Looking for the best campgrounds near Lake Red Rock, IA? Lake Red Rock is a great camping destination for everyone. There are tons of nearby hikes, adventurous activities, and sights to see. Find the best campgrounds near Lake Red Rock, plus reviews and photos from other campers like you.
"Our site had a great view of the lake, as well. The campgrounds are a drive away from the beach and most boat ramps. "
"Plenty of room for our dogs"
$22 - $24 / night
"Howell Station is one out of five COE CG's that are around Lake Red Rock. CG is well kept, has a bike/walking path that borders the River and winds through the woods."
"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."
$20 - $24 / night
"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"
"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."
$25 - $120 / night
"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."
$20 - $288 / night
"Sits on the bank of Red Rock Lake which has great fishing."
"it has shaded camping areas, nice bathrooms, hiking trails, fishing, and a nice beach. I camp here every year!"
$16 - $72 / night
"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."
$14 - $24 / night
"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."
"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"
"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!"
$15 - $23 / night
ScoutCamping 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. It is heavily shaded and offers direct access to a large beach on the lake complete with shower houses and concessions. Red Rock is the largest lake in the state and can accomodate any size water craft. The campground is located directly on the Volksweg trail which offers excellent opportunities for any level of hiker or bicyclist. The town of Pella is close by and is a worthy destination in itself. Shower houses are clean as is the campground in general. Campsites are well distanced from each other and offer a good degree of privacy. The only drawback, for some, is the fact that sewer and water hookups are not available. All sites have electric. I would highly recommend this, and all the COE campgrounds on Lake Red Rock.
GuideHowell Station is one out of five COE CG's that are around Lake Red Rock. CG is well kept, has a bike/walking path that borders the River and winds through the woods. Baths/showers were very clean and well kept up. Sites were spacious, level and most were very shady. Hosts were helpful and very friendly. Firewood is available from hosts for $5 a bundle.
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.
LegendI stayed at Elk Rock State Park with my son and his Boy Scout troop. The weather was perfect that night and we were able to have a nice fire. The next day we broke down our tents pretty quickly because of the rain.
We obviously stayed in the group campsite, but the campground is big with lots of trees and good facilities. It even has an equestrian part of the campground for you horse lovers.
Lake Red Rock is really close so it is a great place to stay the night and then pull your boat down to the lake for some fun on the water. Iowa doesn't have any mountains but it makes up for it with a lot of green scenery and some wonderful activities like horseback riding and boating for the family.
This is a very good state park and campground.
GuideThe campground itself is very nice. There is a lot of space between campsites, which is awesome! Our site had a great view of the lake, as well. The campgrounds are a drive away from the beach and most boat ramps. The lake was great for kayaking, but the visit to Whitebreast beach knocked the campground scored down, as I typically look for the overall experience and not just sites/facilities in my rating. Whitebreast beach had sand at the top, leading me to believe it would be a typical sandy beach-not at all! As you made your way further down and into the water, there was muddy, wet clay and the beach floor was slimy and muddy. I even saw a young boy lose his shoes in the wet clay! I would return to the campground and kayak the lake, but I wouldn't recommend the beach! I'm fairly certain my grandson and I both ended up with some kind of bug bites after being there-we're both still itching!! Yuck! There is another beach at Lake Red Rock and perhaps it is nicer/cleaner, but I would stay away from Whitebreast if you don't like your feet sliming in clay and mud!
RangerThis campground has many sites to choose from - RV with hookups as well as some non-electric tent sites. There are quite a few activities in Marshalltown, and it is within the Marshalltown city limits.
The downside is proximity. It is right next to the highway. When I was there in a tent, the hog trucks would drive by all night (loud and smelly). The RV sites are closest to the road, so maybe it is not so bad in an RV, but it is not particularly enjoyable in a tent.
Pros:
+ Marshalltown has quite a few places to eat
+ Nice bike trails (and a great bicycle store downtown)
+ It is near the Iowa River
+ Nice park in general with activities like a dog park
+ Camp host on-site
+ Decent sized campsites
+ Playground for the kids
Cons:
+ It can get busy on a summer weekend
+ Noisy - right by the highway
+ Mosquitos are really bad here
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.
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.
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!
If you're looking for pet-friendly camping options near Lake Red Rock in Iowa, there are several great spots where you and your furry friends can enjoy the great outdoors together.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular dog-friendly campsite near Lake Red Rock?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dog-friendly campground near Lake Red Rock is Whitebreast Campground with a 4.6-star rating from 8 reviews.
What is the best site to find dog-friendly camping near Lake Red Rock?
TheDyrt.com has all 77 dog-friendly camping locations near Lake Red Rock, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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