Do you love the outdoors and horses? If you're looking for a rustic but comfortable experience, horse camping in Missouri Valley is the way to go. Equestrian camping is an adventurous and unique way to experience the city. Search nearby equestrian campsites or find top-rated spots from other campers.
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
Mahoney State Park offer Full Hookup, Electric Plus and Electric campsites. There are a total of 148 campsites. Lakeside Campground (100-148 campsites) are located close to Baright Lake and Owen Marina. Little Creek Campground (1-99 campsites) is close to a playground, basketball court and the coin operated laundry facility. Both campgrounds have drinking water, showers and modern restrooms. A dump and fill station is located conveniently near the park entrance.
Tent camping is available at Mahoney State Park in the two modern campgrounds. Tent campers will use the grassy area next to the pad site to set up their tent. Those tenting will pay the camping fee applicable to the site occupied. If making reservations, look for the site description of “tentable.” This means there is a level grassy space for a tent.
Reservations are accepted for half of the campsites in Lakeside and Little Creek campgrounds up to 180 days in advance of arrival date and paid in full at the time the reservation is made. All other camping at Mahoney State Park is first-come, first-served. Campers with advance reservations and those camping first-come, first-served must stop at the Lauritzen Administration building located at the park entrance to check-in or register to camp prior to setting up on a campsite. If arriving after hours, campers must go to the Peter Kiewit Lodge customer service desk and check in or register for a first-come, first-served site.
This modern state park is the perfect year round destination for a family escape. Families can visit the aquatic center and indoor playground, explore the park’s hiking and biking trails, adventure through the treetop ropes course, climb the observation tower and, when the weather turns cold, enjoy indoor rock climbing, sledding and ice skating. The jewel of the park is Peter Kiewit Lodge, which offers 40 guest rooms, most with balconies that offer a stunning view of the Platte River valley. The park also offers an arts and crafts center, an array of cabins, as well as camping opportunities. Mahoney State Park is located midway between Nebraska’s two largest cities, Lincoln and Omaha and is open year round.
$30 / night
Platte River State Park is nestled halfway between Nebraska’s two largest cities – and makes a great place for camping near Omaha. Before it was a state park it was two separate camps – Harriet Harding Campfire Girls Camp and Camp Esther K. Newman – and a tract of woodlands. The charming, vintage cabins that once housed campers today provide cozy accommodations while the gorgeous new glamping cabins offer a luxurious yet nature-immersive experience. Other popular draws are the park’s picturesque waterfall, spray park, scenic hiking and biking trails and two observation towers that allow those who climb to the top a spectacular view of the Platte River Basin.
$10 - $165 / night
The Lewis and Clark campground is a great place to spend a leisurely vacation in the outdoors. The campground features both electric and full hook-up sites (water and sewer) which lie along the lakeshore. Modern restrooms and showers are available, as is a trailer dump station.
$20 - $26 / night
Encompassing 192 acres, Louisville State Recreation Area boasts five sandpit lakes with approximately 50 surface acres of water. Surrounded by towering cottonwood trees, this inviting area offers picnicking, swimming, fishing, non-power boating, canoe access to the Platte River and a brand new floating playground. Paddle board, water bike and kayak rentals are also available. These amenities, along with the area’s close proximity to Platte River, Mahoney state parks and Schramm Park State Recreation Area and Education Center, have made Louisville SRA a favorite spot among outdoor enthusiasts in the eastern part of the state.
Camping reservations are available on half of Louisville SRA campsites.
Louisville State Recreation Area offers campers Electric Plus, Electric and Basic campsites and is very popular with campers with 223 camping pads with 20-, 30- and 50-amp electrical hookups, as well as Basic campsites without electricity. Other amenities include shower facility and modern restrooms. Campers also have access to drinking water and a dump and fill station and a playground for children.
Lousiville State Recreation Area offers canoe access to the Platte River, as well as a special canoe campsite on the river.
$10 - $35 / night
$30 / night
Scout
If you don’t mind lugging your stuff to your tent spot, it’s primitive, no frills camping at its finest! We chose the closest spot to the vault toilets. There are only 4. It’s a bit off the beaten path but we got to enjoy the beautiful horses. Bonus!
Scout
Do not pay Dyrt to use this campground. They are not affiliated.
Guide
Beautiful park, beautiful scenery and amazing playground!
Scout
Populated but spacious. Friendly staff. Lots of greenery and trees. Only stayed one night but the list of activities seemed great. Safe, relaxing place. Bathrooms and showers could use some work but I was happy for a warm shower after traveling so long. Highway and trains can be heard from a distance but I found it soothing.
Guide
A short drive from Omaha, two rivers offers generally clean TV and tent camping sites across multiple campgrounds. I camped right by the river. Also a short walk to the outhouse and playground. Fun and quick trip if you’re in the Omaha area. My boys (4&7) loved it.
Guide
Nice site for a tent camper passing through, beginner adventurers, glampers, or a family staycation. The entire park is well maintained, has a large lake stocked with fish, tent sites are close together, but tolerable. Occupancy depends on the time of year. I was there in September and it was not crowded at all. Tent sites are primitive. New roads leading into the park.
ScoutCamping in the teepee was hands down our worst camping experience ever. The teepee was hot, dirty and falling apart. We stayed in the“big chief” teepee and it was on a horrible slope with tons of ruts on nothing but bare uneven dirt. There was no privacy as the other two teepees beyond this one were set up so other campers were constantly walking by your camp. Even the door placement to the teepees were bad. There was a more well placed teepee they save for first come first serve camping, not reserved camping. That makes no sense. The worst teepee should be reserved for unreserved campers. There are also bike trails directly around the teepees so in daylight, meaning early and late, you will hear groups of bikers riding around a technical course and lots of whooping and cheering as well as hard landings. To make things worse, they didn’t tell us about an ROTC event they were hosting in the park where groups of ROTC young people were constantly walking by our camp from early morning to afternoon, looking for markers for a kind of seek out practice for them. This was highly disturbing. Zero calm and privacy. The teepee was shabby and the indoor outdoor carpet was dirty and old, and you got the feeling you were sleeping and living over everyone else’s ick. Also, right over the teepee there were loads of huge dead oak branches. With the high winds, we were pretty scared a branch might fall on us. It’s just a matter of time before someone gets hurt, or worse. There were many loud people in cabins with dogs, even dogs barking and crazy dogs running loose the whole time we were there. There was also a lot of trash and littered personal items scattered around in the woods and on the campground area. In the end, it is a very poorly planned campground for comfort, beauty, safety and privacy. We would have been better off to stay home. Like many things now, Platte River State Park feels overrun with activity and under preserved. The exact opposite of why one wants to get away from the city and camp in nature. Waste of time and money.
Scouta great place
TravelerCampground was as I hoped. Empty except for 3 others. Oxbow lake is nice with a sandy shoreline. The campground is set in an Aspen glade. Very nice.
Traveler
Whether you sleep in your van like we did, or you like to stay in a tree house (they appear to be building one as rental cabin) or need a tent platform, the place is huge and sprawling, with wooded sites and open lawn. Friendly and peaceful and definitely one we'll go back to.
TravelerThe place is amazingly scenic and reasonably priced. But I've been camping in different campgrounds all over the US for the last 2 months and this is one of my top 3 for mosquitoes. Those things are relentless and not at all scared by deet. The only thing that surpassed them is the poison ivy that grows everywhere.
The place is wide open without privacy. Well-kept, clean and friendly.
But there's a train going right past our campsite. I had no idea trains can be this long when going through the plains with several engines front and back. If you wait for it to pass, your dinner will be cold.
And I don't know what industry is east of here. But it's 10pm and they're still running LOUD!
TravelerLove the new East lots. Full access with concrete pad. Tons of room between spots. Mini store on the property to buy ice, firewood, and food from. Fishing, paddle board rentals, and a park are a few things to do. Awesome place!
Scout
This campground is amazing! I’ve stayed at 100 plus campgrounds and I will say that this one is top 10. The park has beautiful views and the river is not far away.
TravelerThus has been very enjoyable, the lake and grounds are beautiful.
LegendWe stayed here one night as we were just passing through. The park is really nice and the playgrounds are the nicest I have ever seen! I even had to take my turn on the swings and down the slide. . The new campground is nice with full hook ups, however this is not your normal state park style camping. This is full on RV parking lot with campers stacked on top of each other. I’m never a fan of sitting at my picnic table to eat 8 foot away from someone dumping their sewer tanks. That’s the only con I see here. Luckily we had one of the end sites.
GuideThis is one of the most beautiful campgrounds we have ever encountered! On a beautiful lake with many recreational possibilities - kayaking, sailing non power boating - some for rent. 10 miles of paved bike trails and ALL paved campsites level and clean! Many clean and nice bathrooms which showers and FULL hookups for almost any size RV or camper. HIGHLY recommended! Nice campsite hosts and nicely spread out campsites with fire rings and picnic tables. No wi fi but Verizon service was good.
GuideNice walking trails and facilities. Lots to do for the entire family
Guide
Love the fishing , you can do river or lake, but didn't love the staff
GuideMultiple ponds/lakes to fish at plus the river. Facilities are nice and the people in the little store was great and food yummy. Check in staff completely rude !!!!
LegendTents, cabins and RV camping. Toilets, showers, fire rings. There is a small lake with paddle boats and kayaks for rent. They have a pool and dining hall for rent. Tons od trails and many of them a taylored to mountain biking. There are 2 types of cabins, basic that has a bed amd refrigerator. Then there are luxury glamping cabins.
ScoutWe were here in January and again in March so we pretty much had the place to ourselves. The sights are pretty close so I expect it would feel crowded during the summer. Shower house was warm and so was the water. Lots of trails to explore!
RangerWe stayed here on a whim while passing through. The woman at the lodge was very helpful with the booking. We stayed at site #94 in the Little Creek campground which had electric hookup. The campground was a nice change of scenery from all the farmland and corn we had to endure in Iowa and in the rest of Nebraska. We saw a couple of white-tailed deer wandering through in the early morning hours. There seems to be a lot more to offer here than we had time to enjoy. Nice state park, would recommend to others and would stay again if ever in the area
RangerWith a large amount of active train tracks, 24 hour concrete plant, airboat launch and loads of weekend warriors that travel from the city to camp for a couple of days, this place is the opposite of peaceful. Campground has many sites available (both reservable and first-come, first-served). Be prepared to have to pay to take showers!
TravelerA relative's driveway would've been free, but here we got a level pull-thru spot and the encouragement and advice of a kind camp host as we got our tanks washed through and drained. Slips are nicely spaced apart from each other. The area we booked is very new, and FHU.
GuideWe stayed here for just a night while traveling cross country. It’s a huge state park/camp ground, definitely more than what we needed. Although it offers a lot to do, it wasn’t the cleanest. The bathrooms and shower area was in need of some upkeep. There is also a $12 park fee that you have to pay in addition to your camping costs. Our site offered electrical hookups and was also level.
LegendThe campsites a close together but the area is well kept. There are several rings you can camp on RV/Tent. There are showers and indoor bathrooms, also there is aplace to rent tubs. The water is surprisingly clear for Nebraska
Traveler
Nice campground clean bathrooms the trails are really good quiet and peaceful
Horse camping in Iowa offers a unique opportunity to explore the great outdoors while enjoying the companionship of your equine friends. With several well-reviewed spots, equestrian enthusiasts can find the perfect place to set up camp and ride the trails.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular equestrian campsite near Missouri Valley, IA?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular equestrian campground near Missouri Valley, IA is Lake Cunningham Campground with a 4.2-star rating from 10 reviews.
What is the best site to find equestrian camping near Missouri Valley, IA?
TheDyrt.com has all 12 equestrian camping locations near Missouri Valley, IA, with real photos and reviews from campers.
