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Best Cabin Camping near Forest City, IA

80 Reviews

Pilot Knob State Park and Thorpe Park provide cabin rentals near Forest City, Iowa with varying amenities. Thorpe Park features a rental cabin in a grassy and forested area near small lakes, suitable for visitors seeking a peaceful retreat. Most cabin sites include electric hookups, picnic tables, and access to toilets and showers. Cabins at McIntosh Woods State Park include two yurts with bunk beds, futons, tables, and chairs for comfortable accommodation. A review noted, "Beautiful shaded campground near the lake, not far from town if you forgot something. We stayed in one of the two yurts- bunk bed plus a futon and table/chairs inside."

Rustic and deluxe cabins are both available, depending on the location. Pilot Knob State Park accepts reservations for cabin stays, with rates starting at $18 for electric sites. KOA Kampgrounds of America near Albert Lea offers cabin rentals from April 15 to October 15, providing more amenities than state park options. Reservations are recommended for all cabin accommodations, especially during summer months when facilities fill quickly. According to one visitor at McIntosh Woods, "We can't wait to go back. Our camp was so private and peaceful."

Most cabins require visitors to bring their own linens, towels, and toiletries while providing basic furniture and sleeping arrangements. Cooking facilities vary by location, with some cabins offering outdoor grills and picnic tables for meal preparation. Flying Goose Campground & Resort provides more furnished cabin options with access to electric hookups, showers, and toilets. Firewood is available for purchase at several locations, including Myre-Big Island State Park and Albert Lea-Austin KOA. Nearby towns offer additional supplies, with Forest City providing most essentials needed for cabin stays.

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Best Cabin Sites Near Forest City, Iowa (11)

    1. Pilot Knob State Park Campground

    12 Reviews
    Forest City, IA
    4 miles
    Website
    +1 (641) 581-4835

    $10 - $28 / night

    "Located by New Ulm, MN this campground has plenty of activities in the park or very near the park."

    "Pilot knob state park is a great place for a week long stay or just a few hours! 

    The camp ground is on the smaller side but it’s clean and there is a play ground!"

    2. McIntosh Woods State Park Campground

    5 Reviews
    Ventura, IA
    13 miles
    Website
    +1 (641) 829-3847

    $12 - $60 / night

    "Beautiful shaded campground near the lake, not far from town if you forgot something. We stayed in one of the two yurts- bunk bed plus a futon and table/chairs inside. Picnic table and grill outside."

    "Sites arranged in a circle around a clean shower house. Potable water. Only 2 non-electric sites. Most sites level. Sites are close to each other, not offering much in the way of privacy."

    3. Thorpe Park

    1 Review
    Forest City, IA
    6 miles
    Website

    4. White Fox — Myre-Big Island State Park

    22 Reviews
    Albert Lea, MN
    31 miles
    Website
    +1 (507) 379-3403

    "This is a rustic state park with limited amenities. There are no water or electric hook ups. However clean water is available in the park. The park does have flush toilets and showers."

    "Facilities are top notch and private. The nicest showed and restroom you can imagine. Large tent pads and a quiet area. Not busy when we went. There is a small hiking trail as well."

    5. Myre State Park Campgrounds

    20 Reviews
    Hayward, MN
    32 miles
    Website
    +1 (507) 379-3403

    "You have a choice between a grassy walk or walking mainly on tar and gravel as part of the Blazing Star Trail. They are also accessible by boat."

    "Tent pad and fire pit were well maintained. Restrooms were well cleaned, if not exactly maintained (soap and Toilet paper ran light over the weekend, and spiders hung out after a cleaning)."

    6. Albert Lea-Austin KOA

    6 Reviews
    Hayward, MN
    36 miles
    Website
    +1 (507) 373-5170

    "They did have a $1 Sunday when we got there which was fun Ice Cream and topping for $1.  Then that night they had movies which was nice.  A great pool and play area for the kids."

    "It’s pretty close to the interstate, so just be aware you’ll hear that noise, it might be better once the trees have leaves on them. Would stay again!"

    7. Wesley South Park

    Be the first to review!
    Britt, IA
    22 miles
    Website
    +1 (515) 679-4292

    $15 / night

    8. KOA Kampgrounds of America

    4 Reviews
    Hayward, MN
    36 miles
    Website
    +1 (507) 373-5170

    "Check in was quick, spots were easy to pull into, the bathrooms were really clean, and it was surprisingly quiet despite the proximity to the highway. "

    "The showers are one temperature but it’s comfortable and the water pressure is awesome. The dressing room is big enough to actually dress in and your stuff can remain dry."

    9. Flying Goose Campground & Resort

    6 Reviews
    Fairmont, MN
    46 miles
    Website
    +1 (507) 235-3458

    "Very quiet and clean, goid WiFi. Gary was very helpful. This campground is just beautiful. There is a lake you can fish,swim,rent kayaks and canoe. Laundry and showers."

    "Set along the shores of Lake Imogene, which comes out of nowhere surrounded by farm land, and you can’t even see it from the road."

    10. Riverside Co Park

    2 Reviews
    Osage, IA
    45 miles
    Website
    +1 (641) 732-5204

    "New Shower house/bathrooms. Natural themed kids play area including a huge tree house. City water and sewer with 50 and 30 amp to each site. Man made swimming pond with a lighted waterfall."

    "Large bath house with restrooms and showers and a little free library inside. Very long parking pads- big rig friendly and very roomy sites."

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Recent Cabin Photos near Forest City, IA

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Cabin Reviews near Forest City, IA

80 Reviews of 11 Forest City Campgrounds

  • Rhonda P.
    Jun. 8, 2018

    McIntosh Woods State Park Campground

    beautiful spot near lake

    Beautiful shaded campground near the lake, not far from town if you forgot something. We stayed in one of the two yurts- bunk bed plus a futon and table/chairs inside. Picnic table and grill outside. Walk to small town/restaurants.Clean bathroom facilities in area. Short hikes. Fishing nearby.

  • p
    Nov. 20, 2022

    Riverside Co Park

    Great full hookup 40 unit campgrount

    40 site Totally renovated 2 years ago nestled along the little Cedar river above the dam. New Shower house/bathrooms. Natural themed kids play area including a huge tree house. City water and sewer with 50 and 30 amp to each site. Man made swimming pond with a lighted waterfall. Volleyball and walking trails with primitive camping across the road. Cabin with air conditioning and fully furnished further up the river on 200 acres of county land. Fishing above and below the dam. Picnic table and fire ring at every site.

  • C
    Aug. 8, 2021

    White Fox — Myre-Big Island State Park

    Nice state park

    This is a rustic state park with limited amenities. There are no water or electric hook ups. However clean water is available in the park. The park does have flush toilets and showers. We found these to be in good condition and clean. The showers had warm water. The water stream is on a timer and so are the lights. The shower stalls are Individual stalls. The interior roads are dirt roads with a few potholes they are very narrow. The camping sites are nice sized and relatively private. There is a gravel pad on each site and some have a tent pad. Each site had a picnic table and a fire ring. There are plenty of walking and biking trails and there are walk-in tent camp sites. However, you cannot see the lake from the campground and there is no access to the lake from the campground. We were able to drive through the campground with our 40 foot fifth wheel. But just barely, be careful! 

  • M
    Aug. 26, 2018

    Pilot Knob State Park Campground

    Camping in the woods near town

    Located by New Ulm, MN this campground has plenty of activities in the park or very near the park. Plenty of hiking trails, playground for the kids, and an amazing sand bottom swimming pond surrounded by sand beach. Golf is also nearby at The New Ulm Country Club which is open to the public. Nice level sites with electric, picnic tables and fire rings.

  • Chloe T.
    Oct. 14, 2024

    Myre State Park Campgrounds

    Beautiful and easy to get to backpacking sites

    Sites are approximately 2 miles from parking and the hike it relatively easy with minimal elevation change. You have a choice between a grassy walk or walking mainly on tar and gravel as part of the Blazing Star Trail. They are also accessible by boat.

    There are 4 backpacking sites and they are well-spaced so you each have privacy. #3 and #4 are close enough that you could be in a group together but #1 and #2 are pretty isolated. Each site has a fire pit, picnic table, wood cabinet/fish cleaning table, at least 1 flat spot for a tent, and a nearby porta potty.

    Views of the lake are amazing with a variety of birds making appearances. Harvesting season may bring some farm sounds but otherwise, aside from the occasional train, you'll mainly hear the sounds of nature around you.

    If you can make the walk carrying everything, including water, on your back, definitely check out one of these sites.

  • M
    Aug. 26, 2018

    Pilot Knob State Park Campground

    Great place to First night camp

    If you are picking up a camper from Lichtsinn RV in Forest City they offer to let you stay on their lot with electric hookups during your pick up. But, we found it a little more private and less intimidating to set up camp down the road just a few miles at Plot Knob State Park. Nice level sites with electric hook ups, clean restrooms and showers. Gave us the opportunity to unload our car and figure out our new motorhome without feeling like we were being watched. We didn't explore to much but we noticed they have several hiking trails. Very nice and quiet.

  • Lee D.The Dyrt PRO User
    Mar. 25, 2023

    Pilot Knob State Park Campground

    Layout of campground would be challenging if full

    General: A mixture of tent (non-electric) and electric sites, mostly arranged in several rows. 

    Site Quality: Mixed. Not all sites are level, and most do not have delineated parking pads (there is a small pavement indent to show where to access the site). A fire pit and picnic table complete the site. Most of the sites are too close together for our liking, however, when we were there (a Monday at the end of August, the day before school started), we were only one of three sites occupied so for our stay it didn’t matter. 

    Bathhouse: Basic but clean. My biggest complaint is there were no hooks or shelves for toiletries by the sinks. The showers looked nice but we did not use them. 

    Activities: Horseback riding (there are trails for this), hiking, fishing. Although we did see several trailheads, I did not have a map so didn’t explore them. There is an observation tower, but it is a two-mile walk/drive from the campground (on paved roads; I didn’t try to find hiking trails to get there). 

    Misc: A shout-out to the great host, Pam, who greeted us as we arrived. The observation tower, entrance gates, and picnic shelter were all constructed by the CCC and were beautiful. It almost seemed like the campground was an afterthought as it is outside the entrance gates and nowhere near the tower. The layout of the campground would be challenging if all sites were occupied.

  • Troy L.
    Sep. 21, 2021

    White Fox — Myre-Big Island State Park

    Awesome Site

    Facilities are top notch and private. The nicest showed and restroom you can imagine. Large tent pads and a quiet area. Not busy when we went. There is a small hiking trail as well. The lake isn’t anything spectacular, it’s quite dirty but we were only there for a night.

  • DThe Dyrt PRO User
    Jun. 13, 2022

    White Fox — Myre-Big Island State Park

    Woodland/Prairie/Wetland

    We spent four nights tent camping at the White Fox Campground of Myre-Big Island State Park in June 2022. This park is a combination woodland/prairie/wetland setting. The White Fox Campground is on the fringes of a woodland. Our campsite was grassy and open with trees and shrubs curving along the back of the site. The site had the usual fire ring with grill and a large picnic table.

    There are some nice trails for hiking through woodlands and prairie and alongside wetlands. We saw a lot of wildlife: several deer, red squirrels, chipmunks, a raccoon, a woodchuck, lots of different birds, and several different types of butterflies. In the mornings the birdsong was pretty amazing, loud and long lasting.

    There are two freeways and a rail line near the park, but the noise from them was only bothersome on one morning of our stay.

    There is a second campground on the Big Island portion of the park. Big Island is wooded and has some beautiful trails that we enjoyed.

Guide to Forest City

Cabin camping near Forest City, Iowa, offers a delightful escape into nature with various amenities and activities to enhance your outdoor experience.

Some prices for cabin camping range from $10 to $18

Explore the great outdoors with hiking and fishing

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Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular cabin campsite near Forest City, IA?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular cabin campground near Forest City, IA is Pilot Knob State Park Campground with a 4.3-star rating from 12 reviews.

What is the best site to find cabin camping near Forest City, IA?

TheDyrt.com has all 11 cabin camping locations near Forest City, IA, with real photos and reviews from campers.

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