was planted in nature versus carved out of a watershed.
While the main office is up front where you would have seen that Iowa’s Best Burger Café sign, where there’s also an Amoco gas station along with a convenience market that has limited groceries and supplies. Bonus points to Kellogg RV Park for having an F5-rated tornado shelter located on-site, so while your RV might blow away, no worries, you and those you hold most precious will be protected in the event of a tornado, which is important because this state gets hit by them all the time. They’ll also sell you a bundle of firewood for$6 / bundle, which is fair, especially considering that they’ll deliver the bundles directly to your site.
Insider’s tips? Here’s a few: (1) IMHO the best sites are those located as far east and north as possible (yes, right near the laundry facilities and chicken coop). Why? Well, because they will be furthest away from I80, so less noise, plus they are on the periphery, so this offers up better views of corn country, and additionally, more tranquility. Plus the shower / restroom facilities are centrally located, so not too far away; (2) If you are looking to get buzzed while out here at Kellogg RV Park, you are in luck as just nearby there’s Grinnell Craft Brewhouse, Buzzed Bee Meadery as well as Van Wijk Winery – all of which are absolutely worth the visit!; (3) Should your foodie vibes need to be tamed while here, head on over to nearby Maytag Blue Cheese for a slice or slab or head on over to Dayton Meat Products, which not only processes meat in case you are out and about with a bow & arrow, but will serve up some pretty outrageously awesome sausages, loins and particular cuts of meats that you just can’t find anywhere nearby. Oh, and if farmer’s markets are your thing, then check out nearby Grinnell Farmers Market or Jasper County Farmer’s Market – both just 10 minutes from here; and (4) Once you grow tired of pillaging your on-board mini-fridge or Cordova roto-molded cooler and are looking for some local fare, I will have to admit that Iowa’s Best Burger Café does live up to its boast – and while I didn’t have another burger while I was in the ‘Hawkeye State’ I do make it my business to check stuff out when I see ‘Best’ noted anywhere and there’s reasonable proof behind this claim here, so give the good folks here the better side of your discerning tastes and try them out. Oh, and there’s that little thing that there’s not too much competition in these parts, so unless you are up for a good drive, the only other joint is RJ’s Bar& Grill, which trust me, is much more Bar than Grill.
Happy Camping!
Legend
While it was our first time camping in Iowa, we were extremely lucky to land upon this slightly hidden fresh water centered campground just a 20 minute drive south of Route 80 near Montezuma, wherein one needs only follow Road#63, before coming across Diamond Lake County Park. With the fall colors being in full bloom when we visited, the entire campground was awash in bright yellows, reds and oranges from the changing colors of the leaves. Also, as we were visiting in mid-October, versus some of the other reviews here, we found that we had the place mostly to ourselves, which made for a rather peaceful sublime respite we were searching for.
As for the campground itself, what we enjoyed most was how this location is, for the most part, very well organized in keeping the RV'ers and 5th Wheeler crowds together, while preserving a nice slice of verdant lakeside pasture for us primitive camper types. Each of the sites for camping come equipped with (in most cases) fairly new aluminum picnic tables, fire ring with folding BBQ grill. While we didn’t stay in the RV areas, given our tent-pitching persuasion, what we did see was fairly impressive and looked altogether rather brand new with freshly poured concrete slots and fairly mint-looking RV hook-ups (50 amp electric and water) and this same area also boasted a brand new restroom facilities.
Obviously, the main attraction here is Diamond Lake itself, with its more than 90 acres of fresh water, albeit murky fresh water, was certainly a hit with this camping family. We enjoyed being able to get out on the lake with our kayaks and canoes as well as go for very long walks around the circumference of the lake itself, with which you will find simply splendid trails. And if that’s not enough exploration for you, then head further inland and away from the lake to explore this parks other 660 acres of grassy prairieland.
From an amenities standpoint, there’s a decent amount, including: three shower houses, four shelters, 2 dump stations, three his / her latrines (some much more dated than others), boat ramp and fishing dock, a dedicated fish cleaning station and what looked to be a fairly new kids playground. In all there’s a total of 120 sites to choose from, with 80 designated for RVs / 5th Wheelers and 40 earmarked for primitive camping, which do not come with any electric, which was on one hand the biggest bummer, but on the other hand, offered up front-row access to lakeside camping bliss as many of these primitive campsites are located right on the water’s edge.
Insider’s tips? Here’s a few: (1) Check-in is self-registration and is done onsite, so net-net, this place is first-come, first served as no online or advanced registration is taken. While we didn’t mind this, and given that we arrived right around noon as folks were actually checking out, we got the ‘pick of the litter’ of campsites. Electric sites are $20 / night and non-electric are $10, so this place is incredibly affordable; (2) If you are looking for some grub nearby after growing weary of another meal of franks & beans, then there’s really just a few nearby options: Subway, Sauced Pizza & Pub, Casey’s and Yolanda’s Tacos over in the little town of Montezuma; (3) While there are actually few different campgrounds here at Diamond Lake, for primitive campers, the best sites IMHO are located as far southwest as you can possible go around the lake, where there’s more than a dozen or so sites that sit right in front of the water and present a completely isolated surrounding.
Happy Camping!
Legend
If you find yourself heading left / right or east / west through the ‘belly button’ of Iowa here on its busiest thoroughfare (interstate 80) and find yourself looking for a place to ‘hunker down for the night (or several), then you may very well want to consider visiting the good folks over at Anderson Campground. What first started out as a patch of land that they would let out to ‘friends & family’ soon ballooned into more of an enterprising opportunity to help RV road warriors find suitable, safe and peaceful plot of land to enjoy nearby Diamond Lake County Park.
In fact, a very good amount of the business Anderson Campground has here is the result of overflow from this little-known summer lake destination specifically for those campers who wanted something more akin to ‘peace & quiet.’ With only 6 dedicated RV slots complete with 30 / 50 amp electric and water hook-ups, one thing is for certain should you choose to stay here – you will definitely get to know your neighbors as you will be parked right alongside of them with virtually no privacy, but when we were there, this did not seem to be an issue.
While most of the folks who were laying up here in their own RVs and 5th Wheels could be described more as ‘day laborers’ like traveling nurses or those working construction jobs, there was a very nice sense of community and the new-found isolation that one may have felt was only the direct result of the surrounding corn-fields having been recently harvested. Aside from this, the chocolate lab, Beau, was the first to welcome us and what a host (and friend) he turned out to be!
What this location delivers in spades – namely peace & quiet– is compromised by the lack of amenities (apart from the basic hook-ups). There is no sewage line, bathrooms or showers and you won’t find community fire rings or picnic tables. But from what we gathered when we stopped in was that most folks had all of this covered from what they were packing in their RVs so for those that care, there’s other places to consider. And for those that don’t mind, this may very well be your perfect lay-up. With the nightly rate being an amazingly low $20, the place usually sells out for those wanting to rent out by the week or for the month @ $500. To check on availability and rates, call Julie directly.
Insider’s tips? Here’s a few: (1) First things first, you’ve got to get yourself down to Diamond Lake County Park, where there’s a simply fantastic, large lake that is great for kayaking and canoeing as much as it is for fishing (catch & release) as well as swimming, although to be honest, the lake is a bit too dark and murky for me; (2) If you are looking for some grub nearby after growing weary of another meal of franks & beans, then there’s really just a few nearby options: Subway, Sauced Pizza& Pub, Casey’s and Yolanda’s Tacos over in the little town of Montezuma. Further afield, you could find a Country’s Pride over near Brooklyn as well as in the opposite direction, yes, you guessed it, more Mexican restaurants like Los Girasoles or Casa Margaritas Mexican Restaurant, both of which are fairly decent; (3) Should you need to load up on groceries while in the vicinity, while there isn’t much, in the little town of Montezuma, you’ll find both a Dollar General as well as a Supervalu.
Happy Camping!
Guide
Very clean and well-kept, owners super nice 👍🏻 a quiet place in the countryside.
Scout
We really enjoyed our stay at site 4 in the woods. It was absolutely beautiful with the fall colors and leaves falling all around us. We also enjoyed the trails around our site and a pretty view of a pond a short walk away. Anna was very responsive and gave thorough directions for us. We would stay again.
Discover the charm of RV camping near Collins, Iowa, where a variety of parks offer unique amenities and experiences for outdoor enthusiasts.
Frequently Asked Questions
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