Looking for the best campgrounds near Eldora, IA? Eldora is an adventure-filled destination for those who love the outdoorsy camper lifestyle. But it's also great for those who prefer to spend time near the city, exploring and sightseeing. You're sure to find the perfect spot for your Iowa camping adventure.
$17 - $35 / night
"One of my favorite locations to camp in Iowa as a Boy Scout growing up was Ledges State Park. Since I hadn't been back in years, I decided to check it out and spend a night camping there."
"One of the more beautiful places to camp in Iowa. Awesome hiking trails and really well-shaded campsites."
"Small lake. Some sites are reserveable online and some are first come first serve. We had water and electric on site. Showers were not open yet in April. "
"Close to the interstate and easy to get to."
$15 - $23 / night
"**
- 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.)"
"Nice campground with some non-electric sites on bank of Cedar River, clean shower house and flush toilets."
$15 - $46 / night
"The lake has lots of features like brush piles, vertical structures, mossy areas and you can go over by the bridge and fish the rocks. It’s a great place if you have a boat or kayak/canoe."
"Stopped overnight on our way home from Iowa City. No reservations & took our chances on finding an electric site. Score! Neighbors were friendly."
"Large, open spaces equipped with a fire pit and picnic table. Electric hookups and water also available. Reasonable rates (I think we paid $15) for one night."
"Very low cost ($15/night with water & electric). Not a far drive off of I-35. Has a pool if you’re into that kind of thing."
$7 / night
"Most of the sites are tucked into the woods and very spacious. It's only $7/night! There is some play equipment for children. "
"We arrived just after 9p after a long long day of driving and found the park easy to navigate.
Please be courteous when finding a spot after dark."
"Simple campground behind a Philips 66 gas station that totes they have Iowa’s best burger. They have recently updated shower building along with a laundry building"
"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."
$10 - $20 / night
"This is a very nice quiet campground close to a nice small lake. We stayed in space 30 and this area has just had the electrical updated and the are adding some new spots right by the lake."
"Hidden gem in Iowa"
"Jump into the nearby water and let the kids have a blast! Enjoy a nice fun night away from home!"
"We had the RV and used the electric hookup. We found that it was quite a peaceful campground when we went."
"We like this campground a lot, very nice shade, playground area, as well as nice trails. Clean restrooms and shower stall"
LegendWhy 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!
LegendI 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!
GuideOne of my favorite locations to camp in Iowa as a Boy Scout growing up was Ledges State Park. Since I hadn't been back in years, I decided to check it out and spend a night camping there. It's close to how I remember it.
The campground has a good picnic area, restrooms, and an excellent trail. It's also inexpensive.
What I enjoy most about this park compared to others in Iowa are the sandstone ledges and the slopes on the trail. There are some excellent views, so make sure your phone has enough battery to take photos (unlike me). I also spent a lot of time off the trail. It isn't too hard to get around. I'm not one who enjoys staying at a park that is mostly flat, so this is definitely a good place in Iowa for me to camp.
If you are looking for a cool place to camp within an hour of Des Moines, you should seriously consider this park.
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.
ScoutOne of the more beautiful places to camp in Iowa. Awesome hiking trails and really well-shaded campsites. The hike in spots are great if you like privacy and being in the middle of the woods - but you don’t want to be THAT far from your car.
Beware of the raccoons. They’re plentiful and crazy smart here. We had one open our cooler, steal an egg from the cartoon - without disturbing anything else. Honestly, I was impressed! But some of our friends had them rip through their tents to get at food - not as impressive.
ScoutI live just 7 miles away, but I love to take my grand daughter here for overnight camping. Most of the sites are tucked into the woods and very spacious. It's only $7/night! There is some play equipment for children. There is only a pit toilet in the campground and it's nice enough for midnight runs. (Bring your flashlight!) Drive up the road to the observatory and there is a bathroom with flush toilets and a hot shower, also a water spigot on the back side. There is also a big group site for family get togethers. There is a nice little circle hike that's not too difficult and was great for rehab after my knee replacement. I'd highly recommend it, but I don't want it to get too crowded!
GuidePulled in one evening on our way to Texas from Minnesota. Large, open spaces equipped with a fire pit and picnic table. Electric hookups and water also available. Reasonable rates (I think we paid $15) for one night.
ScoutStayed 2 nights in 6/7. No shade, giant electrical boxes, whole campground is downhill from dump station and the smell on Sunday morning is really unpleasant. Feels like whole campground is crammed together and smoke from campfires is thick enough to chew.
When we were there, teens were running littler kids off the playground; someone dumped all the TP in the men's room in to the toilets on Sunday morning, and the showers were too hot to use, with no way to adjust water temp.
On the bright side, the lake is pretty, it's right there at the campground. Boat, kayak and canoe rentals seemed reasonable and little store was convenient.
GuideWe stayed here while passing through on a road trip. It was easy to get a camp site. We opted for a hike-in site to try for a bit of seclusion. The site was nice. We didn't have other campers near by. The hiking trails are very short but there is a bike path that evidently connects several parks in the region. It is a family friendly park with bathrooms, spot for trash, and even shower station. There is a kayak launch point off Lower Ledges Road. The water was calm. This is more of a park for locals to picnic, fish and kayak than a destination for out of towners. It is a quiet park that had a lot of local dog walkers and would be a peaceful place to stay with the kids if stopping through the area. There is a playground on site and you can fish out of the Des Moines River.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular glamping campsite near Eldora, IA?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular glamping campground near Eldora, IA is Ledges State Park Campground with a 4.5-star rating from 40 reviews.
What is the best site to find glamping camping near Eldora, IA?
TheDyrt.com has all 10 glamping camping locations near Eldora, IA, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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