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Best Tent Camping near Leland, IA

201 Reviews

Wildlife management areas and state parks surrounding Leland, Iowa provide several tent camping options for outdoor enthusiasts. Rice Lake Wildlife Management Area offers a quiet, dispersed tent camping experience with drinking water available and pet-friendly policies. Nearby, Iowa Lake County Campground in Armstrong provides established tent campsites with basic amenities including drinking water and vault toilets. Ambrose A. Call State Park Campground, located in Forest City, operates seasonally from April through November with more developed tent sites.

Primitive tent camping areas typically feature minimal amenities and natural settings. At Rice Lake Wildlife Management Area, campers will find a dirt cul-de-sac with a grassy area set into the woods suitable for tent setup. According to a recent visitor, "It's a nice spot off the main road, pretty quiet, but there aren't many spots to camp." Most tent-only sites in the region lack picnic tables and showers, though some provide vault toilets. Iowa Lake County Campground offers drinking water and toilet facilities but no firewood or trash service. Tent campers should prepare for variable weather conditions and bring necessary supplies as services are limited.

Walk-in tent sites throughout the region provide access to fishing, hiking, and wildlife viewing opportunities. One camper at Iowa Lake County Campground noted it was "a great little spot to stay while bike touring through Iowa" with water access and a vault toilet. Bright Lake County Park in nearby Ceylon, Minnesota features tent sites with fire rings and picnic tables, some offering partial lake views through the trees. Visitors report ample space for multiple tents at some locations. During summer months, insect activity increases at sites like Ambrose A. Call State Park, which one reviewer described as "buggy" despite its nice trails and small campground. Backcountry tent camping options typically offer more seclusion but require additional preparation as facilities are minimal or nonexistent.

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Best Tent Sites Near Leland, Iowa (6)

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Recent Tent Camping Photos near Leland, IA

2 Photos of 6 Leland Campgrounds

Tent Camping Reviews near Leland, IA

201 Reviews of 6 Leland Campgrounds

  • C
    Aug. 8, 2021

    White Fox — Myre-Big Island State Park

    Nice state park

    This is a rustic state park with limited amenities. There are no water or electric hook ups. However clean water is available in the park. The park does have flush toilets and showers. We found these to be in good condition and clean. The showers had warm water. The water stream is on a timer and so are the lights. The shower stalls are Individual stalls. The interior roads are dirt roads with a few potholes they are very narrow. The camping sites are nice sized and relatively private. There is a gravel pad on each site and some have a tent pad. Each site had a picnic table and a fire ring. There are plenty of walking and biking trails and there are walk-in tent camp sites. However, you cannot see the lake from the campground and there is no access to the lake from the campground. We were able to drive through the campground with our 40 foot fifth wheel. But just barely, be careful! 

  • Chloe T.
    Oct. 14, 2024

    Myre State Park Campgrounds

    Beautiful and easy to get to backpacking sites

    Sites are approximately 2 miles from parking and the hike it relatively easy with minimal elevation change. You have a choice between a grassy walk or walking mainly on tar and gravel as part of the Blazing Star Trail. They are also accessible by boat.

    There are 4 backpacking sites and they are well-spaced so you each have privacy. #3 and #4 are close enough that you could be in a group together but #1 and #2 are pretty isolated. Each site has a fire pit, picnic table, wood cabinet/fish cleaning table, at least 1 flat spot for a tent, and a nearby porta potty.

    Views of the lake are amazing with a variety of birds making appearances. Harvesting season may bring some farm sounds but otherwise, aside from the occasional train, you'll mainly hear the sounds of nature around you.

    If you can make the walk carrying everything, including water, on your back, definitely check out one of these sites.

  • Joel S.The Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 11, 2025

    Devine Wildlife Area

    Free and fairly primitive

    Dispersed camping really. You can bring a big rig in. No really prepared sites. Maybe 5 places you could set up. No water, no electric, no toilet. Swampy area nearby so bring mosquito repellent. But the price is right.

  • DThe Dyrt PRO User
    Nov. 14, 2022

    White Fox — Myre-Big Island State Park

    Delayed Autumn

    We tent camped at Myre-Big Island State Park in Minnesota from September 30 to October 3, 2022. The weather was warmer than usual at this time of year, and the fall color development was a couple weeks behind normal. It was cool but beautiful during the daytime (light jacket/sweater weather). The temperature dropped at night but didn’t require anything more than our sleeping bags to keep us warm. The earlier sunset meant meal cooking and cleanup needed to be a bit earlier, but it also meant longer time for beautiful campfires in the evenings.

    The trails were in great shape and beautiful with past-peak grasses and developing colors in the trees. Most of the wildflowers were done for the year, but some were still in bloom. Deer, squirrels, chipmunks, and lots of birds were active near the trails and campgrounds.

    We have camped here previously, in early summer. Then the bugs were abundant and aggressive on the Big Island trails. During this fall trip, there were very few.

  • Rachel O.
    Jul. 3, 2021

    Myre State Park Campgrounds

    Bird Songs/Sounds Galore at BP1

    You have to check-in at the camp office, which closes at 8pm. I didn’t realize this and arrived at 8:20pm and probably made the nice state park lady work late. Don’t be me.

    This remote site is about a mile hike in from the parking area. Easy/moderate hike in. Saw 6 or 7 deer hiking in. At my site, BP1 or backpack 1 or R1, you have water access nearby so prep for the sounds of waterfowl. PELICANS! They flap loudly when entering or exiting the water. Very cool to watch. I wasn’t bothered by it, just a surprise. Other posts somewhere on the internet mentioned the interstate noise being an issue at this site-I did not have that experience. Occasionally, I’d hear the revving of someone’s extremely loud motorcycle or semi engine (maybe 5 times total) in the distance, but the nature sounds covered it for me. I woke up to so many bird sounds. The 2 crows were annoying but fortunately they took off and I got to hear the songbirds more clearly.

    The site itself was very nice. Partially shaded, but also allowed for sunshine during the day. The park provides firewood at the backpacking sites, which is nice since this park has a no firewood collecting rule. Flat, clear areas to pitch your tent.

  • DThe Dyrt PRO User
    Jun. 13, 2022

    White Fox — Myre-Big Island State Park

    Woodland/Prairie/Wetland

    We spent four nights tent camping at the White Fox Campground of Myre-Big Island State Park in June 2022. This park is a combination woodland/prairie/wetland setting. The White Fox Campground is on the fringes of a woodland. Our campsite was grassy and open with trees and shrubs curving along the back of the site. The site had the usual fire ring with grill and a large picnic table.

    There are some nice trails for hiking through woodlands and prairie and alongside wetlands. We saw a lot of wildlife: several deer, red squirrels, chipmunks, a raccoon, a woodchuck, lots of different birds, and several different types of butterflies. In the mornings the birdsong was pretty amazing, loud and long lasting.

    There are two freeways and a rail line near the park, but the noise from them was only bothersome on one morning of our stay.

    There is a second campground on the Big Island portion of the park. Big Island is wooded and has some beautiful trails that we enjoyed.

  • Ax H.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jul. 29, 2025

    Shellrock River Co Preserve

    Great Free spot for tent camping

    Big grassy field surrounded by huge (walnut) trees. There a gravel track that goes along a large river. Trees everywhere so bring bug spray. Quiet, peaceful. Not private but worth it. Free, 3 day max stay

  • Lee D.The Dyrt PRO User
    Oct. 8, 2024

    Clear Lake State Park Campground

    Surprisingly quiet campground on a summer weekend

    We tend to stay at campgrounds during the off or shoulder season for a quieter experience so it was with some apprehension that we reserved this campground for a summer weekend so that we could meet friends for Paddlefest. We were happy to discover that despite being a full campground, it was quiet at almost all hours of the day and night. It was, however, an entirely different story on the lake itself, where boats gathered all day to party!

    There is little separation between the sites but there are trees located throughout, some of which provide shade to the site. The camper pads were a mix of dirt and gravel and mostly level. We were lucky to snag Site 34 (reserved about three months in advance) – it was on the end, making it a much larger site than the interior sites (all end sites in our section were larger) and we had plenty of shade trees, a welcome relief on a very hot weekend. 

    The paved roads leading to the sites are very narrow and would appear to be one-way but are not designated as such, resulting in some confusion. The site numbers are only listed on one side, even though most of the sites appeared to be pull-through. 

    The restrooms and showers were clean and had soap and (dated) air dryers. 

    Overall, we had a very pleasant two-night stay even though we were prepared for a different experience.

  • Jen A.
    Aug. 28, 2019

    memoirs park

    Great Campground

    This is a great campground in Mankato, MN.  The sites are huge and offer water and electric.  The shower house/bathrooms were decent - a little outdated, but not too bad.  There was also a portable toilet near our site.  We wish there was sewer, but we understand that being so close to the river this may not be possible.  We will definitely stay here again if we are in the area.

Guide to Leland

Tent camping near Leland, Iowa, offers a variety of scenic spots where nature enthusiasts can enjoy the great outdoors. With options ranging from serene wildlife management areas to public preserves, there's something for every tent camper.

Tent campers like these nearby activities

  • At the Rice Lake Wildlife Management Area, you can enjoy fishing along the boat launch and explore the paths that line the water's edge.
  • The Shellrock River Co Preserve provides a peaceful setting for campfires and stargazing, perfect for unwinding after a day of outdoor adventures.
  • For those who appreciate a bit of solitude, the Iowa Lake Co Campground is ideal for bike touring and offers a quiet atmosphere right by the lake.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular tent campsite near Leland, IA?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Leland, IA is Rice Lake Wildlife Management Area with a 5-star rating from 1 review.

What is the best site to find tent camping near Leland, IA?

TheDyrt.com has all 6 tent camping locations near Leland, IA, with real photos and reviews from campers.

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