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Campgrounds near Exira, Iowa provide a variety of established camping options with several family-friendly recreation areas within a short driving distance. Littlefield Recreation Area, located directly in Exira, offers full hookup sites, water access, and picnic facilities. Lake Anita State Park Campground in nearby Anita provides additional options for tent and RV camping with electrical hookups. Most campgrounds in the region accommodate both tent and RV camping, with a few locations like Prairie Rose State Park and Springbrook State Park also offering cabin accommodations for those seeking more sheltered options.
Camping in the Exira area typically operates seasonally, with most facilities open from spring through fall. Lake Anita State Park and Prairie Rose State Park specify their season as April 1 to December 31, while smaller city parks like Casey City Park and Adair City Park operate from May 1 to October 1. Many campgrounds provide amenities including electric hookups, showers, and sanitary dump stations, though availability varies by location. Reservations are recommended for weekend stays at popular sites, particularly during summer months when lakeside spots fill quickly. A camper noted, "Quiet, zero traffic noise. Campsites spread out over 4 campgrounds" at Littlefield Recreation Area.
Lakefront camping represents a significant draw in the region, with several campgrounds situated around recreational lakes. Lake Anita State Park features sites overlooking the water, offering scenic views and water access for fishing and boating activities. Based on reviews from The Dyrt, campers particularly value the peaceful atmosphere and natural setting of these parks. "Beautiful sunset. We loved the drive into the campground and found a grove of oaks to camp under. Everyone slept great," one visitor wrote about Elkhorn Creek Recreation Area. Campers also mention the well-maintained facilities, with clean restrooms and shower houses frequently highlighted in reviews. Sites at some parks can be relatively close together, particularly at Lake Anita during busy periods, while others like Littlefield Recreation Area receive praise for their more spacious layout.
"This campground has both RV full hookup and electric sites very close to the lake. Campsites offer a great view of lake and close access to docks."
"Beautiful campground on a man-made lake in Iowa. Very sparsely populated in the middle of the week even during the month of June. A wonderful bike trail circumvent the lake. About 4 miles long."
from $15 - $36 / night
Check Availability"Nice campground and staff, town close by if you need more supplies, we like it here!"
"Lots of space around your site. Fills up fast on weekends. Would recommend this park."
"Based on other reviews we weren’t expecting much, but this spot is perfect for getting a good night’s rest when passing through Iowa."
"Nice little city park camping area in Adair, Iowa. Basically 3-5 spots in the city park next to a bath house with showers! and a playground. We were the only campers that night (a Saturday)."
from $6 - $15 / night
"These Iowa state parks are extremely clean and well taken care of. The lake is huge with multiple trails that the kids loved. Playground was directly behind us which is a plus for us."
"Reserved electric unit 090 for the weekend, which had a scenic corn field for a backdrop - this is Iowa!"
from $16 - $50 / night
Check Availability"We loved the drive into the campground and found a grove of oaks to camp under. Everyone slept great."
"It is connected to a preserve which has a myriad of trails as well as there being trails in the park. The bathroom in the main campground is closed and the water is off."
from $18 - $20 / night
Check Availability"Overall you can’t beat it for the price and location if you’re passing through or just want a little downtime."
"The trees at the campsites aren't mature enough for shade, but the ponds and trails more than make up for that."
from $25 / night
Check Availability"This is a small little park off the highway, we had been traveling for two days and needed to stop for the night."
"clean accessible and a drive through a quaint little town. What else could you ask for?"
from $10 / night
Check Availability"Pros: Not a far drive from Des Moines, but still quite remote
-Lots of nice hiking trails
-Easy access to large, mostly clean modern bathrooms
-The lake is a peaceful spot to spend the early mornings"
"You’ll love this little park if you want to really disconnect and get away from things as there was absolutely 0 cell reception where we were at."
from $14 - $200 / night
Check Availability"The directions on this app take you to the first entrance which is not where the camping is, but follow the huge arrow and you’ll find it no problem."
"I saw two tractors driving through town and only a few more cars. Best of all we had a full 5 bars of ripping Verizon service. What's not to like?"
TravelerThere were a lot of open spaces to reserve the night before. It's a beautiful lake with lots of green places and trails to walk (especially with a dog). The campers and their kids were friendly. The facilities were sparkling clean. A nice respite from the road.
GuideSome sites are amazing and others are interesting in the fact that guy almost have to share a site with others bc your spots face one another. The hosts are Amazing and even though there were quite a few people here it stayed quiet
GuideWe came in really late on a Saturday night and were the only ones here. Cons: women’s bathroom was inoperable and men’s was locked; sites aren’t numbered or differentiated that I could tell at 2am. Pros: green & shady in places, nice park, lots of grass. Parked under two shady trees in what I thought was a spot, paid the $10 and slept in the car as usual.
ScoutWe stay here as much as we can. There is lots of trees with a bit of shade at most all sites. You can camp at the waters’ edge. We love to fish and can fish off the back of our RV. Most sites are spacious, some a bit smaller. It only has electric hook ups, but you can fill up with a hose at water sites. Has a dump spot by bathrooms. Bath and toilets are clean. Over Al this camp is our favorite!
TravelerNice little city park camping area in Adair, Iowa. Basically 3-5 spots in the city park next to a bath house with showers! and a playground. We were the only campers that night (a Saturday). The town's main street is being repaved, so our little city park road was the main detour road, so we had a bit of traffic off and on. We drove about 10 miles down the road to Casey for ice cream and they have a similar city park camping area. It looked a bit nicer and we considered moving but decided to stay in Adair since we'd already paid our $10 (didn't need electric) and were pretty settled. Overall, a nice spot for a quick overnighter.
GuideHost were very nice and helpful. Well maintained with pretty good shade.
TravelerWe booked this spot in February not knowing there was a rodeo on our camp day we were in town for a swim meet, the band was real loud Friday and perfect on Saturday, it has narrow camping spots but overall is a very good campground with full hook ups. Booked on line everything went smooth, great WiFi clean campground.
LegendSmall campground in a city park in Adair Iowa. Adair is known for its water tower with a big yellow smiley face painted on it. There is a lot of charmed to this town.
There is a number of spots in this city campground with electric hook ups. It’s kind of confusing where each site is, however. There are way more hookups than it seems there is room for actual vehicles.
Unfortunately, when I was there, there was some road construction happening, and the traffic was being diverted through the park. So there was more traffic than is probably usual.
Only two other campers spent the night while I was here. Super cute downtown and had a malted milkshake at the local ice cream store. Overall, a great spot to spend the night. $20 for electric hook up and there is a dump station as well.
LegendBeautiful campground on a man-made lake in Iowa. Very sparsely populated in the middle of the week even during the month of June.
A wonderful bike trail circumvent the lake. About 4 miles long.
The sites are pretty close together. For my first two nights I had no neighbors but then on my final night I was surrounded on all sides by a group that was camping together. Hard to escape their campfire, smoke and normal conversation voices.
I ended up staying an extra day because there were tornado warnings in the area. I was awoken at 6 AM to a tornado warning alarm and had to take shelter in the campground restroom. Thankfully, the restrooms were very clean and spacious. Good bonding experience with my fellow campers.
Campgrounds near Exira, Iowa range from small city parks to larger state recreation areas. The region falls within USDA hardiness zones 5a to 5b, with summer temperatures averaging 70-85°F and winter temperatures often dropping below freezing. Tent and RV sites throughout the area typically cost between $10-20 per night, with most parks offering electric hookups for an additional fee.
Kayaking on Prairie Rose Lake: Visitors to Prairie Rose State Park Campground can enjoy water activities on the lake. "An oasis of solitude. The park is somewhat small but laid out nicely. The lake isn't big but big enough to be useful," reports Brian F.
Hiking the nature trails: Several campgrounds offer walking paths through natural areas. Springbrook State Park Campground features "several hiking trails" according to Dean D., while another camper noted, "Lots of nice hiking trails. Easy access to large, mostly clean modern bathrooms."
Fishing at local lakes: Many campgrounds provide fishing opportunities. At Springbrook State Park, one visitor mentioned, "Nice lake for the kids to go fishing." The lakes throughout the region are stocked with various fish species, making them suitable for both beginning and experienced anglers.
Peaceful surroundings: Many campers appreciate the quiet atmosphere at Elkhorn Creek Recreation Area, where Anne K. noted, "We loved the drive into the campground and found a grove of oaks to camp under. Everyone slept great."
Well-maintained facilities: Cleanliness is frequently mentioned in reviews. At Schildberg Recreation Area, campers appreciate the amenities. Frank B. commented, "Full hookups, shower house and huge dog park are also onsite making this a Cass County hidden gem."
Digital disconnection: Some campers value places that force them to unplug. At Springbrook State Park, Megan M. noted, "No cell reception, which could be a 'con' but we like that it forces us to unplug." This creates an opportunity for more direct engagement with nature and fellow campers.
Seasonal availability: Most campgrounds in the area have limited operating seasons. Prairie Rose State Park specifies its season as April 1 to December 31, while smaller parks like Casey City Park operate from May 1 to October 1.
Bathroom conditions vary: Facilities range widely across campgrounds. At Casey City Park, one camper reported, "The bathrooms were not the cleanest. The women's bathroom stalls did not function correctly, either the door wouldn't lock or it wouldn't close."
Site privacy considerations: Many campgrounds feature closely arranged sites. At Lake Anita State Park, Deb W. observed, "Nice state park with all the amenities, but, this State Park definitely needs to be updated to accommodate the bigger and wider campers. If you like to be on top of each other, this is your campground!"
Playground access: Many campsites near Exira, Iowa feature play areas for children. At Casey City Park, Melissa K. shared, "It also had a magnificent playground. My kids had been cooped up for two days and needed to run off some pent up energy and this was perfect."
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular campground near Exira, IA?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular campground near Exira, IA is Lake Anita State Park Campground with a 4.2-star rating from 29 reviews.
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