Whether you're an RVer or tent camper, Mount Vernon, IA is a great place to post up for the weekend—or longer. Mount Vernon is filled with the activities, sights, and experiences to make everyone in your crew a happy camper. You're sure to find the perfect spot for your Iowa camping adventure.
$14 - $240 / night
"Very nice COE campground north of Iowa City in the Lake Coralville area. Beautiful setting, lots of options for sites."
"Nice grassy sites near lake for fishing, hiking, wildlife viewing. Near Iowa Raptor Project that conducts raptor programs and site with walking tour and live raptors, and Macbride State Park as well."
$12 - $80 / night
"Great walking trails through wooded areas near the river. Beautiful place."
"Situated along the Cedar river, fishing and paddling can be done. Lots of trails, CG and cabins closed for winter season for improvements and online reservations."
$20 / night
"My niece who lives nearby recommended this place to stay when we went to visit her since was a short drive from where she lives. "
"Close access to boating and town"
$22 - $28 / night
"The reservoir behind the dam creates both the Coralville Lake alongside Lake MacBride which is a state park in a side bay."
"LuLu and I stayed for 10 days while visiting family in Iowa City. The campground hosted mainly locals but it’s only a couple of miles off the I80."
$23 - $33 / night
"We camped at this park for 9 nights with W/E on site with a dump upon exit/entrance. Our site was unlevel but was able to get the RV right with tri-levelers. "
"There are a variety of sites to choose from, nice trees, and a beautiful wildflower field to walk through."
$20 / night
"We stayed during an Iowa Football weekend, attended the game in nearby Iowa City, and then enjoyed the rest of our weekend exploring the ponds and trails in the park."
"It is the perfect camping destination between Amana colonies and Iowa City."
"The couple downfalls is the shower and bath house is outdated and there's no swimming area on this side of the lake. Other than that I had a blast."
"Just looking for a layover spot after a long day of driving. Couldn't figure out where to register so we walked into the bar/restaurant, Bobber's Grill. The owner was at the bar."
$10 - $36 / night
"The RV sites aren’t really out of the ordinary but the park sits upon a slight rise above the Missouri River and the road around the campground leads down to the river."
"It is a short drive to the river to hike, picnic, paddle, fish. There are 2 boat ramps, one just above the dam. This site is a Registered Historic site."
$14 - $28 / night
"Probably the best spot in the whole camp, overlooks the lake. Level sites with adequate space."
"My son and I tent-camped at Macbride Nature Recreation Area (not nearby Lake Macbride State Park) several times circa 2005. Always a good time."
LegendThe site offers a hard service to park on, picnic table, fire, pit, charcoal, grill, outhouse, horse tie up, and equestrian trailhead. There is a recycling dump station nearby, and open space with shaded tree area. The park itself offers trails for hiking and biking, a pool, golf course, campgrounds, historical Pioneer Village, amenities, including firewood, ice, concessions. Pride Lake offers paddling and fishing.
TravelerGreat for primitive camping with boat and kayak rental available
TravelerGreat campground, cheap sites with electric and water even for tent campers. Fantastic amenities including hot showers and nice bathrooms and a cleaning station with sink basin for camping dishes. Great beach swimming area. Fun for all.
ScoutClean campground clean bathrooms but there are planes and trains payed $30 for the night there is electric and water has pull thru lots right on the Mississippi river
TravelerClean campsites, trash and recycling bins, trails, fishing, boating, cheap sites with electric and water hook up for $15 a night
TravelerClean camping sites, fantastic trails and fun historic sites to check out
TravelerThis is our go to campground! We have stayed at this campground several times and plan to several more times! Half of the campgrounds is first come first serve, the other half is reserve only.
LegendThis campground is maintained by the Army Corps of Engineers as part of an outdoor recreation complex around a large dam on the Iowa River. The reservoir behind the dam creates both the Coralville Lake alongside Lake MacBride which is a state park in a side bay. The recreation area also includes campgrounds and river recreation downstream of the dam, including a gorge of geologic interest that is filled with Devonian fossils exposed in the flood of 1993.
This review is for the West Overlook campground located on the lakeside upstream of the dam. This is one of the larger campgrounds at Coralville Lake, and is popular due to the large sandy beach, the modern boatlaunch area, and options for a variety of kinds of campsites in separate loops. Some of the loops are close to the lake or in various heights overlooking the lake, some loops are tucked into beautiful shady woods further inland. As a tent camper I chose one of the loops in the woods as the sites are larger and quieter and more spacious. All of the loops seem family friendly and pretty quiet even though pretty full. There are new modern bath houses with showers, and hiking trails all around. There is easy access to a nearby mountain bike trail complex, the state park, fishing, and boating. This seems to be a camping destination for a lot of folks in the area, but is also an easy stopover right off Interstate 80 for folks on road trips. It is also a nice and inexpensive basecamp for folks visiting Iowa City or the University of Iowa, only about a 15-20 minute drive away. My most recent time camping here was this month, May 2025, but I have camped here many times in the past as far back as 1964, and the campground improvements and recreation opportunities have just gotten better and better over the years. Its a popular location, so Spring camping is quieter; fall camping is also quiet, and the fall leaves are beautiful then.
GuideGreat place, 1 mile from Amana. Our second stay here, from Louisiana. Good food in Amana. Really nice folks, ground squirrels too 😁
Camping near Mount Vernon, Iowa, offers a variety of beautiful spots for outdoor enthusiasts. Whether you’re looking for a peaceful retreat or an adventurous getaway, there are plenty of campgrounds to choose from.
Camping near Mount Vernon, IA, has something for everyone, whether you're a family looking for fun or an RVer seeking a peaceful spot.
Frequently Asked Questions
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular campground near Mount Vernon, IA is Sugar Bottom Campground with a 4.5-star rating from 24 reviews.
According to TheDyrt.com, there are 5 parks near Mount Vernon, IA that allow camping, notably Bankhead National Forest and Chugach National Forest.
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