E
Elisa M.
Guide
GuideGoose Island
Beautiful Spot on the River
Quiet, beautiful and good facilities. Showers .25 for 5 minutes. We are here midweek in September so even the occupied sites only have people staying there in the weekends.
Camping near Harpers Ferry, IA
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Yellow River State Forest surrounds Harpers Ferry, Iowa with several established campgrounds offering varied camping experiences. Big Paint Campground and Little Paint Campground provide tent and RV sites with electric hookups, picnic tables, and fire rings. The Fire Tower Cabin offers a unique lodging option within the forest. Nearby Pikes Peak State Park Campground, approximately 15 miles southwest, features additional camping options with more extensive amenities including showers and sanitary dump stations. The region includes both primitive backcountry sites at Camp Glen Wendel and Camp John Schultz for hikers seeking solitude.
Camping in this area follows seasonal patterns with most developed campgrounds operating from April through October, though some Yellow River State Forest sites remain available year-round on a first-come, first-served basis during winter months. The forest's campgrounds provide access to trout fishing streams, making them popular destinations for anglers. Water access varies by campground, with some sites positioned directly along creeks. Cell service can be limited throughout the forest, particularly in backcountry areas. Visitors should check current conditions before arrival as weather impacts accessibility. A visitor noted, "We stayed at the Big Paint Campground and had a nice time. The sites there are pretty spacious and level, but they don't feel very private because this campground is essentially just an open field with line of sight to all other campsites."
Trout fishing represents a significant draw for campers in the Yellow River State Forest area. The forest contains multiple stocked streams that attract both fly fishers and conventional anglers. Hiking trails connect many of the campgrounds, allowing visitors to explore the forest's diverse terrain including Iowa's only fire tower. According to one camper, "Little Paint Creek is excellent for beginners. It is stocked, and there are multiple pools that are easily accessible with one that is handicap accessible." Equestrian camping is available at specialized campgrounds including Frontier and Creekside, which accommodate both horses and riders with appropriate facilities. Harpers Ferry campgrounds offer diverse outdoor experiences with convenient access to fishing, hiking, and horseback riding trails throughout the Yellow River State Forest. The campgrounds generally maintain a quiet atmosphere, though they can become busier during deer hunting season and when trout streams are freshly stocked.
Best Campgrounds near Harpers Ferry (147)
1. Wisconsin Ridge Campground — Wyalusing State Park
"A very nice park located close to the Iowa border. Close to Effigy Mounds & Pikes Peak! It has great trails & campsites & lots of geocaching! Come one New Years for the annual carp drop :)"
"This is an amazing park on the Wisconsin/Iowa border, overlooking where the Wisconsin and Mississippi rivers join. I usually try to get in at least 1 trip a year, if lucky enough 2-3."
from $20 - $38 / night
Check Availability2. Pikes Peak State Park Campground
"Unlike Minnesota and Wisconsin, Iowa’s state parks do not require a permit-bonus for RVers. Many sites have full hook-up, most if not all have electric. I paid $25 a night. Full week is $150!!"
"It is within walking distance of the overlook of the magnificent Upper Mississippi River at the confluence of the Wisconsin River. There are other walking/hiking opportunities."
from $20 - $38 / night
Check Availability3. Camp Glen Wendel Primitive Backcountry — Yellow River State Forest
"Who knew that Iowa has hills like this?! We did the backcountry camping (less than 0.5 miles walking), but did get to see the regular campgrounds."
"The 2nd site in has a small pond at Camp side. Potable water is at HQ near registration kiosk."
from $12 / night
Check Availability4. Big Paint Campground — Yellow River State Forest
"Still, it was a lovely place with nice trails and great river access. There are also some breathtaking lookout points to see the countryside."
"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."
from $16 / night
Check Availability5. Little Paint Campground — Yellow River State Forest
"Iowa only has a few state forests and this one has something the others do not... trout fishing."
"It is nestled in the woods not far from the Indian Mounds area in Iowa. I stayed at Little Paint Campground. There are pit toilets, but the water said not for drinking. "
from $16 - $20 / night
Check Availability6. Bloody Run County Park
"It was a beautiful area with the creek running right next to it only problem was there was some trash in the firing which we had to take care of. People are so lazy."
"Came to this spot with plans to drive up to yellow river for fishing but ended up with the sweetest spot along bloody run creak."
from $15 / night
Check Availability7. Homestead Campground — Wyalusing State Park
"Camp sites are far enough away from neighbors that there is some privacy. Need a state park sticker to access. Illinois Minnesota and Iowa are all short drives away."
"Homestead provides secluded, wooded sites with a good distance between them. Ridge sites have the veiw from high over the Wisconsin River."
from $20 - $38 / night
Check Availability8. Camp John Schultz — Yellow River State Forest
"Sounded by nature atop of hill hike near Fire tower ( only fire tower in Iowa), cell reception is found up here."
9. Fire Tower Cabin — Yellow River State Forest
"Cabin 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"
from $75 / night
Check Availability10. Frontier Equestrian Campground — Yellow River State Forest
"Self registration, trails from/ camp including stream crossings in trout streams. Manure station with tools. Some trails are multiuser."
from $20 / night
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Drive Time
- 58 min from La Crosse, WI
- 1 hr 26 min from Dubuque, IA
- 1 hr 49 min from Waterloo, IA
- 1 hr 57 min from Rochester, MN
Recent Camping Photos near Harpers Ferry, IA
137 Photos of 147 Harpers Ferry Campgrounds • uploaded by The Dyrt campers
Fire Tower Cabin — Yellow River State Forest
Big Paint Campground — Yellow River State ForestT
Camp Glen Wendel Primitive Backcountry — Yellow River State Forest
Bloody Run County ParkC
Pikes Peak State Park Campground
Wisconsin Ridge Campground — Wyalusing State ParkH
Homestead Campground — Wyalusing State Park
Our ForestB
Waukon City Park
Clayton Hills Campground
Buck Creek County ParkC
Recent Reviews near Harpers Ferry, IA
479 Reviews of 147 Harpers Ferry Campgrounds
- BBriana K.
ScoutNeshonoc Lakeside
Beautiful, clean, fun
I was a little skeptical after a negative review about the regular residents, so I watched for that dynamic. We were camping with another family so we had 8 kids between the two of us and I was worried all those kiddos would upset people. Quite the opposite experience from that review and it motivated me to leave this one to help provide a good picture. I have nothing bad to say about our camping experience. We did go a little out of season (September 12) so a lot of the campsites were empty. Most their sites are flat, and clean. The grass was well mowed and maintained. They had activities for the kids (Halloween). People that drove by were friendly and smiling, and waiving. We had people drop off candy for the kids asking parents first. We had people offer basketballs for our kids to use while they were away from their site. Me and my friend were about to haul ice bags and wood up a huge hill on foot and someone stopped their golf cart and emptied it of what they were carrying to give us a ride to our campsite. The kids tootled about on their bikes being kids with no negative experiences. There were a couple of kids on motor scooters whose engines were kind of obnoxious but that’s going to happen more and more at campgrounds, and it wasn’t during quiet hours. We had sites atop the “full Lakeview” and it was honestly surprising how beautiful it was up there. I think it can be difficult to get a view when you’re camping but those sites had it. We knew the full lake view sites were open so we took the cheaper ones across from them, but still saw the same view. There was a great amount of space between the sites we used. The only possible critique I might offer is in that specific row there weren’t many trees for shade, but the weather was cooler so it didn’t affect us, but if we went in the summer it might have been more uncomfortable without that natural shade. The bath houses and showers were great!!! I feel like a good bath house can make or break a campsite and we’ve been to some smaller ones that were quite lacking but this one was great. Very clean, not many bugs, spacious, real doors on the shower stalls. We did not arrive in season to utilize the pool area but it looked great from the other side of the gate ;) - the parks were well maintained and the kids loved them. there was a set of stairs that went from up the hill down to the office that looked a little sketchy but they were closed off for use. If you didn’t have a golf cart or couldn’t ride a bike, the trek from where we stayed to the office might be a challenge. Overall we loved it and would definitely consider going again. The sites were a little pricey but had on site sewer hookup which is fantastic.
- DDonald S.Scout
Nelson Dewey State Park Campground
Site 14
Be advised site 14 is on such a steep hill it was honestly scary coming in an out of our camper! If an older couple were staying at this site in a camper I’m not sure if they would even be able to. Our second door entrance cannot be used due to how steep the hill is and we had to add wood to the bottom of our stairs because they didn’t touch the ground. Forgot to add you’re also under a very large black walnut tree that is currently dropping walnuts that are ripe.
- James M.
LegendBankston Park Campsites
Small primitive County Campground along trout stream
Though the CG is small, open, few interior trees for shade, it has a outhouse, fire rings, picnic tables, and dump station. Has 8 designated camp sites with sled registration. Great 1 mile access to the Middle Fork of the Little Maquoketa River ( Bankston Creek) and is stocked by the Iowa DNR with trout. Public hunting in park during seasons.
Andy M.LegendPikes Peak State Park Campground
Very nice spot.
We got here on a Monday and got a great spot in the back. The sunrise was spectacular. Then the fog moved in off the river and it was pretty cool.
- AAnita L.Guide
Pulpit Rock Campground
Pulpit Rock campground
We camped in Pulpit Rock campground in a pull through site with friends. They allow two campers on one site. This site was particularly long with our 38' 5th wheel and their 33' pull type camper. We were next to the highway so it was a little noisy which is why I didn't give it 5 stars. Tons of shade in this area. Staff was very friendly. We called in early and they saved this spot for us b/c it was a FCFS site. So you call and they will hold a spot for you to come that day. We also had a flat fire pit with 2 sides instead of a circle one in the ground. We were always knocking out burning logs.
Katie D.GuideGoose Island
Huge sites, lots of open areas, nice trails
We are in 301 near the back and the sites are large, lots of grass, and beautiful. Trails around the park are wonderful for exercise and bird watching.
Andrew R.ScoutFireside Campground
Family, Pet, Motorcycle Friendly!
This is a fantastic Campground, especially for RVs and families. Large playground and outdoor games, small indoor rec area. During busy weekends with lots of kids and holidays, they have foam parties for the kids where they fill the basketball court with foam 3 ft High. Most sites are permanent sites, but have probably around 20 other 30 amp sites that can accommodate large RVs. There are only a few tent sites, but if tent is your only option and you still want to stay they will rent you an RV site for the tent. New owners are very friendly, and have adopted the same overwhelmingly hospitable nature as the previous owners. Fantastic people and very helpful. It will accommodate special needs or requests as long as it doesn't bother anybody or go against any insurance policies. I've had a permanent site here in the past, and recently started camping again and came to visit old friends. The new owners were still happy to accommodate semi truck parking for my job. I haul milk locally so I work more than I'm off, but the family can still camp and I can come when I'm done work. It is near the Wisconsin River, so it's fairly sand base although the Grass Grows plenty so you're not tracking sand everywhere. The benefits of this is when it rains heavily the sand absorbs the water rapidly. The only negative is the mosquitoes. Be prepared for mosquitoes with lots of bug spray. This is no fault of the campground, all low wetlands in Wisconsin are the same. The bathrooms are some of the best in any Campground I've seen. They are always clean, modernized, and Air condition. There are showers and bathroom stalls near the park. They try to keep families close to the park if possible for the bathrooms and the park access itself. They are really extremely accommodating for requests if it's in their power at all. The owners live at the campground and are always accessible by a simple phone call if after hours. There's a community vibe, with a community fire pit up front and often people are just hanging out outside of the main office. It embodies our Wisconsin way of life and you will find strangers waving at you every time you pass by. It's just our nature, don't be weirded out by the friendliness. The regular permanent campers are all so friendly and always willing to help a newbie or even someone struggling to figure out a problem or even carry things.
- IIrene M.Guide
Fireside Campground
Cute campground with great hosts.
Found this campground by chance after the campground I had planned to stay at was a complete disaster. Luckily, they were able to get me a campsite for two nights where I could regroup do a little laundry and chill out also took a bike ride on the bike path.
Guide to Harpers Ferry
Yellow River State Forest offers diverse backcountry camping experiences within northeastern Iowa's Driftless Region, an area characterized by steep forested ridges and cold-water streams. The forest contains over 25 miles of marked hiking trails through terrain that ranges from 600 to 1,100 feet in elevation. Winter camping options remain available through seasonal closures with temperatures that can drop below 0°F during January and February.
What to do
Trout fishing access points: Little Paint Creek provides excellent spots for beginners, with one handicap-accessible pool and multiple stocking locations. According to a camper at Little Paint Campground, "This trout stream is excellent for beginners. It is stocked, and there are multiple pools that are easily accessible with one that is handicap accessible."
Hiking to natural features: The forest includes interesting geological formations like caves that can be reached via multiple trail difficulty levels. "There are miles of great hiking trails and two trails for mountain biking. While the trails to Big and Little Sand caves are lovely, they are also heavily trafficked," notes a visitor at Wyalusing State Park Campground.
Fire tower visit: Iowa's only fire tower is accessible via hiking trails from several campgrounds. The tower offers cell reception where other areas lack service. A camper at Camp John Schultz mentioned, "Hiked into this Camp that includes 5 primitive sites: fire rings and benches. Lush dense forest with intermediate hiking including typical summer insects... near Fire tower (only fire tower in Iowa), cell reception is found up here."
What campers like
Spacious primitive sites: Many campsites provide ample room without electric hookups, creating a more natural camping experience. "The campground was pretty busy, but we felt comfortable with the seclusion of our sites. It is a primitive campground. There were walk-in in campsites available too which we decided we would try if/when we come back again since they are a bit more secluded and private," notes a camper about Big Paint Campground.
Affordable pricing: The basic facilities are reflected in low nightly rates. A camper at Yellow River State Forest noted, "Very secluded with good fishing opportunities and great fishing in the area!" Another mentioned, "This site fills up really fast because of the cheap price of only 9 dollars. This is the cheapest but one of the best campsites I've been to."
Cabin option: The Fire Tower Cabin provides a unique lodging option with more amenities than tent camping. According to a visitor, "Modern Cabin is well maintained, electricity, microwave, a full sized refrigerator, and two porches, where one of them is screened in. Sleeps 6."
What you should know
Limited facilities: Most campgrounds have pit toilets only, with drinking water available only at specific locations. A camper at Bloody Run County Park reported, "Primitive camping spot, surprisingly nice bathrooms. Only weird thing is it's along the Canadian pacific railroad so a train comes through at 10pm and 3am every night almost."
Weather impacts: Spring conditions can be challenging with rain and mud on trails. "Took my 5 year old son camping here in early April of 2024 and it was fun... It was a Colder night as we camped in 30 degree weather and freezing rain came into our campground. This along with the wind made our situation feel pretty cold and we left early in April," a visitor noted about camping in the region.
Terrain challenges: The area's steep topography requires caution on some trails. As one camper advised, "There are some thin trails down steeper hillsides, so make sure to take it slower if the ground is muddy."
Tips for camping with families
Variety of difficulty levels: Families with young children should choose shorter, less challenging trails. "We visited in 2018 and the views are breathtaking! The sand caves are cool, lots of unique hiking features. The nature program was great for our son who was 2 at the time," notes a visitor to Pikes Peak State Park Campground.
Educational opportunities: Multiple sites in the region feature Native American history. "A very nice park located close to the Iowa border. Close to Effigy Mounds & Pikes Peak! It has great trails & campsites & lots of geocaching!" shares one visitor.
Child safety concerns: Supervise children closely near bluffs and water features. "Just keep in mind that it's on a bluff so there are some steep drop-off points that children could take a pretty nasty fall from," warns a camper from the region.
Tips from RVers
Limitations on size: Most campgrounds accommodate smaller RVs but lack full hookups. According to a camper at Blackhawk Park, "Site was mostly level with gravel, picnic table and fire pit/grate. The trees on this look are amazingly tall and provide great shade."
Seasonal considerations: RV campers should check road conditions before arrival, especially during spring thaw. "We stopped here to sleep on our way home from a long road trip. The electric sites are like a typical RV park, not much space or privacy," notes one RVer.
Water access: No campgrounds in Yellow River State Forest have sewer hookups or dump stations. "FYI When we made reservations this site required a two-night minimum stay. Nice pull-through, large enough for our 36' 5th Wheel and pickup tow vehicle, needed more leveling than some. Some sites have power and water, ours only power. There's a water pipe and dump station on the way out."
Frequently Asked Questions
Are there camping options near Harpers Ferry for visitors who don't want to stay directly in town?
Are there camping options near Harpers Ferry for visitors who don't want to stay directly in town?
Several excellent camping options exist within a short drive of Harpers Ferry. Wyalusing State Park Campground is located just across the Mississippi River in Wisconsin, offering beautiful views where the Wisconsin and Mississippi rivers meet, with clean facilities, hiking trails, and river access. Pikes Peak State Park Campground near McGregor provides another scenic option with drive-in and walk-in access, reservable sites, and toilet facilities. Other nearby options include Blackhawk Park, Buck Creek County Park, and South Bear Creek for those seeking more secluded experiences.
What accommodations besides camping are available in Harpers Ferry?
What accommodations besides camping are available in Harpers Ferry?
Upper Iowa Resort and Rental offers accommodation options beyond traditional camping and makes for a convenient weekend getaway spot. The resort provides a comfortable alternative for those not looking to pitch a tent. For visitors seeking a campground with good access to town amenities, Elkader City Park is located close to downtown with museums just steps away from the campground entrance and a walking/biking trail that takes you straight to the city center. While not directly in Harpers Ferry, these nearby options provide comfortable accommodations with convenient access to local attractions.
What campgrounds are available in Harpers Ferry, Iowa?
What campgrounds are available in Harpers Ferry, Iowa?
Yellow River State Forest offers several campground options in Harpers Ferry. Big Paint Campground — Yellow River State Forest provides spacious, level sites in an open field setting with access to nice hiking trails. Little Paint Campground — Yellow River State Forest is another option that offers trout fishing opportunities. The forest also features the Fire Tower Cabin and Frontier Equestrian Campground for those seeking different camping experiences. These campgrounds provide a variety of amenities depending on the specific location, with Big Paint being more developed and others offering more primitive experiences.
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