Yellow River State Forest offers multiple primitive tent camping options near Harpers Ferry, Iowa, with Camp Glen Wendel and Camp John Schultz providing secluded backcountry sites accessible via hiking trails. These established tent campgrounds feature fire rings and benches surrounded by dense forest terrain. Additional tent camping can be found at Echo Valley State Park Campground about 35 miles west, where campers enjoy stream-side sites in a quieter setting.
Most tent sites in the area are primitive with minimal amenities. Camp Glen Wendel and Camp John Schultz provide fire rings and benches but lack drinking water at the campsites. Potable water is available at the forest headquarters near the registration kiosk. Yellow River's backcountry camping follows Leave No Trace principles, with campers advised to gather only dead, downed wood for fires. Toilets are not available at the primitive sites, though some campgrounds like Echo Valley do offer vault toilets. Cell reception is limited in most camping areas but can be found near the fire tower, which is the only one in Iowa.
The backcountry tent sites at Yellow River State Forest provide excellent seclusion and serve as ideal training grounds for longer backpacking trips. The forest offers interconnected hiking trails with varied terrain and multiple sanctioned tent camping areas. Wildlife viewing opportunities are abundant, with one camper noting, "We were greeted by hundreds of butterflies! They were everywhere!" The dense forest setting creates a true wilderness experience rare in Iowa, with multiple visitors mentioning the minimal encounters with other hikers. Another reviewer shared that the "sandstone bluffs were in the background" at the quarry area of RJD Memorial Hardwood State Forest, offering tent campers scenic views of the surrounding landscape and Mississippi River.
$12 / night
"My friend and I were eager to test out some new backpacking gear for the first time in advance of a larger trip this summer."
"Yellow River has great backpacking sites. Park near ranger station and hike in or grab a map and find a smaller parking location near the trail you want to explore. Great scenery."
"Hiked into this Camp that includes 5 primitive sites: fire rings and benches. Lush dense forest with intermediate hiking including typical summer insects."
"Awesome campground, if you require electric bring a generator. Water is available but needs to be carried in. we loved the lack of cell phone reception!"
"We backpacked to the quarry and found a large open area, perfect for multiple tents. The sandstone bluffs were in the background."
$40 - $120 / night
"If you want to meet the barnyard critters, please only look at them from the outside of the fence unless guided and escorted by the owners. "
$5 / night
"There are pit toilets at the upper sites, near the pavilion."
"The hiking trail was perfect for a morning stroll with my dog and coffee and there certainly is a petting zoo (my German Shepard was a little uncertain about the goats)"
"The Nature Center campsite is located at the trail head for the Root River State Bike Trail."
"This campsite is at the trailhead for the Root River Bike Trail. This bike trail is so awesome and by far the best in the tri-state area!"
LegendHiked into this Camp that includes 5 primitive sites: fire rings and benches. Lush dense forest with intermediate hiking including typical summer insects. Leave No Trace ethics include: minimizes fire impacts by gathering only dead, down, wood. Sounded by nature atop of hill hike near Fire tower ( only fire tower in Iowa), cell reception is found up here.
LegendGeneral: This is a small (29-site) county park campground situated along the North Fork Maquoketa River. Nine of the sites are reservable, and the rest are first-come, first-served. Some sites are primitive, and some have water and 30-amp electricity hookups. There is one ADA-accessible site with a paved camper pad.
Site Quality: Most sites are level. The camper pads are gravel/grass, but not all are clearly defined. Each site has a picnic table and a fire ring.
Bath/Shower: The bath/shower house was closed when we were there in November but there are vault toilets about a quarter mile from the campground (in the day-use area) that were very clean and well-stocked when we were there.
Activities/Amenities: Many activities including disc golf, three hiking trails, volleyball, two playgrounds (one in the day-use area and one by the campsites). There are two reservable picnic shelters. There is also a dump station.
We were tent camping in November on a backpacking trip so we didn’t take advantage of any of the activities but would return in our van on a future camping trip. We were the ONLY ones in the campground at this time of year!
LegendThis review is for Yellow River State Forest's Big Paint Campground which consists of sites 35 through 61. Big Paint is a couple miles from Little Paint, a larger campground with 70+ sites. There are two equestrian campgrounds (Creekside and Little Frontier with sites numbered 1 through 34) as well as hike in campgrounds for backpackers. A photo of an area map is included.
Why did we choose Big Paint instead of Little Paint?
It's smaller and that's just our personal preference. There were only 4 sites occupied early Friday afternoon and a few more were reserved. We liked site 35, the first site on the left as you enter. This site is like being in a garden with trees and flowers surrounding the site. It had rained and more rain was coming, so the gravel parking pad on #35 was appealing. Most of the sites are completely on the grass.
Activities
Stocked trout streams are an attraction for fishermen; see photo of stocking calendar. We enjoyed hiking despite the mosquitoes and humidity in August and were able to make a 5+ mile loop leaving from the campground. You can also hike from Little Paint, and there are equestrian trails. This would also be a good area for X-country skiing and snowmobiling. A photo of the trail map is included. Caution: hunting is allowed in the non-campground area of the state forest.
Amenities
Each site has a picnic table and fire ring. Other than that, you can dispose of your trash and use a vault toilet. There's water at the information center (and a camp host site) outside the campground about 100 yards to the left.
Cost
You're not getting much (and that's not a bad thing) so the $9 fee seems fair. Pay up front at the entrance station, or make a reservation online at last 2 days ahead of time (and pay a reservation fee). There are 7 non-reservable sites at Big Paint. I doubt that Big Paint fills up; just check the reservation site to see if they get crowded.
https://iowastateparks.reserveamerica.com/camping/yellow-river-state-forest/r/campsiteSearch.do?search=site&page=siteresult&contractCode=IA&parkId=610130
GuideThe cart in sites are fantastic at Wildcat Mountain! Each site is spacious with most heavily treed for shade. Each site has a nice large flat pad for a tent or two, fire ring, bench and picnic table. Proximity to potable water, vault or modern toilets and designated parking are all within 400 yards of all sites.
The park is located in the Kickapoo valley area where the driftless area is amazing to hike. You can kayak or tube down the river that is flanked by high limestone bluffs. The hiking trails are well maintained. There is also extensive horse trails, a beautiful outdoor ampitheater for viewing sunsets and access to the river right in the park.
The campers were respectful and quiet. Our campsite was fairly clean when we arrived. Contactless registration due to covid 19. That made getting set up quick and easy! The cart provided was fairly big for less trips. I would happily camp here again!
LegendThis campground also goes by the name of Holbert. Small campground but free with a handful of picnic tables and campfires. The vault toilets were cleanish, thou older. This campground is next to a pretty little creek that you can play and fish in. The campground is really just a series of campsites strung out along the creek and road. It was pretty quiet while I was there, not many campers at all. There are no hookups for RV’s/campers so it is primarily tent camping or dry camping. There is an interesting story about how this camping area has come to be: the land was donated by Ella Ellis in memory of her husband William Ellis. They apparently loved the land and wanted to make sure it was never developed and could be enjoyed by all. A lovely story.
GuideLocated on the far western edge of Wisconsin this state park offers a little of everything - hiking trails connected to the camp grounds, boat access to the Wisconsin and Mississippi Rivers, overlook of where the Wisconsin River meets the Mississippi River, showers and flush toilets, playground/basketball/tennis courts, etc. Depending on what part of the park you are in (and the season) you can be away from it all or have almost all the comforts of home. There are 2 campgrounds within the park - Homestead (back in the woods and a little more rustic with vault toilets and no showers) and Ridge (on the bluff). Also both an indoor group site and outdoor group site. Campsites are mix of RV (+/- electric) and tent. Ridge Campground sites- located on the bluff they stay dry even when the rivers are at flood level. Some sites have views of the river right from the tent/RV. During peak season you will definitely need a reservation (likely months in advance), but there are a few same day spots held in reserve. Also during peak season there is a concession stand near the campground and boat rental (canoe/kayak) near the boat launch (neither were open when I camped there but were on a separate day trip)
A short drive from the state park is Effigy Mounds National Monument with additional trails and a reverse of the scenic view (looking south and east instead of west/northwest). Definitely worth a look since its FREE and so close by. Also in the area is Villa Louis (historical homestead) which can be toured for a modest fee (good rainy day activity). If coming from Madison area be sure to check out some of the small wineries along the drive either to or from the park.
RangerMud Lake is a wonderful county park near Dubuque. Beautiful views of the Mississippi River. We stayed one night on our way to Minnesota. The sites are mostly sunny. The park streets are gravel with gravel sites. The park is quiet except for the occasional train from the nearby tracks. Great value for $21. Electric and water hookups. Marina and boathouse next door.
Stayed in campsite #35 which has no shade. It was a gravel site which shares a pull-through with site 36. There was more than enough parking for my TT and truck and grass on either side. The site included: picnic table and fire ring. Utilities were located in the rear. 20A/50A electric and water. Site was level. Neighbors were nearby.
AT&T had 2 bars of LTE and Verizon 2 bars of LTE service. AT&T Speedtest: 47 Mbps down, 1.3 Mbps up. Verizon data VERY SLOW. No WiFi.
Would stay here again. We camped at Mud Lake Park in a Travel Trailer.
GuideI’ll begin by saying this is by far the cleanest campground I have stayed at. The facilities were well kept including the vault toilet houses. We stayed in a walk to site and the views were incredible. Our tent pad was quite rocky so I would recommend sleeping pads or you will be very uncomfortable. Our site was also extremely dusty which wasn’t a problem at all just be prepared to be a little dirty. The campground was quiet except for the occasional train that rolled through those are quite loud due to how close they are to the campground. I would definitely come back to Nelson Dewey and stay again. There was not a ton to do in the area so a short weekend stay was perfect. A highlight is that the park provided cart to use to haul all your stuff to the walk to sites. There is 1 designated parking spot per walk to site as well. The walk to sites are small and only accommodated our one (6 person) tent which was not a problem for us as we knew this ahead of time.
GuideSome of the spots are a little uneven. Bring some leveling devices. This a very peaceful campground. Fire rings are on cement. Can find fire starters everywhere. No bugs in the 1st of June when we were there. Will plan on going back for sure. Reserve your spots cuz they go fast. If you love a great view and the smell of the outdoors this is your place!
Harpers Ferry sits on the eastern border of Iowa, nestled among steep bluffs along the Mississippi River. The area features dramatic limestone formations that rise more than 400 feet above the valley floor, creating unique microclimates for camping. The region receives about 35 inches of precipitation annually, with summer temperatures averaging 75-85°F during prime tent camping months from May through September.
Trout fishing streams: Yellow River State Forest offers excellent fishing opportunities with clean streams. "Very secluded with good fishing opportunities and great fishing in the area!" notes Lindsey R. about Camp Glen Wendel Primitive Backcountry.
Backcountry hiking: The terrain provides challenging trails for all skill levels. "Yellow River has great backpacking sites. Park near ranger station and hike in or grab a map and find a smaller parking location near the trail you want to explore," recommends J.T. Multiple trails connect various primitive camping areas.
Wildlife observation: The forests near Harpers Ferry support diverse animal populations. During a stay at Echo Valley State Park Campground, one camper encountered unexpected wildlife: "My German Shepard was a little uncertain about the goats." The park's quiet setting makes wildlife viewing common.
Stargazing: The rural location offers exceptional night sky viewing. At Shady Rest Acres, one site is "in the middle of the pasture...perfect for stargazing!" according to a visitor. The bluff areas provide elevated vantage points away from light pollution.
Budget-friendly sites: Tent camping near Harpers Ferry offers affordable options. "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," writes Kevin T. about Yellow River State Forest.
Natural playgrounds: Many camping areas include unique recreational features. Houston Nature Center has "a 1 acre natural playground near the campsite" with "a zip line, tree house, small rock wall, and more," according to GoWhereYouAreDraw N.
Unique geology: The area's limestone bluffs provide distinctive camping backdrops. At R.J.D. Memorial Hardwood State Forest, one camper found "a large open area, perfect for multiple tents. The sandstone bluffs were in the background."
Solitude: Many campers appreciate the privacy of dispersed camping areas. "I've backpacked here multiple times and have only run into other people once or twice. Hidden gem," reports Brooke M. about the Yellow River trails.
Primitive conditions: Most tent camping areas near Harpers Ferry have minimal facilities. At Chimney Rock County Park, "This is just a parking lot for the canoe landing, but have car camped for the night. They have pit toilets," notes David.
Seasonal hunting: Be aware that hunting occurs in many of the public lands. "The entire place is opened to hunting and there is hikes you can do. There is snow in the winter," cautions Kevin T. about Yellow River State Forest. Lynn G. adds: "There is hunting open to the public so enjoy and/or be careful!"
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular tent campsite near Harpers Ferry, IA?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Harpers Ferry, IA is Camp Glen Wendel Primitive Backcountry — Yellow River State Forest with a 4.8-star rating from 12 reviews.
What is the best site to find tent camping near Harpers Ferry, IA?
TheDyrt.com has all 16 tent camping locations near Harpers Ferry, IA, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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