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Tent camping near Decorah, Iowa offers a range of primitive and established sites within the rolling hills and forested valleys of northeast Iowa. Yellow River State Forest, located about 30 miles east of Decorah, provides several backcountry tent camping options including Camp Glen Wendel and Camp John Schultz, both offering hike-in primitive sites. Chimney Rock County Park in Decorah provides boat-in tent camping along the Upper Iowa River. Echo Valley State Park, situated 25 miles southwest of Decorah, features tent-only sites in a quiet, natural setting with access to trout streams.
Most primitive tent campsites in the Decorah area require self-registration and operate on a first-come, first-served basis. Yellow River State Forest's backcountry sites have fire rings and benches but limited amenities. Potable water is available only at headquarters locations, requiring hikers to carry in their own supply to remote sites. Echo Valley State Park offers non-electric tent sites with pit toilets and drinking water. Seasonal considerations include spring mud, summer insects, and fall hunting seasons. Fire regulations vary by location, with most sites allowing fires in established rings only. Pets are permitted at most locations but must be leashed.
The backcountry tent camping experience near Decorah features unusual topography for Iowa, with significant hills, bluffs, and valleys. According to reviews, Yellow River State Forest provides "a great feeling of isolation and wilderness that can be absent from other places." The forest contains Iowa's only fire tower, accessible via hiking trails from Camp John Schultz. Campers noted that Echo Valley's tent sites are well-spaced, with one visitor reporting being "a quarter mile from the next nearest site." The region's tent campgrounds offer access to trout streams, hiking trails, and wildlife viewing opportunities. Cell reception is limited at most primitive sites, creating a true disconnect from urban life. Backcountry campers should follow Leave No Trace principles, including gathering only dead, downed wood for fires.
"My friend and I were eager to test out some new backpacking gear for the first time in advance of a larger trip this summer."
"Yellow River has great backpacking sites. Park near ranger station and hike in or grab a map and find a smaller parking location near the trail you want to explore. Great scenery."
from $12 / night
Check Availability"There are pit toilets at the upper sites, near the pavilion."
"The hiking trail was perfect for a morning stroll with my dog and coffee and there certainly is a petting zoo (my German Shepard was a little uncertain about the goats)"
from $5 / night
Check Availability"Hiked into this Camp that includes 5 primitive sites: fire rings and benches. Lush dense forest with intermediate hiking including typical summer insects."
"Awesome campground, if you require electric bring a generator. Water is available but needs to be carried in. we loved the lack of cell phone reception!"
"The Nature Center campsite is located at the trail head for the Root River State Bike Trail."
"This campsite is at the trailhead for the Root River Bike Trail. This bike trail is so awesome and by far the best in the tri-state area!"
"This location offers the opportunity to explore both private trails and less traveled areas of Forestville State Park. Secluded campsites so you are not camping side by side with others."
"If you're looking for a simpler camping experience focused on getting away from everything and solitude, then this is the place for you. "
from $35 / night
Check Availabilityfrom $20 / night
LegendHiked into this Camp that includes 5 primitive sites: fire rings and benches. Lush dense forest with intermediate hiking including typical summer insects. Leave No Trace ethics include: minimizes fire impacts by gathering only dead, down, wood. Sounded by nature atop of hill hike near Fire tower ( only fire tower in Iowa), cell reception is found up here.
LegendThis review is for Yellow River State Forest's Big Paint Campground which consists of sites 35 through 61. Big Paint is a couple miles from Little Paint, a larger campground with 70+ sites. There are two equestrian campgrounds (Creekside and Little Frontier with sites numbered 1 through 34) as well as hike in campgrounds for backpackers. A photo of an area map is included.
Why did we choose Big Paint instead of Little Paint?
It's smaller and that's just our personal preference. There were only 4 sites occupied early Friday afternoon and a few more were reserved. We liked site 35, the first site on the left as you enter. This site is like being in a garden with trees and flowers surrounding the site. It had rained and more rain was coming, so the gravel parking pad on #35 was appealing. Most of the sites are completely on the grass.
Activities
Stocked trout streams are an attraction for fishermen; see photo of stocking calendar. We enjoyed hiking despite the mosquitoes and humidity in August and were able to make a 5+ mile loop leaving from the campground. You can also hike from Little Paint, and there are equestrian trails. This would also be a good area for X-country skiing and snowmobiling. A photo of the trail map is included. Caution: hunting is allowed in the non-campground area of the state forest.
Amenities
Each site has a picnic table and fire ring. Other than that, you can dispose of your trash and use a vault toilet. There's water at the information center (and a camp host site) outside the campground about 100 yards to the left.
Cost
You're not getting much (and that's not a bad thing) so the $9 fee seems fair. Pay up front at the entrance station, or make a reservation online at last 2 days ahead of time (and pay a reservation fee). There are 7 non-reservable sites at Big Paint. I doubt that Big Paint fills up; just check the reservation site to see if they get crowded.
https://iowastateparks.reserveamerica.com/camping/yellow-river-state-forest/r/campsiteSearch.do?search=site&page=siteresult&contractCode=IA&parkId=610130
GuideSome of the spots are a little uneven. Bring some leveling devices. This a very peaceful campground. Fire rings are on cement. Can find fire starters everywhere. No bugs in the 1st of June when we were there. Will plan on going back for sure. Reserve your spots cuz they go fast. If you love a great view and the smell of the outdoors this is your place!
LegendThe Nature Center campsite is located at the trail head for the Root River State Bike Trail. Trail Head Park is a nice tent only campground with walk-in sites. A majority of the sites have picnic tables and fire pits. The Nature Center has clean bathrooms and free showers. They recommend donations for the use of the showers.
$20 per night camping fee. You can pay inside the Nature Center or at the slot between the restroom mirrors. The sites are first come, first serve. Local firewood is available near the restrooms as well; take what you need and leave the center a donation.
Trail Head Park has a 1 acre natural playground near the campsite. When I visited during the week, I only saw a small group of people using the playground. The playground has a zip line, tree house, small rock wall, and more. Inside the Nature Center, they have interactive and interesting displays. The highlight of this campground is the Root River State Bike Trail and the Owl Center in the town of Houston.
I'd give the campsite 4/5 review. The location, the bluffs, the bike trail, and center get 5/5 review.
ScoutStayed here in a tent while on a bicycle camping trip and it was adequate. It is located in a city park within a couple minutes walk of the downtown area. The bike trail crosses the south end of downtown so close to that too. This would not be a good place to camp if you'd like to be out in nature
Biggest gripe is the slope of the tent sites. The majority of the tent sites are on an incline around a pond. There are also a lot of ducks that aren't very afraid of humans. None got into my gear though. There are fire rings at the tent sites. No picnic tables at the individual sites but there are some nearby in the park and there's also a covered picnic shelter. Hammocks would be difficult to impossible as the tent area is a strip of grass between pond and bluff, which has mostly brush or too whimpy of trees to hang from at the base. There are a couple huge oaks but none in pairs.
Quarter showers and clean restrooms are available. $20/night/tent which seemed a bit steep to me considering how slanted the sites were and quarter showers. It is cheaper than the other places within immediate biking distance which were $25/night.
RangerThe South Bear Creek entrance is located near Highlandville, IA off of Quandahl Road. This is Iowa Department of Natural Resources land and offers primitive camping only. There are no shower or restroom facilities and we brought our own water. There was a makeshift fire ring made out of rocks and so we used this to build our campfire. Be sure to bring a camp shovel for bathroom breaks. There was no fee at the time to camp here. It might be a good idea to call ahead to the Iowa DNR to see if that has changed.
Bear Creek is known for trout fishing and is stocked by the DNR. Bear Creek runs for a little over 5 miles at this entrance. Highlandville does have a general store, so you can stock up on items such as snacks, firewood, and angling supplies if you plan to fish the creek.
Note: There is also a Bear Creek Campground which offers electrical sites along with restrooms, showers and a playground as well as Bear Creek Cabin rentals if you're looking for something with more amenities.
We camped the last weekend in October and had the entire area to ourselves. We walked along the creek and Quandahl Road. It was a quiet area and we enjoyed camping in a more primitive setting.
LegendStayed in 2 primitive tent sites: table, fire ring, shaded. Great sites for hat are all within walking to stocked trout streams! CG is in valley, cooled air, shaded, cold water streams to cool off. Pit toilets, trash bins, self registration with some sites reservable.
ScoutThis 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.
LegendThis 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.
Tent camping near Decorah, Iowa features several primitive backcountry opportunities within the Driftless Area, a unique geographical region untouched by glaciers during the last ice age. This northeast corner of Iowa contains unusual limestone bluffs, deep valleys, and spring-fed streams that create a microclimate different from the rest of the state. Camping elevations range from approximately 600 to 1,200 feet above sea level, with temperature variations between ridge tops and valley floors sometimes differing by 10-15 degrees.
Trout fishing access: Echo Valley State Park provides immediate access to a stocked trout stream. "This campground is non-electric, self-pay, non-reservable, and has only a few sites. There is a nice trout stream, with a few sites right by the stream," notes Kerry M. from Echo Valley State Park Campground.
Backpacking preparation: The trail systems near Decorah serve as training grounds for longer hiking expeditions. "Great park with a few longer trails for backpacking. Have used these trails/this park to prepare for longer trips," writes Brooke M. about Camp Glen Wendel Primitive Backcountry, highlighting the practical training value of the area.
Cycling adventures: The Root River State Trail connects to camping options across the state line. "This campsite is at the trailhead for the Root River Bike Trail. This bike trail is so awesome and by far the best in the tri-state area!" shares Alison about the Houston Nature Center just 30 miles northeast of Decorah.
Unplugged experience: The lack of technology connections appeals to many backcountry campers. "We loved the lack of cell phone reception!" reports Kimberly W. about Camp John Schultz, suggesting this disconnection adds value to the camping experience.
Wildlife viewing: The natural setting provides opportunities for animal observation. "The singing toads at night" made an impression on April S. at Houston Nature Center, who appreciated the natural soundscape during her stay.
Site spacing: The low-density camping layout gives privacy not found at more developed campgrounds. "I was a quarter mile from the next nearest site," notes Wilber S. about Echo Valley State Park Campground, emphasizing the separation between campsites that allows for a more secluded experience.
Fire tower access: Yellow River State Forest contains a unique attraction. "Leave No Trace ethics include: minimizes fire impacts by gathering only dead, down, wood. Surrounded by nature atop of hill hike near Fire tower (only fire tower in Iowa), cell reception is found up here," explains James M. about Camp John Schultz.
Limited facilities: Most primitive sites require self-sufficiency. "Camp Glen Wendel is about 1 mile in from self camp registration at HQ. Sites have fire rings and benches, some more spacious than others," notes James M., providing specific details about what campers can expect.
Stream crossings: Some campgrounds require navigating water features. Kerry M. explains that at Echo Valley, you must "Ford a shallow stream (on a paved slab, easy for any car) and the campsites are up the hill," providing important access information for visitors.
Natural playgrounds: Some sites offer unique children's activities. "Trail Head Park has a 1 acre natural playground near the campsite... The playground has a zip line, tree house, small rock wall, and more," details GoWhereYouAreDraw N. about Schmidt Farm by Forestville.
Educational opportunities: Local nature centers enhance the camping experience. "Inside the Nature Center, they have interactive and interesting displays," notes GoWhereYouAreDraw N., highlighting educational options beyond just camping.
Kid-friendly trails: The varied terrain offers hiking suitable for different ages. "Amazing place to explore for all ages. Who knew that Iowa has hills like this?!" writes Lynn G., emphasizing the surprising topography that makes exploration interesting for children.
Site limitations: Most primitive sites aren't suitable for larger vehicles. "Certainly a tent oriented campground, RVs would have a difficult time," warns Wilber S. about Echo Valley, indicating the challenges for RV access.
Hookup availability: Some sites do offer services for smaller RVs. "The driveways are gravel and pretty level. 3 drive through sites and 4 back in spots with a few nice trees. Water electric and sewer connections at each site with a separate dump station," explains Brody about Gateway Park Campground.
Driving conditions: Access roads can be challenging in certain seasons. "There are some thin trails down steeper hillsides, so make sure to take it slower if the ground is muddy," advises Kevin C., cautioning about potential difficult driving or walking conditions that might affect RV access.
Frequently Asked Questions
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According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Decorah, IA is Chimney Rock County Park with a 4-star rating from 1 review.
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