5 campgrounds with availability this weekend
Several cabin rentals are available within parks surrounding Gilbert, Iowa, offering options from rustic cabins to deluxe units with water and electric hookups. Little Wall Lake County Park features three cabin rentals with water and electric hookups, situated along the small lake. Ledges State Park Campground provides cabin accommodations with more rustic settings, where visitors can enjoy the natural surroundings and hiking opportunities. "This little gem is a great place to stay. Small lake. Some sites are reserveable online and some are first come first serve," noted one visitor about Little Wall Lake County Park. The cabins typically include basic furnishings but may lack some modern conveniences, making them suitable for those seeking a balance between camping and comfortable lodging.
Rustic and deluxe cabins are both available, depending on the location. Jester County Park and Don Williams Park both offer cabin rentals with varying amenities including electricity, picnic tables, and fire rings. Reservations are essential during peak summer months, with many parks accepting bookings up to six months in advance. Most cabins in the area permit pets with appropriate documentation and fees. Accessibility varies by location, with some cabins situated near parking areas while others require short walks. A camper mentioned, "The cabin was clean and the host was nice," highlighting the well-maintained facilities at Little Wall Lake County Park.
Most cabins include beds but require visitors to bring their own linens, towels, and toiletries. Kitchen facilities vary significantly between locations, with some offering basic cooking equipment while others provide only outdoor fire rings or grills. Nearby towns including Story City and Ames provide grocery stores and supplies. Adventureland Campground and Pine Lake State Park Campground maintain cabins that operate year-round, while other locations like Thomas Mitchell County Park close seasonally from November through March. Firewood is available for purchase at many parks, including Little Wall Lake County Park, though bringing a supply of kindling is recommended for easier fire starting.
"One of my favorite locations to camp in Iowa as a Boy Scout growing up was Ledges State Park. Since I hadn't been back in years, I decided to check it out and spend a night camping there."
"One of the more beautiful places to camp in Iowa. Awesome hiking trails and really well-shaded campsites."
Available this weekend
from $12 - $25 / night
"Each site as a gravel drive and then open gravel area with a picnic table and fire pit with grill grate. Plenty of room for camp chairs and other furniture you may want to set up. "
"Fire rings, picnic tables, level gravel sites."
from $20 - $25 / night
"Small lake. Some sites are reserveable online and some are first come first serve. We had water and electric on site. Showers were not open yet in April. "
"Close to the interstate and easy to get to."
"Camped by tent, basic amenities on-site-fire ring, table, etc. Went kayaking on lake and then on Des Moines River (close by). Nice wildlife areas, hiking, fishing, etc. Pleasant staff."
"Very quite and nice campground, we camped on top of the hill in tents it was awesome view and potable drinking water next to camp, bathrooms and shower facilities was clean and nice"
from $12 - $20 / night
"We chose Briggs Woods because of its location and reviews from other campers. It is a larger campground than you think! Spots for primitive tent camping, electrical hook up and full hook ups."
"Nice park with standard tent and RV sites. Boone River , Briggs Woods Lake good for paddling with rentals available, fishing, beach, shower house, cabins."
"Dolliver State Park was our maiden voyage in our travel trailer and it was obvious we were pitiful newbies!"
"The RV parking area isn't really big, but all sites are great & feel private, especially the outer ones. We have never stayed in the cabins, but they look nice & well kept."
Available this weekend
from $15 - $50 / night
"After some confusion with booking (office hours are until 7pm, confirmation email said 9pm) we were able to get ahold of the operations manager at the park who helped us."
"The staff was very helpful, plenty of laundry/restrooms throughout the campground and pretty clean overall. Concrete pads with full hook ups (30/50 amp, water and sewage) make setting up quick."
"Thomas Mitchell park is located outside of Altoona Iowa on 197 acres. There are electric and non electric sites available."
"Came in late, even though there were several empty spaces turns out they were reserved. Very nice camp host told us we could have a non-electric site, none of them were reserved."
"This campground is near home so I know it well. The campground itself is nice, with some decent sized campsites, many having a great view of upper Pine Lake. There are flush toilets and showers."
"Very nice state park campground. There are cabins as well as campsites. The park is adjacent to Pine Lake and water based recreation is available including swimming beach and boating."
Available this weekend
from $12 - $90 / night
"We were lucky and got a spot right along the lake. This park is peaceful (only slight downfall is the trains you can hear a bit-not too loud though)."
"Plenty of camping spaces, some right next to the lake. Swimming area, concession stand, boat rentals, and even a skating rink on the weekends. My favorite childhood camping spot."
from $20 / night
LegendVery nice state park campground. There are cabins as well as campsites. The park is adjacent to Pine Lake and water based recreation is available including swimming beach and boating. The campground is off a paved road and is near to town. There is a walking path to the boat launch from the campground. Biking/hiking trails are on property.
TravelerOnly stayed one night but very convenient location and registration.
Legend9-14-26 Timberline East RV Campground, I do not think this is a KOA anymore. Tent site T1 & 2 was level and on grass with table and fire ring. checked in at 7pm, overcast, Molly was great at the check in, offered a 10% Veteran discount. $34 for the night. We only stayed one night. Showers and bathrooms were decent. T-Mobile was 5G 4 bars. Rained all night, you can hear the noise from the highway but you drown it out.
ScoutGreat stop, perfect for kids - trampoline, jumping pillow, and a playground. Spots are close together (as with most KOAs) but easy off I-80 and a great pit stop for a night or two with family.
TravelerMy wife and I are Camp host in this campground? It is a river Ravine campground lots and lots of trees. Fishing campground itself has electricity only but you can fill your campers up the water by the pump very nice and relaxing place to be.
ScoutGreat little spot with lots of hiking trails. Bathrooms are clean and guests are quiet. Don’t miss grave from 1869 at top of hill on trail. Beautiful place. Wish I lived closer.
RangerThis is a sweet well-maintained campground just south of Mitchellville, Iowa off of 80. Not many sites and only a handful were occupied mid week in July. There is a little stream running along the edge of the campground. There is one bathroom building with 6 separate rooms - each with a toilet, sink and shower with warm water. Plenty of drinking water at centralized locations. There is shade at most sites when you first enter the campground and in the loop. Along the edges (inc the stream) shade is more variable. The only issue we had was a bright light that was on all night near the end of the loop. We were in site 5 and had to move our truck so it didn’t shine in all night.
GuideLevel sites and very quiet. Great hiking location and photo opportunities.
RangerThere’s not a lot going on in the vicinity of this state park, which is on the smaller side, and you will hear some cows, but all in all the campground exceeded my expectations for the two nights I stayed. This was partially because my site, 65, offered ample room away from the neighboring sites and backed up to a small green area with the road further back (minimal noise, aside from the random loud dirt bike). It also had a good mix of shade and sun if you’re hoping for a bit of solar charging, though no shore power or water. The site was long and mostly level with just the smallest tilt, but not enough to be a bother even without leveling blocks. The dumpster is nearby, but it’s a tiny one and was well maintained (aka not smelly). The brand new shower house was within easy walking distance as well. I had enough service (Verizon) to send texts and watch a bit of YouTube (buffering times were a smidge slow), but you likely wouldn’t have a strong enough signal for much more.
Cabin camping near Gilbert, Iowa features several historic state parks and county-managed recreational areas. The region sits within Iowa's prairie landscape with elevations ranging from 900-1,100 feet above sea level. Winter temperatures often drop below freezing, making the year-round cabin rentals at Pine Lake State Park and Adventureland Campground particularly valuable for off-season visitors.
Hiking at Ledges: Explore the sandstone formations at Ledges State Park Campground, where hiking trails offer significant terrain changes uncommon in Iowa. "I did not camp here however I drove and took a day hike. The hiking trails are cool. I would say it was a challenging hike. A lot of up and down terrain, stone steps, etc," notes one visitor.
Paddling and kayaking: Upper and lower Pine Lake provide calm waters for paddlers at Pine Lake State Park Campground. "Paddle on upper or lower Pine Lake, fishing, shore or boat (lake, stream, or river), bicycle trails, hiking trails all around lower Pine Lake," says a frequent camper who knows the area well.
Fishing with children: Spring Lake County Park offers excellent shoreline access directly from campsites. "The best waterfront camping we have found near us. Small friendly community of camping. Door to door ice and concession delivery," reports a camper who appreciates the close water access.
Historic recreation options: Spring Lake's open-air roller skating rink operates seasonally from Memorial Day through Labor Day. "Roller skating on the weekends," mentions one visitor, while another notes, "Great long-term hosts really make this park feel like going home."
Wildlife viewing opportunities: Jester County Park offers a unique opportunity to view bison. "The Nature/Conservancy center there is just next level. They advertise Elk and Bison which are smart enough to stay far away from humans, as it should be," reports a camper who enjoyed the wildlife viewing areas.
Private camping spaces: Some cabin locations offer more seclusion than others. "We had a great stay here, check in was easy, getting firewood was easy, the bathhouses were so clean and nice, hiking and views were amazing!" notes a visitor to Jester County Park.
Stream access for summer cooling: Thomas Mitchell County Park provides creek access behind certain campsites. "The outer loop has a creek that flows behind the sites with large stairs to get down to it. Kids were having a blast in the water," according to one reviewer who appreciated this natural feature during warmer months.
Seasonal variations in amenities: Many parks operate with reduced services during colder months. "We camped at this campground for my college visit to ISU and I nearly went to the university just because I wanted to be here at this park every weekend," mentions a camper who visited Ledges State Park during peak season.
Cell service limitations: Dolliver Memorial State Park Campground has limited connectivity. "I enjoyed our time and the almost non-existent cellphone service. However, I was able to text my family via satellite to let them know I was okay," reports a visitor who appreciated the digital detox.
Wind exposure considerations: Little Wall Lake County Park has minimal wind protection. "This is a nice small camp area that only has one downfall: a lack of wind break. We went when the wind was blowing in typical Iowa summer fashion," notes one camper about the open terrain.
Site selection importance: Some locations have less desirable sites near utilities. "We did notice that we were right next to the 'sewage lagoon' by the RV dump spot. We were upwind, so it wasn't too bad. Would recommend avoiding sites 18 and 19," advises a Thomas Mitchell County Park visitor.
Beach and water activities: Don Williams Park offers swimming options beyond cabin accommodations. "Very nice campground with a lake to fish and swimming area. Tent and campers access," notes a visitor who enjoyed the water features.
Park-specific entertainment: Adventureland Campground provides unique proximity to attractions. "Short walk to the amusement park. We were there for most of the early summer so we got a season pass to the park which included the water park," shares a camper who maximized the location's benefits.
Cabin selection strategy: Choose cabins based on specific needs and group size. "My family and I rented one of the cabins here. They were nice cabins just off the bank of the river! The cabin comfortably fit 4 of us. It had a nice stone fireplace, a decent living room, small kitchen, and bathroom," describes a Pine Lake State Park visitor.
Reservation systems: Many county parks now use online booking. "There are campsites along the lake with easy access to shoreline. There are approximately 100 sites. There are reservable sites on mycountyparks.com," explains a Spring Lake County Park visitor.
Dump station quality: Jester County Park offers exceptional services for recreational vehicles. "I've never been to one so thought out and efficient. Weird favorite thing but if you know you know," remarks a camper about the dump station facilities.
Site layout considerations: Adventureland Campground provides organized spacing. "Concrete pads with full hook ups (30/50 amp, water and sewage) make setting up quick. Tent camping is an option in the back of the campground," notes a seasonal visitor who appreciated the structured layout.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular cabin campsite near Gilbert, IA?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular cabin campground near Gilbert, IA is Ledges State Park Campground with a 4.4-star rating from 41 reviews.
What is the best site to find cabin camping near Gilbert, IA?
TheDyrt.com has all 26 cabin camping locations near Gilbert, IA, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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