James M.
Legend
LegendHorseshoe Pond
Nice smaller CG in City of Maquoketa, Iowa
CG offers gravel pads, tables, fire rings, electric, sump station, water, small pond with fishing, paddling, dog park. Close to stores for supplies, dining, fuel.
Dog-Friendly Camping near La Motte, IA
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Swiss Valley County Park maintains a pet-friendly atmosphere throughout its campground area near Dubuque, approximately 20 miles from La Motte. The park features well-maintained RV sites and tent camping areas where pets are welcome, with fire rings and picnic tables at each site. Electric hookups, water access, and a dump station are available for RV campers with pets. The campground keeps sites meticulously maintained with good size, level areas that accommodate pets comfortably. Swiss Valley's nature trails provide excellent walking opportunities for dogs, with a trout stream (Catfish Creek) running through the property that offers additional recreation. ['The park has a very quiet valley setting that many campers with pets appreciate for peaceful walks.'] Firewood is available for purchase from the park ranger who visits around 6pm, though sometimes arrives slightly later due to managing multiple parks.
Dogs enjoy exploring the walking paths throughout Swiss Valley's natural areas, though owners should be prepared for the sulfur smell in the shower facilities if planning longer stays. Bellevue State Park's Dyas Unit, another pet-friendly option near La Motte, allows dogs throughout the camping area and on most trails. Sites are spaced with decent separation, though some campers note certain spots have limited privacy between neighbors. For Mississippi River access with pets, Blanding Landing and Off Shore RV Park both welcome dogs and provide boat launches for water activities. Most campgrounds in the area require pets to remain leashed, and visitors should note that during late May, insect activity increases significantly in wooded camping areas. The campground host at Blanding Landing creates a particularly welcoming environment for solo travelers with service dogs, making it feel safe and comfortable for extended weekend stays.
Best Dog-Friendly Campgrounds near La Motte (93)
1. Maquoketa Caves State Park Campground
"You really can't go wrong with any trail or cave. The kids enjoyed hiking between Lower- and Upper-Dancehall Caves. The trail goes underground and through some water. Window Cave was also a hit."
"Caves were closed but we had a great time hiking the trails. Very clean campground. Plenty of wood for campfires, just had a donation box. Electric campsites have plenty of shade."
from $20 - $28 / night
Check Availability2. Swiss Valley County Park
"Trout stream (Catfish Creek) runs through campground and park and is stocked by Iowa DNR, has Swiss Valley Nature center with trails."
"Fishing seemed popular in catfish creek about 50 feet away from our sight. There is a sign that states firewood is for sale at 6pm but the ranger was about 45 min late bc he tends to two other parks."
3. Palace Campground
"This campground is tucked into a little area next to a Walmart, Culvers, and Mini golf course. It sits between east Dubuque and Galena. When we stayed they had a dirt bike rally."
"Campground was right next to Walmart, which was convenient, and a short walk down to the high school to get the shuttle into Galena itself."
4. Bellevue State Park Campground — Dyas Unit
"CG site atop river bluff with pads, fire rings, tables, RR, recycling, trails, shelters nearby. Sites are close to each other but plenty to do."
"The site our friends had next to us was uninhabitable due to mud and sloping but the rangers let them switch sites no problem."
from $16 - $36 / night
Check Availability5. Blanding Landing
"I was a solo female traveler with my two service dogs. When I arrived, the site was clean, and we had a site with an open site on one side making it feel twice as big."
"Hosts are friendly and I saw rangers driving through multiple times. Each site includes picnic table and fire pit. Most have electric. "
from $14 - $25 / night
Check Availability6. Rustic Barn Campground RV Park
"Activities/Amenities: There are many activities offered, including a dog park, basketball, horseshoes, games (cornhole, large checkerboard, and others), a barn with a television, a book library, puzzles"
"There’s a cute store and a cute little area with outside games like corn hole and yard checkers. There’s a huge grassy area for walking the dog and several stations set up with poop bags/garbage."
7. Mississippi Palisades State Park Campground
"Hidden gem near the iowa/illinois border. Secluded and beautiful."
"It has trails for walking and lots of concrete for riding bikes. We did both. The park is close to the River and has plenty of places to put your boat in across the highway."
8. Spruce Creek Park
"Nice shower house and close to bike trail that leads to Bellevue"
"There's fishing, exploring, a playground, and when you see a paddleboat you have time to drive to town before it hits loch & damn #12. It's a beautiful spot right on the river with views galore."
9. Miller Riverview City Park
"All the sites had fire pits but one site, either 51 or 52 had that pit too close to the bushes so it wasn't really useable. We were right on the river bank with a good view of the bridge."
"But it was very quiet and our spot (55) was right on the river and a bit tucked in the woods which was great and had an amazing view of the bridge."
10. COE Mississippi River Recreation Areas Pleasant Creek
Drive Time
- 21 min from Dubuque, IA
- 53 min from Davenport, IA
- 1 hr 14 min from Cedar Rapids, IA
- 1 hr 31 min from Iowa City, IA
Recent Dog-Friendly Camping Photos near La Motte, IA
77 Photos of 93 La Motte Campgrounds
Andi A.
Swiss Valley County Park
Shelly S.
Maquoketa Caves State Park Campground
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6B's Campground
Jeri T.
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Stephanie S.
Rustic Barn Campground RV Park
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Mud Lake County Park
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Grant River Recreation Area
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Mississippi Palisades State Park Campground
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Yogi Bear's Jellystone Park Monticello
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Whitetail Bluff Campground and Resort
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Worthington Sportsman's Club - Members Only
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New Wine Park Dubuque County Park
Dog-Friendly Camping Reviews near La Motte, IA
494 Reviews of 93 La Motte Campgrounds
- James M.Legend
Iowa 80 Truckstop
Good overnight parking and I 80 access
This overnight access is a small town in itself. This site offers not only the basic communities and needs of fuel, including EV, charging stations, but auto parts, showers, dentist, Chiropractic, care, gifts, dog park, and is right next to the I 80 trucking museum. Good lighting in the overnight spots which has room for long RVs.
- James M.Legend
Horseshoe Pond
Small City CG in Maquoketa Iowa
CG lies within Maquoketa and is seasonal. Has pond for fishing, shelter, dog park, playset, disc golf course. Sites are pulling, have electric and fire pits. Camp supplies including wood in nearby stores. Prairie Creek runs along south of CG.
Lee D.LegendRustic Barn Campground RV Park
Very clean and well-maintained
General: 58 sites with various amenities. Some are long pull-throughs, some are back-in, some have 30 amp with or without a patio, and some have 50-amp electric with or without a patio. Tents are NOT allowed. We were greeted immediately upon arrival and asked to sign a waiver and given a welcome packet. The rules are extensive, but most are common sense/courtesy and not at all unreasonable.
Site Quality: All had gravel driveways and looked level. Decent separation between sites although they are close together, as would be expected in an RV park. Our site had a patio and decent-sized picnic table but it was chilly when we were there so we ate inside.
Bathhouse: Very clean as were the showers.
Activities/Amenities: There are many activities offered, including a dog park, basketball, horseshoes, games (cornhole, large checkerboard, and others), a barn with a television, a book library, puzzles, and a pool table. Coffee is available after 9 am. There is also a small chapel available 24/7 and a laundry room. WiFi is also available. There is a camp store with ice, ice cream, some camping supplies, clothing, crafts, and more. We were told several restaurants will deliver to the campground.
We don’t typically prefer to stay in RV-style campgrounds, but it was conveniently located with easy access off Route 151 just over the Wisconsin border from Iowa, we were warmly welcomed, and enjoyed our short stay passing through. Pride of ownership was evident throughout.
- Agapes D.
GuideYellowstone Lake State Park Campground
Wonderful hiking!-May 2018
This is a popular place in the area, the human beaches are full and the small pet beach area was well used by my husband, myself and our two dogs; Odinn & Frigga over Memorial Day. The hiking is amazing , particularly the Oakgrove trail, plenty to see with beautiful views. There is boating, canoeing, etc. Bring the strongest mosquito repellent you can get, Wisconsin in summer can be rough. We tried our Black Diamond poles and Thule day bags and we got to try cooling vests for the dogs from Ruffwear. It was so much fun. Note that there are sites to camp, cabins nearby and plenty of Hipcamp sites near. Strongly recommend Riverview Bottoms, which sits in a 500 acre property and is 10 min away.
- Jamie M.
ScoutCanyon Ridge Campground — Apple River Canyon State Park
Big, clean sites, nice trails, water access
There aren't signs within the park directing you to the campsite. I found it eventually but I'm glad I wasn't towing a camper because there was a lot of turning around. Some of the sites are able to be reserved. We went Memorial Day weekend so there were quite a few people but it wasn't full so even without a reservation you'd likely find a space. The sites a nice and big. We chose 2 sites that were connected and even then they were a good distance from one another. The sites were also removed from the road so when people walk or drive by it doesnt feel like they're walking through your campsite. There is some nice water access to wade with shallows so kids or pets can play. Nice trails.
- James M.Legend
Koch's Meadow Lake Campground
Private CG with lake
This CG is a full service CG for RVs with community buildings, gravel road lanes, pet friendly, and lake access for fishing, paddling and swimming.
Brett F.GuideMaquoketa Caves State Park Campground
Camping & Caves
This is one of our favorite parks in the Midwest. We usually make a day trip from Chicagoland, but this time we camped at the park. We are glad we did!
You really can't go wrong with any trail or cave. The kids enjoyed hiking between Lower- and Upper-Dancehall Caves. The trail goes underground and through some water. Window Cave was also a hit. You can climb up about 5-7 feet and out the "window". The kids felt like real spelunkers!
While the park is usually crowded during the day, we find it nearly empty beginning in the late afternoons on the weekdays we visited. It felt like we had the place to ourselves.
The campground is about a five minute walk to the park's main entrances. The campground was very quiet... just the way we like it. There is a family of cats that hang around: they visit from a nearby dairy farm. The kids loved this added attraction. The dog did not.
The bathroom and shower house is clean. There is only one. So it gets pretty busy during "flush hour". Our campsite was right next to the bathroom/ shower and dumpster. We noticed flies and the occasional whiff of trash.
We'll continue visiting this park. And we look forward to camping on site.
- Ted W.
TravelerYellowstone Lake State Park Campground
One of our favorites
We spend quite a bit of time here. We hunt here and camp here year round. Tons of forest with cross country, equestrian, and hiking trails. One of the best lakes in Wisconsin for fishing along with a nice beach, and pet area. There is a free gun range. Hunt anything from pheasent to deer. There is also a nice bar and grill just down the street. Along with dairy bar as part of the park. Showers and bathrooms are always clean.
Guide to La Motte
Camping options near La Motte, Iowa extend through the northeastern corner of the state with elevations ranging from 600 to 1,000 feet above sea level. The region sits along the Mississippi River bluffs, creating distinctive camping environments with limestone formations and hardwood forests. Seasonal temperatures vary significantly, with summer highs averaging 80-85°F and winter lows frequently dropping below freezing.
What to do
Explore cave systems nearby: At Maquoketa Caves State Park Campground, located about 20 miles from La Motte, visitors can access 13 distinct caves and 6 miles of hiking trails. "The trails have sign posts and the map in a VERY general way gives you some idea as to where you are at BUT there are trails criss crossing everywhere so make sure you have your map tracker on. The trails/scenery are AMAZING!" according to Shelly S.
Fish in trout streams: Mississippi River Recreation Areas Pleasant Creek offers good river access about 15 miles from La Motte. "CG has gravel road, seasonal host, restrooms, fire rings, boat ramp and good river access for fishing, boating, paddling. No electric, is primitive. Close to town for supplies," notes James M. The area provides shoreline fishing options along the Mississippi.
Enjoy Mississippi River activities: Off Shore RV Park combines camping with river recreation. "Resort has many options: even camp sites, 4 villas, resort inn rooms. Sites have hard surfaces, fire rings, water, electric... Boat ramp nearby, resort has restaurant, playground, water park," reports James M. This gives campers with pets direct river access for water activities.
What campers like
Well-maintained facilities: Maquoketa Caves State Park Campground receives consistent praise for its upkeep. "This is a very basic park, no lake, no added attractions just trails, picnicking and a small, quiet and well shaded, electric sites. I like the spacing, privacy and shade. There are several water hydrants throughout the campground to use," shares Shelly S.
Quiet natural settings: Many campers appreciate the peaceful atmosphere at rural sites. Rustic Barn Campground receives high marks for its setting: "Beautiful setting, very quaint with the Rustic chapel and the view for miles. The sites are all clean and most all are level... There's a huge grassy area for walking the dog and several stations set up with poop bags/garbage," notes Stephanie S.
River views: Miller Riverview City Park offers affordable riverside camping near Dubuque. "We paid 15$ online to reserve a spot for the night... it was very quiet and our spot (55) was right on the river and a bit tucked in the woods which was great and had an amazing view of the bridge. It had a fire pit but is rustic so no bathrooms near by," explains Courtney K.
What you should know
Seasonal considerations: Late spring brings increased insect activity in wooded areas. "I think if we were here when it is less buggy, we would have enjoyed it much more but at the end of May, we saw a guy wearing a head net he said he wouldn't sell to us for a $100 (and we probably would have paid it!)," reports Lee D. about Bellevue State Park Campground.
Water quality issues: Several campgrounds in the region have water with mineral content. "The best part about the whole experience was the crazy road that leads to the overlooks. The campground is stacked close together, there's no signs for directing you towards sites, no place to put garbage, only a couple vault toilets," mentions Sam B. about Mississippi Palisades State Park.
Noise factors: Train tracks run near several riverside campgrounds. "Not the worst but not one of the best COE campgrounds. No nice gravel or concrete pads anywhere. Many sites are not real level. Biggest issue is train tracks with trains running by very often. Maybe an hour or 90 minutes with none then there would be three in a very short period," explains Tony D. about Blanding Landing.
Tips for camping with families
Choose sites near playgrounds: Palace Campground offers family-friendly amenities. "Very spacious, grassy and clean. There are a lot of people with RVs so it's pretty lively... The bathrooms are clean. They host events like mini golf. Swings and playground for kids," notes Ivana B.
Look for terrain-appropriate sites: Mississippi Palisades State Park Campground provides diverse camping options. "This might be one of our favorite campgrounds in the area. It has trails for walking and lots of concrete for riding bikes. We did both. The park is close to the River and has plenty of places to put your boat in across the highway," shares Scott M.
Consider tent placement carefully: When bringing pets camping near La Motte, site selection matters. "Campground is well maintained, restrooms, showers, recycling station, fire wood available, campground host onsite, resident park ranger, standard RV sites, some electric tent sites otherwise primitive with fire rings and tables," explains James M. about Swiss Valley County Park.
Tips from RVers
Utility requirements: Rustic Barn Campground RV Park provides full hookups for RVers with pets. "All sites had gravel driveways and looked level. Decent separation between sites although they are close together, as would be expected in an RV park. Our site had a patio and decent-sized picnic table but it was chilly when we were there so we ate inside," reports Lee D.
Maneuverability considerations: Check campground layouts for accessibility. "Nice campground, quiet except for a train from time to time. Nice shower facilities," notes Dexter I. about Blanding Landing, though others mention "No nice gravel or concrete pads anywhere. Many sites are not real level."
Seasonal availability: Many pet-friendly campgrounds near La Motte operate seasonally. Miller Riverview City Park runs from April 15 to October, while Maquoketa Caves State Park is closed December through February. Mississippi Palisades remains open year-round, making it a good winter option for RVers with pets.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular dog-friendly
campsite near La Motte, IA?
Which is the most popular dog-friendly campsite near La Motte, IA?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dog-friendly campground near La Motte, IA is Maquoketa Caves State Park Campground with a 4.5-star rating from 35 reviews.
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dog-friendly camping near
La Motte, IA?
What is the best site to find dog-friendly camping near La Motte, IA?
TheDyrt.com has all 93 dog-friendly camping locations near La Motte, IA, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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