Ashton Wildwood Park in Mingo accepts pets at all campsites with spacious, wooded sites providing ample room for tents and dogs to spread out. Colfax Quarry Springs Park, Thomas Mitchell County Park, and Chichaqua Bottoms Greenbelt also welcome pets throughout their grounds. Most campgrounds maintain standard leash policies, typically requiring dogs to be on leashes no longer than 6 feet when outside vehicles or tents. Campsites feature level tent pads, picnic tables, and fire rings with nearby trash receptacles for convenient disposal of pet waste. Campground bathrooms and facilities are well-maintained, with even the pit toilets at Ashton Wildwood described as surprisingly clean and odor-free by multiple campers.
Hiking trails throughout these parks provide excellent opportunities for dog walks, with Ashton Wildwood featuring a circular nature trail perfect for daily exercise with pets. The campground at Thomas Mitchell includes access to a small creek where dogs can splash and cool off during summer months, with multiple rock stairways providing easy water entry points. Primitive campsites at Chichaqua Bottoms Greenbelt are positioned near the water, offering convenient fishing access while camping with pets. Site 15 at Chichaqua is notably spacious for primitive campers with dogs, measuring approximately three times larger than standard sites at other parks. Mosquitoes can be prevalent in wooded areas during summer months, so dog-safe insect repellent is recommended for evening activities.
"Thomas Mitchell park is located outside of Altoona Iowa on 197 acres. There are electric and non electric sites available."
"Perfect weather last weekend and loved the little creek to splash around in with the dogs. Loads of rock stairways to enter and edit the creek throughout the park."
"Next to skunk river oxbows, kayak, no swimming, water stagnant, no fish, about 4ft depth everywhere. Great hiking trails, clean, great camp hosts, ranger. All sites first come."
"We haven't camped here, but have seen that the tent areas are right next to the water. Super serene with great hiking trails and bird watching!"
$7 / night
"Most of the sites are tucked into the woods and very spacious. It's only $7/night! There is some play equipment for children. "
"There are a couple of hiking trails in the park that are maintained. One goes to a creek and a bird watching station."
$15 / night
"Quick and easy off/on road location. Was their first year. This is a new RV Park that was once a quarry. Hence the name. Big lakes and good areas to walk."
"They have porta potties around. Two places to launch kayaks. Most campsites have fire rings, picnic tables and trash bins. Some have grills."
"With a theme park on one side and a casino on the other, both in walking distance. It’s more of a park and party place hahaha"
"Short walk to the amusement park. We were there for most of the early summer so we got a season pass to the park which included the water park. They also have workcamper programs."
"Wonderful trails, lots of space. Access to DM River, has nice pond, playgrounds, just a beautiful area. "
"camped here in 2021 and I enjoyed it but the first night I was there I ran my vehicle down the second night I was there I took a tour on the campgrounds and got verbally accosted but another camper for walking"
"rural Iowa."
"Newton KOA This is the primary location for camping in Newton. It’s right off interstate I-80 and is very close to the Iowa Speedway."
$20 - $336 / night
"The Prarie Flower campground at Saylorville Lake is an open, flat grassy campground near wooded trails around the US Army Corps of Engineers land."
"The only down side of this was the grass was really long so it was bad when taking the dog out in the evenings or mornings. You would come back in with a soaked dog and wet feet."
$20 - $25 / night
"There was four of us and a dog."
"Iowa county parks are amazing. They pour money into them and it really shows. Clean, I mean immaculate. Nature/Conservancy center there is just next level."
$16 - $48 / night
"Stopped overnight on our way home from Iowa City. No reservations & took our chances on finding an electric site. Score! Neighbors were friendly."
"The RV section of campground was nearly full but the tent/non-hook up section had lots of space. One can camp on lakeside but be aware that these spots have a slope, not comfortable for my van."
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.
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
GuideOne of my favorite locations to camp in Iowa as a Boy Scout growing up was Ledges State Park. Since I hadn't been back in years, I decided to check it out and spend a night camping there. It's close to how I remember it.
The campground has a good picnic area, restrooms, and an excellent trail. It's also inexpensive.
What I enjoy most about this park compared to others in Iowa are the sandstone ledges and the slopes on the trail. There are some excellent views, so make sure your phone has enough battery to take photos (unlike me). I also spent a lot of time off the trail. It isn't too hard to get around. I'm not one who enjoys staying at a park that is mostly flat, so this is definitely a good place in Iowa for me to camp.
If you are looking for a cool place to camp within an hour of Des Moines, you should seriously consider this park.
ScoutOne of the more beautiful places to camp in Iowa. Awesome hiking trails and really well-shaded campsites. The hike in spots are great if you like privacy and being in the middle of the woods - but you don’t want to be THAT far from your car.
Beware of the raccoons. They’re plentiful and crazy smart here. We had one open our cooler, steal an egg from the cartoon - without disturbing anything else. Honestly, I was impressed! But some of our friends had them rip through their tents to get at food - not as impressive.
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.
GuideSpots kind of level, lots of choices of pull thru or buddy sites. Decent playground, water pillow for bouncing, fishing pond, dog park, swimming pool. Well maintained, lots of planned activities. KOA, so not a lot of nature. But no traffic or train noise. Full hook ups, including TV.
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!
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".
Thomas Mitchell County Park features spacious camping areas located 25 miles southeast of Mingo, Iowa. The 197-acre park sits amid rolling central Iowa hills with a creek running through multiple campsites. Summer temperatures average 75-85°F with high humidity, while spring and fall bring more moderate conditions and fewer crowds at most Mingo-area campgrounds.
**Creek exploration and fishing: Thomas Mitchell County Park offers water activities for campers and pets. "The outer loop has a creek that flows behind the sites with large stairs to get down to it. Kids were having a blast in the water," notes Shannon G. The creek provides cooling opportunities during summer heat.
Kayaking and canoeing: At Colfax Quarry Springs Park, water activities dominate the experience. "This is my favorite place to go hiking, kayaking, camping and fishing. Two places to launch kayaks," explains Willy W. Equipment rentals are available onsite for those without personal watercraft.
Stargazing: Ashton Wildwood Park offers unusually dark skies for central Iowa. "The observatory that's open on Saturday's (except the 1st Saturday) was awesome and the astronomers were great people and very knowledgeable," writes Willy W. The observatory includes telescopes, educational programs, and guided night sky viewing.
Waterfront tent sites: Chichaqua Bottoms Greenbelt provides premium waterfront camping. "Hidden gem just outside of Des Moines! Site 15 for primitive campers is HUGE. Easily the size of 2-3 sites at other campgrounds," explains Megan M. These sites cost $25 for electric hookups and provide direct water access.
Privacy and spacing: Many dog friendly campgrounds near Mingo feature well-separated sites. "The sites are very spacious, could easily accommodate multiple tents. The entire property was well maintained," reports Topaz G. about Ashton Wildwood Park. This spacing allows dogs to relax without close neighbors.
Clean facilities: Yellow Banks County Park maintains high standards for bathroom facilities. "Wonderful trails, lots of space. Access to DM River, has nice pond, playgrounds, just a beautiful area. Camp sites are best around, large flat white rock cinder size area with picnic table, fire ring," notes Kelly. Most campgrounds in the area provide regular maintenance of restrooms and shower facilities.
Seasonal closures affect planning: Many dog-welcoming campgrounds near Mingo close during winter months. "Drove 6 hours to find out the campground is closed (apparently for all of fall and winter) without any awareness of that being the case online," warns Katie P. about Chichaqua Bottoms Greenbelt. Most area campgrounds operate April through November.
Highway noise varies by location: Prairie Flower Recreation Area sits near major roads. "The only downside of camping is you hear the interstate traffic but it's minimal," notes a reviewer at nearby Colfax Quarry. Request sites farther from highways when making reservations if noise concerns you.
Dump station congestion: Prairie Flower Recreation Area experiences Sunday traffic jams. "There's one dump station for a campground that is large in size and popularity. Trying to leave on Sunday is a good 1 hour wait," warns Elizabeth A. Plan departures for off-peak times when possible.
Observatory visits: Ashton Wildwood Park offers educational opportunities beyond traditional camping. "I love to take my grand daughter here for overnight camping. There is some play equipment for children," shares Deb K. The observatory provides science learning for school-age children.
Orienteering course: Multiple parks offer navigation activities for kids. "There is also a orienteering course but you have to walk in the woods to finish it," explains Willy W. This activity teaches map reading skills while exploring natural areas.
Hiking with children: Thomas Mitchell Park offers appropriate trails for younger hikers. "Great place to go tent camping, very clean and quiet. Easy trails for the kids to go hiking and playing in the creek to cool off in the heat," explains Willy W. Most trails range from 0.5 to 2 miles in length with minimal elevation changes.
Site selection strategies: Yellow Banks County Park offers varied site types. "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," advises Kelly. RVers should request concrete pad sites where available for easier leveling.
Water access planning: Water hookups vary significantly between campgrounds. "No water hook ups, so fill up after you get in the campground before you park," recommends Mia L. about Prairie Flower Recreation Area. Some parks require up to 100 feet of hose to reach water connections.
Reservation requirements: Dog friendly campgrounds in the Mingo area fill quickly during peak season. "This campground is a hot spot for Des Moines to escape the weekend - with that said, reservations are a must! Most times you need to make them six months out," advises Elizabeth A. Weekday arrivals offer better chances for walk-up availability.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular dog-friendly campsite near Mingo, IA?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dog-friendly campground near Mingo, IA is Thomas Mitchell County Park with a 4.3-star rating from 11 reviews.
What is the best site to find dog-friendly camping near Mingo, IA?
TheDyrt.com has all 79 dog-friendly camping locations near Mingo, IA, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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