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Thomas Mitchell County Park accommodates pets at all campsites with several creek-side locations available for tent and RV camping. The park spans 197 acres with electric and non-electric sites, some positioned along a small creek where dogs can splash around with their owners. Leashed pets are welcome throughout the campground area and on hiking trails. Adventureland Campground also permits pets with concrete pad sites for RVs and a separate tent camping area in the back section. Both campgrounds maintain clean restrooms and shower facilities, though Adventureland's sites offer limited privacy with spaces positioned close together. Campground hosts at Thomas Mitchell sell firewood Wednesday through Sunday and will deliver it directly to campsites when available.
Dogs enjoy access to the creek at Thomas Mitchell Park via rock stairways positioned throughout the park for easy water entry. The park includes hiking trails, a fishing pond, and playground areas where leashed pets can accompany their owners. While the campgrounds provide trash receptacles, pet owners should bring waste bags as dedicated pet waste stations are limited. Chichaqua Bottoms Greenbelt offers additional pet-friendly camping options but closes seasonally during fall and winter months. Adventureland's location adjacent to the amusement park and casino creates a more urban camping experience, making it better suited for pets comfortable in busier environments. The mosquito population can become significant at Thomas Mitchell during summer months, requiring preventative measures for both humans and pets. With over 81 dog-friendly campgrounds near Mitchellville, options range from wooded creek-side sites to developed RV pads suited for dogs of all sizes.
"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"
"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."
"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."
"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!"
"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."
from $15 / night
Check Availability"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."
from $20 - $336 / night
Check Availability"We stayed here for two nights while visiting family nearby. It’s a pretty location with the dam and waterway right there. The sites are well spaced."
"Great spot located next to the Des Moines River. Check in was a breeze and conveniently near the fill and dump stations. Peaceful lot near the river. Great fishing in the river."
from $22 - $26 / night
Check Availability"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."
from $20 - $25 / night
Check Availability"The Iowa State Fair is the best fair in the world with more than a million visitors every year! There is something for everyone in the family."
"I always loved going here when I lived in Iowa! The State Fair was a blast! Being able to actually stay there made it that much better!!"
"Above average overall for central Iowa. Views of Saylorville Lake. Plenty of shade. Clean restrooms. It’s a large park and some sites are close together, but generally spacious. Good cell service."
"Lots of RV sites around. The whole area around Saylorville Lake has camping. Lush green plots of land everywhere. I forget how pretty it is in the Midwest when I'm gone for so long."
from $24 - $26 / night
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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".
Near Mitchellville, Iowa, camping options span across the Des Moines River valley with elevations ranging between 800-900 feet. The area experiences four distinct seasons with summer temperatures averaging 75-85°F and winter lows frequently dropping below freezing. Most campgrounds in Polk County and surrounding areas operate seasonally from April through October, though some offer year-round accessibility.
Fishing opportunities: Yellow Banks County Park offers multiple fishing environments within one location. "Fishing not the greatest, Pond is silted to about 9ft deep, have caught few small bass, bluegill. Never tried the river here, but is known for big cats," notes Kelly in their review of Yellow Banks County Park.
Observatory viewing: Ashton Wildwood Park provides a unique astronomical experience for campers. "The observatory that's open on Saturday's (except the 1st Saturday) was awesome and the astronomers were great people and very knowledgeable. They showed how their telescopes worked and took us a tour of the building and classroom," according to Willy W.'s review of Ashton Wildwood Park.
Cycling access: Prairie Flower Recreation Area connects to regional bike trails. "The trail can take you to the marina, where there is a burger shack style restaurant. The proximity to the trail system is what makes this friendly to cyclists," John B. mentioned in their review of Prairie Flower Recreation Area.
Spacious sites: Yellow Banks County Park offers well-designed campsites with good spacing. "Sites are well spaced. Shaded. Double lane dump station. Close to home, can usually get site without reservation, IF you roll in on Wed. By Thurs night, it's full," explains Kelly in their review.
Rustic camping: For those seeking quiet, pet-friendly camping near Mitchellville, Iowa, Ashton Wildwood Park provides a more primitive experience. "The sites are very spacious, could easily accommodate multiple tents... The entire property was well maintained," notes Topaz G. The park charges only $7 per night for camping.
Concrete pads: At Adventureland Campground, the concrete pad sites make setup straightforward. "Concrete pads with full hook ups (30/50 amp, water and sewage) make setting up quick. Tent camping is an option in the back of the campground," according to Anthony W.'s review of Adventureland Campground.
Reservation requirements: Prairie Flower fills 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," warns Elizabeth A.
Seasonal closures: Some campgrounds in the area have limited seasonal availability. "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," cautions Katie P. about Chichaqua Bottoms Greenbelt.
Dump station congestion: Plan accordingly for departure times at busy campgrounds. "Now my one complaint - 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... I hate going there knowing that instead of getting to enjoy Sunday - I'll be busy draining my pooper," notes Elizabeth A. about Prairie Flower.
Playgrounds and activities: Jester County Park offers multiple family-oriented facilities. "Great little campground. Theres a hiking trail that will take you to indian burial mounds. There is also fishing and boating. They have a fun playground also," writes Derrick W. about Yellow Banks County Park.
Orienteering course: Families can try navigation skills at Ashton Wildwood Park. "There are a couple of hiking trails in the park that are maintained. One goes to a creek and a bird watching station. There is also a orienteering course but you have to walk in the woods to finish it," explains Willy W.
Water play options: Quarry Springs Park provides alternative water access for families with pets. "This is my favorite place to go hiking, kayaking, camping and fishing. There is a half mile portage with a campsite on the river which you must call to reserve," notes Willy W. in their review of Colfax Quarry Springs Park.
Site selection: At Cherry Glen Campground, certain sites offer better views and amenities. "I would suggest looking for camp sites on the back side of the western loops because they have views of the lake. I would look at sites 111-116 and 72-78. These last six are also very close to a shower house," recommends Matt S. in their review of Cherry Glen Campground.
Arrival timing: Bob Shelter Recreation Area offers first-come, first-served sites with specific benefits. "We rolled up to this campground past 10pm on a Thursday night just looking for a safe spot to sleep and hopefully a shower before getting back on the road. This place was great," writes Reese W.
Hookup limitations: Cherry Glen offers electric hookups only. "The sites are great. the noise level is unbearable. dogs bark all night and day. no water or sewer electrical only," notes Terry G., highlighting the need to arrive with full water tanks when camping at Cherry Glen.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular dog-friendly campsite near Mitchellville, IA?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dog-friendly campground near Mitchellville, IA is Yellow Banks County Park with a 4.5-star rating from 15 reviews.
What is the best site to find dog-friendly camping near Mitchellville, IA?
TheDyrt.com has all 87 dog-friendly camping locations near Mitchellville, IA, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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