20 campgrounds · Check availability for any dates.
Tent campers in eastern Iowa will find several primitive camping options near New Vienna, with notable sites including the Worthington Sportsman's Club and Buzzard Ridge Wildlife Area. The heavily wooded terrain offers secluded tent sites with varying levels of amenities, typically within 15-30 miles of New Vienna itself. Yellow River State Forest, located approximately 45 miles northeast, provides dedicated backcountry tent camping opportunities along established hiking trails.
Most tent sites in the region feature basic amenities with fire rings and limited facilities. Buzzard Ridge Wildlife Area offers free tent camping with pit toilets but no running water, requiring campers to pack in their own supplies. Sites are generally first-come, first-served with no reservation systems. The Worthington Sportsman's Club, while requiring membership, provides more secluded tent camping with access to a pond and clean pit toilets. Primitive sites in Yellow River State Forest include established fire rings and benches but no water sources beyond what's available at headquarters.
In spring and fall, tent campers can expect moderate temperatures and fewer insects at most sites. Yellow River State Forest's Camp Glen Wendel offers particularly secluded backpacking experiences. According to one visitor, "Yellow River has great backpacking sites. Park near the ranger station and hike in or grab a map and find a smaller parking location near the trail you want to explore." The wooded areas provide natural screening between tent sites, especially at places like Wakpicada Natural Area, which features good tree cover and campsites positioned near a pond for fishing. The region's walk-in tent sites typically require short hikes ranging from under half a mile to about a mile, making them accessible for most campers while still providing a sense of remoteness from vehicle traffic and developed areas.
"People driving around the pond didn't even know we were there! The camping spot was beautiful (although you have to watch out for nettles). Great fishing while we were there too."
"My friend and I were eager to test out some new backpacking gear for the first time in advance of a larger trip this summer."
"Yellow River has great backpacking sites. Park near ranger station and hike in or grab a map and find a smaller parking location near the trail you want to explore. Great scenery."
from $12 / night
Check Availability"Unique hike or paddle primitive site. Native forbs and wildlife surrounding the area. Two parking sites to hike in or access by river. Site is along river, has table, fire ring, latrine."
"Campsites right next to the pond and good tree cover made the experience fun anyway. Good bass and panfish fishing with quiet campgrounds that aren’t right next to each other."
"Primitive and private. Pond for recreation, fishing, and swimming. Kids be sure to try the rope swing. "
"The farm was cute and a wonderful place to get outside and be in nature. The hosts were very accommodating and professional! We will definitely be returning, 10 stars!"
from $24 - $45 / night
"Jungletown Ridge is perfect for those looking to get some space from others and enjoy some quiet nights int he woods. Check them out and share some pics from your stay!"
from $20 - $45 / night
Check Availability
LegendUnique hike or paddle primitive site. Native forbs and wildlife surrounding the area. Two parking sites to hike in or access by river. Site is along river, has table, fire ring, latrine. Pack in, pack out and Leave No Trace.
ScoutNice quiet little primitive campground next to the Wapsipinicon River. Unfortunately, when I was there the last weekend of May, the gnats were bad, and the mosquitoes were just starting to gear up. HOWEVER, take bug spray and enjoy the rustic peacefulness of this "best kept secret" for primitive and inexpensive camping sites. Beautiful location, ranger close by, wood for sale just across the bridge, fire pits and picnic tables at every site. Good for RV, trailer or tent camping… level ground and lots of shade. Primitive bathrooms, no showers or running water.
LegendHiked into this Camp that includes 5 primitive sites: fire rings and benches. Lush dense forest with intermediate hiking including typical summer insects. Leave No Trace ethics include: minimizes fire impacts by gathering only dead, down, wood. Sounded by nature atop of hill hike near Fire tower ( only fire tower in Iowa), cell reception is found up here.
GuideThe pros: $10 fee ($15 electric), campground seems well maintained (grass is mown, security light works, tables in good repair, gravel access road in good shape, etc); no one here but us, the sound of the running Creek is soothing, vault toilet is probably the cleanest I've seen; ATT cell service was 3bars 5G The unusual: no specific site, no specific place to pull into, no site numbers or designation except on the electric pedestals. It's all grass. Pull onto the grass near the table or electric pedestal you want. The cons: highway traffic noise is easily heard and doesn't seem to stop for more than a few seconds (though the crickets/bug sounds and the creek sound is sometimes louder so you hear that instead), dust from vehicles passing on nearby dirt road filters thru the trees (due to dry weather?), and, well, it is, after all, a vault toilet-not my fav,
LegendGeneral: This is a small (29-site) county park campground situated along the North Fork Maquoketa River. Nine of the sites are reservable, and the rest are first-come, first-served. Some sites are primitive, and some have water and 30-amp electricity hookups. There is one ADA-accessible site with a paved camper pad.
Site Quality: Most sites are level. The camper pads are gravel/grass, but not all are clearly defined. Each site has a picnic table and a fire ring.
Bath/Shower: The bath/shower house was closed when we were there in November but there are vault toilets about a quarter mile from the campground (in the day-use area) that were very clean and well-stocked when we were there.
Activities/Amenities: Many activities including disc golf, three hiking trails, volleyball, two playgrounds (one in the day-use area and one by the campsites). There are two reservable picnic shelters. There is also a dump station.
We were tent camping in November on a backpacking trip so we didn’t take advantage of any of the activities but would return in our van on a future camping trip. We were the ONLY ones in the campground at this time of year!
LegendThis review is for Yellow River State Forest's Big Paint Campground which consists of sites 35 through 61. Big Paint is a couple miles from Little Paint, a larger campground with 70+ sites. There are two equestrian campgrounds (Creekside and Little Frontier with sites numbered 1 through 34) as well as hike in campgrounds for backpackers. A photo of an area map is included.
Why did we choose Big Paint instead of Little Paint?
It's smaller and that's just our personal preference. There were only 4 sites occupied early Friday afternoon and a few more were reserved. We liked site 35, the first site on the left as you enter. This site is like being in a garden with trees and flowers surrounding the site. It had rained and more rain was coming, so the gravel parking pad on #35 was appealing. Most of the sites are completely on the grass.
Activities
Stocked trout streams are an attraction for fishermen; see photo of stocking calendar. We enjoyed hiking despite the mosquitoes and humidity in August and were able to make a 5+ mile loop leaving from the campground. You can also hike from Little Paint, and there are equestrian trails. This would also be a good area for X-country skiing and snowmobiling. A photo of the trail map is included. Caution: hunting is allowed in the non-campground area of the state forest.
Amenities
Each site has a picnic table and fire ring. Other than that, you can dispose of your trash and use a vault toilet. There's water at the information center (and a camp host site) outside the campground about 100 yards to the left.
Cost
You're not getting much (and that's not a bad thing) so the $9 fee seems fair. Pay up front at the entrance station, or make a reservation online at last 2 days ahead of time (and pay a reservation fee). There are 7 non-reservable sites at Big Paint. I doubt that Big Paint fills up; just check the reservation site to see if they get crowded.
https://iowastateparks.reserveamerica.com/camping/yellow-river-state-forest/r/campsiteSearch.do?search=site&page=siteresult&contractCode=IA&parkId=610130
LegendCampground is well maintained, restrooms, showers, recycling station, fire wood available, campground host onsite, resident park ranger, standard RV sites, some electric tent sites otherwise primitive with fire rings and tables. Trout stream (Catfish Creek) runs through campground and park and is stocked by Iowa DNR, has Swiss Valley Nature center with trails.
LegendThis campground also goes by the name of Holbert. Small campground but free with a handful of picnic tables and campfires. The vault toilets were cleanish, thou older. This campground is next to a pretty little creek that you can play and fish in. The campground is really just a series of campsites strung out along the creek and road. It was pretty quiet while I was there, not many campers at all. There are no hookups for RV’s/campers so it is primarily tent camping or dry camping. There is an interesting story about how this camping area has come to be: the land was donated by Ella Ellis in memory of her husband William Ellis. They apparently loved the land and wanted to make sure it was never developed and could be enjoyed by all. A lovely story.
RangerMud Lake is a wonderful county park near Dubuque. Beautiful views of the Mississippi River. We stayed one night on our way to Minnesota. The sites are mostly sunny. The park streets are gravel with gravel sites. The park is quiet except for the occasional train from the nearby tracks. Great value for $21. Electric and water hookups. Marina and boathouse next door.
Stayed in campsite #35 which has no shade. It was a gravel site which shares a pull-through with site 36. There was more than enough parking for my TT and truck and grass on either side. The site included: picnic table and fire ring. Utilities were located in the rear. 20A/50A electric and water. Site was level. Neighbors were nearby.
AT&T had 2 bars of LTE and Verizon 2 bars of LTE service. AT&T Speedtest: 47 Mbps down, 1.3 Mbps up. Verizon data VERY SLOW. No WiFi.
Would stay here again. We camped at Mud Lake Park in a Travel Trailer.
Primitive tent campsites near New Vienna, Iowa range from established wildlife areas to member-only clubs. Eastern Iowa's public lands feature varying terrain with elevations between 700-1,200 feet, creating diverse camping experiences across Delaware and Clayton counties. Winter camping opportunities remain available at several locations when temperatures frequently drop below freezing.
Fishing opportunities: Wakpicada Natural Area provides well-stocked ponds for bass and panfish fishing. According to Parker H., "Good bass and panfish fishing with quiet campgrounds that aren't right next to each other. I consider it a little hidden gem."
Hiking trails: Camp Glen Wendel in Yellow River State Forest offers multiple trail options for backpackers. Kevin C. notes, "I've done this loop several times, and have never been disappointed. Lots of quiet, and many more great views on the upper trails. There are some thin trails down steeper hillsides, so make sure to take it slower if the ground is muddy."
Water recreation: Gardner Family Farm and Iowa Hemp Farm Stay features a pond with swimming and a rope swing. Alissa G. shares, "Pond for recreation, fishing, and swimming. Kids be sure to try the rope swing."
Dark skies for stargazing: Gardner Family Farm offers exceptional night sky viewing opportunities. According to Alissa G., "Evenings at this farm are memorable. Dark skies with billions of stars. Enjoy a campfire, that's a must."
Secluded camping sites: Jungletown Ridge provides spacious, private sites away from crowds. Jake C. recommends, "Jungletown Ridge is perfect for those looking to get some space from others and enjoy some quiet nights in the woods."
Natural surroundings: Worthington Sportsman's Club provides members with natural campsites that blend into the landscape. Becky explains, "So secluded without being in the middle of nowhere. People driving around the pond didn't even know we were there!"
Primitive facilities: Most tent sites have minimal amenities. At Camp Glen Wendel, James M. notes, "Sites have fire rings and benches, some more spacious than others. This Camp has wonderful stands of coniferous trees. The 2nd site in has a small pond at Camp side. Potable water is at HQ near registration kiosk."
Site accessibility: Many locations require short walks to reach camping areas. Buzzard Ridge Wildlife Area offers multiple access options according to James M.: "Two parking sites to hike in or access by river. Site is along river, has table, fire ring, latrine. Pack in, pack out and Leave No Trace."
Variable site availability: Most primitive sites operate on first-come, first-served basis. One camper mentions, "Camp Glen Wendel is about 1 mile in from self camp registration at HQ," indicating the need to arrive early during peak seasons.
Bring all supplies: Most primitive sites require complete self-sufficiency. Shyla G. from Yellow River shares a candid experience: "Been coming to yellow river for years but have always wanted to go backpacking. Finally, convinced one of my friends to come with, we ended up getting scared around midnight from the noises."
Weather preparation: Temperature swings can be significant year-round. One camper advises bringing layers for cool nights even during summer months when days can reach high 80s.
Kid-friendly activities: Wakpicada Natural Area offers accessible fishing for children. "Campsites right next to the pond and good tree cover made the experience fun anyway," notes Parker H. about camping during hot weather conditions.
Limited RV accommodation: Most primitive sites near New Vienna primarily accommodate tent camping with few dedicated RV amenities.
Access considerations: Road conditions vary seasonally, with some sites requiring high-clearance vehicles. Check ahead with local rangers about access during wet conditions.
Alternative options: Consider staying at more developed campgrounds nearby and day-tripping to primitive areas. David H. notes about Yellow River, "No showers or dump station. But it was great," suggesting RVers plan accordingly.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular tent campsite near New Vienna, IA?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near New Vienna, IA is Worthington Sportsman's Club - Members Only with a 5-star rating from 1 review.
What is the best site to find tent camping near New Vienna, IA?
TheDyrt.com has all 20 tent camping locations near New Vienna, IA, with real photos and reviews from campers.
Keep Exploring
