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Whitebreast Campground and Marion County Park accept pets at all campsites with mandatory leashing throughout the grounds. Both campgrounds provide level sites suitable for tent and RV camping, with Marion County Park offering full sewer hookups at many updated sites. Electric connections, water, and sanitary dump stations are available at both locations. Sites at Whitebreast have good spacing between neighbors with no sites backed up to others, providing adequate room for dogs. Local campgrounds are searchable through The Dyrt's listings. Nature Haven at Red Rock Lake features more secluded pet-friendly sites with good trail access for dog walking, though these primitive sites lack hookups and have only basic toilet facilities.
Spacious campsites with mature shade trees around Lake Red Rock give pet owners room to enjoy outdoor time with their animals. The paved walking path bordering the Des Moines River at Howell Station offers excellent dog walking opportunities, while Elk Rock State Park provides additional pet-friendly trails through wooded areas. Campers particularly enjoy site 24 at Whitebreast for its extra space and proximity to the water where pets can cool off. Whitebreast Beach access is available, though muddy conditions may not be ideal for pets. Most campgrounds in the area enforce standard pet policies requiring leashes, proper waste disposal, and responsible noise management. The nearby town of Pella provides access to pet supplies and veterinary services if needed during longer stays.
"Plenty of room for our dogs"
"Our site had a great view of the lake, as well. The campgrounds are a drive away from the beach and most boat ramps. "
from $20 - $288 / night
Check Availability"We will be staying here every year, this is the best site we've stayed at in central Iowa. Great fishing, bike trail right next to the campsite. Great views too. Dam is right there and you can fish."
"It’s well maintained, the bathrooms are clean, you’re not packed together like sardines, there’s a nice bike/walking trail around the park and (at least when we’ve visited) bald eagles, blue herons and"
from $22 - $24 / night
Check Availability"The perfect drive up private campsite you will find in Iowa. Very quiet with a beautiful view of three ponds and a sunset you will not want to miss."
"Plus just 6 miles from our fav brewery in Iowa."
from $25 - $120 / night
Check Availability"Good place close to Pella and Knoxville. Some sites on Red Rock. Little pricey for not having full hookups. Overall good place."
"Wallashuck in Pella, iowa is one of my favorite places to camp. It’s mostly quiet and peaceful. Plus town is close and has plenty to entertain or fill up supplies"
from $20 - $24 / night
Check Availability"There are lots of trails around the area. It’s also a great place if you like to go horse back riding with lots of trails that go near the water.
There are camp hosts to help answer questions."
"We really wnjoyed riding the trails here. Good facilities for our horses."
from $18 - $78 / night
Check Availability"I travel with my dog and during the 3 nights I stayed, I was constantly removing them from him, myself and within the inside of my van."
"Each of the 10 campsites are spacious and plenty of distance between. Nice quick trails with wildlife. The park is well maintained and well priced!"
"Plus, it’s on the outskirts of town so restaurants and grocery stores are nearby."
"Marion County is often overlooked by people in favor of the various Red Rock campgrounds that are nearby, but in my opinion, unless you have a boat, there is nothing that puts Red Rock above Marion County"
"Camping doesn't get much better than this in Iowa. The North Overlook site is part of a much larger group of COE campgrounds on Lake Red Rock."
from $14 - $24 / night
Check Availabilityfrom $16 - $24 / night
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GuideI just loved this campground. It has shade trees, grass, free showers and lots of room. It is part of a city park on the outskirts of Winterset. There is a dog park and one of the Bridges of Madison County is located within walking distance of the campground. This was well worth the 20 mile drive off I80. If I had known how m=nice this area was, I would have planned better and stayed here for more than one night.
TravelerIn a grove of trees in a slightly hilly area. Easy access, but sites are gravel. Nice bit of grass with each site, most are at least partially shaded. Small dog park which is pea gravel, not grass.
LegendWhile it was our first time camping in Iowa, we were extremely lucky to land upon this slightly hidden fresh water centered campground just a 20 minute drive south of Route 80 near Montezuma, wherein one needs only follow Road#63, before coming across Diamond Lake County Park. With the fall colors being in full bloom when we visited, the entire campground was awash in bright yellows, reds and oranges from the changing colors of the leaves. Also, as we were visiting in mid-October, versus some of the other reviews here, we found that we had the place mostly to ourselves, which made for a rather peaceful sublime respite we were searching for.
As for the campground itself, what we enjoyed most was how this location is, for the most part, very well organized in keeping the RV'ers and 5th Wheeler crowds together, while preserving a nice slice of verdant lakeside pasture for us primitive camper types. Each of the sites for camping come equipped with (in most cases) fairly new aluminum picnic tables, fire ring with folding BBQ grill. While we didn’t stay in the RV areas, given our tent-pitching persuasion, what we did see was fairly impressive and looked altogether rather brand new with freshly poured concrete slots and fairly mint-looking RV hook-ups (50 amp electric and water) and this same area also boasted a brand new restroom facilities.
Obviously, the main attraction here is Diamond Lake itself, with its more than 90 acres of fresh water, albeit murky fresh water, was certainly a hit with this camping family. We enjoyed being able to get out on the lake with our kayaks and canoes as well as go for very long walks around the circumference of the lake itself, with which you will find simply splendid trails. And if that’s not enough exploration for you, then head further inland and away from the lake to explore this parks other 660 acres of grassy prairieland.
From an amenities standpoint, there’s a decent amount, including: three shower houses, four shelters, 2 dump stations, three his / her latrines (some much more dated than others), boat ramp and fishing dock, a dedicated fish cleaning station and what looked to be a fairly new kids playground. In all there’s a total of 120 sites to choose from, with 80 designated for RVs / 5th Wheelers and 40 earmarked for primitive camping, which do not come with any electric, which was on one hand the biggest bummer, but on the other hand, offered up front-row access to lakeside camping bliss as many of these primitive campsites are located right on the water’s edge.
Insider’s tips? Here’s a few: (1) Check-in is self-registration and is done onsite, so net-net, this place is first-come, first served as no online or advanced registration is taken. While we didn’t mind this, and given that we arrived right around noon as folks were actually checking out, we got the ‘pick of the litter’ of campsites. Electric sites are $20 / night and non-electric are $10, so this place is incredibly affordable; (2) If you are looking for some grub nearby after growing weary of another meal of franks & beans, then there’s really just a few nearby options: Subway, Sauced Pizza & Pub, Casey’s and Yolanda’s Tacos over in the little town of Montezuma; (3) While there are actually few different campgrounds here at Diamond Lake, for primitive campers, the best sites IMHO are located as far southwest as you can possible go around the lake, where there’s more than a dozen or so sites that sit right in front of the water and present a completely isolated surrounding.
Happy Camping!
GuideSome full hook ups, sites not very level, playground ok. Can hear shots from gun range next door. Dog park, pool, arcade. We have camped here a couple times, and stored our rig here for a while. Didn't find there was that much going on here to keep us busy. Not a lot of nature, no trails or biking accessible from campground.
GuideThe perfect drive up private campsite you will find in Iowa. Very quiet with a beautiful view of three ponds and a sunset you will not want to miss. There are four campsites and a soon-to-be glamp site. Spacious, tranquil, and private. Halfway between Pella and Knoxville and on the lake red rocks peninsula, this is a must stay campsite.
LegendFollowing up on my review from over a year ago, I’m adding a bunch of additional photos as well as an abbreviated post pointing out the HIGHS and LOWS of this roadside pit stop of a campground in rural Iowa.
Highs: (1) Quick& EZ access from I-80 via Exit 173; (2) Incredibly well-manicured campground – very clean and well-organized; (3) Very EZ check-in process; (4) Superb Midwestern hospitality from the CG staff and camping community; (5) RV slots offer very nice FHUs and fairly spacious areas; (6) Picnic tables & fire rings are like brand new; (7) If you get hungry, this CG and fueling station has an imbedded Iowa’s Best Burger Café that does live up to its name; (8) There’s also an embedded Amoco gas station and mini-mart; (9) Spectacularly clean and recently refurbished bathrooms & shower facilities; (10) There’s a small launderette here, which was bonus; (11) Should you visit in the summer, you will benefit from being surrounded by 6 foot tall corn fields that will provide greater privacy and better scenery
Lows: (1) You are just 30 seconds north of I-80, the busiest highway in Iowa;(2) There’s no security gate to prevent any wandering traffic from the highway into this place, so apart from the fact that you're clear out in the boondocks, you are next to the very heavily trafficked I80, so it’s difficult to feel 100% safe & secure here; (3) Lack of privacy between sites as there’s not a ton of trees (welcome to corn country), bushes or brush on the interior of the CG; (4) Most of the RV slots have no shade, so while this isn't exactly Florida, if you're here during the hot summer months, you should bring your own awning or shelter; (5) Some sites have very close proximity to their neighbors; (6) This really isn’t a good place for tent camping, unless you are OK being surrounded by RVs with absolutely no privacy in the open interior; and (7) Apart from FHUs and a decent shower / restroom in the middle of the CG and a small laundry in the NW, there’s not much here in the way of amenities
Happy Camping!
TravelerThe campground was nice, but it seems more for RVs. Sometimes you have to share a fire pit with other tents if it's busy. They have a small petting zoo and a small beach. This place feels more like a neighborhood verses camping in nature. Most people use this as a "summer home".
TravelerGood place to camp. Year round access. Close to Pella and Knoxville
GuideWonderful trails, lots of space. Access to DM River, has nice pond, playgrounds, just a beautiful area. Fishing not the greatest, Pond is silted to about 9ft deep, have caught few small bass, bluegill. Never tried the river here, but is known for big cats. Camp sites are best around, large flat white rock cinder size area with picnic table, fire ring. Sites are well spaced. Shaded. Double lane dump station. Close to home, can usually get site without reservation, IF you roll in on Wed. By Thurs night, it's full. Few reservables, 90% i'd say are first come. The way it should be in my opinion.
Lake Red Rock, Iowa's largest reservoir at over 15,000 acres, offers several dog-friendly campgrounds near Knoxville. The lake's shoreline reaches 95 miles at normal water levels, creating diverse camping environments from wooded sites to water-view locations. Summer temperatures typically range from 75-90°F, with occasional thunderstorms providing relief from humidity.
Kayaking and fishing access: Whitebreast Campground provides good lake access for water activities. "Great area for camping and fishing," notes Dorothy H. about Whitebreast Campground. The campground sits directly on Lake Red Rock, making it convenient for launching small watercraft.
Hiking and biking trails: The paved trail system at Howell Station offers excellent recreation options. "There's a bike/walking path that borders the River and winds through the woods," says Jay M. about Howell Station. The trail connects multiple camping areas around the lake.
Bird watching: Spring and fall migrations bring numerous bird species to the area. "Bald eagles, blue herons and pelicans line the river," according to Kent W.'s review of Howell Station. The wetland areas around the lake attract diverse waterfowl throughout the year.
Spacious sites: Campers consistently praise the ample space between campsites at Whitebreast Camp. "There is a lot of space between campsites, which is awesome!" writes Molly L. about Whitebreast Camp. Most sites feature level gravel pads with fire rings.
Shade coverage: Mature trees throughout the campgrounds provide relief from summer heat. "Lovely, clean and very well spaced camp sites... Lots of large trees," notes Heather M. about Howell Station. Most campsites maintain good airflow while still offering sun protection.
Privacy between sites: The layout at Nature Haven creates secluded camping experiences. "We really enjoyed our stay at site 4 in the woods. It was absolutely beautiful with the fall colors and leaves falling all around us," says Megan Y. about Nature Haven at Red Rock Lake. Their primitive sites offer more separation than the established campgrounds.
Beach conditions: The water access points vary in quality around the lake. "Whitebreast beach had sand at the top...As you made your way further down and into the water, there was muddy, wet clay and the beach floor was slimy and muddy," reports Molly L. Water levels fluctuate seasonally, affecting beach conditions.
Shower facilities: Bathroom and shower quality varies between campgrounds. "Baths/showers were very clean and well kept up," shares Jay M. about Howell Station. However, at Wallashuck, Tom notes "showers have good hot water but could use a deep cleaning."
Security considerations: Some campers have reported concerns at certain facilities. "Homeless, Crack heads using the showers/bathrooms. Men and women can share the bathroom and shower together even when children are in the facilities," warns one reviewer about Howell Station. These issues appear isolated to specific times rather than ongoing problems.
Playground access: Several campgrounds feature play areas for children. "The grounds have play sets and swings for kids," mentions Tiffany K. about Howell Station. Marion County Park offers "a couple of parks onsite for kids- one with a zip line swing- plus a pond for fishing," according to Adam.
Site selection for children: Some areas offer better family-friendly layouts. "Convenience with some space. We were able to camp in a tent near RVs without feeling crowded. The restrooms, showers, and playground were all close by…great for camping with kids," says Amanda H. about Wallashuck campground.
Historic activities: Consider educational opportunities nearby. Marion County Park features "a historic village onsite that's open for tours on weekends during the summer," notes Adam. These activities provide weather alternatives during occasional rain.
Leveling requirements: Many sites require blocking for proper leveling. At Marion County Park, Adam notes "The sites are somewhat unlevel so you'll likely need to block up tires... For our current site (site 58 with a 2.8 degree incline), we had to angle in a bit otherwise our auto leveling would throw an error."
Site improvements: Marion County Park has been upgrading its RV facilities. "They have done a great job in recent years updating sites a few at a time, adding pavement and full sewer hookups," says Rodney S. These improvements have made it more appealing for larger rigs.
Walk-in availability: Unlike some popular destinations, certain pet-accommodating campgrounds offer last-minute options. "It is almost always possible to get a walk up spot on the weekend even if you wait until Friday afternoon/evening," shares Rodney S. about Marion County Park.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular dog-friendly campsite near Knoxville, IA?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dog-friendly campground near Knoxville, IA is Whitebreast Camp with a 4.7-star rating from 11 reviews.
What is the best site to find dog-friendly camping near Knoxville, IA?
TheDyrt.com has all 80 dog-friendly camping locations near Knoxville, IA, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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