Des Moines is the perfect place for adventurous campers and RVers. Des Moines is filled with the activities, sights, and experiences to make everyone in your crew a happy camper. You're sure to find the perfect campground for your Des Moines camping trip.
$35 - $90 / night
"The campground very very well kept with spacious concrete pads, both 30/50 amp and full water/ sewage hookups. Two nice laundry/shower houses, one in the front and one in the back of the campground."
"I came here once for a baby shower and then check the place out for RV camping you can stay year round you can stay for a week a month or a day and they have full hookup propane they have so many interesting"
$45 - $60 / night
"Nice size campground, sites have good spacing and full hookups that were installed with some thought."
"We stayed here to go to the Iowa State Fair. It was easy to park here and catch a shuttle to the fair."
"The sites are mostly pull through with full service electric, water, and sewer. The only real issue is the constant noise from I-80 which is just to the south of the campground."
"Level sites with full hookups
Plenty of space to walk the dog
Right next to a gas station with great burgers and tenderloins!
It was cold and windy so we didn't get out much to explore."
"We looked at the other reviews and it talked about it being so close to the freeway, but we didn’t hear a sound. It was really in a good perimeter of trees and lots of shade and level camp spots."
$35 - $45 / night
"All the spaces are pulled through. It is very clean. There is full hook up for water, electric and sewer. All spaces are paved. There are picnic tables scattered throughout the park."
"The park was clean with level sites. The front desk person was friendly and helped me with my reservation. It was a close walk to Pilot for supplies."
"The staff was very helpful, plenty of laundry/restrooms throughout the campground and pretty clean overall. Concrete pads with full hook ups (30/50 amp, water and sewage) make setting up quick."
"The sites are all mostly concrete slabs, so it was easy to back in and set-up. Not sure if they allow campfires, though. Pool was nice, and also had a few arcade games in the pool house."
"Gravel sites require some leveling. Not much privacy between sites nor shade. Bathhouses were clean and private. Laundry available. Off leash dog area available."
"We stayed at the West Des Moines KOA for the Nationals Softball Tournament for my daughter in July. There were 6 families that stayed there with us."
$22 - $26 / night
"Great spot located next to the Des Moines River. Check in was a breeze and conveniently near the fill and dump stations. Peaceful lot near the river. Great fishing in the river."
"We stayed at spot 20 which was extra wide, concrete pad with electric hook up. No water or sewer."
LegendWalnut Woods is conveniently located 25 minutes outside of downtown Des Moines. Sites are paved and mostly level, although we did have to throw a couple of blocks under one side of our TT tires. Most sites feature 20/30/50 electric, a fire ring and a picnic table. Some also have water and sewer hookups. Sites are relatively small and close together, so get comfortable looking into your neighbors’ site/camper depending on how your site is oriented. The road around the campground is paved, but very narrow. We had to ask our neighbor across the street to temporarily move their tow vehicle so that we’d have adequate room to back into our site.
There is a bathroom, trash dumpsters, and a dump station with both potable and tank cleanout water spigots. There are trail heads near the campground that follow along the raccoon river for almost 2 miles. It was very muddy when we camped here, so we had to turn around about 1.5 miles into our hike and backtrack due to an impassible area.
3 bars of T-Mobile and 2 bars of AT&T were more than sufficient for internet browsing and streaming.
RangerWell 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.
ScoutThis quickly became one of our favorite close to home spots. Sites are large and there is plenty of space between sites. We had a concrete pad with a picnic table and fire pit with grill grate. Most are back in sites, but once settled we had a gorgeous view of the lake and sunsets. Restrooms were clean and dump stations were easily accessible. This is now our go to spot when we want to camp but stay close to home!
LegendLiterally 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!
GuideFirst, there is no dump station! All sites have water and electricity with 20, 30, and 60 amp plugs. The sites are 20 dollars. The campsites located near the entrance are pull-through but need maintenance. The campsites along the lake will support short to medium length RVs or trailers, and all are back in. As of this posting, all are not level and in poor condition. The city of Huneston, Iowa is a few minutes away and has several gas stations and a grocery store.
GuideNice CG located on the North end of Saylorville Reservoir. Camped in the upper CG site#145. Numerous shade trees, gravel pad and room for our 20' trailer and TV. CG has a kids playground, hiking trails, Equestrian Center, golf course and nature center. Plenty to do with the city of Ankeny just 15 minutes away. CG was fairly empty until around Thursday and filled on the weekend. Seniors can get$5 off per day of their reservation. Dump station is at the entrance of the CG. We camped at Jester Park in a Travel Trailer.
GuideI stayed at Adventureland for the summer months and had no issues. The staff was very helpful, plenty of laundry/restrooms throughout the campground and pretty clean overall. Concrete pads with full hook ups (30/50 amp, water and sewage) make setting up quick. Tent camping is an option in the back of the campground. Nature is not really the draw of this campground, convenience is more the approach. With a theme park on one side and a casino on the other, both in walking distance. It’s more of a park and party place hahaha
GuideNo wake lake. Boat and kayak rental and a small store with basic necessities. Campground has some 30 amp and some 50 amp sites. New playground for the kids. Clean facilities.
RangerLarge 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.
RV camping near Des Moines, Iowa, offers a variety of well-reviewed parks that cater to different needs, from family-friendly amenities to serene natural settings.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I find free RV hookups near Des Moines?
Free RV hookups are rare around Des Moines. While Lakeside Co Park offers affordable sites at $20 with water and electricity (20/30/60 amp), you won't find completely free hookups. Most public campgrounds like county and state parks provide electric hookups for reasonable fees. Consider Prairie Flower Recreation Area for value with large sites and amenities at budget-friendly rates. If you're specifically looking to minimize costs, county parks typically offer the best rates for basic hookups in the Des Moines region.
Are there any year-round RV parks in the Des Moines area?
Yes, several RV parks near Des Moines operate year-round. Newton KOA is open throughout the year and conveniently located just off I-80, making it accessible in all seasons. Timberline Campground also offers year-round camping for RVers in the greater Des Moines area. While many public campgrounds close or offer limited services during winter months, these private RV parks provide full hookups and amenities regardless of season. Be prepared for Iowa winters by ensuring your RV is properly winterized if staying during the coldest months.
What types of RV rentals are available in West Des Moines?
West Des Moines and the surrounding area offer diverse RV rental options. Based on local camping patterns, you can find Class A motorhomes (up to 33ft with slides), travel trailers of various sizes, and smaller Class C motorhomes from rental companies. Some campers stay at Walnut Woods State Park Campground with rented RVs, which is conveniently located just 25 minutes from downtown Des Moines with paved, mostly level sites. Local rental businesses and national companies like Cruise America offer various models. For special accommodations, Howell Station provides well-maintained sites that can accommodate different rental RV sizes. Many rentals come fully equipped with basic camping amenities.
Where are the best RV parks in Des Moines, Iowa?
For premium RV accommodations near Des Moines, Adventureland Campground offers concrete pads with full hookups (30/50 amp, water, and sewage), clean facilities, and convenient amenities. Des Moines West KOA Holiday is another excellent option with modern facilities, gravel sites that accommodate all rig sizes, clean bathhouses, laundry, and an off-leash dog area. For those preferring a more natural setting with good amenities, state parks like Walnut Woods and Jester County Park provide electric hookups with picturesque surroundings. The best choice depends on whether you prioritize full-service amenities or natural settings.
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