Backbone State Park offers cabins with electrical hookups, modern showers, and toilet facilities near Greeley, Iowa. Located at 1347 129th Street in Dundee, the park's cabins provide sewer hookups, water connections, and pet-friendly accommodations with both thirty-amp and fifty-amp electrical service. Nearby, South Lake Campground within Backbone State Park features similar cabin amenities in a lakeside setting with clean facilities. "We stayed in a family cabin that sleeps up to 4 people. These cabins offer heat and A/C. Our cabin had a common area with a kitchenette, bathroom with toilet and shower, and a small bedroom with a sink. Additional amenities included stove, fridge, microwave, pots and pans, and a coffee maker."
Rustic and deluxe cabins are both available, depending on the location. While some cabins include only basic amenities, others provide full kitchenettes and modern conveniences. Backbone State Park Cabins require reservations, with many visitors noting a two-night minimum stay. The cabins remain particularly popular during autumn when the park's foliage creates scenic views. Based on reviews from The Dyrt, "The cabin camping was the better of the two experiences, mainly due to the unusually chilly overnight temperatures. The price is extremely reasonable. The back of our cabin area looked out onto Backbone Lake."
Most cabins include beds but require visitors to bring their own linens, towels, and toiletries. Outdoor amenities typically feature fire pits and picnic tables. Firewood can be purchased at nearby towns like Strawberry Point, approximately 10 minutes from the park, where visitors can also find restaurants and coffee shops. Park rules require that firewood be obtained within the county due to the Emerald Ash Borer epidemic. The cabin areas provide easy access to hiking trails, fishing opportunities, and seasonal activities including paddleboat rentals and swimming when conditions permit. Several cabins offer views of Backbone Lake, making them particularly desirable for those seeking water proximity.
"This has been one of my favorite state parks in Iowa to camp thus far. I've tent camped in April and cabin camped in October."
"This place has tent, rv and cabin camping, you can choose modern or non modern camping."
$25 / night
"Great shady spots - register on line - clean bathrooms and showers - no full hook ups - must fill water tanks before parking and 30/50 power available"
"All reservable spots...clean bathrooms, showers and spots. Beautiful park!"
$20 / night
"Very nice trails! Some trails are long with a lot of up and down through valley and ravines, so be prepared for the hike."
"Some sites have the fire ring very close to the parking area and some spots have limited shade (compared to the majority of the campground that is in the trees)."
"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. "
"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."
$100 - $200 / night
$35 - $105 / night
$32 - $260 / night
"The water attractions are great for the kiddos and the cabins aren’t half bad either!"
$12 / night
"Visited the 3 lookouts including Iowa only Fire tower. Bird life is colorful. Lots of places to hike. Scenery is lush. I had no phone service."
"Not a lot of free parking options in this part of Iowa. No water, electric, or dump station, so very much like a parking lot overnight from that perspective."
"Nice quiet little primitive campground next to the Wapsipinicon River. Unfortunately, when I was there the last weekend of May, the gnats were bad, and the mosquitoes were just starting to gear up."
LegendCabin has basic kitchen: fridge/freezer, micro, coffee pot, table/chairs, sleeping room with queen bed, 2 futons, AC/heat, fireplace screened porch, grill/smoker& fire ring outside, table, potable/drink water outside. NO shower/bathroom, must use pit toilet just yards away at trailhead.
RangerThis has been one of my favorite state parks in Iowa to camp thus far. I've tent camped in April and cabin camped in October. The cabin camping was the better of the two experiences, mainly due to the unusually chilly overnight temperatures in April. During the warmer months you can rent canoes from the concession stand. Climbing/rappelling is also allowed in the park via registration at the park office.
We stayed in a family cabin that sleeps up to 4 people. You have to reserve cabins and there is a 2 night minimum stay, but the price is extremely reasonable. These cabins also offer heat and A/C. Our cabin had a common area with a kitchenette.The bathroom included a toilet and shower. The small, but cozy bedroom included a mattress - you're responsible for bringing your own linens - along with a sink. Additional amenities included stove, frig, microwave, pots and pans, and even a small coffee maker. And, the couch in the common area pulled out into a futon, providing extra sleeping space. Outdoor amenities included a fire pit and picnic bench. Bonus: The back of our cabin area looked out onto Backbone Lake.
We purchased firewood in Strawberry Point, a small town just a short drive from the park. Iowa requires that firewood be obtained within the county you're staying in due to the Emerald Ash Borer epidemic.
We fished for trout and hiked along several trails in the park. The Devil's Backbone was our favorite mainly because of the scenery along the bluff. It was the perfect way to view the changing leaves and watch the Maquoketa River flow by.
While we did have neighbors on either side of us, the noise level was minimal, and everyone was respectful of parking spaces as there is a common parking area in front of the cabins.
This is a beautiful spot to visit especially in autumn.
ScoutCame to learn more about Tenkara fly fishing. Had a ball. Visited the 3 lookouts including Iowa only Fire tower. Bird life is colorful. Lots of places to hike. Scenery is lush. I had no phone service. Campsites are well mown, have a picnic table and fire ring. Pit toilets. Easy access to water. Drink water and firewood are at the host A frame. There is no dump site. Everyone was very friendly. Helpful. Nights were quiet. Very relaxing.
ScoutNice quiet little primitive campground next to the Wapsipinicon River. Unfortunately, when I was there the last weekend of May, the gnats were bad, and the mosquitoes were just starting to gear up. HOWEVER, take bug spray and enjoy the rustic peacefulness of this "best kept secret" for primitive and inexpensive camping sites. Beautiful location, ranger close by, wood for sale just across the bridge, fire pits and picnic tables at every site. Good for RV, trailer or tent camping… level ground and lots of shade. Primitive bathrooms, no showers or running water.
TravelerThis campground has many things to do. This place has tent, rv and cabin camping, you can choose modern or non modern camping. Fun activities include fishing, swimming in a lake and also ground fed springs, boat rentals on the lake, hiking also horse trails, rock climbing, caves, playgrounds shelters for events and parties. I am sure there are even more things to do that I didnt have the time for.
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.
LegendThis park fell short in so many ways. Having stayed in other Yogi Bear's we were expecting similar accommodations. I will say they had a lot of rain and it did affect most of the campground. We booked over the phone for two nights. It was nearly $90 for those two nights. This is pretty spendy for us but we were meeting friends there. We arrived at the campground and were given site 14. It as across from our friends cabin so it should have been good. However, we got to our site on a very poorly maintained road only to find the site did not have a fire pit or a picnic table. It was extremely tiny, barely big enough for our truck and definitely not enough room for our two tents. The site was covered in sticks and debris and there was trash bags in front of the cabin across the washed out road. We went down to voice our concern that this was just not going to work and they said to try site 13. Even worse then 14. It was a grass spot, mowed out, no place to park a vehicle, which I'm glad I left at the bottom of the hill, extremely narrow, washed out road going to site 13. There still was no picnic table but there was a fire pit. Stated this is just not going to work. We paid way too much for so little accommodations. They said they couldn't refund or move us to an electric site (we didn't need electric but the two previously mentioned sites were not going to work) without talking to their boss. After already spending 28 days in a tent, across the country, I was pretty upset that this yogi bear was so bad. They did end up moving me to site 17, which was one of the few that did not have a completely flooded fire ring. Which leads to the next things, almost all of the grounds were completely flooded. Fire rings couldn't even be seen they were so far under water. To walk to any part of the park involved getting your feet wet. The playground swings were above water making it difficult for the kids to reach them without getting really wet. There had been no attempts to move any water from the storms making it difficult to enjoy parts of the park. The pool was pretty cold but I suppose it is Wisconsin. The staff did have many events going on but if you were early, you wouldn't even know the events were going on. They showed up right on time and then had to set up. But they did do a variety of races and had a pirates and princess dance. They brought in actual hair dressers to do the little girls hair for them. That was something the girls in the group enjoyed. They also had cartoons playing in the evenings. The kids also enjoyed that. Overall, I would never return, there are so many really nice parks in Wisconsin for way less money. This was not worth it at all.
LegendTrout streams well fed, campsites spread out well, amenities good for primitive use area. Horses welcome, firewood and ice available. Historical Fire Tower hike/visit is a must. Primitive pack-in sites, 1 cabin available. Modern Cabin is well maintained, electricity, microwave, a full sized refrigerator, and two porches, where one of them is screened in. Sleeps 6.
ScoutStayed 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.
Backbone State Park and surrounding areas offer cabin accommodations for all seasons near Greeley, Iowa, at an elevation of 997 feet. The region experiences four distinct seasons with summer temperatures averaging 70-85°F and winter temperatures often dropping below freezing. Cabin rentals typically cost $50-100 per night depending on amenities and season, with most requiring advance reservations.
Hiking the trails: Backbone State Park features numerous hiking paths with varying difficulty levels. At Pikes Peak State Park, visitors can access "a half-mile wooden boardwalk to one of the park's glens to the picturesque Bridal Veil Falls. On your way to the falls, just north of the main overlook, you will notice Bear Mound, an effigy built by ancient American Indians who inhabited the area from 800-1200 A.D." Nearby Yellow River State Forest offers additional trails where campers can "make a 5+ mile loop leaving from the campground."
Fishing opportunities: Several parks provide fishing access in stocked waters. One camper at Yellow River State Forest noted they "came to learn more about Tenkara fly fishing. Had a ball." The forest maintains stocked trout streams that attract fishing enthusiasts throughout the season. At Backbone State Park, anglers can fish in Backbone Lake with appropriate Iowa fishing licenses.
Water recreation: Beyond fishing, water activities remain popular during warmer months. A visitor to Pinicon Ridge Park mentioned the "trail through the campground takes you across the river where you can find canoe and paddle boat rentals." The park also offers swimming areas when water conditions are favorable.
Cabin accommodations: Cabin options range from rustic to modern throughout the region. The South Lake Campground within Backbone State Park features "clean bathrooms, showers and spots" according to one reviewer. Another noted they have "no full hook ups - must fill water tanks before parking and 30/50 power available."
Peaceful surroundings: Many visitors appreciate the quieter camping experience. At Matsell Bridge Natural Area, a camper described it as a "nice quiet little primitive campground next to the Wapsipinicon River" and recommended to "take bug spray and enjoy the rustic peacefulness of this 'best kept secret' for primitive and inexpensive camping sites."
Fall foliage: The autumn colors draw many visitors to cabin camping near Greeley, Iowa. A visitor to Pikes Peak State Park noted that "October is one of their busiest times of the year due to the fall colors, which peak around Oct 9-15th." The changing leaves create particularly scenic backdrops for cabin stays throughout the region.
Weather considerations: Iowa's variable climate affects camping conditions. During summer, prepare for heat and insects. One Matsell Bridge visitor warned "when I was there the last weekend of May, the gnats were bad, and the mosquitoes were just starting to gear up." Conversely, shoulder seasons bring cooler temperatures with one Yellow River camper noting they were "very thankful to find a place to overnight in mid-November."
Reservation requirements: Most cabins require advance booking, especially during peak seasons. Pikes Peak State Park "required a two-night minimum stay" according to one reviewer. Yellow River State Forest operates differently during off-season, with a camper noting "first come first served basis from November through March."
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular cabin campsite near Greeley, IA?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular cabin campground near Greeley, IA is Six Pines Campground — Backbone State Park with a 4.4-star rating from 29 reviews.
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TheDyrt.com has all 22 cabin camping locations near Greeley, IA, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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