Newton Hills Campground and Lazy H Campground provide pet-friendly accommodations near Hawarden, Iowa, with both sites offering tent, RV, and cabin options that welcome dogs. Hawarden City Park Campground allows pets at its basic electric sites with water and sewer hookups, though it lacks firewood sales and shower facilities. Most campgrounds in the area maintain standard leash policies, with several offering designated pet exercise areas. Oak Grove Park's Turkey Ridge and Deer Run campgrounds feature electric hookups, drinking water, and pet-friendly policies for both tent and RV campers. Rivers Bend Campground in Rock Valley includes pet-friendly cabins along with traditional camping options, complete with full hookups and shower facilities. The dog park at KOA North Sioux City is functional though not exceptionally maintained according to visitor experiences.
Hiking trails throughout Newton Hills State Park welcome leashed dogs, providing shaded paths ideal for summer outings with pets. Big Sioux Recreation Area offers pet-friendly camping with manicured lawns and paved trails that help dogs avoid tick exposure from grassy areas. Several campgrounds feature waterfront access, including Rivers Bend with its two fishing ponds and swimming area, though some visitors have noted issues with neighbors leaving dogs outside barking despite park rules. Sioux Falls KOA Journey provides convenient highway access and pet areas, though tent sites are situated close together in grassy areas surrounding the playground. Most area campgrounds maintain clean restroom facilities, with several offering hot showers and sanitary dump stations for RV travelers with pets.
$10 - $15 / night
"Trails in the area give you a chance to stretch your legs. Convenient to the interstate, but that also means some highway noise if you are not in a hard sided camper."
"Minor inconvenience, water and dump station at entrance. Bathhouse was clean, had plenty of hot water Site 08E pull thru, easy in and out. Campground on hill top hidden in the trees."
"Love this place very close to the major city of anything is needed. Nature and trails all around, lake for fishing and swimming, love to come out during the summer with the dogs!"
"The spacious and clean facilities provided the perfect backdrop for our outdoor getaway, offering a blend of adventure and relaxation away from the city."
$45 - $65 / night
"Clean lake with boating. Private lake so no fishing license required."
"I believe you can even rent or request a golf cart to make getting around easier. The only regret I have is not staying longer. Truly a wonderful place.
Sprint/T-mobile data was around 56 Mbps down."
$27 / night
"Larger CG has terraced sites with hard pads, tables, fire rings/ firewood, shaded spots, electric, horseshoes, nature center nearby."
$25 / night
"Only 4 stars due to neighbors leaving their dog outside barking constantly until they returned. Against park rules so maybe a one off. Water front on 80% of spots."
"There is a swimming hole with a little beach and walking/bike trail. They have tent sites that you have to walk to but they are right on the water away from all of the RV sites."
"We enjoyed all the trails that the city of Le Mars offers. The shower house was exceptionally clean. The campground itself was clean and well kept."
"The lake is clean and very pretty. The shower house is newly renovated and very nice. One of our favorite places to stay at!!!!"
"New seasonal County park and CG has standard sites, fire rings, tables, firewood, swimming beach, fishing, boating, hiking including access to Sioux Center's trail system, shelters, lodge, archery range"
"Great spot with a swimming lake, fishing lake, and hiking trails through the prairie. Less than three miles from town"
ScoutThis KOA is well-maintained, a little older but the grounds are nice and it is well organized and maintained. The dog park is not so well-maintained but was adequate and the pool was clean, and there is easy access to the freeway Both north and south
RangerWe decided to stay at this campground because it was close to Falls Park. It’s 4 miles away from the KOA to Downtown. It wasn’t crowded, very clean, met lots of Texans and the pet areas were awesome! In fact, Sioux Falls is a very dog-friendly city and was able to take my dog everywhere! The showers were great if you don’t want to use your own in your camper, but they have laundry and such if you need it. We were close to the showers, pet area and laundry house. Yea, it’s next to a Camping World but you know what, it was a great stay with nice folks and the road noise really isn’t a problem, especially if you just go in your camper and watch tv because you shouldn’t be there for that. 🙃 They just opened for the season so they are still adding some things but I would recommend! We were grateful to stay and not travel during 50mph winds.
ScoutCute and historical city park that offers multiple 30 Amp hook up sites for $15. Water is available. Lots of play grounds, dog park, disc golf, and historic Lewis and Clark campsite.
LegendNice park on the east side of Yankton. Would rate much higher except roads need more gravel and there are a few serious dips and bumps in the roads. Really nice staff, super clean restrooms, and nice patio sites for the reasonable rate.
Dog park, pool and other amenities are well maintained.
ScoutClean bathrooms and showers and close to Falls Park. Tons of amenities for families with kids. Close to the interstate. Great for a one night stay on the way to bigger and better sights. Stayed with a dog and was glad to see the other campers had their pets leashed at all times.
GuideA parking lot style campground with nice green areas for pets. Level sites, full hookups. If you are looking for a convenient spot by Sioux Falls, this one fits the bill. Book online as staff is not in the office (or at least were not when we arrived).
Scoutthis campground is on leash pet friendly. there are few trees, but it has full hookups, clean restrooms and showers. pay 6 get 1 free. however there is a train t
has no play ground, swimming pool, etc.
people were very friendly.
it was exactly what i was looking for.
GuideThis KOA just north of the Iowa border is first class. ! Friendly staff and perfect for kiddos. The pool and adventure area are right up your alley if traveling with kids.
LegendThis is a large state park in the northwest corner of Iowa, surprisingly wooded considering how close to Sioux City it is located. Touted as a year-round park, there is a large network of trails, some of which can be used as equestrian. HOWEVER, the trails are not labeled and there is no (or very fleeting) cell service so that even after looking at the map (located on a board in the park, not a paper one), I wandered aimlessly around the park getting lost. One of the trailheads requires that you tramp directly through Site 12 to access! I explored this trail for approximately a quarter of a mile, but it became very overgrown and because I was not sure where I was going, I ended up turning around.
The campground is divided into three sections
• Sites 1-11 are located on either side of the access road are a bit too close together for our preference and despite the park being so wooded, have no foliage or other visible separation between the sites. These sites all have electric hookups
• Sites 12-14 are at the top of the hill and have the easiest access to the restrooms; they also have electric hookups. In my opinion, Site 14 would be the most desirable. Given that there are only three sites here, there was a surprising number of cars driving past these sites.
• Sites 15-30 are primitive tent sites and located near Cabin#3 (a CCC cabin).
The bathrooms were clean and (don’t laugh at me), the toilets had lids! Given the current virus situation, this was a nice and welcome surprise!
There was no camp host and we only saw one ranger during our stay. There is a nice playground, but it is not located anywhere near the campground (it is located closer to two of the cabins). If you are camping with children, please note this. There are three cabins, one that was built by the CCC and a lodge which also looked to be a CCC product, although it did not appear to be open when we were there.
Hawarden, Iowa sits at approximately 1,178 feet above sea level in the northwest corner of Iowa, near the Big Sioux River that forms the state border with South Dakota. Summer temperatures typically reach the mid-80s, while winter temperatures often drop below freezing. The area offers a mix of developed riverside camping sites and wooded state park options within short driving distance.
Hiking trails: Newton Hills State Park features multiple hiking opportunities through wooded terrain. "Good clean campground with some trails to hike," notes Gene S. about Newton Hills Campground. Another visitor mentions, "If you enjoy water activities, spend some time at Lake Lakota swimming, kayaking, fishing, or just relaxing!"
Swimming and water recreation: The swimming beach at Lazy H Campground provides family-friendly water activities. A visitor to Lazy H Campground shares, "The beach has giant floating lily pads that the kids loved. There are showers on the beach to wash off feet after you're done swimming." Rentals are available for various watercraft.
Fishing opportunities: Many local campgrounds offer fishing access without needing additional permits. Donald N. mentions that Lazy H has a "private lake so no fishing license required," making it convenient for casual anglers. Rivers Bend Campground features "two fishing ponds & one swimming" area according to reviews.
Clean facilities: Many campgrounds in the area maintain exceptionally clean bathrooms and shower facilities. At Union Grove State Park Campground, visitors note the "shower rooms/bathrooms are immaculate, and smell so nice." Another camper commented, "Definitely one of the cleanest most well kept campgrounds I've seen in a while."
Spacious sites: Several campgrounds offer well-spaced sites with concrete pads. At Willow Creek Campground, "Site 42 is on the beach side which is the newer part of the campground, it's one of the full hookup ones by the sidewalk. It was level and had some shade." Campgrounds like Rivers Bend offer "decent size spots with lakefront views at just about all of them."
Pet exercise areas: Dog-friendly campgrounds near Hawarden typically include spaces where pets can exercise. Newton Hills State Park has multiple pet-friendly trails, while Union Grove State Park offers "horse trails, hiking trails" that welcome leashed pets. Campgrounds like Sandy Hollow provide access to extended trail systems ideal for dog walking.
Reservation requirements: Some campgrounds require advance booking while others operate on a first-come basis. At Sandy Hollow Park Campground, there are "3 Reservable full hook ups, otherwise first come." Union Grove requires online reservations with specific fees that differ from onsite payment.
Seasonal operation: Many campgrounds in the area have limited operating seasons. Willow Creek Campground runs from "April 15 to October 15," while Rivers Bend operates from "May to October." Winter camping options are limited to a few year-round facilities like Newton Hills State Park.
Site privacy variations: Proximity between sites varies significantly between campgrounds. At Newton Hills, "some of the sites are pretty close together," while at Union Grove, tent sites #4 and #5 are noted for better privacy: "We had the best tent site on the grounds, corner spot with decent trees and distance, most other spots are right on top of each other."
Playground access: Several campgrounds feature play areas for children. At Rivers Bend Campground, "there is a swimming hole with a little beach and walking/bike trail," making it ideal for families with children of various ages. Newton Hills State Park is described as "great for families with young children" with "plenty of parks and paved roadways to wander around on."
Swimming beaches: Sandy Hollow offers a "swimming beach, fishing, boating, hiking including access to Sioux Center's trail system." Lazy H Campground features a "huge swim beach with anchored lilypads" that provides safe, entertaining water recreation for children.
City amenities proximity: For families who forget supplies, campgrounds near towns offer convenient access to necessities. Rock Valley BiCentennial Park Campground provides just "6 spots" but is located within the town, while Willow Creek Campground is close enough to LeMars that families can enjoy "ice cream at Blue Bunny and beer at Wise I."
Hookup availability: Full hookup options vary between campgrounds. At Rock Valley BiCentennial Park Campground, RVers enjoy "wonderful little park with full hookups" despite the limited number of sites. Willow Creek Campground offers both partial and full hookup sites: "half of them have electric and water and the other half also have a sewer hook up."
Pad quality: Concrete pads are available at several campgrounds, offering level parking for RVs. Lazy H Campground provides "pull through sites" that are "fully concrete and level," while Willow Creek features "a really nice level concrete pad."
Wi-Fi access: Internet connectivity is available at some campgrounds in the area. Willow Creek Campground "furnish[es] wifi which was also good" along with strong cell signals, allowing RVers to stay connected while enjoying the outdoors.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular dog-friendly campsite near Hawarden, IA?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dog-friendly campground near Hawarden, IA is Union Grove State Park Campground with a 4-star rating from 13 reviews.
What is the best site to find dog-friendly camping near Hawarden, IA?
TheDyrt.com has all 68 dog-friendly camping locations near Hawarden, IA, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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