Top Tent Camping near Ottumwa, IA
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Best Tent Sites Near Ottumwa, IA (17)
8. Winter Camp at Walking Stick Adventures Farm
1 Review•13 Photos•5 SavesOur private four acre site is now available for winter tent camping. Services include an outhouse, electricity, fire ring and wood is provided. There are trails to hike around the pond and in the prairie. Tents can be set up anywhere, however, you can use the tipi pad(outdoor carpet over sand} without stakes. Winter camp is open from January 1 to April 30. A great meeting place for families and friends willing to experience the outdoors throughout the year. 5 miles from Williamsburg and I-80, within 30 minutes of Amana Colonies, Outlet Mall, Fireside Winery. We also offer wildlife, historical or cultural hikes to the Amana/Iowa River Valley area.
- Pets
- Fires
- Phone Service
- Reservable
- Tents
- Market
$25 / night
Showing results 1-10 of 17 campgrounds
Recent Tent Reviews In Ottumwa
141 Reviews of 17 Ottumwa Campgrounds
Mandy F.
Scout
Lake Iowa County Park
Wasn't free
It was beautiful, full of wildlife, easy to find,not too far from highway but far away enough to not hear
Ken G.
GuideLake Iowa County Park
very nice and clean. Lots of sites but well spaced
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. 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.
James P.
Legend
Roberts Creek West Campground
Roberts Creek - East
East not west as satellite view in Dyrt is old and doesn’t show East campground. I did add a screenshot of current satellite view. FHU. Easy in and around campground. A lot of space between sites. Sites are fairly level with hard pack gravel.
Kim F.ScoutWindmill Ridge Campground
Hidden little gem
Clean, quiet and well set campsite for all camping styles. Set well off the main road, the gravel road is well maintained, graded well for easy driveable whee truck, rvs or trailers. Family and pet friendly, clean, well kept property, amenities on site,completive priced sites for camping and to gather together and enjoy life for a moment or two. Check it out, don't believe you will regret it. Peace fellow travelers.
Randall K.
RangerLake Iowa County Park
Great spot for a great price
Very 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.
- KKeith B.Scout
brinton timbers park
Great park no showers though
I 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.
- KKeith B.Scout
Keokuk County Belva Deer Park
Clean park warm showers
$12 a night for primitive camping and you get nice warm showers by the main entrance and nice bathrooms by the main entrance. Stand-alone bathrooms throughout the park have the deep composting toilets that smell bad but whatever the ones up front are nice. Would recommend 10/10
- Greg K.Guide
Lacey Keosauqua State Park
Beautiful park
Nice drive in gorgeous country. 23$ site without water 28 w/ water 35 full hookups. Decent showers nice playground for kids lakeside spots as well. The host sells firewood and 2 sizes of ice. Cheap too. Walking trails nearby.
Amanda B.
Traveler
Donnelson Unit - White Oak Campground — Shimek State Forest
Peaceful Paradise
Nice little campground in Iowa. We stayed for three nights, there's vault toilets, and the fire rings are tiered and really nice. It's wooded and tucked away. There's a lot of nice little trails and a couple lakes. There's a $10 a night fee on the honor system so I would not consider it free. We would come back.
Renee H.Ranger
Howell Station
Large spacious campground
Well maintained campground with mature shade trees. Gravel sites, a little bit of leveling required. Poor Verizon cell signal, no internet signal. Not much natural privacy between sites, but sites were well spaced apart. Paved trail nice for biking and walking. Fishing nearby and the Dutch themed town of Pella is a short drive and a must see. Bathrooms and showers were nice, clean. Handicap camp site and bathhouse available. Firewood for sale at front gate. The potable water available at the dump station was clear and good for drinking. Dump station is easily accessible. Dumpsters were positioned around the campground. Staff was friendly. The night we stayed, there was a severe weather threat, and the staff, at the end of the night, had unlocked the storm shelters (utility area in the middle of the bathhouses) should the need arise. We ended up having to seek shelter because of a tornado warning.
- Greg K.Guide
Bentonsport
17$ Bentonsport campground
Beautiful river views. Amazing camp hosts. Showers,toilets,30/50/110 power water on sites to share water and dump on property. Mid 1800's town right there and businesses open. There is a blacksmith, a Indian artifact museum and gift shops. Historical walking bridge that is amazing. No wifi.. poor Internet although I did have one bar so could be worse .I have total by Verizon.
- Marie M.Scout
Eveland Access
Glendale Access
20 bucks a day you submit your fill out sheet at the service area and drop it off in a drop box.
- MMegan Y.Scout
Nature Haven at Red Rock Lake
Beautiful fall camping site
We really enjoyed our stay at site 4 in the woods. It was absolutely beautiful with the fall colors and leaves falling all around us. We also enjoyed the trails around our site and a pretty view of a pond a short walk away. Anna was very responsive and gave thorough directions for us. We would stay again.
- JJenna E.Scout
Nature Haven at Red Rock Lake
We had a great time at this site:) …
We had a great time at this site:) Anna was very responsive and helpful when we had questions. I would definitely recommend to others, and I would return again.
Pat F.Guide
Diamond Lake County Park
Great weekend
Kept getting visits from the park ranger over nonsense from being parked on the grass when others were parked on the grass as well especially calling the office first and getting the approval from the person in charge just seemed like they were running ppl off the place was very much opened for Labor Day weekend which was a shock considering past years on the same weekend it was packed , hopefully they allow more freedom in the future was not impressed trash cans were full as well hadn’t been emptied in a while
- Paul M.Guide
Whitebreast Camp
Beautiful Campground
Large sites and plenty of space between sites.
- AAmanda H.Scout
Wallashuck
Convenience with some space
We were able to camp in a tent near RVs without feeling crowded. The restrooms, showers, and playground were all close by…great for camping with kids. There were some nicer than ours and some with less privacy or further away than we’d prefer.
A nice mix of convenience and privacy. Perfect location to showers and playground for kids. Ample space for our needs, but not overly private
Meredith L.Traveler
Elk Rock Campground And Boat Ramp — Lake Red Rock
Perfect Weekend Getaway for EVERYONE!
This park is beautiful with plenty to do and see. We camped out at site 82 which is a non-electric site and close to a Red Rock Lake shoreline. Spots are pretty close but they perfectly have grass tall enough to give you some privacy between spots. I was never bothered by either neighbors. The grass also gives you a path to the water spout. The staff member at the front was such a gentlemen and helped us with our firewood. There are some walking paths down to the lake which you can fish from. The views by the lake are beautiful too. The only thing to keep in mind with this spot is it is as far away from the bathrooms as possible. I, personally, didn't mind, but wanted to make note of it. We will be returning to this park.
Restrooms: Cleaner than I expected! And they are not port-a-potty type bathrooms, plumbing with nice stalls, toilets and sinks.
Dog-friendliness: My dog LOVED this campground. We kept her on a long-line stake(per parks' guidelines) and she had plenty of room to roam.
Picnic area: A picnic table is provided but they are older, so I recommend bringing your own table cloth and some towels or something for the seats.
Zachary J.RangerNature Haven at Red Rock Lake
Great two days
Peaceful and quiet our last stop in our week long overlanding trip. Plus just 6 miles from our fav brewery in Iowa.
- GGhost R.Traveler
Miami Lake Park
Easy weekend
Nice little spot
Ashley F.Legend
Winter Camp at Walking Stick Adventures Farm
Private 4 Acre Site
Ashley here with The Dyrt. We're so happy to have this property on our platform. Set up camp anywhere and relax under the stars. Come check them out and leave a review.
- Lon J.Scout
Midwest Old Threshers Campground
Camp out
Great job and I am glad to be coming back
Melissa W.ScoutLacey Keosauqua State Park
Lacey Keosauqua State Park
Stayed for a week in mid November. Although we had a storm at the beginning and end the overall stay was great. Weather ranged from 50s to 70s during the day and 30s to 40s at night. There were only 4 other sites occupied with a few ins and out during the week. I could see the spring and summer months getting busy with lake use. Trails were well maintained and tended even late into the season. My pups and I loved walking the lake loop (2.1miles) every day. Bonus: the deer came out each evening to forage.
Lesley R.Legend
River Valley Horsecamp
Family Equine Fun
Camped here for a family reunion. Open sites near the Des Moines river and local road meant spots were just for sleeping. Excellent barns, accommodations, well-kept grounds and animals. Nearby locals kind and welcoming. Excellent time spent with family and horses, will return again.
- Evan G.Guide
Nature Haven at Red Rock Lake
Peaceful, beautiful, incredible
The perfect drive up private campsite you will find in Iowa. Very quiet with a beautiful view of three ponds and a sunset you will not want to miss. There are four campsites and a soon-to-be glamp site. Spacious, tranquil, and private. Halfway between Pella and Knoxville and on the lake red rocks peninsula, this is a must stay campsite.
Tiffany K.GuideHowell Station
All Around Pleasant Campground
Humble campground. There are lots of electric sites available for RVs and the sites are all very flat. There is ample grass area. The bathrooms and showers are well kept. The grounds have play sets and swings for kids. There are some great paved paths to walk or bike. It's a good place to fish or bird watch.
Victor S.Guide
North Overlook Camp
Decent Campground, but Subpar Tent Camping
This campground sits right next to a busy highway and the tent spots are right out front and have very little shade. The tent spots are very close to a busy highway. The tent spots are also VERY close together which is frustrating.
The lake is right next to the tent spots and you can walk to the beach which is nice.
The water faucet was pretty far from the tent spots near the front. Bathrooms are new. There's a playground for the kids which is nice.
The RV camping is all within nice shaded areas. I wish the tent spots were back there.
Guide to Ottumwa
Camping near Ottumwa, Iowa, offers a mix of beautiful landscapes and fun activities for everyone. Whether you're looking for a peaceful retreat or an adventure-filled getaway, there are several campgrounds to choose from.
What to do:
- Fishing and boating: At Rock Creek State Park Campground, visitors can enjoy a no-wake lake perfect for fishing and kayaking. One camper mentioned, "Boat and kayak rental and a small store with basic necessities" made their stay enjoyable.
- Hiking: Explore the scenic trails at Lacey-Keosauqua State Park. A reviewer shared, "Excellent hiking trails. Great area to explore around the park as well."
- Playgrounds and family activities: Many campgrounds, like F. W. Kent Park, have playgrounds for kids. One parent noted, "New playground for the kids. Clean facilities."
What campers like:
- Clean facilities: Campers appreciate well-maintained restrooms and showers. A visitor at Thousand Hills State Park Campground remarked, "The shower houses had individual, private, large, and very clean facilities."
- Spacious campsites: Many campers enjoy the roomy sites at Whitebreast Campground. One reviewer said, "Sites were very spaced out and they are only on one side of the road."
- Natural beauty: Campers love the picturesque surroundings. A visitor at Diamond Lake County Park mentioned, "The lake is really clean and lovely, with lush grass and greenery all around."
What you should know:
- Self-registration: Most campgrounds, like Diamond Lake County Park, operate on a first-come, first-served basis. A camper noted, "Check-in is self-registration and is done onsite."
- Limited amenities: Some campgrounds may not have markets or stores nearby. A visitor at F. W. Kent Park pointed out, "NO market" on-site, so plan accordingly.
- Noise from highways: Campgrounds close to major roads, like Newton KOA, can be noisy. One camper mentioned, "The sounds of traffic wasn't too bad," but it's something to consider.
Tips for camping with families:
- Choose campgrounds with playgrounds: Look for places like F. W. Kent Park that offer kid-friendly amenities. A parent shared, "Nice campground with a lake" and activities for children.
- Plan for activities: Bring along games or outdoor toys to keep kids entertained. A camper at Rock Creek State Park Campground enjoyed the "little store" for snacks and supplies.
- Check for family-friendly events: Some parks host events or activities during the summer. A visitor at Lacey-Keosauqua State Park mentioned, "Great beach, and just close enough to town to grab some ice cream."
Tips from RVers:
- Look for full hookups: Campgrounds like Kellogg RV Park offer full-service electric, water, and sewer. A reviewer said, "The sites are mostly pull through with full service electric, water, and sewer."
- Choose quieter sites: Opt for spots away from busy roads. A camper at Newton KOA suggested, "The best sites are those in the lower valley."
- Explore local dining options: Many campgrounds are near local eateries. A visitor at Kellogg RV Park recommended checking out "Iowa's Best Burger Café" nearby.
With these insights, you're all set for a great camping experience near Ottumwa, Iowa!
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular tent campsite near Ottumwa, IA?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Ottumwa, IA is Quercus Wilderness Area with a 0-star rating from 0 reviews.
What is the best site to find tent camping near Ottumwa, IA?
TheDyrt.com has all 17 tent camping locations near Ottumwa, IA, with real photos and reviews from campers.