The Dyrt is here to help plan your best camping near Shellsburg. There are tons of hikes and other fun activities to partake in. Experience some of the most stunning views that Iowa camping has to offer. At The Dyrt, campers like you share their favorite spots, plus tips and photos. No matter where you're headed in Shellsburg, you'll find the best spot for you and your camping crew.
$54 / night
"The site offers primitive amenities near Wikiup Hill learning Center. Taking a short trail to the site, the permanent wake up offers shelter, fire ring with grate, and restrooms nearby."
"Linn County, Iowa, county pack in Primitive site is near nature scape, pit toilets, offers fire pit with sitting blocks and firewood included with camp fee, nature center just yards away, trails, forested"
$24 - $45 / night
"Primitive and private. Pond for recreation, fishing, and swimming. Kids be sure to try the rope swing. "
"The farm was cute and a wonderful place to get outside and be in nature. The hosts were very accommodating and professional! We will definitely be returning, 10 stars!"
"Campsites right next to the pond and good tree cover made the experience fun anyway. Good bass and panfish fishing with quiet campgrounds that aren’t right next to each other."
"My son and I tent-camped at Macbride Nature Recreation Area (not nearby Lake Macbride State Park) several times circa 2005. Always a good time."
$25 / night
"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."
$35 - $50 / night
"Convenient location a lot of amenities and activities"
ScoutNice quiet little primitive campground next to the Wapsipinicon River. Unfortunately, when I was there the last weekend of May, the gnats were bad, and the mosquitoes were just starting to gear up. HOWEVER, take bug spray and enjoy the rustic peacefulness of this "best kept secret" for primitive and inexpensive camping sites. Beautiful location, ranger close by, wood for sale just across the bridge, fire pits and picnic tables at every site. Good for RV, trailer or tent camping… level ground and lots of shade. Primitive bathrooms, no showers or running water.
GuideThe pros: $10 fee ($15 electric), campground seems well maintained (grass is mown, security light works, tables in good repair, gravel access road in good shape, etc); no one here but us, the sound of the running Creek is soothing, vault toilet is probably the cleanest I've seen; ATT cell service was 3bars 5G The unusual: no specific site, no specific place to pull into, no site numbers or designation except on the electric pedestals. It's all grass. Pull onto the grass near the table or electric pedestal you want. The cons: highway traffic noise is easily heard and doesn't seem to stop for more than a few seconds (though the crickets/bug sounds and the creek sound is sometimes louder so you hear that instead), dust from vehicles passing on nearby dirt road filters thru the trees (due to dry weather?), and, well, it is, after all, a vault toilet-not my fav,
GuideOur one-night stay at the Sugar Bottom- Coralville Lake Campground was terrific! My husband and I stopped there during our cross-country road trip. We arrived around 7:30pm on a Sunday in September and easily got a spot. The lady at the entrance station was incredibly kind and answered all of our questions.
The campground is very well marked, with easily visible site number labels. Each site is in a grassy area with a picnic table and fire ring with a grate. Our site had a tree or two that provided some shade, but some other sites were a but more shaded.
We ended up staying in site #103, which is right by the water. What a beautiful view we had! Our campsite was very close to a boat dock, a sand volleyball court, and a sandy beach. We didn't have a chance to swim at the beach, but it looked really nice! It had a large, designated swimming area that was marked with floating ropes. We were also located close to a building with restrooms. Each restroom had a clean, hot shower. The showers were free, which was a plus!
In my opinion, this is definitely a 5-star campground. I can't wait to come back!
LegendGeneral: This is a small (29-site) county park campground situated along the North Fork Maquoketa River. Nine of the sites are reservable, and the rest are first-come, first-served. Some sites are primitive, and some have water and 30-amp electricity hookups. There is one ADA-accessible site with a paved camper pad.
Site Quality: Most sites are level. The camper pads are gravel/grass, but not all are clearly defined. Each site has a picnic table and a fire ring.
Bath/Shower: The bath/shower house was closed when we were there in November but there are vault toilets about a quarter mile from the campground (in the day-use area) that were very clean and well-stocked when we were there.
Activities/Amenities: Many activities including disc golf, three hiking trails, volleyball, two playgrounds (one in the day-use area and one by the campsites). There are two reservable picnic shelters. There is also a dump station.
We were tent camping in November on a backpacking trip so we didn’t take advantage of any of the activities but would return in our van on a future camping trip. We were the ONLY ones in the campground at this time of year!
LegendThis campground also goes by the name of Holbert. Small campground but free with a handful of picnic tables and campfires. The vault toilets were cleanish, thou older. This campground is next to a pretty little creek that you can play and fish in. The campground is really just a series of campsites strung out along the creek and road. It was pretty quiet while I was there, not many campers at all. There are no hookups for RV’s/campers so it is primarily tent camping or dry camping. There is an interesting story about how this camping area has come to be: the land was donated by Ella Ellis in memory of her husband William Ellis. They apparently loved the land and wanted to make sure it was never developed and could be enjoyed by all. A lovely story.
RangerWe stayed in a walk-in site for one night at the Non-Modern campground. It was wonderful! We arrived at dark and set up our backpacking tents but were able to see stars and be separated from our neighboring site. The campground had a water spigot to fill containers and dumpsters (no trash at site). There are no amenities at the campsites in this campground. A restroom with pit toilets similar to a National Park are on-site. They were very clean, as was the campground. It is on a lake so you will hear boats in the early morning hours and wildlife.
RangerWolf 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
LegendTent area among trees includes fire rings. Showers/restrooms onsite, walk in sites too, firewood available at West Overlook permit station, beach nearby, Iowa River and Coralville Lake nearby (good fishing).
GuideWe stayed at this campground for 7 nights with W/E hook ups. Dump available on entrance/exit. The site was a level rock pad witch was very spacious with a fire ring and picnic table. Nearest grocery store was within 5 miles. The bathrooms and shower were very clean with lots of hot water. There is hiking in the park and very little road noise.
Tent camping near Shellsburg, Iowa, offers a delightful escape into nature with a variety of well-reviewed campgrounds that cater to outdoor enthusiasts.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular tent campsite near Shellsburg, IA?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Shellsburg, IA is Wickiup Hill Primitive Campsite with a 4-star rating from 2 reviews.
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TheDyrt.com has all 23 tent camping locations near Shellsburg, IA, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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