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Lakeshore RV Resort and Campground in Oelwein provides electric hookups, water connections, and sewer facilities for RV travelers from May through mid-October. The campground features big-rig friendly sites with 50-amp electrical service and full hookup capabilities. "Sites are gravel/grass, but not all are clearly defined. Each site has a picnic table and a fire ring," noted one camper about similar county parks in the region. Skip-A-Way Resort near Clermont, approximately 25 miles from Oelwein, offers additional RV accommodations with full hookup sites including 50-amp service, while Beyonder Getaway at Lazy Acres features 96 sites with electric, water, and sewer connections specifically designed for recreational vehicles.
Several RV parks in the Oelwein area remain open seasonally, with most closing between mid-October and early May. Dump stations are available at Lakeshore RV Resort, Skip-A-Way Resort, and Beyonder Getaway, though quality varies significantly between locations. Cell service is generally reliable throughout the region, with one reviewer reporting "70 down, 20 up" speeds on Verizon at nearby Elkader City Park, while T-mobile coverage can be spotty in rural areas. Pet-friendly policies are common at most RV parks near Oelwein, with designated pet areas at some locations. Propane service is limited, with Lost Island Waterpark KOA in Waterloo (about 45 miles west) being one of the few parks offering on-site propane fill stations.
"Sewer, water and electric."
"This was a nice campground next to a small town- nice quiet sites. Sites were kind of close together. Mostly seasonal spots here."
"The staff was really nice, showers were clean and they had laundry too! It backs up to a corn field, right off the Interstate but the noise was barely there. Huge grass pull through lots everywhere."
"Well run campground with full hookups available for$35/ night. Bathrooms are clean and lots of warm water for showers. Great place for a night or two. Near the highway but road noise is minimal."
from $35 - $50 / night
Check Availability"The camp ground that we stayed at was family friendly. Hammocks were ok to put up. The only not so great experience was that 2 out of the 3 showers on the women's side were out of order."
"Backbone State Park is unlike any other place in Iowa, having geological features uncommon in Iowa. There are two campgrounds."
from $16 - $25 / night
Check Availability"I enjoyed my 5 night stay at Oelwein City Park Campground. It's located on the south end of town, there is only one business within walking distance."
"Oelwein City Park campground on the shore of little Lake Oelwein is a great place to stay on ‘your way’ or for a week. $17 or $15 (senior)/night. 30/50 amp service with city water and dump station."
from $30 / night
Check Availability"Large park, no designated sites, fire rings spread around. Elect posts spread around.water available a dump station on site $2.00 charge. Very green, a river all around the park."
"Most spots have water and electric hookups. Dump station with nonpotable water is easily accessible. Very shady camping right along the river. $12 per night. Worth the money."
from $12 / night
GuideFYI When we made reservations this site required a two- night minimum stay. Don't know if that is for all seasons. Nice pull-through, large enough for our 36' 5th Wheel and pickup tow vehicle, needed more leveling than some. Some sites have power and water, ours only power. There's a water pipe and dump station on the way out. Nice hiking trails, including to a beautiful river overlook.
ScoutStayed in The Plains area. Water and electric hookups, dump station near by. Clean shower house with storm shelter. Mixed sun and shade with generous grassy sites, fire pit and picnic table.
RangerThere are about 30 electric site big enough for RVs, and about 35 non electric site. All are very nice sites with fairly level gravel pads. There are lots of trees for shade making the sites really beautiful if not spacious. We had a tight fit with our travel trailer on site 33e, but once we squeezed in it was excellent. Two bathrooms one with showers, and well kept. The best thing about this park are the wonderful hiking trails. Some are ADA accessible near the camp store, but most are a good climb with lots of ups and downs. Town of McGregor has a few cute restaurants and bars, but enjoy the park and the amazing views of the Mississippi and the Wisconsin rivers. Several big rig RVs were there, but call ahead if you’ve got a big RV to make sure you’ll fit.
There are some fantastic cycling routes near the river, with stops in all the little towns along the way. A wonderful place to spend a weekend, with apple orchards nearby.
LegendI enjoyed my 5 night stay at Oelwein City Park Campground. It's located on the south end of town, there is only one business within walking distance. It's a great restaurant (Oelwein Family Restaurant) and it's about a 15 minute walk.
There is one shower house, and several vault toilets throughout the park. The shower house is old and a little run down but was very clean. I had no problems using it.
The city park is adjacent to the campground and has picnic shelters, a playground, and a dog park.
There are electric and water hookups at most sites, and there is a dump station. The park was pretty full on the weekend as you would expect, but very quiet during the week.
I had great Verizon and T-mobile service here.
GuideWe were traveling northbound on 218 on a Tuesday and searched for a convenient stop for one night. It was very hot so filtered the results, showing spots with electric hook-up in order to run the AC a bit. The North Cedar County Park was easy to find, located just a couple miles off the exit and past the town of Plainfield.
The park is heavily shaded in most areas. They have done a good job of keeping the tree canopy high, so we had no worries of hitting limbs in our 34' class A that has a height of 12 feet.
The sites are all grass, with no clear definition of individual sites. We just picked a spot that looked fairly level and dry. Soft soil could be a concern for heavier rigs after rains. Our stabilizers did sink into the dirt a bit, but we were able to level.
They have wooden picnic tables scattered, as well as designated firepit areas. 30 and 15 Amp service was available on the power post. There is a bathroom/shower house, picnic shelter, playground and horseshoe courts.
The campground is right on a wide, fast moving river and offers 2 boat launches. It didnt appear that any of the sites had a water view, but it was a short, pleasant stroll to the rivers edge.
We paid $20 for our one night. It is all first come, first served. They say on their website that they have 40 sites. On a Tuesday in June, there were 3 of us there for the night (the other two looked more long-term). A posted sign said that camping is free on Wednesday nights, so that's cool!
Overall, it was a quiet and pretty place to stop and we would definately visit again.
Traveler37 full-hookup sites, some tent sites, all right on edge of town. Adjacent to Kitty Creek, joins Maquoketa River. Some concrete pads, most are gravel, fairly level. Pretty tight layout, average of only 30-40' between sites. New fire rings, picnic tables in good condition. Bakery and other facilities are closed due to COVID. Previous campers at our site left lots of trash on ground...always disappointing. Electrical and water were good. Sewer connections a bit high.
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!
GuideVery friendly and helpful owner. He even drove to town so we could follow him in. Has playground community area fire pit and a structure built to cover picnic tables. atv trails. Turkey river right there was 20 feet from my site. Porta potty and shower water is hot. 30/50 amp power with water on each site. Water fill station and dump station. Garbage .
GuideWe stayed at started at the Lost Island water park KOA for just one night while passing through the area. We were in our class C while slowly making our way across the country. We had no problems getting a spot here. Sites are gravel for the RV, reasonably level, and very well maintained. Most sites are pull through. Hookups are in very good condition. Each site had a grassy area with a picnic table. Staff was very friendly and helpful. There was a playground, beach and fenced dog area. Cost was very good for the amenities provided.
The campground had a store, gas station and propane available.
We had 4 bar LTE with Verizon. Our hotspot was usable and performed very well. We enjoyed our brief stay at this campground. We will stay again when traveling this way.
Camping near Oelwein, Iowa offers access to both urban amenities and rural outdoor experiences, with options primarily along river systems including the Cedar and Turkey Rivers. Located within the rolling hills of northeast Iowa, the area maintains average summer temperatures around 80°F, making May through September the prime camping season. Winter camping is limited, with most campgrounds in the region closing between mid-October and early May.
Fishing opportunities: At Backbone State Park, visitors can enjoy trout fishing in Richmond Springs. "The grounds were well kept and we had a phenomenal time. The girls gathered our firewood in the neighboring tree line, and our evenings were filled with fun and friendly camping neighbors," mentions one camper about the park's welcoming atmosphere.
River activities: Skip-A-Way Resort offers several water recreation options, including "canoeing, tubing down the Turkey River, swimming, fishing and paddle boats in the Lake, a splash pad for kids and occasionally a dumping tank for free, also miniture golf," according to a reviewer who praised the family-friendly environment.
Hiking trails: The region offers numerous hiking paths, especially at Backbone State Park, where campers can explore the famous Backbone Trail. "We hiked on the famous Backbone trail - a really fun hike that isn't too incredibly long. The grounds were well kept and we had a phenomenal time," notes one visitor who took a group of sixth-grade Girl Scouts camping.
Affordable pricing: Klocks Island Park offers budget-friendly camping with basic amenities. "Large park, no designated sites, fire rings spread around. Elect posts spread around. Water available a dump station on site $2.00 charge. Very green, a river all around the park. Our favorite place in the area. $12.00 a night," reports one satisfied camper.
Kid-friendly amenities: Beyonder Getaway at Lazy Acres provides numerous recreational options for children. "This place had so much! They had a little train ride, miniature golf course, catch and release fishing in their pond, splash pad, lots of cool things hand built structures to see as well," writes one reviewer who added an extra night to their stay because they enjoyed it so much.
Clean facilities: Modern bathroom facilities are available at many campgrounds, with George Wyth State Park receiving particular praise. "This is a clean and well kept campground. There are great paved trails, and it is close to the free John Deere Museum, and the Cedar Valley Arboretum," notes one camper who rated the park highly despite noting occasional mosquito issues.
Cell service variations: While most rv sites near Oelwein, Iowa offer some connectivity, quality varies by carrier. At Klocks Island Park, one camper reported "barely usable Verizon service here and no T-mobile service," showing that connectivity can be unreliable in more rural campgrounds.
Seasonal closures: Many campgrounds operate on limited schedules. George Wyth State Park is open from April 1 to December 31, while most others close by mid-October. "This seems like a quiet campground. It's just off the highway but there was almost zero traffic on this small highway. I drove through here on a Saturday in mid September. All spots were taken," noted one visitor about Klocks Island's popularity.
Campground management: Management styles vary significantly between parks. One camper at Lakeshore RV Resort and Campground noted "Extremely strict rules. Stayed twice and not impressed either time. Covid made it even worse," highlighting the importance of researching park rules before booking.
Child-specific activities: George Wyth State Park offers numerous kid-friendly amenities. "If you're looking for a wooded campground that offers you both quiet sites to relax but also offers a variety of activities for all ages, this is the place for you. For little ones, there is a large sand playground area with slides and swings," notes one reviewer.
Swimming options: Multiple swimming areas exist throughout the region's campgrounds. "There is a beach for swimming. Boats for renting but they were out of order for repairs when we were here. You can rent kayaks, bikes. They have mini golf but you have to pay 8 dollars for that," reports a visitor to Skip-A-Way Resort.
Accessibility considerations: For families with mobility concerns, some campgrounds offer accommodations. "My daughter is in a wheelchair so we requested the accessible site. It's right next to the showers with an adapted pic-nic table and raised fire pit!" shared a camper at Beyonder Getaway at Lazy Acres.
Hookup availability: RV sites near Oelwein offer various hookup options. At Waterloo - Lost Island Waterpark KOA, located about 45 miles from Oelwein, "Sites are gravel for the RV, reasonably level, and very well maintained. Most sites are pull through. Hookups are in very good condition. Each site had a grassy area with a picnic table," according to one RVer.
Site spacing: Site size and privacy vary significantly between campgrounds. "Sites are very close to one another, and most are very close to the road. In some cases, the best (read dry and level) the best spot to pitch a tent are also close close to the road," noted a camper about Wyalusing State Park, contrasting with the more private sites at other parks.
Additional services: Some RV parks offer extra amenities that can be valuable for longer stays. "The campground had a store, gas station and propane available. We had 4 bar LTE with Verizon. Our hotspot was usable and performed very well," reported one visitor to Lost Island Waterpark KOA, noting the additional conveniences available to RVers.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular RV campsite near Oelwein, IA?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular RV campground near Oelwein, IA is Lakeshore RV Resort and Campground with a 1.5-star rating from 2 reviews.
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TheDyrt.com has all 115 RV camping locations near Oelwein, IA, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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