The Mitchellville area sits at approximately 900 feet elevation in central Iowa, with a humid continental climate featuring hot summers and cold winters. Campgrounds around Mitchellville provide varied terrain from wooded retreats to open prairie settings. Most RV sites in the region require leveling blocks on gravel pads, with concrete pads available at select locations.
What to do
Fishing opportunities: Griffs Valley View RV Park features a stocked fishing pond with bluegill. "The pond is nice, groomed all around with paved paths," notes one camper, while another mentions "There is a really nice pond for fishing that has some bluegills. The water is very clean."
Trail access: Chichaqua Bottoms Greenbelt offers extensive hiking trails through diverse habitats. A visitor shared, "There are plenty of trails to hike and some really nice views of the prairies." Another camper praised the "Nice, well-marked trails" but noted "Some trails have weird unmarked forks that should be marked."
Water activities: When water levels permit, Chichaqua Bottoms Greenbelt provides kayaking opportunities through winding waterways. "This place reminds me of a lazy river," commented one visitor. However, seasonal conditions affect availability as another camper noted, "Unfortunately you can not rent kayaks or canoes at this time due to water levels."
What campers like
Quiet atmosphere: Bob Shelter Recreation Area & Campground provides peaceful riverside camping. A visitor described it as a "Lovely spot backing to a river. Great pads with electric only," while another mentioned "Spot 20 is at the end which makes it very private with nice large grassy area adjacent to wooded area."
Modern facilities: Campground bathrooms receive positive reviews, particularly at Chichaqua Bottoms. "Easily the best bathrooms I've found while camping (modern)," shared one camper. Griffs Valley View features "Two nice laundry/shower houses, one in the front and one in the back of the campground."
Affordability: Several campgrounds offer reasonable rates. A visitor to Shady Brook Camping & RV Adventures shared, "We thought this was a nice little spot and a great price." At Chichaqua Bottoms, a camper noted, "The electric sites are $25.00 a night but well worth it."
What you should know
Seasonal closures: Some campgrounds limit operations during colder months. One camper warned about Chichaqua Bottoms: "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."
Park curfews: Certain parks enforce strict closing times. A camper at Chichaqua Bottoms noted, "The park closes at 10:30 so make sure you get back in time."
Site conditions: Kellogg RV Park requires maintenance in some areas. One review mentioned, "The owner is still working to fix the park all of the in and out sites are grown over the gravel they need to get busy updating this park."
Highway proximity: Some campgrounds are located close to interstates. A reviewer of Shady Brook stated, "You could literally throw a rock from the entrance and hit a passing semi," though another camper countered, "We looked at the other reviews and it talked about it being so close to the freeway, but we didn't hear a sound."
Tips for camping with families
Playground access: Adventureland Campground offers family-friendly amenities. "They have a swimming pool and a fishing pond. The office also has a little store to buy goods," shared a visitor, while another mentioned there's "a small playground."
Entertainment options: Adventureland provides unique proximity to attractions. "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," reported one family. Another visitor mentioned, "With a theme park on one side and a casino on the other, both in walking distance."
Space considerations: Site sizes vary significantly between parks. Chichaqua Bottoms offers "Site 15 for primitive campers is HUGE. Easily the size of 2-3 sites at other campgrounds." Conversely, at Adventureland, "The lots aren't very big and you are kind of packed in there."
Tips from RVers
Leveling requirements: River Oaks RV Park provides full hookups but requires some setup adjustments. A visitor noted, "Sites are gravel and it looked like most campers had to use blocks."
Hookup placement: Thoughtful utility placement makes setup easier at River Oaks. "Sites have good spacing and full hookups that were installed with some thought. Only used one stinky slinky, could have hooked up water with a 6' hose, and the electrical was near the back of the site," shared one RVer.
Year-round options: Kellogg RV Park accommodates winter travelers. "Open year around. Nice large sites and no need to unhook. Clean rv park with easy access to 1-80," reported a visitor. This provides consistent access for RV camping near Mitchellville during off-season months.
