Tent campsites surrounding Story City, Iowa offer secluded wooded spots and small lakeside settings that appeal to campers seeking quiet natural environments. Ashton Wildwood Park, located approximately 43 miles south of Story City, provides spacious tent sites tucked among trees with pit toilets and hiking trails. Colfax Quarry Springs Park, another tent-friendly campground in the region, features waterfront sites with fishing access and basic amenities for primitive tent setups.
Most tent campgrounds in the Story City area require self-sufficiency from campers. Sites generally include fire rings and picnic tables, though amenities vary significantly between locations. Ashton Wildwood Park charges $7 per night with pit toilets in the campground area and flush toilets available at the nearby observatory. Drinking water access is limited at most sites, making water containers essential equipment. Several campgrounds maintain portable toilets but lack shower facilities, reflecting their primitive nature. The Colfax location recently added new restroom facilities that campers report are well-maintained.
Tent camping experiences near Story City tend toward the rustic and quiet. The spacious sites at Ashton Wildwood Park accommodate multiple tents and provide substantial privacy with wooded surroundings. Seasonal factors affect the camping experience, with spring and fall offering less crowded conditions. Big Wall Lake Wildlife Management Area offers more primitive backcountry tent camping with minimal facilities but provides good access for fishing and wildlife observation. Many sites throughout the region feature sandy or level terrain suitable for tent placement. A visitor to Ashton Wildwood noted, "Most of the sites are tucked into the woods and very spacious. There is a nice little circle hike that's not too difficult."
"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."
"Great place especially if you know people around love the fact u can have electricity with your tent and they have showers"
"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. "
"Flat grassy spot to set up my tent and a nice fire ring/ grill to cook dinner on also had a picnic table. Very nice primitive spot. Will go back"
"The bathroom at the campground doesn’t have plumbing and no water available so make sure to bring plenty of water. There is a small park to play at for kids."
from $7 / night
"The location is sitting right along the river where I saw several people fishing. There’s also a small playground, which is a nice touch for families."
"Set up across the road from the Accessible Porta-potty. There is a nice playground for kids, and a couple of shelter houses."
from $10 / night
"They have porta potties around. Two places to launch kayaks. Most campsites have fire rings, picnic tables and trash bins. Some have grills."
"Garbage bins, picnic tables and fire pits at all sites. Level enough for our rooftop tent with no difficulties. Would definitely stay here again."
from $15 / night
ScoutKurt and Debbie are awesome. Couldn’t ask for better hosts. Campground has several ponds to fish and a small beach area. Being from Florida, I’ll say the beach is adorable! Dollar general is 2 minutes away. Has food side as well. Propane fill 2 minutes away. Several playgrounds, frisbee golf and shower houses. Lots of regular campers here on weekends so plenty of people to meet in season. I’m here for work so a bit different for me.
LegendVery nice state park campground. There are cabins as well as campsites. The park is adjacent to Pine Lake and water based recreation is available including swimming beach and boating. The campground is off a paved road and is near to town. There is a walking path to the boat launch from the campground. Biking/hiking trails are on property.
LegendSmall park with basic amenities along the river. There is a big event center at the entrance and keep going back and the campground is there along the river. This would be a great area for paddling the river. Seemed pretty quite and spaces are moderately spread out. There is a rifle range on the property if that interests you (negatively or positively- there is a photo of the rules in my review). No shooting while I was there.
LegendThe campground here is no longer available… however, several hundred yards down the country road, there is a campground (looks to be the same system, called Robinson park)
LegendCute small park/campground in Iowa farm country. Inexpensive and quaint. Has a small creek nearby. Kids play area too. Basic amenities.
TravelerOnly stayed one night but very convenient location and registration.
Legend9-14-26 Timberline East RV Campground, I do not think this is a KOA anymore. Tent site T1 & 2 was level and on grass with table and fire ring. checked in at 7pm, overcast, Molly was great at the check in, offered a 10% Veteran discount. $34 for the night. We only stayed one night. Showers and bathrooms were decent. T-Mobile was 5G 4 bars. Rained all night, you can hear the noise from the highway but you drown it out.
ScoutThis is a great location by the lake with some spots having great water views. You dont feel like sardines with all the space between sites. You can walk down to the beach as well in no time. We had a nice relaxing weekend. Will be back.
GuideQuiet, clean, organized and friendly host! I ll be coming back!
Tent camping near Story City, Iowa offers a mix of lakeside and woodland settings within an hour's drive. Many sites sit on former quarries or along small lakes that provide fishing opportunities. The area's terrain varies from flat grasslands to lightly wooded areas, with most campgrounds situated at elevations under 1,000 feet and experiencing typical Midwestern seasonal conditions.
Fishing access points: Colfax Quarry Springs Park provides excellent fishing opportunities for largemouth bass, bluegill, and catfish. "This is my favorite place to go hiking, kayaking, camping and fishing. The fishing is the best place for largemouth bass, bluegill, catfish. No swimming is allowed and only electric motors, no gas," notes camper Willy W.
Astronomy viewing: The observatory at Ashton Wildwood Park offers Saturday night stargazing opportunities. "The observatory that's open on Saturday's (except the 1st Saturday) was awesome and the astronomers were great people and very knowledgeable. They showed how their telescopes worked and took us a tour of the building and classroom," writes Willy W.
Orienteering course: Ashton Wildwood Park features an orienteering course for those interested in navigation skills. "There is also a orienteering course but you have to walk in the woods to finish it," explains a visitor, providing an activity option beyond standard hiking.
Sandy tent sites: Many campgrounds in the area feature sandy terrain that works well for tent placement. At Colfax Quarry Springs Park, Christopher M. notes: "Awesome campground, clean and well maintained. Even the outhouses smelled good. Garbage bins, picnic tables and fire pits at all sites. Level enough for our rooftop tent with no difficulties."
Quiet weekday camping: For those seeking solitude, midweek visits offer the best experience. "The campground has some very nice spots and wasn't busy at all," reports Willy W. about Ashton Wildwood Park, indicating that timing your visit can significantly impact the experience.
Well-maintained facilities: Recent improvements at several sites have enhanced basic amenities. Jerry V. comments about Colfax Quarry Springs: "The new restroom/shower facility was very nice and clean. Most sites are pretty sandy as this was an old quarry so be prepared for that."
Water access limitations: Many campgrounds lack readily available water. "The bathroom at the campground doesn't have plumbing and no water available so make sure to bring plenty of water," advises Willy W. about Twin Anchors Campground.
Noise considerations: Some campgrounds experience noise from nearby highways or recreational activities. Bill O. reports: "Its 1130 pm and we r camping by the playground and there's about 10 children at the playground with no adults. And there's about 5 golf carts running around."
Limited facilities at wildlife areas: Big Wall Lake Wildlife Management Area offers primitive camping with minimal amenities. David B. notes: "We stopped here when we drove from NY to CO and it was fine. We got here late and left early in the morning so we never saw the place in light."
Observatory visits for children: Schedule your camping trip around observatory events at Ashton Wildwood Park for educational opportunities. "I love to take my grand daughter here for overnight camping. There is some play equipment for children," shares Deb K.
Rental equipment availability: Some locations offer equipment rentals. Jerry V. mentions at Colfax Quarry Springs: "There was also company on-site that rents Kayaks. The campground manager was extremely helpful."
Playground access: Multiple campgrounds feature play areas for children. "The campground was nice, but it seems more for RVs. They have a small petting zoo and a small beach," reports Abby F. about Twin Anchors, providing entertainment options beyond hiking.
Short-term vs. seasonal usage: Many RV sites near Story City serve as seasonal accommodations. "This place feels more like a neighborhood verses camping in nature. Most people use this as a 'summer home'," observes Abby F. about Big Wall Lake Wildlife Management Area.
Limited primitive RV camping: Most tent-focused campgrounds offer few amenities for RVs. "For what it was it worked for us," notes David B., suggesting RVers should approach these sites with minimal expectations.
Shared facilities: At some campgrounds, tent and RV campers share limited resources. "Sometimes you have to share a fire pit with other tents if it's busy," explains Abby F., indicating that resource sharing is common at more compact locations.
Frequently Asked Questions
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According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Story City, IA is Whispering Oaks RV Park with a 4-star rating from 2 reviews.
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