1 campground with availability this weekend
Horse camping near Montezuma, Iowa includes dedicated equestrian campgrounds approximately 28 miles west at Elk Rock State Park, where facilities serve horse owners with both fifty-amp and thirty-amp electric hookups, shower facilities, and restrooms. The campground features electric hookups including both fifty-amp and thirty-amp options, shower facilities, and restrooms. Horse riders can access multiple trails that go near the water, providing scenic riding opportunities throughout the park. The campground maintains clean facilities and offers fire rings at campsites. Self-contained RV camping and tent sites accommodate those traveling with their horses, though specific horse corral information isn't listed among the amenities.
Trails throughout Elk Rock State Park provide excellent riding experiences with routes that eventually loop around, offering varied terrain for different skill levels. The park's location near Lake Red Rock provides water access and scenic views, particularly during eagle-watching season when numerous bald eagles can be spotted perched in trees along the lake edge. Horse owners must bring their own feed and may purchase firewood bundles from camp hosts for $4. The campground operates with a reservation system for planning ahead. Park visitors note the peaceful atmosphere and beautiful surroundings make this a worthwhile destination despite occasional busy periods at the nearby boat ramp area. The clean shower facilities receive consistently positive mentions from overnight guests.
"Not too far off the highway. Very clean and quiet. The campground is above the lake but a short trail will take you to the lake. "
"The good: The area around the lake and near by pond, is not overly developed. There are wild raspberries and mulberries, lots of wildlife."
"12 a night for primitive camping and you get nice warm showers by the main entrance and nice bathrooms by the main entrance."
"We stayed in the Elk Rock Equestrian campground and it was so peaceful and beautiful. The facilities were clean."
"We really wnjoyed riding the trails here. Good facilities for our horses."
from $14 - $66 / night
from $50 / night
TravelerNice quiet campground. The front looks like more long timers and it was a little noisier up there but I drove to the back loop and it's nice and quiet back here. PLENTY of 50/30/20 amp hookups and the shower house in the back was nice. Water was just lukewarm but it was hot out so no problem. Might be less pleasant in colder weather though. Pull through spots available. I would stay here again for sure.
ScoutWife and I met friends here in August 2025. This was the middle between us & them as we live in CO and they live in NY. The campground was very well maintained. Shower rooms & restrooms were very clean and all were functional. We really enjoyed the long weekend here. Be advised tho, we were not adequately prepared for the humidity in August. Being from Colorado where we live at much higher altitudes & we didnt expect the humidity to affect us as it did. Not a bad thing, we were just used to 15% max and that weekend we saw 90% with 90 degrees. Wife and I will likely return and see more of the Amana communities in the fall.
ScoutIt was beautiful, full of wildlife, easy to find,not too far from highway but far away enough to not hear
GuideNot too far off the highway. Very clean and quiet. The campground is above the lake but a short trail will take you to the lake. Couldn't see the lake from where we camped, but nice woody area behind our campsite. Nice little visitor area. Lots of trails to walk with the dog including a nice trail along the lake.
Great place to spend one night. If I had more time, I would have gone paddle boarding or fishing on the lake.
RangerVery well kept campground! Bathrooms and entire area was really in perfect shape. One of the cleanest showers and bathrooms I have seen. $10 for tent, $16 for electric - how can you go wrong?
Only issue is that the spots are pretty close together. Around 2:30am there was so much smoke in our van from nearby campfires that I woke up sick and my dog threw up all over the bed. At 3am we decided we needed to move to an electric site because it was too much to have the windows open. I felt really bad for anyone in a tent. I coughed all the next day.
The campground was not that busy so there is no way I would stay here on a busy holiday weekend due to the spots being too close. If a few people make a fire you better shut down all your windows. No sleeping in the cool, night air here.
But this is an issue at other places too. Just never experienced anything on this level before. Esp considering no one in our section even had a fire going.
I wish campgrounds would start banning these fires. But that’s a topic for a later date.
Other than that it was a great spot.
ScoutI stayed at the main site that google maps took me to. Three spots but the park is big there might be more sites around it. It is near skunk river I only stayed there for a night but where I was to get to the river you have to hike or bike to it. I’ve heard you can ride horses here. They have fire rings, picnic tables, and a bathroom that’s deep and composting. No sinks or showers. Bugs were wild at night but it is summer. No one disturbed us and it was free the best park of it all. Hoping to make it back there to go through the trails. I believe you can hike and camp too in the area.
Scout$12 a night for primitive camping and you get nice warm showers by the main entrance and nice bathrooms by the main entrance. Stand-alone bathrooms throughout the park have the deep composting toilets that smell bad but whatever the ones up front are nice. Would recommend 10/10
GuideThe good: The area around the lake and near by pond, is not overly developed. There are wild raspberries and mulberries, lots of wildlife. We had a blue jay that visited us regularly at our campsite, along with deer walking through. The bad: very few sites have a view of the lake. To walk to the lake or near by pond you must go down hill, which could be a problem for any one with mobility issues. Once down to the water trail are easy to walk. I would say if you can try and get sites, 67-70. They have beautiful views.
ScoutWe stayed in the Elk Rock Equestrian campground and it was so peaceful and beautiful. The facilities were clean.
Elk Rock State Park Equestrian Campground provides dedicated facilities for trail riding 28 miles southwest of Montezuma, Iowa. The campground sits at approximately 760 feet elevation in rolling terrain near Lake Red Rock, Iowa's largest reservoir spanning 15,000 acres. Seasonal temperatures range from winter lows around 10°F to summer highs near 85°F with humidity levels that can reach 90% during peak summer months.
Trail riding with lake views: Access multiple equestrian trails that connect throughout Elk Rock State Park. Dorothy H. reports, "We really enjoyed riding the trails here. Good facilities for our horses."
Eagle watching: Visit during winter months when bald eagles congregate along Lake Red Rock. Jennifer M. from Equestrian Campground — Elk Rock State Park shares, "We must have been there at just the right time, because lined all through the trees along the lakes edge were eagles upon eagles. I'd say we saw about 70 bald eagles perched in the trees."
Explore nearby Dutch heritage: The historic Dutch town of Pella lies just 20 minutes from Elk Rock State Park. "Aside from the park, it's pretty close to pella, which is a nice historic Dutch town. Good food and bars there to check out," notes Jennifer M.
Clean facilities: The equestrian campground maintains high cleanliness standards. Bradley N. notes, "We stayed in the Elk Rock Equestrian campground and it was so peaceful and beautiful. The facilities were clean."
Abundant wildlife viewing: Wildlife observation opportunities abound throughout the region's park system. Leslie P. from Lake Iowa County Park shares, "The area around the lake and near by pond, is not overly developed. There are wild raspberries and mulberries, lots of wildlife. We had a blue jay that visited us regularly at our campsite, along with deer walking through."
Affordable camping options: Horse campgrounds near Montezuma provide good value. Keith B. from Keokuk County Belva Deer Park reports, "$12 a night for primitive camping and you get nice warm showers by the main entrance and nice bathrooms by the main entrance."
Seasonal considerations: Summer humidity can affect comfort levels significantly. Clifton B. from Lake Iowa County Park advises, "Be advised tho, we were not adequately prepared for the humidity in August. Being from Colorado where we live at much higher altitudes & we didnt expect the humidity to affect us as it did. Not a bad thing, we were just used to 15% max and that weekend we saw 90% with 90 degrees."
Campsite smoke issues: Site proximity can lead to smoke concerns. Randall K. states, "Around 2:30am there was so much smoke in our van from nearby campfires that I woke up sick and my dog threw up all over the bed. At 3am we decided we needed to move to an electric site because it was too much to have the windows open."
Boat ramp congestion: The boat launch areas can become crowded during peak times. Willy W. notes, "This is a really busy boat ramp but the campground is pretty big and open. The boat ramp is the closest one to mile long bridge."
Pack for water activities: Lake access provides opportunities for water recreation. Ken G. suggests, "Great place to spend one night. If I had more time, I would have gone paddle boarding or fishing on the lake."
Select campsites with views: Some sites offer better vistas than others. Leslie P. recommends, "I would say if you can try and get sites, 67-70. They have beautiful views."
Visit during off-peak times: For a quieter experience with children, avoid holidays. Randall K. cautions, "The campground was not that busy so there is no way I would stay here on a busy holiday weekend due to the spots being too close."
Self-registration process: Arrive prepared for self-check-in procedures. Claudia M. from Lake Iowa County Park explains, "We pulled in very late on a Weds night / Thursday morning. Self registration at the front. Looked like a decent amount of folks here but we didn't drive very far into the park."
Equestrian campsite selection: RVers with horses should consider site layout for trailer parking. Willy W. from Equestrian Campground — Elk Rock State Park mentions, "The campgrounds are very clean. There are lots of trails around the area. It's also a great place if you like to go horse back riding with lots of trails that go near the water."
Shower facility quality: Shower buildings provide comfortable amenities. Claudia M. adds, "Shower house and bathrooms were really nice! Wasn't expecting to want to take a shower but couldn't pass up the opportunity when we saw them. Very hot water."
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular equestrian campsite near Montezuma, IA?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular equestrian campground near Montezuma, IA is Lake Iowa County Park with a 4.6-star rating from 8 reviews.
What is the best site to find equestrian camping near Montezuma, IA?
TheDyrt.com has all 4 equestrian camping locations near Montezuma, IA, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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