Best Glamping near Evansdale, IA

George Wyth State Park Campground near Waterloo offers boutique glamping accommodations with shaded sites under mature trees along the Cedar River. The glamping area provides electrical hookups, picnic tables, and access to full-service shower facilities. Pleasant Creek State Recreation Area and Pinicon Ridge Park expand the local glamping options with deluxe canvas accommodations adjacent to scenic lakes and woodlands. According to a camper, "Cabins were nice - not luxury or glamping but clean and in good condition. The gentleman that takes care of the campground takes great pride in his work and it shows." Each glamping site includes fire rings for evening ambiance, while most locations offer water hookups and modern bathhouse facilities with hot showers.

The Cedar Valley region surrounding these glamping destinations houses extensive recreational amenities, including multiple lakes for paddling, fishing, and swimming. Paved bike trails connect the parks, with George Wyth offering access to over 100 miles of interconnected pathways through the Cedar Falls and Waterloo area. At Pleasant Creek, glampers can enjoy private campsites separated by waist-high prairie flowers that "provide privacy and beauty," as one visitor noted. The area's resort-style camping experiences peak from April through October, with some sites available year-round. Most glamping locations require reservations, particularly during summer weekends, and provide convenient access to local attractions, including the Cedar Valley Arboretum and the free John Deere Museum for day excursions.

Best Glamping Sites Near Evansdale, Iowa (11)

    1. George Wyth State Park Campground

    14 Reviews
    Cedar Falls, IA
    8 miles
    Website
    +1 (319) 232-5505

    $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."

    2. Bremer County Park Cedar Bend Park

    2 Reviews
    Waverly, IA
    23 miles
    Website
    +1 (319) 882-4742

    "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"

    3. Pleasant Creek State Recreation Area Campground

    6 Reviews
    Shellsburg, IA
    33 miles
    Website
    +1 (319) 436-7716

    $17 - $60 / night

    "Cabins were nice - not luxury or glamping but clean and in good condition.  The gentleman that takes care of the campground takes great pride in his work and it shows - kudos to him! "

    "It's a great recreational area, and a beautiful campground, tent camping is a breeze with very secluded sites, and well water very close to each site and a trail that leads to a large dumpster."

    4. Otter Creek Lake and Park

    3 Reviews
    Garwin, IA
    31 miles
    Website
    +1 (641) 484-2231

    $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"

    5. Pinicon Ridge Park

    9 Reviews
    Central City, IA
    41 miles
    Website
    +1 (319) 438-6616

    "Water and electric hookups, dump station near by. Clean shower house with storm shelter. Mixed sun and shade with generous grassy sites, fire pit and picnic table."

    "Storm shelter right on site. Playground is awesome for kids of all ages. Hiking trails are well marked and all over the park and state land nearby. Lookout Tower is a must see."

    6. Outback Campground & Resort

    3 Reviews
    Garwin, IA
    38 miles
    +1 (641) 484-3611

    "Jump into the nearby water and let the kids have a blast! Enjoy a nice fun night away from home!"

    7. Delaware County Coffins Grove Park

    2 Reviews
    Dundee, IA
    38 miles
    Website
    +1 (563) 927-3410

    "Electric and water only. Nice playground for young kids. Limited activities."

    "Small creek runs through the park (on the edge of the campground) and a fun place for kids to explore and play in."

    8. Airport Lake Park Campground

    3 Reviews
    Elma, IA
    43 miles
    Website
    +1 (641) 394-4714

    "Water electric at each site. Dump station on site. Nice swimming beach and many fishing jetties."

    "Bathrooms were clean. Good cell phone signal. Small lake for fishing and swimming working walking distance"

    9. Morgan Creek County Park

    3 Reviews
    Palo, IA
    41 miles
    Website
    +1 (319) 396-2363

    $23 - $40 / night

    "The bathroom was pretty nice and clean. The grounds were beautiful, even though you can tell some trees took a hit from the recent derecho. The camp host was friendly and helpful."

    10. Bailey Ford Delaware County Park

    2 Reviews
    Delhi, IA
    44 miles
    Website
    +1 (563) 927-3410

    "from trout steam,river access for boats or kayaks, to the beautiful trails with educational signs along it. this park is perfect"

    "Trout stream, trails, river access, showers and a playground. I recommend!"

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Glamping Reviews near Evansdale, IA

48 Reviews of 11 Evansdale Campgrounds


  • Mary S.
    Aug. 31, 2018

    George Wyth State Park Campground

    Another bargain at an Iowa State Park

    Why 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!

  • Leslie K.The Dyrt PRO User
    Oct. 7, 2024

    Outback Campground & Resort

    Wallaby Cabin Review

    This 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.

  • David S.
    Sep. 1, 2022

    Pinicon Ridge Park

    Nice clean and generally spacious

    Stayed in The Plains area. Water and electric hookups, dump station near by. Clean shower house with storm shelter. Mixed sun and shade with generous grassy sites, fire pit and picnic table.

  • K
    Jul. 18, 2020

    Airport Lake Park Campground

    Beautiful spot

    Exceptionally clean. New basthroom/ shoer house. Water electric at each site. Dump station on site. Nice swimming beach and many fishing jetties.

  • Beau Z.
    Apr. 21, 2020

    Pinicon Ridge Park

    Favorite Place Around

    Awesome Campground. Clean, and even NEW showers that are outstanding. Storm shelter right on site. Playground is awesome for kids of all ages. Hiking trails are well marked and all over the park and state land nearby. Lookout Tower is a must see. Lower area is susceptible to flooding during extremely high water, but county staff is very proactive and hospitable with helping campers relocate from dangerous areas. This place is seriously a top notch County park and campground.

  • Paul W.
    Aug. 17, 2020

    Airport Lake Park Campground

    Great campground

    Camper spots were huge with plenty of space between sites. Fire ring was on a cement slab. Bathrooms were clean. Good cell phone signal. Small lake for fishing and swimming working walking distance

  • M
    Nov. 5, 2020

    Pleasant Creek State Recreation Area Campground

    Nice cabin vacation

    Cabins were nice - not luxury or glamping but clean and in good condition.  The gentleman that takes care of the campground takes great pride in his work and it shows - kudos to him!  There is a nice hiking trail around the lake, about 8 miles complete loop.  there is a bit of elevation change and not many opportunities to "bail out" so take water and pace yourself.

  • Chelsea D.
    Oct. 6, 2019

    Pinicon Ridge Park

    Best campground ever!

    Our kids had more fun at this campground than any other so far. They have the most amazing playgrounds (yes, two of them!) That we've ever seen. There were activities for kids of all ages, and they used a rubber composite on the ground at the playground so when kiddos fall, they aren't injured. There is also a beautiful walking/biking trail and canoe rentals.

    The sites were extremely level and clean, electric and water hookups. The camp host was very friendly and had plenty of firewood and ice in stock.

  • SThe Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 19, 2021

    George Wyth State Park Campground

    Mosquito Ranch

    Perhaps it is just a season, but there were tremendous amount of mosquitoes at the campground during our visit. Lots of stagnant water, lake, etc. Reasonably priced, however, and close to Cedar Falls. The bathroom were a little sketchy and the noise from the highway was quite loud. OK stay for a night.


Guide to Evansdale

George Wyth State Park Campground is situated on the Cedar River near Waterloo, Iowa, at an elevation of 850 feet. The park connects to over 100 miles of paved recreational trails through the Cedar Falls and Waterloo metropolitan area. Campsites at nearby parks typically close for winter between October 31 and April 1, though some offer year-round access with limited amenities during cold months.

What to do

Kayaking and canoeing: George Wyth State Park Campground offers multiple lakes for water activities during summer months. Reviewer Steve R. notes, "There is a sand beach to swim, where they also rent kayaks & canoes. The campground is located along the Cedar river, for those who want to boat and fish on a river, as well as multiple lakes to fish and a lake to ski."

Swimming beaches: Several campgrounds offer designated swimming areas with sandy beaches. At Airport Lake Park Campground, campers appreciate the accessible water features with one reviewer stating, "Exceptionally clean. New bathroom/shower house. Water electric at each site. Dump station on site. Nice swimming beach and many fishing jetties."

Off-leash dog areas: Pinicon Ridge Park offers dedicated areas for pets. "The trail through the campground takes you across the river where you can find canoe and paddle boat rentals, and our favorite an off-leash dog area," mentions Brandon T., who stayed at the park.

Hiking trails: Many parks feature maintained trail systems. The 8-mile loop around Pleasant Creek State Recreation Area provides moderate terrain. According to Mitch C., "There is a nice hiking trail around the lake, about 8 miles complete loop. There is a bit of elevation change and not many opportunities to 'bail out' so take water and pace yourself."

What campers like

Spacious, private sites: Many campgrounds feature well-designed sites that offer privacy. At Pleasant Creek State Recreation Area Campground, tent sites are arranged with natural barriers. Ann B. describes, "The tent sites are very nice and private. There are waist high prairie flowers between the sites to provide privacy and beauty."

Modern shower facilities: Several parks have updated their bathing facilities. At Pinicon Ridge Park, campers appreciate the quality amenities. "Clean shower house with storm shelter. Mixed sun and shade with generous grassy sites, fire pit and picnic table," reports David S., highlighting the amenities at The Plains camping area.

Fishing opportunities: Most parks offer shore fishing access and boat launches. At Bremer County Park Cedar Bend Park, visitors enjoy riverside fishing spots. Chantal C. shares, "The trails and hiking was the best part though. We went for hours with our dogs and had so much fun. Some right along the river, some grassy and along fields, others ran through the woods."

Playgrounds for children: Family-friendly campgrounds feature play areas for younger campers. Chelsea D. from Pinicon Ridge Park writes, "They have the most amazing playgrounds (yes, two of them!) That we've ever seen. There were activities for kids of all ages, and they used a rubber composite on the ground at the playground so when kiddos fall, they aren't injured."

What you should know

Seasonal flooding concerns: Some campgrounds experience closure due to high water. At George Wyth State Park, Jennifer T. warns, "Because it is so close to river anytime it rains heavily there is flooding in several areas of the park. And almost every year (usually late summer, early fall) it rains enough to flood a good portion of the park."

Limited availability on weekends: Most glamping accommodations near Evansdale require advance booking, particularly during peak season. At Morgan Creek County Park, Terry M. notes, "Beautiful facilities. Pleasant camp hosts. The only problem is it's first come first serve. Hard to get a site."

Highway noise at some locations: Urban-adjacent parks may experience traffic sounds. Julie W. mentions about George Wyth, "bathrooms were clean and nice park but alot of highway noise," reflecting its proximity to major roads.

Two-vehicle restrictions: Some parks limit parking at campsites. David J. from Pleasant Creek explains, "The Ranger Man enforced a 2 car per campsite rule. He forced 3 over 65 couples to drive to a parking lots and I shuttled them back and forth."

Tips for camping with families

Kid-friendly swimming options: Several glamping spots near Evansdale offer safe water access for children. At Airport Lake Park, Dustin B. shares, "The playground and lake was also fun for the kids too," making it suitable for family outings.

Group camping circles: For family reunions, consider parks with flexible site arrangements. At Delaware County Coffins Grove Park, Elizabeth K. explains, "No designated spots, so great for groups to circle up and camp together (we camp here every year for our family reunion). Newer playground that my kids love, sand so that's an extra play optional."

Educational opportunities: Some parks offer nature programs for children. At Pinicon Ridge Park, facilities include nature displays and seasonal activities for young campers, plus diverse playground equipment suitable for different age groups.

Proximity to attractions: When glamping near Evansdale with children, consider day trips to local sites. Heidi H. recommends, "it is close to the free John Deere Museum, and the Cedar Valley Arboretum," which provide family-friendly alternatives during rainy days.

Tips from RVers

Electric hookup details: Most campgrounds offer 30-amp service, with some providing 50-amp options. At Bailey Ford Delaware County Park, full hookups are available for longer stays with sewer connections.

Level site availability: RVers should note terrain variations between parks. At Pinicon Ridge Park, Clint G. reports, "The site was a level rock pad which was very spacious with a fire ring and picnic table," indicating good conditions for larger units.

Dump station locations: Most campgrounds provide sanitary facilities at entrances or exits. At Airport Lake Park, Paul W. mentions, "Camper spots were huge with plenty of space between sites. Fire ring was on a cement slab," highlighting the practical layout.

Water access: Water connections vary by campground. Steve R. notes about George Wyth, "All sites have 50 amp service and the water provided is from the city of Waterloo. There is an onsite dump station," providing reliable utilities for extended stays.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular glamping campsite near Evansdale, IA?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular glamping campground near Evansdale, IA is George Wyth State Park Campground with a 4-star rating from 14 reviews.

What is the best site to find glamping camping near Evansdale, IA?

TheDyrt.com has all 11 glamping camping locations near Evansdale, IA, with real photos and reviews from campers.