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$5 / night
Despite only being 10 acres, South Fork Park has much to offer. For anglers, this park offers access to the West Fork River and a 3 acre lake. In addition to its aquatic resources, the area provides a small variety of upland game and waterfowl hunting. Primitive camping is allowed but no water resources or toilet facilities are available.
Guide
small park with maybe one primitive tent site no fire pit 24 hour is the length you can stay. 2 small fishing ponds.
Guide
Good variety of activites to do, with lots of camping sites- including some right next to the lake. We went tent camping and had a great time. Would recommend as a great fishing destination. Also very cool to see the Dam, with a great walking path.
TravelerVery well maintained campground in a small but lovely park. Host was very nice and there were lots of open spots on a Saturday in late September. Loved our tent site with a short walk to the lake and clean bathrooms
ScoutLoved camping here, we have 4-5 times already this year! We tent camped but they’ve got lots of spaces for campers and tents as well, bathrooms are close, there is a nice lake near with play equipment located at the lake and at the campground, the campground has old bikes for the kids to use, everyone there is so nice! We love it
TravelerFirst time at Beeds Lake. Easy access to most sites as many are parallel parking style. Lots of shade on the outer sites, plenty of tent sites as well. Camp hosts were available and helpful. This will be in our list of places to return to.
Scout
Fontana is a small campground which fills up relatively fast. The park boasts animal displays and a nature center, fishing, trails and a playground all within the park, It's a quiet park with primitive and electrical hookups. Though I recommend better for campers since many tent sites are under pine trees.
ScoutThis is a great little park if you need a place to stop for the night. It was very inexpensive for tents ($10 I think) and the tent camping area was very nice with 3 giant pine trees and some picnic tables and fire rings. As someone who bicycle tours I appreciated fire wood being on site and close to where the tent area is. The bathrooms aren’t the best but they worked. Overall its a safe, clean, welcoming campground for both tents and RV’s.
GuideGreat state park for a quiet weekend trip. Tons of great tent sites, but it seemed like the RV spots were pretty close together. We stayed at #142 and it was the perfect tent location. Right on the water, distanced from our site neighbors, and a sandbar nearby for some fishing. The swimming beach was gross, but the hiking trail was great for an easy walk with kids.
Traveler
It was kind of loud, but it was busy. The lake for swimming was a little gross but we did it anyway. The bike trails are excellent and same for hiking. Bathrooms were a little old but clean when we were there, but there were massive hornets all over the bathroom area. It's also pretty bright here at night because it's right in the city. But overall, a decent, cheap place to tent camp if you want to explore Cedar Falls.
Ranger
Union Grove is known for having good lake fishing. The lake is also a great place for kayaking or canoeing.
The campground has mostly RV sites, but there are a handful of smaller tent sites at the back, which are my favorite. The campground is quiet.
Amenities:
Showers and toilets
Dump station
Water
2 cabins
Things to do nearby:
Enjoy the lake
Matchstick Marvels in nearby Gladbrook
Ranger
This 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
Ranger
All campsites at Timmons Grove are$18/night and are electric. I have visited this place many times but only camped once. This place has never been busy when I have visited.
I generally do not camp electric, so$18/night was steep for non-electric tent camping. There is no shower and the restroom is a port-a-potty.
The area itself is really beautiful. There are good hiking trails, including a walk through some wildflowers. Bird watchers will love this place. Also expect to see deer and turkeys.
There is boat access to the Iowa river as well as a public hunting area(I have not gone boating or fishing here, or hunting).
Other than the nearby highway, which is not too bad for noise, the campground is really quiet.
The price and the nearby highway are my only real complaints here. I am giving it 4 stars.
Ranger
Wolf Creek is a nice little campground near Beaman, IA (Beaman is very small, near Conrad as well which has a grocery store).
There are 10 RV sites, which are $15/night and several tent/small camper sites which are $10/night.
The campground has potable water but no showers. There are vault toilets.
The campground has a nice playground, which was a feature we enjoyed when my daughter was little.
My favorite part about this campground is the privacy. The tent sites are spread out and it is fairly easy to find one without neighbors too close.
Activities:
+ Playground
+ Creek fishing
+ Nice benches and swings
+ Comet trail for hiking and biking
+ Hunting nearby
Ranger
This campground offered much privacy when I went - I was the only person camping (tent camping). It was very quiet.
That being said, there are not many amenities. It has a vault toilet. I did not check the water hydrant, or even try to locate it, since I brought my own water for one night of camping. There is a small playground for the kids, but it is definitely not a modern playground (think back to the 1970's style playground when I was a kid!).
There are opportunities to hike and view wildlife - my favorite outdoor activities.
This campground is a real bargain. It was $10/night for any site, including the electric (I stayed in one of the non-electric sites near the back).
For me, it offers solitude. I will be coming back regularly.
GuideWooded campground by the Shell Rock River (park has river access and boat ramp, campground not on river). 27 Electric only sites on grass camping pads. $15 a night , free on Wednesdays (except holidays). fish pond and river fishing. playground and clean shower/bathroom house. No trailer dump in park but, available in nearby town of Shell Rock.
Legend
The campground is at the end of a road alongside the Iowa River, tucked out of the way. When driving in you pass a restaurant that touts it’s Sunday Pancake breakfasts. And of course I was coming in Sunday after there service seating time ended. But the other campers I talked with said it was outstanding. The campground is a small series of loops with tent and rvs mixed together. I would have thought the riverside sites would be the place to set up, but most stayed back from those sites due to the crazy up and down flooding the river has been experiencing. In the evenings everyone gathered at the pavilion for fresh popped popcorn and visiting. Just past the campground is the rifle range, but no one was using it so I can’t say how loud it would be. If you need an outfitter for canoeing or kayaking, there is an outfitter in town on the way to the campground. One other thing to note: there are no showers here, but at least the bathrooms were clean.
GuideGood little campground with tent,cabins and rv sites and reasonable
Scout
Hidden gem in Iowa
Scout
It’s quiet, clean, and has some pretty views of the Iowa nite sky
Traveler
Great small town campground. Very quiet, especially on weekdays. Great place to take long walks with great paths and scenery. Small town Iowa with convenience store close by.
Traveler
We stayed in Spot #1, which is by the water. We were in a tent, so it was warm, but overall it was a great stay. Very well maintained and a couple nice trails. Dog friendly.
GuideThis is a quiet county park with beautiful views of the Turkey River valley!! Best for self-contained campers and tents if you don’t mind roughing it.
ScoutEasy in and out late fall camping. I got a great tent spot next to the river. This is a fine campground that I much prefer during the off season (it gets too busy during the warm season for my liking). The connection to hiking trails throughout the park is fantastic.
Traveler
Duttons cave is a beautiful hidden gem. The park is small but the cave and streams are beautiful. It makes you feel like you're not even in Iowa. The campground is small with small campsites but the rest of the park makes up for it.
Guide
Just stayed one night passing through Iowa. Very pretty Campground with colorful Kabin’s and a lake for swimming or paddle boats. Level sites but not much shade.
Surprised we did not get an escort to our site as is usual at KOA’s. Did not use bathroom facilities. Laundry needed attention as it was a bit unkempt and one machine was broken and half full of dirty water.
Would stay again to try some of the other amenities.
GuideTucked out of the way along the iowa river. My kids love this campground and it's cheap. They have a shower house, bathrooms, and a playground. How ever it does flood quit a bit and does not have a dump station. Convenience store in town a couple miles away with a big new city playground and a drop in point on the river right over the bridge you cross to get there for tubing and kayaking.
Guide
Large open field next to some woods with some fire pits and one “site” has a picnic table and a small covering. It’s good for what it is, free camping! We’ve gone a few times, it’s first come first serve, no reservations. Not really much hiking but an okay spot if you’re just looking for a place to pitch a tent and have a fire.
Tent camping near Shell Rock, Iowa offers a variety of options for outdoor enthusiasts looking to enjoy nature and unwind in a serene environment.
Frequently Asked Questions
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