Looking for the best campgrounds near Monmouth, IA? Discover secluded campsites where you can reconnect with nature. Or maybe you like to bring your family and friends along. Either way, there are Monmouth campgrounds just for you. At The Dyrt, campers like you share their favorite spots, plus tips and photos. No matter where you're headed in Monmouth, you'll find the best spot for you and your camping crew.
This campground offers both electric and non-electric sites as well as modern restroom and shower facility. All campsites are available by reservation only.
Maquoketa Caves State Park is one of the biggest attractions in Jackson County and is a great place for spelunkers and hiking enthusiasts. The caves in the area were formed after millennia of water erosion on limestone bedrock. This park contains more caves than any other state park in Iowa. The park itself covers 370 acres nestled among hardwood trees and high bluffs. With approximately thirteen caves, a great experience awaits you at this interesting and unique state park.
Bird Watching
Cave Exploring/Spelunking
Dump Station
Geological Formations
Handicap Access
Hiking
Interpretive Exhibit/Display
Modern Restroom
Park Office
Parking
Picnic Area
Playground
Registration Building
Restrooms
Showers
Toilet, Pit/Vault
Trash Dumpster
Visitor Center
Water Hydrants
Wildflower Viewing
Wildlife Viewing
Bald Eagle Campground accommodates large Recreational Vehicles with electrical, water, and sewer hookups and a restroom/shower building. Select sites provide full handicapped accessibility. Limited sites are reservable May - Sep.
Bald Eagle Campgroup is open year round during season park hours. Due to weather conditions, water is available to the camp sites from mid April to mid October (weather dependent). Water is always available at the dump station.
$17 - $36 / night
Named after Thomas Macbride, the “father” of Iowa conservation, Lake Macbride State Park is a popular lakeside destination with family friendly outdoor activities. Several multi-use trails wind around the lake, featuring the sights and sounds of Iowa’s native birds. In the summer, soak up the sun by kayaking, paddling or swimming in the lake. Whether you’re visiting for an afternoon or a weekend, Lake Macbride features numerous amenities to enjoy year round.
Camp in one of the two campgrounds at Lake Macbride. A modern campground is located in the northern unit of the park with full and electric hookups, a shower and restroom, and a trailer dump station. One non modern campground can be found in the southern unit of the park with a beautiful shaded setting near the lake. Some campsites are available on a first-come, first-serve basis and advance reservations can be made through the online reservation system for Lake Macbride State Park.
$9 - $19 / night
The Sugar Bottom Campground is located on the shores of Coralville Lake. The Coralville Lake Project is a multipule use project providing primary benefits in flood control and low flow augmentation, and secondary benefits in recreation, fish and wildlife management and forest management. Coralville Lake provides many recreational opportunities, including boating, camping, hiking, mountain biking, lake and river fishing, swimming, water activities, picnicking, and hunting.
Visitors enjoy Coralville Lake for boating, fishing, swimming and water activities. Anglers will find large and smallmouth bass, crappie, walleye and catfish. Hiking and mountain biking are popular activities in Sugar Bottom. Several trails are within Sugar Bottom, including the Cedar Valley Nature Trail, Sugar Bottom Mountain Bike Trail, and a barrier-free asphalt trail.The Sugar Bottom Disc Golf Course is located in the Sugar Bottom Day Use Area and offers 18 partially wooded and open holes. The Sugar Bottom Mountain Bike Trail is located in the Sugar Bottom Day Use Area and offers beginner to expert trails.
Coralville Lake is located in the Iowa River Valley, just north of Iowa City. The Sugar Bottom Campground lies among a heavily wooded forest of mixed hardwood species on the east side of the lake. Wildlife is abundant throughout the project. Whitetail deer, turkeys, pheasants, waterfowl, song birds and other species roam the lands around the lake.
The Devonian Fossil Gorge is 10 miles away, just below the Coralville Dam. It offers a unique opportunity to explore a 375-million-year-old sea floor and discover fossil remains of sea life that once inhabited this tropical marine environment. Twenty Discovery Points can be found throughout the site. Iowa City/Coralville offers the Veterans Affairs Medical Center, University of Iowa campus, hospital and clinics, numerous restaurants and shops as well as Coral Ridge Mall. Cedar Rapids has wonderful cultural, historic and ethnic attractions such as The National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library and is the home of the Kernels Professional Baseball Club. West Branch boasts the Herbert Hoover National Historic Site and Presidential Library/Museum. At Amana Colonies visit seven quaint villages with outstanding restaurants, wineries, historic sites and specialty shops. Kalona is known as the ?????Quilt Capital of Iowa__????? and is home to an Old Order Amish and Mennonite Community.
$24 / night
This campground offers both electric and non-electric sites as well as modern restroom and shower facility. All campsites are available by reservation only.
Maquoketa Caves State Park is one of the biggest attractions in Jackson County and is a great place for spelunkers and hiking enthusiasts. The caves in the area were formed after millennia of water erosion on limestone bedrock. This park contains more caves than any other state park in Iowa. The park itself covers 370 acres nestled among hardwood trees and high bluffs. With approximately thirteen caves, a great experience awaits you at this interesting and unique state park.
Bird Watching
Cave Exploring/Spelunking
Dump Station
Geological Formations
Handicap Access
Hiking
Interpretive Exhibit/Display
Modern Restroom
Park Office
Parking
Picnic Area
Playground
Registration Building
Restrooms
Showers
Toilet, Pit/Vault
Trash Dumpster
Visitor Center
Water Hydrants
Wildflower Viewing
Wildlife Viewing
Bald Eagle Campground accommodates large Recreational Vehicles with electrical, water, and sewer hookups and a restroom/shower building. Select sites provide full handicapped accessibility. Limited sites are reservable May - Sep.
Bald Eagle Campgroup is open year round during season park hours. Due to weather conditions, water is available to the camp sites from mid April to mid October (weather dependent). Water is always available at the dump station.
$17 - $36 / night
Named after Thomas Macbride, the “father” of Iowa conservation, Lake Macbride State Park is a popular lakeside destination with family friendly outdoor activities. Several multi-use trails wind around the lake, featuring the sights and sounds of Iowa’s native birds. In the summer, soak up the sun by kayaking, paddling or swimming in the lake. Whether you’re visiting for an afternoon or a weekend, Lake Macbride features numerous amenities to enjoy year round.
Camp in one of the two campgrounds at Lake Macbride. A modern campground is located in the northern unit of the park with full and electric hookups, a shower and restroom, and a trailer dump station. One non modern campground can be found in the southern unit of the park with a beautiful shaded setting near the lake. Some campsites are available on a first-come, first-serve basis and advance reservations can be made through the online reservation system for Lake Macbride State Park.
$9 - $19 / night
Legend
Hiding underneath of the I80 bridge carrying you over the Rock River, you’ll spot Lundeens Landing on the EAST side of this interstate (you’ll want to take note of this as The Dyrt has this campground in the wrong location on the WEST side of I80 in the small town of Barstow). Getting here to Lundeens is not the easiest journey, as you’ll need to head northwards on I80 crossing the bridge (if you are coming in by way of Colona), where you’ll want to get off on I88 heading west, where shortly after the exit, you’ll have to make a U turn and take the frontage road (193rd Street) that straddles I80 heading south until you can catch Route 4 / Barstow Road heading east, where you’ll pass underneath that bridge holding up I80 and continue east about 2 miles before spotting Lundeens on the left with a gorgeous view of the Rock River.
Now that you’ve made your way here, let me tell you about this place. First, you’ll be greeted by the main office that sits up about a story on stilts, which BTW isn’t for bird watching, but rather to safeguard the building from any river flooding that may happen (and trust me, in this parts, it happens). After checking in with the owner, Joe, or one of his few employees, you’ll make your way down a single narrow loop that will take you to your designated plot of land. It goes without saying that the best sites are those located right in front of the Rock River. And if you’re a tent camper, you’ll find bliss at the far end of the loop as far away from the main office as possible, where you’ll find water & electric-equipped sites tucked into some really thick brush complete with your own mini-forest.
Apart from the very warm Midwestern hospitality that you’ll receive here from Joe, his father and the rest of the Lundeens crew, this medium-sized camping outpost offers up a no-frills, basic level of camping comfort with direct access to one of the most exciting rivers I’ve had the great pleasure of kayaking and fishing on. Amenities include: pull-thru and back-in sites for RVs, general market, typical RV hook-ups (water, 15 / 20 / 30 / 50 amp electric), concrete patios, picnic tables, fire rings, honey wagon, dump station, pet-friendly, playground, nature trails, weekly events, boat ramp & 7 river docks, shuttle service, canoe & kayak rentals, pretty clean restroom & showers, innertubes, adventure island (located just across the river) and a small beachhead.
Insider’s tips? Here’s a handful: (1) While it’s likely the direct access to Rock River that attracted you to this location, if you have bikes, you should bring them as the frontage road that brought you here is one very EXCELLENT road to bike on to see and explore the gorgeous Midwestern country landscape that exists here; (2) In speaking with Joe’s father at length about the campground, there’s plans to put in another campground area just across the street and due northwest of this property, which will offer additional RV spots, a designated laundry facility with coin-operated washers & dryers as well as many more amenities; and (3) Depending upon your interest and a craving, if you want to gnosh on some local grub, the best nearby spots include: Choppers Bar & Grill, Tap 22 Bar & Grill and 11th Hour Bar & Grill (yes, everything's a Bar & Grill out in these parts).
Happy Camping!
Legend
My twin brother and I discovered this little hidden gem of a campground outpost just a mile or so east of Maquoketa Caves SP. This nature-infested outpost is split into 2 levels with an upper plateau section that is more geared towards the tent-pitchin’ bredren of my tribe, while the lower level straddles the Maquoketa River and offers up splendid waterfront views of the slow-moving, fresh-water creek variety. Apart from the very welcoming folks that run this place, led by Karen Townsend, what I loved most about 6B’s was the very welcoming community of fellow campers who rolled out the‘red carpet’ treatment for us when we rocked up. The upper level offers up only a solid picnic table, in-ground fire rings w/ fold-up BBQ grills and a tree-lined backdrop with a fenced in front lawn– perfect for a quick and EZ set-up. Massive bonus points for the location of this campground, which apart from rural country farmers and bat cave tourist passerby traffic, there was virtually no noise pollution to battle with.
If you’re rolling in on an RV, 5th wheeler or trailer, while you likely could park your mobile living room on the upper plateau, you’ll likely feel much more comfortable on the lower river basin, providing that you can make it down the somewhat steep decline gravel road(this is Iowa, so I don’t think anyone will be too challenged, but just want to put the decline out there). Before you’ve arrived at the river’s edge, you’ll notice a simply sublime solo picnic table that has strategically been placed in one of the very large, abandoned bat caves, which makes for a very special picnic outing. Turning left as you reach the riverfront, you’ll follow a single, narrow loop that offers up slots on a first-come, first-served basis, with each offering up water, 30 amp electric, boat ramp, diving platform and a fairly flat landing to park for the night or a week(or even month!).
Downsides? This camping outpost only accepts cash, money order or checks, which was a major bummer for us as we didn’t have any of those with us and while there were banks nearby(well, some 30 miles away), we weren’t members of the bank, which wasn’t even open, on account that it was after noon on a Saturday, so yeah, while a small thing, it became quite a big deterrent for us. If you can get this solo downside, there really is nothing else but upside, chief of which includes direct access to the Maquoketa River, which we enjoyed, given we were toting my tandem kayak with us, as well as, of course, just 3 miles west to Maquoketa Caves SP.
Happy Camping!
Legend
This Iowa SP campground is simply AMAZING and if you are a bat cave spelunker, you are going to be absolutely excited by this place, if you don’t know it already. For the rest of us outdoor enthusiasts who are simply looking for a great campground, then you’ve also struck the campground lottery, but if you are interested in staying here, I would STRONGLY encourage you to mind your dates taking note of when bat hibernation ends and begins – for what it’s worth, my brother and I drove all the way here only to find out that hibernation began the day of our arrival. That said, we could still hike all of the amazing trails, but couldn’t access the bat caves.
The campground that resides here, is less than a quarter mile away from the access point to the bat caves, creating huge upside for selecting this campground in the first place. A heavily wooded area encompasses every single site (there’s 28 in total w/ 24 offering 20 / 30 / 50 amp electric) providing a substantial amount of shade, will also allowing decent sunlight as well along a slowly winding lone lane that leads one into this shrouded camping haven. While the spots (#12-#16) towards the end of the lane are more earmarked for mi tent pitchin’ bredren, whereas the rest of the sites (#1-#11; #17-#28) are set-up for the RV and 5th Wheel toting crowd (although you could easily set up a tent on any one of these sites should you choose to).
A couple of points to keep in mind– the entrance to the campground is the busiest, so if this is of concern, steer clear of #1-#3 or #27-#28. Second, if you have kids and want to be planted near the playground, you might want to target sites #26-#28, where the spacious kids playground sets right behind these sites. In the event that being nearest the built-in amenities (restroom, shower, water source, community library, trash, firewood) are important to you, then look at sites #5-7 and #23-26. With this in mind, as you meander further down the lone campground loop lane, the quieter and more sheltered the place gets, so from #6-#24 should be a prime target for you if peace & solitude are important to you. Despite all of the advice I’ve just given, I don’t think you can really go wrong with any site here.
Insider’s tips? Here’s a few: (1) If you’re looking for a primitive tent camping experience, then you’re going to want to book sites #12 and #13, which set a bit further back for the cul-de-sac end of the lane offering up more privacy and less noise from the rest of the camping commune; (2) All sites designated for RV’s are back-in and range in driveway length between 31 and 68 feet; (3) The campground itself is closed between December 1 thru February 28 each year; (4) This SP offers up more than 370 acres with 6 miles of hiking trails with 13 distinct bat caves to explore, so bring good hiking shoes, headlamps, proper long sleeve shirts and pants to keep the bugs and ticks away, which abound here aplenty; and (5) There’s plenty of picnic tables, most under shelters as well as scattered stand-up and in-ground BBQ grills all offered up on a first-come, first-served basis.
Happy Camping!
Traveler
We enjoy the peace and quiet especially with the views of the lake and the fall colors.
Legend
Offers basics: water, electric, showers some shade, stores nearby
Legend
CG offers gravel pads, tables, fire rings, electric, sump station, water, small pond with fishing, paddling, dog park. Close to stores for supplies, dining, fuel.
Guide
Nice educational center with canoe and kayak rentals, with lots of Mississippi backwater to explore. Showers are open until October 14 this year.
LegendMy mom remembers visiting this park in the 40's. Not a surprise since Grampa was a Geologist.
This is a small campground for such an old park, only 34 sites, walk-ins included. All sites are along one road with a turnaround at the end. There is only one building with toilets, showers and no pit toilets. These are clean and well maintained.
There is a playground near the entrance that is shared with the caves entrance area, a bit of a walk.
The caves themselves are down a long hill from the campground. There are facilities there too, and a concession stand with limited hours/ days. The caves are fun to explore, but not ADA accessible. Bring flashlights and in some areas watch your head.
The Visitor's center at the park entrance is staffed by volunteers and only open on weekends.
Once you've done the caves, there's not much else to see within the park. But visit the Hurstville interpretive center for a nice nature center and trails.
Traveler
There are sites along the river, while others are larger tucked along the woods and not close to each other. Perfect get away. 15-20 minutes to the closest town.
Traveler
Indian Meadows has individual private sites. If you’re seeking seclusion, this is it! Some are more open, others are like a nature playpen. Lake George is beautiful, perfect for kayaking.
Guide
I’ll begin by saying this is by far the cleanest campground I have stayed at. The facilities were well kept including the vault toilet houses. We stayed in a walk to site and the views were incredible. Our tent pad was quite rocky so I would recommend sleeping pads or you will be very uncomfortable. Our site was also extremely dusty which wasn’t a problem at all just be prepared to be a little dirty. The campground was quiet except for the occasional train that rolled through those are quite loud due to how close they are to the campground. I would definitely come back to Nelson Dewey and stay again. There was not a ton to do in the area so a short weekend stay was perfect. A highlight is that the park provided cart to use to haul all your stuff to the walk to sites. There is 1 designated parking spot per walk to site as well. The walk to sites are small and only accommodated our one (6 person) tent which was not a problem for us as we knew this ahead of time.
Guide
The park is on the beautiful might Mississippi river. It’s 2 miles from Potosi, WI with a large brewery with good food as well. Army Corps so half price with America The Beautiful senior discount card. If you like trains you will see many, close and going fast.
Legend
Cabin sleeps 6, has all amenities including firewood at no cost! Education center onsite with live animals, trails, open year round, Wapsipinicon River below bluff offers paddling, fishing. Menke Observatory offers sky programs.
Legend
Campground is nice with a few newer amenities, including shower house and handicap campsite. Gravel pads at sites include tables, fire, pits, electric,. There’s a dump station, play area, shelters for rent, and a pond that you can actually swim and fish and paddling.
Scout
Nice trails around. Camp was clean. Cool creek and bridge. Priced appropriately at $23 a night.
Guide
Very nice, affordable and peaceful campsite. Stayed one night for tent camping, campsite was clean and accommodating with fire pit, picnic table, lights, Wi-Fi, and power plug. Bathrooms and showers were clean. Perfect camping site.
Traveler
I got a primitive tent site in an area all to myself, with a shower house just down the road, in a beautiful and quiet campground for $10 cash. You really can’t beat that. Campground is separate from the park so you don’t have to pay a park entrance fee to stay here.
Scout
We stayed at this campground over Labor Day. The owner intentionally doesn't fill all of the sites in order to give people more space- a great luxury over a holiday like this. The sites are pretty small and only one 'sleeping structure' is allowed on each site but we found that Jeff was very willing to let us put up two tents (one for my wife & I
+ one for the kids) because we were in the same family.
The bathrooms and showers were very neat and well maintained. We didn't use the showers because they were paid but our friends did and had good things to say about them.
The campground has a very nice playground (the favorite of the trip for one of my kids) and a lounge where anyone staying at the campground can rest with A/C, wifi, a phone charging area, and some board games.
The primary drawback is that there isn't a lot of outdoor activities to do in the area. All the land is private so there's not great hiking (a little in the state park about 20 min drive away), IL law allows waterways to be privately owned so you can't kayak the river, etc. Galena is nearby if you want to go shopping and we really enjoyed going to Terrapin Apple Orchard and picking some apples (if you're there in the Fall). But all in all I would say this is a great campground to rest and relax at- probably not ideal for outdoor adventures.
Legend
The campground offers to camp areas: one better suited for RVs, and the other area is better suited for primitive tent, camping. Sites have picnic tables and fire rings, our recites include electric. There is a campground host, shower house, shelter and playground area there too. The tent sites are prone to flooding occasionally from the gun river. There is a boat ramp with access to the river for fishing and paddling.
Legend
Cabin sits at end of campground lane with covered porch, parking for 3 cars, ADA accessible. Cabin has 2 sleeping rooms, sleeping loft, and sofa. Capacity is 10, with all kitchen amenities. Has fire pit, wood available in campground, tables, and gas grill with rental. Playground nearby, park has seasonal pool, garden of course, trails, Pride Lake for fishing and paddling.
Traveler
Two hour float trips on the North Fork Maquoketa River are available directly from the campground. There is a mix of permanent and temporary campers. The tent sites, nearest the river, are well spaced with flush toilets. Apparently there are also good trails, as many of the campers have ATV’s parked at their sites. The shower house, under the office, was spacious and clean.
Legend
Campground has gravel lanes, roads pads, appears to have annual residence, campground office, pool is clean, planes, farm, and fleet nearby for Supplies. Sites include tables, water, electric, though need updating.
Guide
My dad and I tent cramped here in mid August. It is the perfect camping destination between Amana colonies and Iowa City.
TravelerI was hitchhiking thru, was dropped off by a ride that said he was buying a $14 tent site for me, come to find out he never did, I just was honest with sandy and the gentleman worker and offered the only 8$ I had, no sir, they said please stay for free and just enjoy. WONDERFUL PPL THAT CARE ABOUT OTHERS!! THANKS YALL
Traveler
This was a great campground very clean all around, very nice pool..wish I could for a month. But they don't allow monthly stays
Legend
This cabin has all modern conveniences with two sleeping rooms, full service, kitchen, living room, with sofa, sleeper, and fireplace, ADA bathroom and a covered porch overlooking the lake. There’s a gas grill, fire pit, picnic table for outdoor recreation. The park offers kayak rentals, paddle boat rentals, swimming beach in season, and concessions.
Legend
This modern cabin offers to better bedrooms, full service, kitchen, living room, with sofa, sleeper, and fireplace, ADA bathroom, covered porch with chairs and view of the lake, fire pit, and picnic table outside. Park offers, kayak and paddleboard, rentals, concessions, and a swimming beach in season.
Camping near Monmouth, Iowa, offers a mix of beautiful scenery and fun activities for everyone. Whether you're looking for a peaceful getaway or an adventure-filled trip, there are plenty of campgrounds to choose from.
Camping near Monmouth, Iowa, has something for everyone, from families to RV enthusiasts. Just remember to check the specifics of each campground to make the most of your trip!
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular campground near Monmouth, IA?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular campground near Monmouth, IA is Maquoketa Caves State Park Campground with a 4.5-star rating from 31 reviews.
What parks are near Monmouth, IA?
According to TheDyrt.com, there are 5 parks near Monmouth, IA that allow camping, notably Mississippi River - Pools 11-22 and Coralville Lake.