110 campgrounds · Check availability for any dates.
Campgrounds surrounding Pleasant Hill, Iowa feature a mix of county and state-managed facilities with varying amenities and landscapes. Yellow Banks County Park offers spacious sites with river access and hiking trails to Indian burial mounds, while Thomas Mitchell County Park provides tent, RV, cabin, and glamping accommodations. Most developed campgrounds in the area maintain electric hookups and standard amenities, with several offering full RV connections including sewer, water, and 50-amp service. The region includes multiple lakeside options near Saylorville Lake, with Bob Shelter Recreation Area, Prairie Flower Recreation Area, and Cherry Glen Campground providing alternatives for campers seeking water proximity.
Camping is available year-round at several locations including Yellow Banks County Park, Jester County Park, and Walnut Woods State Park, while others operate seasonally from spring through fall. Saylorville Lake campgrounds typically open from May through September or October. Advance reservations are strongly recommended, particularly for weekend stays during summer months when sites fill quickly. Many campgrounds feature spacious, level sites with gravel or paved pads. A camper noted, "Large spacious sites with a fire ring and picnic table. Cost per night is low. Firewood available and camp host was a wonderful older gentleman."
The Iowa State Fairgrounds provides a unique camping experience with hundreds of full-hookup sites, primarily designed for RVs rather than tent camping. While not a traditional nature-focused destination, it offers convenient access to fair events and activities in Des Moines. Developed campgrounds in the area typically include modern restrooms and shower facilities, though amenities vary by location. Many sites throughout the region offer shaded camping areas, fishing opportunities, and hiking trails. One visitor described Yellow Banks as having "nice quiet campground with the Des Moines river close by for fishing or kayaking. Most of the spots are shaded and well maintained." Several campgrounds feature playgrounds, making them suitable for family camping trips, while others provide boat ramps for water access.
"Close proximity to the state fair without being to close. Great stay! Our site had an open field behind it definitely recommend."
"There are two RV sites with shower houses, and about 10 tentsites on a large rectangular area in the back surrounded by trees."
"Has a cute pond and is adjacent to a bike and running trail. The main lodge has very clean restrooms and showers with hot water! Recommended"
"There is also a very nice bike trail right outside the park."
from $35 - $90 / night
Check Availability"We stayed here for two nights while visiting family nearby. It’s a pretty location with the dam and waterway right there. The sites are well spaced."
"Great spot located next to the Des Moines River. Check in was a breeze and conveniently near the fill and dump stations. Peaceful lot near the river. Great fishing in the river."
from $22 - $26 / night
Check Availability"Thomas Mitchell park is located outside of Altoona Iowa on 197 acres. There are electric and non electric sites available."
"The drive into the grounds was a little confusing, but I imagine that in the daylight we would have had an easier time."
"With a theme park on one side and a casino on the other, both in walking distance. It’s more of a park and party place hahaha"
"Short walk to the amusement park. We were there for most of the early summer so we got a season pass to the park which included the water park. They also have workcamper programs."
"A couple minor complaints that I developed would be that it is right next to the golf course so there is a lot of near by traffic, and people like to cruise on motorcycles and drive muscle cars through"
"Iowa county parks are amazing. They pour money into them and it really shows. Clean, I mean immaculate. Nature/Conservancy center there is just next level."
from $20 - $25 / night
Check Availability"The Prarie Flower campground at Saylorville Lake is an open, flat grassy campground near wooded trails around the US Army Corps of Engineers land."
"Lots of prairie area around, spacious sites. Varying levels of shade. A25, had a good amount of shade and was near the nice playground and nice bathrooms. No view of the lake from loop A."
from $20 - $336 / night
Check Availability"There's a boat camp, a bird watching area, a playground, plany of park space with picnic tables and BBQ pits, hiking and biking trails, and even a lodge that I assume can be rented for events."
"Walnut Woods is conveniently located 25 minutes outside of downtown Des Moines. Sites are paved and mostly level, although we did have to throw a couple of blocks under one side of our TT tires."
from $25 - $40 / night
Check Availability"The Iowa State Fair is the best fair in the world with more than a million visitors every year! There is something for everyone in the family."
"I always loved going here when I lived in Iowa! The State Fair was a blast! Being able to actually stay there made it that much better!!"
"Above average overall for central Iowa. Views of Saylorville Lake. Plenty of shade. Clean restrooms. It’s a large park and some sites are close together, but generally spacious. Good cell service."
"Lots of RV sites around. The whole area around Saylorville Lake has camping. Lush green plots of land everywhere. I forget how pretty it is in the Midwest when I'm gone for so long."
from $24 - $26 / night
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ScoutGreat spot in the woods. Lots of trails. They have a bison and elk sanctuary. Also a nature center. A playground. They have several RV spots. Most are pre book but they have a section for first come first serve. Also lots of tent camping. A few group camping areas. Showers are ok. I believe the non shower house bathrooms are all vault toilets. Overall a great place to stay!
ScoutThere are a couple small hiking trails, but they were very well maintained and an easy hike to get my daughter started in her backpack.
ScoutThey show tent camping reservations allowed online and they even let you book a tent to Camp online for paying $32 but then when they come around and talk to you they don't say anything about not having a tent allowed and they don't give you the codes to the restroom and then they just close the office and go to bed and then at 11:00 at night the sheriff comes and tells you to grab all your stuff because there's no camping allowed and put you out on the street with nowhere to go and no more money cuz you wasted all your money on that stupid site that you didn't even get to stay at and then you realize that after you carried all your stuff over to the bar and had to sleep outside on the streets with your service dog when you have disabilities and you told them you have seizures that you had a seizure and now you have to go to the hospital and you lost your tent because somebody stole it so now you have nowhere to live because you're homeless and somebody stole your only house which was your tent because the sheriff kicked you out at 10:00 or 11:00 at night that was really great thanks that was the best experience in my whole life not really and thanks for putting my stress level so high that I went to seizures when people have disabilities you guys should be more accommodating and be more open and honest and be more willing to talk to people
GuideArrived at Reece Memorial Park in the early afternoon. I stopped by the Octagonal shelter at the south entrance of the park. This is a large shelter house with a fireplace in the middle of the building with several picnic tables.
I then drove down the road and entered into the west entrance of the park and followed it around the loop. There is a wide open area with a small slide and Merry-go-round, along with a couple of picnic tables.
I found, what I think, the best campsite in the park, and it was open. It sits along the creek and there was a fire ring there. This park is all primitive campsites, and so be prepared for that, although the description of the campground mentions vault toilets, I did not see them.
It was a very nice relaxing campsite, and the fact that there was no cell service, made it even better! There were a few vehicles drive through, and a little road noise, but I enjoyed my stay there. The creek was up, and it looks like part of the park might still be closed on the South side.
To primitive camp, the cost is $10.00 a night, and registration is with a QR Code, but since there is little to no cell service, it was difficult to get registered, so you may want to pay before you go.
ScoutSuch a wonderful, quiet, and peaceful place. We stayed Thur-Sat so we were basically the only ones here.
I have never seen such clean and gorgeous bathrooms at a campground before along with a very clean laundry room. The bathrooms were large and HC accessible with rain showers and benches.
There are campers and a cabin to rent, and a nice walking trail. While we didn't use any, they have a driving range, archery, waterside, and paddles boats.
There's a gas station only a couple miles away so we could gas up the night before leaving without pulling our camper with.
The only downside was the amount of Ticks. I know with camping comes Ticks but I wish they would spray or something to control the amount of them crawling across our camping rug and into our camper.
If we come this way again, will definitely stay here as it's just a 15 minutes off I-35.
TravelerPark was pretty full, but they found us a spot for the night. Excellent pricing and the yards are BIG compared to other places we've stayed. Would definitely come back
ScoutTesting out a new set up and this has full service with electric, water and sewer line.
GuideArrived just before dusk and I was the only person in the park. Set up across the road from the Accessible Porta-potty. There is a nice playground for kids, and a couple of shelter houses. The park is set up to handle a large amount of horses with access to the trails throughout the park. The Iowa river backs up the park, and I felt it was a nice and peaceful evening.
Make sure you check out the boulder down by the creek!
There were just a couple of minor annoyances, and the first was someone’s dog barking at everything for a good part of the night, and the other was some machine noise down the road into the late evening. Other than that though, I felt it was a great time, and plan to visit again, maybe later in the summer or even in the winter, as the park is open all year.
The cost was$10 per night, and you can register on-site with a dropbox.
ScoutCampsites flat and open with water view. Bathrooms were subpar and smells worse than pit toilets. This was a last resort booking as we weren’t finding places open with a shower due to time of year.
Owner was very friendly, but campground not worth the $32 per night charge.
Campsites near Pleasant Hill, Iowa offer variety across county and state parklands ranging from river settings to lakefront areas. The region sits at approximately 955 feet above sea level with humid summer conditions from June through August when temperatures regularly exceed 80°F. Most camping areas operate with extended seasons, though water access points at Saylorville Lake locations close earlier in fall when water levels fluctuate.
Explore Indian burial mounds: A hiking trail at Yellow Banks County Park leads visitors to historical sites. "Great little campground. Theres a hiking trail that will take you to indian burial mounds. There is also fishing and boating. They have a fun playground also. There are a couple of backpacking sites as well," notes Derrick W.
Fish in multiple locations: Catch bluegill and bass at the fishing pond in Griffs Valley View RV Park. A reviewer commented, "There is a really nice pond for fishing that has some bluegills. The water is very clean." At Yellow Banks, river fishing offers different opportunities as one camper shared: "Never tried the river here, but is known for big cats."
Splash in creek waters: Children enjoy cooling off in the small waterways at Thomas Mitchell County Park during summer months. "Easy trails for the kids to go hiking and playing in the creek to cool off in the heat. There is even a pond for fishing that you can take a trail from the campsite to," reports a visitor.
Bike paved trails: Access extensive trail networks directly from several campgrounds. "The voicemail said it was fully booked from May until September. Good thing we got through because they found us a site for the night," reports one cyclist who stayed at Griffs Valley View while accessing the nearby Chichaqua Valley Trail.
Spacious campsites: Thomas Mitchell County Park offers creek-side sites with ample room. "Thomas Mitchell park is located outside of Altoona Iowa on 197 acres. There are electric and non electric sites available. The outer loop has a creek that flows behind the sites with large stairs to get down to it," explains Shannon G.
Wildlife viewing opportunities: Multiple camping areas provide habitat for viewing local fauna. At Jester County Park, visitors can see bison in designated viewing areas. "It's got access to trails and to the Des Moines river. It's a great little escape. There is a fishing pond that's got plenty of bluegill and largemouth bass," notes one outdoor enthusiast about Yellow Banks.
Clean facilities: Prairie Flower Recreation Area maintains quality bathhouses even during busy seasons. "This is a very large campground with lots of sites and large group camping areas. The bathrooms and shower house are nice and clean," writes Melissa A. Another camper noted the concrete pads at many sites, adding "The only thing holding it back from 5 stars is no water or sewer onsite."
Late arrival accommodation: Several campgrounds offer systems for after-hours check-in. "We rolled up to this campground past 10pm on a Thursday night just looking for a safe spot to sleep and hopefully a shower before getting back on the road. This place was great... There was no camp office that we could find, but we were pleasantly surprised when we found an open spot that we could make a same day reservation and payment online," reports Reese W.
Reservation requirements: Sites at Jester County Park and other popular locations fill months in advance for summer weekends. "This campground is a hot spot for Des Moines to escape the weekend - with that said, reservations are a must! Most times you need to make them six months out," explains a regular visitor to Prairie Flower.
Dump station congestion: Single dump stations at larger campgrounds create delays during checkout times. "Now my one complaint - there's one dump station for a campground that is large is size and popularity. Trying to leave on Sunday is a good 1 hour wait... that's being generous!"
Seasonal availability: Water access and some facilities close earlier than camping areas. A visitor to Thomas Mitchell notes, "We stayed at site 4, glad I read reviews on here. I personally would not want to be in a site beyond number 7 as it gets too close to the dump station and subsequent 'sewage lagoon.'"
Mosquito presence: Wooded areas near water features experience significant insect activity. "Mosquitoes can get pretty bad, also poison ivy if you get into the thickets," warns a visitor to Thomas Mitchell County Park.
Playground access: Bob Shelter Recreation Area offers recreation facilities within walking distance from campsites. "Along with the campgrounds there are quite a few picnic areas and shelters with playground equipment and plenty of space to run and play games with your kids," describes Matt S.
Creek exploration: Children particularly enjoy wading areas at Thomas Mitchell Park. "Kids were having a blast in the water," reports a visitor who appreciated the large stairs providing creek access behind the outer loop sites.
Water safety precautions: Campgrounds near Saylorville Lake require added vigilance. "Great spot located next to the Des Moines River. Check in was a breeze and conveniently near the fill and dump stations. Peaceful lot near the river," notes a visitor who appreciated the river access while maintaining safety awareness.
Educational opportunities: Several parks feature nature centers with programming. "It's got access to trails and to the Des Moines river. It's a great little escape. There is a fishing pond that's got plenty of bluegill and largemouth bass. There is a couple of docks and boat ramps."
Concrete pad availability: Cherry Glen Campground and others offer sturdy surfaces for larger rigs. "The sites are level and well marked. The property is kept up nicely. Has a cute pond and is adjacent to a bike and running trail. The main lodge has very clean restrooms and showers with hot water!" explains Paula O.
Site selection strategy: Waterfront locations require advance planning. "Cherry Glen is very clean and well managed by the Army Corps of Engineers. It is one of the main campgrounds that service Saylorville Lake. I highly suggest visiting during the week because on the weekends the local boaters invade," advises a regular visitor.
Water access planning: "No water hook ups, so fill up after you get in the campground before you park. Lots of prairie area around, spacious sites. Varying levels of shade," notes Mia L. about Prairie Flower's facilities.
Full-hookup options: For extended stays, select locations with complete services. "We got here and the staff and people are very friendly they keep it very clean and it's nice and quiet. The lots are a nice size and have hookups for everything."
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular campground near Pleasant Hill, IA?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular campground near Pleasant Hill, IA is Yellow Banks County Park with a 4.5-star rating from 15 reviews.
What parks are near Pleasant Hill, IA?
According to TheDyrt.com, there are 5 parks near Pleasant Hill, IA that allow camping, notably Saylorville Lake and Lake Red Rock.
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