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Thomas Mitchell County Park accepts pets at all campsites with plenty of space to walk dogs along hiking trails or in open fields near tent and RV sites. Yellow Banks County Park, Newton KOA, and Colfax Quarry Springs Park all maintain pet-friendly policies throughout their grounds. Campers consistently note the clean facilities at these parks, making them comfortable for both people and pets. Electric hookup sites are available for RV camping with dogs at most locations, while tent campers find spacious sites with picnic tables and fire rings where pets can join their owners. Leashed pets are welcome on the trails, though they must be attended at all times. Thomas Mitchell Park features a small creek where dogs can splash around to cool off during summer months, with rock stairways providing easy access points throughout the park.
Hiking trails throughout these campgrounds provide excellent exercise opportunities for dogs, with Thomas Mitchell Park's wide main trails particularly well-suited for dog walking. Campers should be aware that mosquitoes can be problematic in summer months, especially near water features where pets might play. Most campgrounds enforce quiet hours starting at 10:30 pm, helping maintain a peaceful environment and minimize barking disturbances. The fishing pond at Yellow Banks Park offers another activity where leashed pets can accompany their owners. Firewood is available for purchase at most locations, with camp hosts often delivering bundles directly to sites for convenience. During peak season (April through October), pet owners should make reservations in advance as the most desirable sites fill quickly, particularly at Thomas Mitchell Park and Yellow Banks Park.
"Thomas Mitchell park is located outside of Altoona Iowa on 197 acres. There are electric and non electric sites available."
"Perfect weather last weekend and loved the little creek to splash around in with the dogs. Loads of rock stairways to enter and edit the creek throughout the park."
"Wonderful trails, lots of space. Access to DM River, has nice pond, playgrounds, just a beautiful area. "
"camped here in 2021 and I enjoyed it but the first night I was there I ran my vehicle down the second night I was there I took a tour on the campgrounds and got verbally accosted but another camper for walking"
"Quick and easy off/on road location. Was their first year. This is a new RV Park that was once a quarry. Hence the name. Big lakes and good areas to walk."
"They have porta potties around. Two places to launch kayaks. Most campsites have fire rings, picnic tables and trash bins. Some have grills."
from $15 / night
Check Availability"rural Iowa."
"Newton KOA This is the primary location for camping in Newton. It’s right off interstate I-80 and is very close to the Iowa Speedway."
"I travel with my dog and during the 3 nights I stayed, I was constantly removing them from him, myself and within the inside of my van."
"Each of the 10 campsites are spacious and plenty of distance between. Nice quick trails with wildlife. The park is well maintained and well priced!"
"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."
"Following up on my review from over a year ago, I’m adding a bunch of additional photos as well as an abbreviated post pointing out the HIGHS and LOWS of this roadside pit stop of a campground in rural"
"Our little dog especially liked the two chicken coops at east side of the the campground! (Not noisy or any problem - just a reminder that you are in Iowa!)."
"Next to skunk river oxbows, kayak, no swimming, water stagnant, no fish, about 4ft depth everywhere. Great hiking trails, clean, great camp hosts, ranger. All sites first come."
"We haven't camped here, but have seen that the tent areas are right next to the water. Super serene with great hiking trails and bird watching!"
"Plenty of room for our dogs"
"Our site had a great view of the lake, as well. The campgrounds are a drive away from the beach and most boat ramps. "
from $20 - $288 / night
Check Availability"Stopped overnight on our way home from Iowa City. No reservations & took our chances on finding an electric site. Score! Neighbors were friendly."
"The RV section of campground was nearly full but the tent/non-hook up section had lots of space. One can camp on lakeside but be aware that these spots have a slope, not comfortable for my van."
from $16 - $48 / night
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GuideI just loved this campground. It has shade trees, grass, free showers and lots of room. It is part of a city park on the outskirts of Winterset. There is a dog park and one of the Bridges of Madison County is located within walking distance of the campground. This was well worth the 20 mile drive off I80. If I had known how m=nice this area was, I would have planned better and stayed here for more than one night.
RangerThis campground has many sites to choose from - RV with hookups as well as some non-electric tent sites. There are quite a few activities in Marshalltown, and it is within the Marshalltown city limits.
The downside is proximity. It is right next to the highway. When I was there in a tent, the hog trucks would drive by all night (loud and smelly). The RV sites are closest to the road, so maybe it is not so bad in an RV, but it is not particularly enjoyable in a tent.
Pros:
+ Marshalltown has quite a few places to eat
+ Nice bike trails (and a great bicycle store downtown)
+ It is near the Iowa River
+ Nice park in general with activities like a dog park
+ Camp host on-site
+ Decent sized campsites
+ Playground for the kids
Cons:
+ It can get busy on a summer weekend
+ Noisy - right by the highway
+ Mosquitos are really bad here
GuideOne of my favorite locations to camp in Iowa as a Boy Scout growing up was Ledges State Park. Since I hadn't been back in years, I decided to check it out and spend a night camping there. It's close to how I remember it.
The campground has a good picnic area, restrooms, and an excellent trail. It's also inexpensive.
What I enjoy most about this park compared to others in Iowa are the sandstone ledges and the slopes on the trail. There are some excellent views, so make sure your phone has enough battery to take photos (unlike me). I also spent a lot of time off the trail. It isn't too hard to get around. I'm not one who enjoys staying at a park that is mostly flat, so this is definitely a good place in Iowa for me to camp.
If you are looking for a cool place to camp within an hour of Des Moines, you should seriously consider this park.
ScoutOne of the more beautiful places to camp in Iowa. Awesome hiking trails and really well-shaded campsites. The hike in spots are great if you like privacy and being in the middle of the woods - but you don’t want to be THAT far from your car.
Beware of the raccoons. They’re plentiful and crazy smart here. We had one open our cooler, steal an egg from the cartoon - without disturbing anything else. Honestly, I was impressed! But some of our friends had them rip through their tents to get at food - not as impressive.
TravelerIn a grove of trees in a slightly hilly area. Easy access, but sites are gravel. Nice bit of grass with each site, most are at least partially shaded. Small dog park which is pea gravel, not grass.
GuideSpots kind of level, lots of choices of pull thru or buddy sites. Decent playground, water pillow for bouncing, fishing pond, dog park, swimming pool. Well maintained, lots of planned activities. KOA, so not a lot of nature. But no traffic or train noise. Full hook ups, including TV.
GuideSome full hook ups, sites not very level, playground ok. Can hear shots from gun range next door. Dog park, pool, arcade. We have camped here a couple times, and stored our rig here for a while. Didn't find there was that much going on here to keep us busy. Not a lot of nature, no trails or biking accessible from campground.
LegendWhile it was our first time camping in Iowa, we were extremely lucky to land upon this slightly hidden fresh water centered campground just a 20 minute drive south of Route 80 near Montezuma, wherein one needs only follow Road#63, before coming across Diamond Lake County Park. With the fall colors being in full bloom when we visited, the entire campground was awash in bright yellows, reds and oranges from the changing colors of the leaves. Also, as we were visiting in mid-October, versus some of the other reviews here, we found that we had the place mostly to ourselves, which made for a rather peaceful sublime respite we were searching for.
As for the campground itself, what we enjoyed most was how this location is, for the most part, very well organized in keeping the RV'ers and 5th Wheeler crowds together, while preserving a nice slice of verdant lakeside pasture for us primitive camper types. Each of the sites for camping come equipped with (in most cases) fairly new aluminum picnic tables, fire ring with folding BBQ grill. While we didn’t stay in the RV areas, given our tent-pitching persuasion, what we did see was fairly impressive and looked altogether rather brand new with freshly poured concrete slots and fairly mint-looking RV hook-ups (50 amp electric and water) and this same area also boasted a brand new restroom facilities.
Obviously, the main attraction here is Diamond Lake itself, with its more than 90 acres of fresh water, albeit murky fresh water, was certainly a hit with this camping family. We enjoyed being able to get out on the lake with our kayaks and canoes as well as go for very long walks around the circumference of the lake itself, with which you will find simply splendid trails. And if that’s not enough exploration for you, then head further inland and away from the lake to explore this parks other 660 acres of grassy prairieland.
From an amenities standpoint, there’s a decent amount, including: three shower houses, four shelters, 2 dump stations, three his / her latrines (some much more dated than others), boat ramp and fishing dock, a dedicated fish cleaning station and what looked to be a fairly new kids playground. In all there’s a total of 120 sites to choose from, with 80 designated for RVs / 5th Wheelers and 40 earmarked for primitive camping, which do not come with any electric, which was on one hand the biggest bummer, but on the other hand, offered up front-row access to lakeside camping bliss as many of these primitive campsites are located right on the water’s edge.
Insider’s tips? Here’s a few: (1) Check-in is self-registration and is done onsite, so net-net, this place is first-come, first served as no online or advanced registration is taken. While we didn’t mind this, and given that we arrived right around noon as folks were actually checking out, we got the ‘pick of the litter’ of campsites. Electric sites are $20 / night and non-electric are $10, so this place is incredibly affordable; (2) If you are looking for some grub nearby after growing weary of another meal of franks & beans, then there’s really just a few nearby options: Subway, Sauced Pizza & Pub, Casey’s and Yolanda’s Tacos over in the little town of Montezuma; (3) While there are actually few different campgrounds here at Diamond Lake, for primitive campers, the best sites IMHO are located as far southwest as you can possible go around the lake, where there’s more than a dozen or so sites that sit right in front of the water and present a completely isolated surrounding.
Happy Camping!
TravelerThe campground was nice, but it seems more for RVs. Sometimes you have to share a fire pit with other tents if it's busy. They have a small petting zoo and a small beach. This place feels more like a neighborhood verses camping in nature. Most people use this as a "summer home".
Camping areas near Prairie City, Iowa offer multiple pet accommodations within a 30-mile radius of this central Iowa town. Located in Jasper County where elevation ranges between 900-950 feet, this area experiences typical Midwestern seasonal patterns with humid summers and cold winters. Fall camping from September through early November provides the best combination of pleasant temperatures and fewer mosquitoes at most Prairie City area campgrounds.
Fishing opportunities: At Rock Creek State Park, visitors can enjoy excellent angling from shore or boat. "The lake has lots of features like brush piles, vertical structures, mossy areas and you can go over by the bridge and fish the rocks. It's a great place if you have a boat or kayak/canoe," notes a regular visitor. The park is particularly known for crappie and bass fishing.
Hiking trails: Multiple trail networks exist at Chichaqua Bottoms Greenbelt for pet-friendly walks. A camper mentions, "Nice, well-marked trails" throughout the conservation area. Another visitor adds that "There are plenty of trails to hike and some really nice views of the prairies."
Water activities: Kayaking and canoeing options exist at several locations with Grant Park offering creek access. "There is a creek in the back and some pretty easy hiking trails to explore. There is a fish cleaning station near the creek," reports a camper who visited the park. Rental equipment may be available seasonally at some locations.
Spacious sites: Grant Park receives consistent praise for site layout. "The sites were very spacious, some massive and very spread out. You could see neighbors but you aren't on top on them," writes one reviewer. Another camper adds, "10 free sites. Well maintained and quiet. Paved fire ring area and picnic table at each site."
Affordability: Multiple pet-friendly camping options near Prairie City maintain reasonable rates. "I camped right on the water's edge for $6 a night, 2 weeks for $88!" reported one Rock Creek State Park visitor, though rates may have changed since this review. Grant Park offers free camping with a 14-day maximum stay according to multiple reviewers.
Natural surroundings: Colfax Quarry Springs Park provides scenic settings in a reclaimed quarry environment. "This is my favorite place to go hiking, kayaking, camping and fishing," writes one regular visitor. Another adds, "Awesome campground, clean and well maintained. Even the outhouses smelled good."
Seasonal considerations: Many campgrounds near Prairie City have limited seasons. A Chichaqua visitor warns, "Drove 6 hours to find out the campground is closed (apparently for all of fall and winter) without any awareness of that being the case online." Call ahead during shoulder seasons.
Tick concerns: The prairie and woodland environments foster tick populations. A Grant Park visitor cautions: "Let's talk ticks!! I travel with my dog and during the 3 nights I stayed, I was constantly removing them from him, myself and within the inside of my van... If you travel with a pet, check them constantly and make sure they are on a tick med!"
Site reservations: For peak season camping with pets, reserve sites when possible. "This park, like all state parks, has had its ups and downs," notes one Rock Creek camper, and weekends fill quickly at most locations between Memorial Day and Labor Day.
Playground access: Newton KOA offers multiple play areas for children. "Very friendly staff. Tons for kids and families to do," writes a visitor. The campground includes "two kids playground, laundr-O-mat, basketball court, restroom & shower facilities" according to another review.
Swimming options: Some locations offer water access, though water quality varies. A Rock Creek visitor notes: "Unfortunately, the amazing swimming beach with concession stand and changing rooms with showers is gone. Due to the large population of geese, ducks, and cranes, the water is not safe to swim in."
Budget-friendly activities: Free fishing is available at multiple locations for families with valid Iowa licenses. "We caught so many fish here we had to actually let some loose because we were over our limit," relates a Rock Creek camper, making this an economical activity for families.
Hookup variations: Kellogg RV Park provides full service sites designed with practical layouts. "Level sites with full hookups" are available according to one reviewer. Another notes the efficient setup: "Each pull-thru, gravel-strewn site (all 18' wide with lengths ranging from 65' to 85') comes equipped with all of the typical hook-ups (20 / 30 / 50 amp electric, water and sewage)."
Noise considerations: Highway proximity affects some locations. A visitor to Kellogg RV Park notes: "The only real issue is the constant noise from I-80 which is just to the south of the campground." Select sites furthest from roadways when possible.
Access roads: Some pet-friendly campgrounds have gravel approach roads that may be challenging in wet conditions. "Coming off the main road, you'll enter onto a Dead End gravel road," explains a Grant Park camper, indicating the need for appropriate vehicles during inclement weather.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular dog-friendly campsite near Prairie City, IA?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dog-friendly campground near Prairie City, IA is Thomas Mitchell County Park with a 4.3-star rating from 11 reviews.
What is the best site to find dog-friendly camping near Prairie City, IA?
TheDyrt.com has all 84 dog-friendly camping locations near Prairie City, IA, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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