James M.
Legend
LegendHorseshoe Pond
Nice smaller CG in City of Maquoketa, Iowa
CG offers gravel pads, tables, fire rings, electric, sump station, water, small pond with fishing, paddling, dog park. Close to stores for supplies, dining, fuel.
Best Dog-Friendly Camping near Delmar, IA
Maquoketa Caves State Park Campground welcomes pets throughout its 28 campsites, offering both electric hookups and primitive walk-in tent areas for campers with dogs. The park maintains clean facilities with showers and toilets, though pet owners should note dogs must remain leashed on all trails and within the campground area. Bald Eagle Campground and Eden Valley Refuge also accommodate pets in their cabin accommodations, providing options beyond traditional tent or RV camping. Both properties feature full hookups, picnic tables, and fire rings at each site, making them comfortable bases for exploring with pets. The campground at Maquoketa Caves becomes especially quiet in late afternoons and evenings after day visitors have departed, creating a peaceful environment for dogs sensitive to noise and activity.
The trail system connecting to Maquoketa Caves offers excellent opportunities for hiking with leashed dogs, with over 6 miles of paths winding through 370 acres of woodland terrain. Pet owners should bring proper supplies for cave exploration if planning to bring dogs along, including headlamps and appropriate footwear for potentially wet conditions. The nearby 6B's Campground provides direct access to the Maquoketa River for dogs who enjoy swimming, with both upper plateau tent sites and lower waterfront areas that accommodate pets. When temperatures rise during summer months, the shaded sites at Maquoketa Caves provide valuable protection from heat for camping dogs. Pet owners should be prepared for ticks and insects throughout the wooded areas, with long-sleeved clothing recommended for both humans and protective gear for dogs during peak seasons.
Best Dog-Friendly Sites Near Delmar, Iowa (114)
1. Maquoketa Caves State Park Campground
34 ReviewsBaldwin, IA12 milesWebsite+1 (563) 652-5833$20 - $28 / night
"You really can't go wrong with any trail or cave. The kids enjoyed hiking between Lower- and Upper-Dancehall Caves. The trail goes underground and through some water. Window Cave was also a hit."
"Caves were closed but we had a great time hiking the trails. Very clean campground. Plenty of wood for campfires, just had a donation box. Electric campsites have plenty of shade."
2. Bald Eagle Campground and Cabins
19 ReviewsLong Grove, IA20 milesWebsite+1 (563) 328-3282$17 - $36 / night
"One of the 6 campgrounds that you will have to choose from here at Scott County Park, Bald Eagle CG & Cabins is one that is more geared for the RV driving and trailer toting tribes as each site has"
"Enjoyed almost 2 weeks at West Lake Park, part of the Scott County, IA park system. Helpful staff, park rangers make daily patrols, nice spots, many with shade trees & decent room."
3. Eden Valley Refuge
7 ReviewsBaldwin, IA13 milesWebsite+1 (563) 847-7202"Near Lost Nation, Oxford Junction, and Wyoming, IA this park is an unexpected find in rural, eastern Iowa. The camping areas have expanded."
"Well we found a pretty good one that is relatively close to our home and is rarely reserved. Its only 1 hour North of the Quad Cities where I live & open year round!"
4. Mississippi Palisades State Park Campground
28 ReviewsSavanna, IL25 milesWebsite+1 (815) 273-2731"Hidden gem near the iowa/illinois border. Secluded and beautiful."
"It has trails for walking and lots of concrete for riding bikes. We did both. The park is close to the River and has plenty of places to put your boat in across the highway."
6. 6B's Campground
2 ReviewsMaquoketa, IA9 milesWebsite+1 (319) 202-3262"Massive bonus points for the location of this campground, which apart from rural country farmers and bat cave tourist passerby traffic, there was virtually no noise pollution to battle with."
"platform and calm waters for kayaking or just floating; (4) The peace and quiet are unbeatable, with the only background noise being a chorus of crickets and the soft babble of the river; and (5) Location-wise"
7. Wapsi River Environmental Ed. Ctr.
7 ReviewsWheatland, IA18 milesWebsite+1 (563) 328-3286$70 - $80 / night
"Charcoal grill, fire ring with wood supplied, picnic table, covered porch, trail head right next to cabin. After hours offers quite park, dark skies, and trails with wildlife."
"AC/heat, covered porch, firewood, picnic table, Charcoal grill, trails. Park is also site of nature center with live animals, an observatory, access to Wapsipinicon River."
8. Sherman Co Park
7 ReviewsWheatland, IA18 milesWebsite+1 (563) 847-7202"There is a boat ramp with access to the river for fishing and paddling."
"Primitive sites include gravel entrance, picnic tables, fire rings only. There is a boat ramp for the Wapsipinicon river with access for fishing, paddling, etc."
9. Porth RV Park
4 ReviewsWheatland, IA14 miles+1 (563) 246-266510. Bellevue State Park Campground — Dyas Unit
8 ReviewsBellevue, IA19 milesWebsite+1 (563) 872-4019$16 - $36 / night
"CG site atop river bluff with pads, fire rings, tables, RR, recycling, trails, shelters nearby. Sites are close to each other but plenty to do."
"The site our friends had next to us was uninhabitable due to mud and sloping but the rangers let them switch sites no problem."
Recent Dog-Friendly Camping Photos near Delmar, IA
80 Photos of 114 Delmar Campgrounds
Stuart K.
6B's Campground
Shelly S.
Maquoketa Caves State Park Campground
James M.
Porth RV Park
James M.
Wapsi River Environmental Ed. Ctr.
Jeri T.
Honey Bee & Bee Homestead
Hilary B.
Mississippi Palisades State Park Campground
Kelly D.
Spring Lake Campground
Jeff G.
Thomson Causeway
Andi A.
Swiss Valley County Park
Stephanie S.
Morrison-Rockwood State Park
KadeeJo
Yogi Bear's Jellystone Park Monticello
Briana B.
Rockwood State Park Campground
Dog-Friendly Camping Reviews near Delmar, IA
652 Reviews of 114 Delmar Campgrounds
- DDick M.
ScoutCamelot Campground Quad Cities USA
Great for an overnight
Gravel pad for one night. Didn’t use facilities, pool was closed for the season. Very nice walk around the lake, dog park was not large, but clean with enough room to run. There were much nicer spots, but we had all we needed for one night.
- James M.Legend
Iowa 80 Truckstop
Good overnight parking and I 80 access
This overnight access is a small town in itself. This site offers not only the basic communities and needs of fuel, including EV, charging stations, but auto parts, showers, dentist, Chiropractic, care, gifts, dog park, and is right next to the I 80 trucking museum. Good lighting in the overnight spots which has room for long RVs.
- James M.Legend
Horseshoe Pond
Small City CG in Maquoketa Iowa
CG lies within Maquoketa and is seasonal. Has pond for fishing, shelter, dog park, playset, disc golf course. Sites are pulling, have electric and fire pits. Camp supplies including wood in nearby stores. Prairie Creek runs along south of CG.
- James M.Legend
Lakeside RV Park and Campground
Travelling overnight stay suggested
I suggest this site only if you need to get off the road for an overnight stay. Very few amenities, all but a few spots appear to be full-time RV living onsite, has nice playground, gazebo, dog park (small), lake is small but appears well kept, electric/water/septic onsite.
Skylar M.ScoutGeneseo Campground
Stayed for a night passing through
Great campground. Has full hook ups, and pull through sites. Hosts are very responsive to texts if you need anything. They warned me ahead of time that GPS would navigate me under a 10 ft bridge and gave me directions around it!! They have a dog park, bathroom, propane, and trash. Very nice place
Lee D.LegendRustic Barn Campground RV Park
Very clean and well-maintained
General: 58 sites with various amenities. Some are long pull-throughs, some are back-in, some have 30 amp with or without a patio, and some have 50-amp electric with or without a patio. Tents are NOT allowed. We were greeted immediately upon arrival and asked to sign a waiver and given a welcome packet. The rules are extensive, but most are common sense/courtesy and not at all unreasonable.
Site Quality: All had gravel driveways and looked level. Decent separation between sites although they are close together, as would be expected in an RV park. Our site had a patio and decent-sized picnic table but it was chilly when we were there so we ate inside.
Bathhouse: Very clean as were the showers.
Activities/Amenities: There are many activities offered, including a dog park, basketball, horseshoes, games (cornhole, large checkerboard, and others), a barn with a television, a book library, puzzles, and a pool table. Coffee is available after 9 am. There is also a small chapel available 24/7 and a laundry room. WiFi is also available. There is a camp store with ice, ice cream, some camping supplies, clothing, crafts, and more. We were told several restaurants will deliver to the campground.
We don’t typically prefer to stay in RV-style campgrounds, but it was conveniently located with easy access off Route 151 just over the Wisconsin border from Iowa, we were warmly welcomed, and enjoyed our short stay passing through. Pride of ownership was evident throughout.
Stuart K.LegendGeneseo Campground
Hidden Gem Along Slow-Moving Canal
This is an incredibly quaint, somewhat out-of-the-way (in a very good way) location that will treat you to a heavy dose of isolation and privacy wherein you’ll feel completely blessed by the nature you will be surrounded by. This incredibly friendly (pet-friendly as well BTW) operation does an excellent job in how it is set up, offering up a few distinct loops that are ear-marked pretty much exclusively for the wheel-toting camping variety (think RVs, rigs, trailers and 5th wheels) providing 59 pull-thru and 12 back-in slots, while also offering up a discreet space flanked towards the front of the property that is simply perfect for mi tent pitchin’ bredren, which is surrounded by mature Oaks. And, just in case you either forgot your tent or RV, Geneseo Campground has 4 super comfy cabins (each sleeps 4 and come with A/C) or an amazing yurt that sleeps 8 that they’ll gladly rent you.
From an amenities standpoint, there’s an amazing kid’s playground, well-stocked camp store, propane refueling station, kayak & canoe rental, gas grill rental, e-bike, pedal carts & fat tire bike rental, full and partial hook-ups offering 30 / 50 electric amp, water & sewage hook-ups. There’s also a meeting room, WiFi everywhere, enclosed dog park, firewood & ice for sale, arcade games, RV dump station, coin-operated washers & dryers / laundr-O-mat, excellent showers & bathrooms, direct access to the Hennepin Canal and don’t forget the 60 or so miles worth of hiking trails!
This place is spacious, very well organized, incredibly clean all the while within a short 10 minute drive into nearby Geneseo, which quite frankly, is one of the most idyllic small towns you’ll come across anywhere in Illinois that is both convivial and provincial, but also quite emblematic of a typical Norman Rockwell painting. What I loved most about this place is that while it doesn’t offer up EVERYTHING that you might be looking for while camping, you only need to head due south to Izaak Walton Park (further south of this spot) or to Geneseo Prairie Park, both of which offer up amazing hiking trails as well as good launch spots to access the Hennepin Canal via kayak and canoe.
Insider’s tips? Here’s a few: (1) If you’re reeling, you should expect to catch blue gill, catfish, bass and crappie, and while you can throw your line from the Geneseo Campground property, I would highly recommend you cross the canal to Izaak Walton Park on its east side where there’s a large open canal / lake to cast in; (2) While there’s tons of hiking trails, you don’t want to forget your bikes – there’s 72 miles of biking trails as well as miles and miles of nicely paved empty country roads to pedal on; (3) Maybe you have a kayak or canoe, but in the case you don’t, do yourself a favor and rent one from the good people at Geneseo Campground in which to explore the Hennepin Canal - trust me, you won't be disappointed; and (4) Should you grow weary of eating franks & beans again from your campsite and want to try out some local cuisine, then get yourself over to nearby Geneseo where you can dine out at The Cellar, Sweet Peas Grill & Bar or Geneseo Brewing Company.
Happy Camping!
- Jamie M.Scout
Canyon Ridge Campground — Apple River Canyon State Park
Big, clean sites, nice trails, water access
There aren't signs within the park directing you to the campsite. I found it eventually but I'm glad I wasn't towing a camper because there was a lot of turning around. Some of the sites are able to be reserved. We went Memorial Day weekend so there were quite a few people but it wasn't full so even without a reservation you'd likely find a space. The sites a nice and big. We chose 2 sites that were connected and even then they were a good distance from one another. The sites were also removed from the road so when people walk or drive by it doesnt feel like they're walking through your campsite. There is some nice water access to wade with shallows so kids or pets can play. Nice trails.
Guide to Delmar
Maquoketa Caves State Park and the surrounding area offers multiple pet-friendly camping options across eastern Iowa, with sites ranging from primitive tent areas to full-hookup RV sites. The region is characterized by karst topography with limestone bedrock creating unique cave formations amid rolling hills and deciduous forests. Summer temperatures typically range from 75-85°F, creating humid conditions in the densely wooded campgrounds during peak season.
What to Do
Cave exploration with proper equipment: At Maquoketa Caves State Park Campground, visitors should prepare for specific conditions. "If you've never gone spelunking before – and trust me, if you come here to Maquoketa SP, you're going to want to – then make sure you bring the right gear: headlamp, good sturdy hiking boots, pants to keep the bugs, spiders and ticks away as well as plenty of water to stay hydrated," advises Stuart K.
Fishing at multiple access points: Walnut Grove County Park provides river access with designated fishing spots. "This county park is managed by Clinton County conservation board along the river. The park offers sites with tables, electric, firings, gravel pads. The boat ramp offers access to the river for fishing and paddling," notes James M.
Stargazing opportunities: Dog friendly campgrounds near Delmar benefit from minimal light pollution. "No city like that so night sky shines with stars. Trails wind through forests and prairie areas," writes James M. about the Wapsi River Environmental Education Center, which also offers observatory programs for campers interested in astronomy.
Wildlife viewing: Bald Eagle Campground and Cabins provides habitat for regional wildlife. "Deer everywhere. Expect to see whitetail deer as they love to make the park home," writes Kimberly W., noting the frequent sightings available to campers with pets.
What Campers Like
Natural water features: 6B's Campground offers distinct riverside camping options. "This nature-infested outpost is split into 2 levels with an upper plateau section that is more geared towards the tent-pitchin' bredren of my tribe, while the lower level straddles the Maquoketa River and offers up splendid waterfront views," explains Stuart K.
Secluded tent sites: Less crowded camping options exist at Eden Valley Refuge. "It's a little hike in for the dispersed sites, but worth it to be in a secluded woodsy site. Was peaceful and relaxing. There is water and and an outdoor shower at the regular campsite across from where you park," reports Carissa V., highlighting alternatives for campers seeking distance from RV areas.
Clean facilities: Pet-friendly campgrounds near Delmar emphasize maintenance. "Bathrooms are nice & clean with showers. The camp host was very friendly and helpful. There's also plenty of trails and primitive campsites on the other side of the park," Chris D. shares about Eden Valley Refuge, noting the infrastructure supporting both day use and overnight stays.
Seasonal advantages: "We like to stay at the Pack in site #1 due to the difference in the levelness of the sites. Site #1 is pretty level all around & is decently sized," Linsey M. explains about Eden Valley's backpacking options, highlighting the year-round availability of these sites just "1 hour North of the Quad Cities."
What You Should Know
Site selection considerations: Pay attention to campground layout. "You probably don't want sites 1 or 2, they are directly across from the dump site. The plus is they are directly across from the playground, picnic area and trail access," advises Shelly S. about Maquoketa Caves State Park.
Payment requirements: Some smaller campgrounds have specific payment policies. "This camping outpost only accepts cash, money order or checks, which was a major bummer for us as we didn't have any of those with us," Stuart K. notes about 6B's Campground, emphasizing the importance of advance preparation.
Seasonal closures: Bellevue State Park maintains specific seasonal operations. "It's still a bargain at $11/$16 for non-electric/electric sites from 5/1-9/30, and the cost is $6/$11 the rest of the year," explains Mary S., highlighting the affordability of pet-friendly camping options in the off-season.
Trail navigation: "The trails have sign posts and the map in a VERY general way gives you some idea as to where you are at BUT there are trails criss crossing everywhere so make sure you have your map tracker on," warns Shelly S. about Maquoketa Caves, suggesting visitors use digital navigation tools.
Tips for Camping with Families
Choose sites near amenities: Maquoketa Caves offers strategic site selection for families. "If you have kids and want to be planted near the playground, you might want to target sites #26-#28, where the spacious kids playground sets right behind these sites," recommends Stuart K.
Explore educational opportunities: Wapsi River Environmental Education Center offers unique learning experiences. "The park specializes in environmental education and the Eagle View Eco Center with exhibits and native live animals, trails, prairie, observatory, amphitheater," explains James M., highlighting amenities beyond standard camping facilities.
Consider noise levels: "The campground itself is fairly quiet, although lacking in privacy without the benefit of any real brush or trees to blot out our next-door neighbors," Stuart K. notes about Bald Eagle Campground, important for families with light sleepers or noise-sensitive dogs.
Cabin options for mixed groups: "Cabin sleeps 6, has all amenities including firewood at no cost! Education center onsite with live animals, trails, open year round," James M. describes about Wapsi River Center, offering an alternative to tent camping for families with diverse comfort needs.
Tips from RVers
Site access challenges: Mississippi Palisades State Park Campground requires navigation considerations. "When booking it was hard to pick to be honest as there are so many choices. Some sites are massive...as in .25 an acre that you drive over the grass to get to your site because it is situated away from the road," explains Scott M.
Year-round availability: "Bald Eagle kind of lives up to its name as there's not much in the way of tree cover or brush, so the land is somewhat BALD. The land is incredibly flat, back-in slots are spacious, hard and very level grounds are incredibly well-organized," notes Stuart K., highlighting the site's accessibility features important for larger vehicles.
Utility connections: "RV site include gravel pads, firings, electric, play area, seasonal host, shower, house, shelter, horseshoes, firewood, available," James M. explains about Sherman Park, noting the essential services for self-contained units at pet-friendly campgrounds in the Delmar area.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular dog-friendly
campsite near Delmar, IA?
Which is the most popular dog-friendly campsite near Delmar, IA?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dog-friendly campground near Delmar, IA is Maquoketa Caves State Park Campground with a 4.5-star rating from 34 reviews.
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dog-friendly camping near
Delmar, IA?
What is the best site to find dog-friendly camping near Delmar, IA?
TheDyrt.com has all 114 dog-friendly camping locations near Delmar, IA, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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