Do you enjoy camping but don't want to rough it? Glamping is a great option. Glamping is not only a fun alternative to traditional tent camping, but also allows you to pack more or less gear as you see fit. The Dyrt's camping photos, reviews, and tips are an easy way to find the right Iowa glamping spot for you.
$10 - $50 / night
While tent camping won’t be available in 2024 due to our expanded youth programs and the transformation of the space for versatile events, our dedicated team is actively working on future plans to introduce a primitive camping option for an even more immersive outdoor experience. Stay tuned for updates!
Whether you are visiting Omaha for the first time or looking for an affordable, family-friendly staycation, we’ve got what you’re looking for at Lake Cunningham. Discover the abundance of activities we have to offer, catered to those looking to explore the beauty of our park from land or water…or both!
For those of you who plan to stay with us, we have 42 new campground stalls equipped with water, power and sanitary to each pad as well as a new well and shower house for campers to enjoy. We also have 41 upgraded campground stalls with access to a renovated shower house and electrical amplification. All campground stalls have new grills and firepits for you to enjoy.
$15 - $40 / night
Guide
I pulled in late at night easy to navigate stayed the next day and did some trails apparently the land formations are 1 of only 2 in the world how about that Iowa.
RangerQuiet park. Gravel parking lot with 8 30 amp sites. Water and dump site on 11th st on the left pasted the ball field. $10 a night 10% discount for eligible people. We stayed 2 nights and would stay again.
ScoutI have stayed several times. Quiet. Nice. Close to town, stores, food. $15. Night in 2025. Fair. Good place for quiet, inexpensive nights. Quite a good deal.👍
Scout
Great location. Very nice campground. Large spacious pull thru sites. Extremely clean bathrooms and showers. We stayed twice, westbound and eastbound. Very friendly, nice people.
LegendThis small campground is right off the interstate, easy to get to. It’s right by a small truck stop, but the noise was not bothersome at all. There is a small dog park for the pups. Bathrooms and showers are clean. One of our party is in a wheelchair and had no problem accessing the showers or bathroom. Hosts are very friendly. Sites are close, but for a one night stay that was just fine.
Guide
Sites are very cramped. Staff less than friendly. Lake is nice, but shore needs maintenance and to have trees and brush cut back. Shower house is nice and clean. Does have full hookup.
LegendI stopped by here at this site. And honestly I was not really all the impressed. I will say they do have some kind of security. Because I was not in the park long trying to visit a friend. Before I was approached and asked for a park pass. They do have a swimming pool on premises. But the sites were almost on top of each other. And honestly people were not real friendly. The lake access was nowhere as good as the Lewis and Clark side of Blue Lake. I guess just not my kind of camping.
GuideWe came In about 5pm, the place was almost completely flooded. And with not that much rain either .
Spots are essentially on top of each other. Luckily it was me sandwiched between family members but the spots are garbage.
Town was under a boil advisory, and a pretty bad one at that. We never found that out from our hosts.
The drive home to ohio was not pleasant for anyone in our party.
If you have a chance to pass this and just choose somewhere else; I would.
Shower houses were clean at least but there was zero water pressure. I literally had to wash my body with a trickle of water: at least it was warm (unlike my wife’s shower she had which was freezing cold)
Stay away!!
ScoutTried this place one time last year (first time rv camping and first koa experience). We had never been to this place and were yelled at on multiple occasions on the first day for supposed "campground rule" violations that weren't posted. The owners, rather than approach us and calmly speak to us, chose to immediately start screaming at us. Spoke to others camped around us and they said this is just how the owners are. Wouldn't go back unless there's a complete ownership/ management change.
TravelerNicely maintained, beautiful lake, clean restrooms and nice pool and playground. Great helpful people! But virtually no space between sites.
Scout
Stayed twice this summer. Handy off hwy 30. Fairgrounds with lots of spots. Be aware that it would not be available during fair week. Has dumping station. Self pay.
ScoutWe were looking for an overnight place to stay and came across this gem. It is right next to a busy railroad, but we cranked up our fans and barely noticed the trains and their horns. It surrounds a city park and there is plenty of room to spread out in their well manicured park. With 30/50 electric and water this place is well worth the $15 they charge. It's all on an honor system so make sure to bring some cash. That way this place can be here to stay for everyone to enjoy.
GuideI arrived around 3 pm. Noticed the amenities. Which are many. We are visiting in winter. But this is a place to come with your kids or grandkids. So much fun stuff to do. Water park. Playground. Open area. Lots of space. Picnic tables. Stores. Check the web site…
Traveler
I grew up swimming and camping at Nelson Park but moved away roughly 30 years ago. I wanted a weekend away from the craziness so chose to go "home" for my first solo trip in quite awhile. The grounds and facilities at the park were in excellent shape even though many of the buildings were still the same ones that I had known from childhood. Could not have asked for better weather after storms rolled through in the morning pulling the heat and humidity from the air later in the day. I will definitely be returning again.
ScoutIt’s a good place for camping not perfect. Has a descent size lake good for kayaking and fishing.
ScoutEasy overnight stay late season. Bathroom was spotless. Water hot. Not too far off the interstate.
GuideThe road up gets a little narrow and windy, but nothing an experienced traveler can’t handle. It’s worth driving a little further off the road for this campsite. MAKE SURE YOU BRING CASH. It’s $25 per night and there’s a pay station as you enter the campsite.
GuideWe tent camped in the modern loop. Bathroom was clean, lit, and stocked - even had hand sanitizer! RV loops had flush toilets and showers, but we didn’t stay long enough to make the trek worth it. The walk down to the tent sites was annoying at worst, but plenty doable. Campsites were level enough, and there were a few sites with pads. Lots of ticks to look out for. There’s an airfield nearby so plane noise was regular but not frequent. Wifi didn’t quite reach the tent campsites; nor did Verizon service, but T-Mobile was good. All around a fine campground.
LegendBeen coming to this place on and off for years. They have several hiking trails of different skills inside the preserve. There is a couple look out points of the Loess Hills as well as a educational visitors center. There is a rv camping site, as well as cabins that can be rented. There also 2 types of tenting as well. There is the walk up sites near the cabins, and also a few hike in camp sites.
GuideWe camp all the time at different locations, and I 100% recommend this campground! The hosts are so polite and helpful and they keep the place immaculate. Even the pit toilets were spotless and didn’t smell. The hosts went around several times a day collecting trash and even mopping the pit bathrooms. Camping here also gives you access to the playground and nature trails into some beautiful countryside. The only downside is bring several bottles of bugspray, the mosquitos are terrible!
ScoutThis is my favorite place to tent camp! Nice bathhouse, and even the pit toilet is clean and unoffensive. Tent sites are spacious and most are separated by lots of trees so there's plenty of shade, privacy, and wildlife. Firewood is available and hiking trails are nearby. Unfortunately, I have to find a new favorite spot because I can no longer lug my gear up and down the hill between my car and my tent.
GuideFriendly reminder to bring CASH FIRST COME FIRST SERVE
Pros
Literally no cons.
ScoutOnly spent one night but would have stayed longer if we would have had time. Nice clean bathhouse and restrooms. Lots of hiking trails and even hiking sticks. We really enjoyed this short stay!
TravelerStopped overnight in late August. Did not want to drag our gear up/down a hill to the tent campsites in the lower loop. Paid more to stay in the upper RV loop where we listened to a neighbor's generator all night. Pretty buggy. Showers/toilets okay. Note there are at least 2 railroads running nearby in the wee hours of the morning. Also, this is on the flight path for jets leaving (I assume) the Omaha airport. Not a restful night--won't be back.
ScoutIt was a great first trip into the area! Learned about the Loess formations, Saw a lot of wildlife and took a hike to the pond. Excited to check out more challenging hike spots in the future
TravelerWe’ve stayed at Hitchcock several times since March of 2021. Our longest stay was for a week and our shortest was for one night. It’s FCFS and they accept cash or check upon check in. You can also pay by credit/debit card if the camp store is open. Ice and fire wood are available for sale. Tons of hiking trails and trees. You can hear cows mooing and I was surprised (during our stay in June) just how much air traffics there was, having increased a great deal since earlier months due to loosening of pandemic restrictions and air travel. Landing patterns for planes headed to Omaha’s Eppley Airfield often include the airspace over Hitchcock. That being said, it was never annoying to us. The ranger is very welcoming, friendly and willing to chat if you’re so inclined. They had a water issue when we were there last, but the ranger was excellent at communicating any and all interference caused by the repairs. We did not feel inconvenienced whatsoever. They do a great job of staying on top of any issues so that interruption is minimal.
LegendIf you are in the Omaha metro you should head across the river and checkout Hitchcock Nature Center just North of Council Bluffs. This is one of my favorite places to camp. All of the campsites are considered "back country" but don't worry, I think the furthest campsite is about three miles.
My preference is getting one of the campsites on the western edge of the park on top of the ridge. At night you can see the Omaha skyline lit up and the breeze running through there is wonderful.
Hitchcock is smack dab in the loess hills which is one of only two places in the world with the hill formations. The other place is in China.
The trail system isn't huge because of the size of the park, but it has a lot of up and down and is a great place to practice backpacking or test new gear before you leave the plains and head to the rocky mountains for a new adventure.
When your done with your hiking, climb up to the top of the towering platform and bring your binoculars to checkout the visiting hawks and occasional eagle. Don't pass up Hitchcock Nature Center.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular glamping campsite near Little Sioux, IA?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular glamping campground near Little Sioux, IA is Hitchcock County Nature Center with a 4.7-star rating from 29 reviews.
What is the best site to find glamping camping near Little Sioux, IA?
TheDyrt.com has all 14 glamping camping locations near Little Sioux, IA, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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