20 campgrounds · Check availability for any dates.
Tent campsites near Elkader, Iowa range from primitive backcountry options to established campgrounds with basic amenities. Yellow River State Forest offers multiple tent-specific camping areas including Camp Glen Wendel Primitive Backcountry and Camp John Schultz, both providing secluded forest settings for tent campers. Echo Valley State Park Campground, located west of Elkader, features non-electric tent sites along a trout stream.
Most primitive tent sites in the area have fire rings and simple benches but lack modern facilities. Camp John Schultz includes 5 primitive sites with fire rings in a dense forest setting accessible only by hiking trails. Potable water is generally available only at headquarters or main entrance areas, requiring campers to carry water to their sites. Yellow River State Forest backcountry camping areas are first-come, first-served with no reservations accepted. Alcohol is prohibited at several of the primitive tent sites, and campers should practice Leave No Trace principles as many areas have limited trash facilities.
In the backcountry tent areas, campers will find sites spaced for privacy and minimal interaction with other visitors. A recent review noted, "Yellow River has great backpacking sites with wonderful spots to camp and very clean creeks." The forest setting provides ample shade for summer camping, though insects can be abundant during warmer months. Echo Valley's tent campsites are positioned near a trout stream, offering convenient fishing access directly from camp. Many backcountry tent sites in Yellow River State Forest connect to an extensive trail network, making them ideal basecamps for hikers. Cell phone reception is limited in most camping areas, particularly at tent sites located in valleys or heavily wooded sections, though some higher elevation areas near the fire tower offer better connectivity.
"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 Availabilityfrom $20 / night
"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!"
"People driving around the pond didn't even know we were there! The camping spot was beautiful (although you have to watch out for nettles). Great fishing while we were there too."
"Primitive and private. Pond for recreation, fishing, and swimming. Kids be sure to try the rope swing. "
"The farm was cute and a wonderful place to get outside and be in nature. The hosts were very accommodating and professional! We will definitely be returning, 10 stars!"
from $24 - $45 / 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 was a great surprise in a pretty little town. The campground is across the river from Elkader, up on a rise. The campground is next to the city pool and history museum, which has great exhibits and a few historic train cars to explore. The campground has hookups for RVs primarily, with a few tent sites in a grassy area next to the road. However, you can easily just get a site with hookups to be further away from the road (the sites in the middle seem to have better hammock trees, too). None of the sites have any privacy, but all have picnic tables and fire rings. The shower house is like a bunker house- seriously, it is the tornado shelter for the park and campground! It’s super clean and large, with separate toilets, showers, and changing rooms. FREE firewood!! They even provide a couple of wheelbarrows for you to haul firewood to your site. In town there is an access point for kayakers who want to play in the river at the rapids, as well as access for fishing. There is a GREAT bakery on the main corner in town- this is THE place to buy your hamburger buns (one of their biggest sellers). There is a nice cornerstone bridge crossing the river that you can walk across to view the spillway.
GuideThe pros: $10 fee ($15 electric), campground seems well maintained (grass is mown, security light works, tables in good repair, gravel access road in good shape, etc); no one here but us, the sound of the running Creek is soothing, vault toilet is probably the cleanest I've seen; ATT cell service was 3bars 5G The unusual: no specific site, no specific place to pull into, no site numbers or designation except on the electric pedestals. It's all grass. Pull onto the grass near the table or electric pedestal you want. The cons: highway traffic noise is easily heard and doesn't seem to stop for more than a few seconds (though the crickets/bug sounds and the creek sound is sometimes louder so you hear that instead), dust from vehicles passing on nearby dirt road filters thru the trees (due to dry weather?), and, well, it is, after all, a vault toilet-not my fav,
LegendGeneral: This is a small (29-site) county park campground situated along the North Fork Maquoketa River. Nine of the sites are reservable, and the rest are first-come, first-served. Some sites are primitive, and some have water and 30-amp electricity hookups. There is one ADA-accessible site with a paved camper pad.
Site Quality: Most sites are level. The camper pads are gravel/grass, but not all are clearly defined. Each site has a picnic table and a fire ring.
Bath/Shower: The bath/shower house was closed when we were there in November but there are vault toilets about a quarter mile from the campground (in the day-use area) that were very clean and well-stocked when we were there.
Activities/Amenities: Many activities including disc golf, three hiking trails, volleyball, two playgrounds (one in the day-use area and one by the campsites). There are two reservable picnic shelters. There is also a dump station.
We were tent camping in November on a backpacking trip so we didn’t take advantage of any of the activities but would return in our van on a future camping trip. We were the ONLY ones in the campground at this time of year!
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
LegendThis campground also goes by the name of Holbert. Small campground but free with a handful of picnic tables and campfires. The vault toilets were cleanish, thou older. This campground is next to a pretty little creek that you can play and fish in. The campground is really just a series of campsites strung out along the creek and road. It was pretty quiet while I was there, not many campers at all. There are no hookups for RV’s/campers so it is primarily tent camping or dry camping. There is an interesting story about how this camping area has come to be: the land was donated by Ella Ellis in memory of her husband William Ellis. They apparently loved the land and wanted to make sure it was never developed and could be enjoyed by all. A lovely story.
LegendCampground is well maintained, restrooms, showers, recycling station, fire wood available, campground host onsite, resident park ranger, standard RV sites, some electric tent sites otherwise primitive with fire rings and tables. Trout stream (Catfish Creek) runs through campground and park and is stocked by Iowa DNR, has Swiss Valley Nature center with trails.
RangerMud Lake is a wonderful county park near Dubuque. Beautiful views of the Mississippi River. We stayed one night on our way to Minnesota. The sites are mostly sunny. The park streets are gravel with gravel sites. The park is quiet except for the occasional train from the nearby tracks. Great value for $21. Electric and water hookups. Marina and boathouse next door.
Stayed in campsite #35 which has no shade. It was a gravel site which shares a pull-through with site 36. There was more than enough parking for my TT and truck and grass on either side. The site included: picnic table and fire ring. Utilities were located in the rear. 20A/50A electric and water. Site was level. Neighbors were nearby.
AT&T had 2 bars of LTE and Verizon 2 bars of LTE service. AT&T Speedtest: 47 Mbps down, 1.3 Mbps up. Verizon data VERY SLOW. No WiFi.
Would stay here again. We camped at Mud Lake Park in a Travel Trailer.
GuideWe stayed at this campground for 7 nights with W/E hook ups. Dump available on entrance/exit. The site was a level rock pad witch was very spacious with a fire ring and picnic table. Nearest grocery store was within 5 miles. The bathrooms and shower were very clean with lots of hot water. There is hiking in the park and very little road noise.
Tent camping near Elkader, Iowa offers campers access to dense woodlands and rolling hills uncommon in other parts of the state. This region features elevations ranging from 700-1,200 feet above sea level with limestone bluffs and spring-fed streams supporting trout populations. Summer temperatures typically range from 60-85°F, while spring and fall camping seasons experience wider temperature fluctuations requiring additional preparation.
Fishing access: Echo Valley State Park Campground has sites positioned along a trout stream, making it ideal for anglers. "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.
Backcountry exploration: Camp Glen Wendel Primitive Backcountry offers hiking loops ranging from 1-7 miles through varied terrain. "I've done this loop several times, and have never been disappointed. Lots of quiet, and many more great views on the upper trails," reports Kevin C., who recommends caution on steep sections during wet conditions.
Stargazing opportunities: Campsites in the region, particularly at higher elevations, provide excellent night sky viewing opportunities with minimal light pollution. "The sunset over the cornfields was very pretty," mentions one camper at Gateway Park, while others note the value of sites positioned in clearings rather than under dense tree cover for optimal star viewing.
Secluded campsites: Camp John Schultz provides true isolation with just 5 primitive sites spread throughout dense forest. "Hiked into this Camp that includes 5 primitive sites: fire rings and benches. Lush dense forest with intermediate hiking including typical summer insects," describes James M., highlighting the authentic backcountry experience.
Stream proximity: Campers consistently mention the value of sites positioned near water sources. "It is most suitable for tent, truck, or teardrop camping… large RVs would not do well," explains Kerry M. about Echo Valley State Park, where select sites offer direct stream access for both recreation and ambient sounds.
Tech disconnection: Gardner Family Farm and Iowa Hemp Farm Stay provides a genuine off-grid experience. "Evenings at this farm are memorable. Dark skies with billions of stars. Enjoy a campfire, that's a must. Primitive and private," shares Alissa G., noting the value of intentional disconnection.
Carrying water requirements: Most backcountry tent sites require campers to transport water from central locations. "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., adding "Potable water is at HQ near registration kiosk."
Site reservation systems: Many primitive camping areas operate on first-come, first-served basis with no advance reservations. According to Lynn G., "Backcountry sites are free but no reservations are taken," which requires flexibility in planning, particularly during summer weekends when demand increases.
Limited facilities: Little Turkey Campground offers "Clean shower free wood staff is friendly," according to Douglas M., but most tent-focused sites have minimal amenities. Campers should prepare for self-sufficient stays with proper waste management plans, particularly at backcountry locations with no trash collection.
Water recreation options: Farm stays with ponds provide safe swimming opportunities for children. "Pond for recreation, fishing, and swimming. Kids be sure to try the rope swing," suggests Alissa G. about Gardner Family Farm, offering contained water play alternatives to the region's sometimes fast-moving streams.
Wildlife viewing preparation: Pack binoculars and wildlife identification guides as the region supports diverse bird populations and mammals. Worthington Sportsman's Club provides excellent wildlife observation opportunities, with one camper noting "The camping spot was beautiful (although you have to watch out for nettles)."
Navigation considerations: Several campgrounds require fording small streams to access tent sites. "Ford a shallow stream (on a paved slab, easy for any car) and the campsites are up the hill," explains Kerry M. about Echo Valley's layout, important information for families with young children or mobility concerns.
Access limitations: Most primitive tent camping areas near Elkader have limited RV accommodation. "Certainly a tent oriented campground, RVs would have a difficult time," notes Wilber S. about Echo Valley State Park, emphasizing the importance of advance research for vehicle clearance.
Electric hookup availability: Gateway Park Campground features "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," though campers note sites are "Pretty wide open and close together," lacking the privacy found at tent-specific campgrounds.
Alternative accommodations: RV campers seeking more amenities should consider established campgrounds within 30-minute drives of Elkader rather than primitive sites. Several reviewers mention Backbone State Park (approximately 22 miles from Elkader) as offering more RV-suitable camping options while still providing access to the region's recreational opportunities.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular tent campsite near Elkader, IA?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Elkader, IA is Camp Glen Wendel Primitive Backcountry — Yellow River State Forest with a 4.8-star rating from 12 reviews.
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TheDyrt.com has all 20 tent camping locations near Elkader, IA, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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