Best RV Parks & Resorts near Pisgah, IA

Cottonwood Cove Park was the fifth campsite we rolled into in this tri-state area looking for a spot that we actually liked, and boy did we score! This is a little municipal park with only 12 sites, water/electric/cable TV for $22/night. Be aware that there is no dump station here. There's a small bath house that's presently closed for COVID-19 precautions.

Driveways and the road through the campground are crushed white gravel, but there are small concrete pads at each site for the rig and patio area. Large cottonwood trees tower throughout the campground. There are tiny campers and large fifth-wheels here, both. There's a campground host occupying one site, and you pay the host. Spacing between sites is very, very generous -- kudos to Dakota City for not cramming people into this place just to double the revenue.

The campground buts up right against a pretty natural stretch of the west bank of the Missouri River, with a boat launch and interpretive platform discussing Lewis & Clark's expedition that passed through here. The campground itself is tucked right into the middle of a neat, tidy residential neighborhood, such that it almost feels like you're part of the neighborhood.

It's been amazingly quiet during our stay. We've barely seen our neighbors, much less heard them even though the campground is mostly occupied. There are several rigs here that are long-term, presumably they're working at the massive Tyson Foods plant just up the road.

Cell service on Verizon is an impressive 4 bars, 42ms ping/65.6 Mbps down/24.8 Mbps up/3ms jitter.

We'd stay here again in a heartbeat.

Our family and another family shared a primitive tent site near the back of the park. We were first and foremost impressed with the freedom we had in choosing our site. Tent camping here is non-reservable, but once you enter the park, you may choose from any spots containing a fire pit outside of RV loops. Tent sites range from lake-front, to playground side, to more private sites on the outer rim of the park. We chose a large, private site at the back of the park. This site was well maintained and had enough space to easily accommodate two families of four. We even had a picnic shelter all to ourselves. Our site was lined by woods and farmland and had a good view of a small pond. The night was full of exciting animal noises from both the nearby farm and pond. Vault toilets were a short walk away with clean shower facilities just a few loops away. The kids enjoyed riding bikes up and down gravel roads, looking for frogs, and playing on the playground. Canoe and paddle boat rental is extremely reasonable. Hiking trails near the park entrance are rugged. The staff was incredibly kind and easy-going, yet attentive. Just a short drive from neighboring towns, this is a good starter campground for families with younger kids. We hope to return in winter to check out the camping cabins.

Concrete pads, very little leveling needed. Plenty of space in between sites. Dappled shade. Easily accessible for any size rig. We didn’t use bath/shower facility; it required a code from the city. Portapotties were available in campground. Garbage dumpster, but no recycling. Dump station available, but area may be a bit tight for larger rigs to access. Camp host on site. No laundry. Some train noise. Excellent Verizon signal. Nice park with boat ramp and scenic overlook on the Missouri River. Campground is located about 5 minutes off the interstate.

This campground is not really designed as an actual campground. It is for fair workers to hook up to during the county fair but is available for use by the general public at all other times. It gets 4 stars not because of any amenities, but because it is a safe uncrowded overnight location that is perfect to stay at with fuel and food nearby and a large area to walk pets.

Pros: Easy to move rigs in and out of, 30&50amp hookups, perfect for an overnight stop right off the highway if you don't want to stay in a Walmart parking lot. Pretty flat spots

Cons: Not built for actual camping (no fire rings/picnic tables/paved sites/bathrooms), sewer dump on location but unavailable for general population use, if you plug into the 30 amp receptacle it is $20 a night, if you plug into the 50amp receptacle it is $25 a night, each pedestal has both plugs. Some may say that is steep for a place like this, but it helps keep it maintained.

Pros: Quiet, walking trails, lake, bar nearby, clean showers and bathroom, building a new playground as of 10/2022

Cons: Dump station is on a noticeable uphill slope, so you won't be able to completely empty a tank if your setup is the wrong way. No water hookups at sites. 

We stayed in October 2022 at site 28. This is my favorite site because it has a convienient water spicket right next to it if you want to fill your freshwater tank without moving your rig. The only drawback is that it is right next to the showers so a little busy. Campground is well kept. Lake is low as of 2022 but looks to be refilling.