Best Cabin Camping near Sumner, IA

Several cabin options exist within an hour of Sumner, Iowa, primarily at established campgrounds with mixed accommodation types. Waterloo - Lost Island Waterpark KOA offers family-friendly cabin rentals with air conditioning and convenient access to the waterpark and on-site amenities. Big Woods Lake features modern cabins with air conditioning, providing comfortable shelter for visitors looking to enjoy the lake and surrounding recreation area. Backbone State Park provides cabin accommodations in both its Six Pines and South Lake campgrounds, allowing for a more rustic state park experience. "This campground was laid out very well with nice large spaces, a lake and a water park across the street. Bathrooms were very clean and even though very family oriented we did not feel overrun with kids."

Cabin styles vary across these campgrounds, from basic rustic structures to more modern furnished options. The KOA cabins typically include beds, electricity, and climate control, while state park cabins may be more minimalist. Backbone State Park's cabins represent some of the more rustic options in the area, contrasting with the more amenity-rich KOA accommodations. Reservations are recommended for all cabin rentals, especially during summer months when waterfront locations are in highest demand. One visitor noted, "We stayed at the Lost Island water park KOA for just one night while passing through the area. Sites are gravel for the RV, reasonably level, and very well maintained."

Most cabins provide basic furnishings but require guests to bring their own bedding, pillows, and personal items. Kitchen facilities vary significantly between locations - KOA cabins typically offer more amenities than state park options. Backbone State Park's cabins provide a more rustic experience with limited amenities but greater proximity to natural features and hiking trails. On-site convenience stores are available at some locations like the Waterloo KOA, which offers "a good sized convenience store with ice, beer, snacks, milkshake machine, etc." Visitors should check specific cabin amenities when booking, as furnishing levels differ significantly between locations.

Best Cabin Sites Near Sumner, Iowa (19)

    1. Six Pines Campground — Backbone State Park

    29 Reviews
    Dundee, IA
    31 miles
    Website
    +1 (563) 924-2527

    $15 - $25 / night

    "This has been one of my favorite state parks in Iowa to camp thus far. I've tent camped in April and cabin camped in October."

    "This place has tent, rv and cabin camping, you can choose modern or non modern camping."

    2. Waterloo - Lost Island Waterpark KOA

    10 Reviews
    Evansdale, IA
    30 miles
    Website
    +1 (319) 233-3485

    "Great RV park. Lots of room and cabin rentals for folks that don’t have an RV. The fenced dog park was fantastic for those of us with dogs."

    "Little shade with small trees next to about each site. Gas, propane, laundry room, beach area, small boat rentals, good sized convenience store with ice, beer, snacks, milkshake machine, etc."

    3. Skip-A-Way Resort

    3 Reviews
    West Union, IA
    24 miles
    Website
    +1 (563) 423-7338

    "They have permanent sites and rentals. There is tent sites and rental campers also. Sewer, water and electric."

    "This was a nice campground next to a small town- nice quiet sites. Sites were kind of close together. Mostly seasonal spots here."

    4. Pikes Peak State Park Campground

    29 Reviews
    McGregor, IA
    48 miles
    Website
    +1 (563) 873-2341

    $20 - $35 / night

    "Very nice trails! Some trails are long with a lot of up and down through valley and ravines, so be prepared for the hike."

    "Some sites have the fire ring very close to the parking area and some spots have limited shade (compared to the majority of the campground that is in the trees)."

    5. Big Woods Lake

    2 Reviews
    Cedar Falls, IA
    27 miles
    +1 (319) 266-6813

    "Nice park with a bike path around the lake. A few nature trails, but nothing I would call hiking. Two vault toilets placed on the bike path. One modern bathroom with showers in the campground."

    "As far as RV parks go, this one is young and the lack of shade is only evidence of that. Sites are well planned out though, giving each camper plenty of space."

    6. South Lake Campground — Backbone State Park

    2 Reviews
    Dundee, IA
    33 miles
    Website
    +1 (563) 924-2527

    $15 - $33 / night

    "Great shady spots - register on line - clean bathrooms and showers - no full hook ups - must fill water tanks before parking and 30/50 power available"

    "All reservable spots...clean bathrooms, showers and spots. Beautiful park!"

    7. Big Paint Campground — Yellow River State Forest

    12 Reviews
    Waterville, IA
    48 miles
    Website
    +1 (563) 586-2254

    $15 / night

    "Visited the 3 lookouts including Iowa only Fire tower. Bird life is colorful. Lots of places to hike. Scenery is lush. I had no phone service."

    "Not a lot of free parking options in this part of Iowa. No water, electric, or dump station, so very much like a parking lot overnight from that perspective."

    8. Chimney Rock Canoe and Campground

    6 Reviews
    Cresco, IA
    40 miles
    Website

    "We booked a spot for our RV because we wanted to explore the Decorah,IA area and it’s abundant set of activities."

    "Every time I visit I have a wonderful time enjoying the scenic Upper Iowa River. This part of Iowa is a treasure. Deb and her crew are always helpful and accommodating."

    9. Wilder City Park

    2 Reviews
    Clarksville, IA
    36 miles
    Website
    +1 (319) 267-2245

    $14 - $22 / night

    "Wilder Park is a beautiful city park. Very much a gem, quiet and peaceful . 50 + sites with about half of them full hook up. Costs for a full hook up in 2022 was under $25 a night."

    "they have sand volleyball pickle ball miniature golf and huge checkers plus a couple playgrounds for the kids. it's a nice quiet family campground."

    10. Hickory Hills Park

    3 Reviews
    Evansdale, IA
    41 miles
    Website
    +1 (319) 342-3350

    "This campground has no shippers but is secluded and quiet and only 5 dollars. There’s a barn with electricity running water and real toilets."

    "This is a great quiet park with animals for visiting and a very clean shower house."

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Cabin Reviews near Sumner, IA

109 Reviews of 19 Sumner Campgrounds


  • James M.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jul. 27, 2022

    Fire Tower Cabin — Yellow River State Forest

    Great State Forest cabin with trout fishing

    Cabin has basic kitchen: fridge/freezer, micro, coffee pot, table/chairs, sleeping room with queen bed, 2 futons, AC/heat, fireplace screened porch, grill/smoker& fire ring outside, table, potable/drink water outside. NO shower/bathroom, must use pit toilet just yards away at trailhead.

  • Jessica H.
    May. 9, 2018

    Six Pines Campground — Backbone State Park

    Backbone State Park

    This has been one of my favorite state parks in Iowa to camp thus far. I've tent camped in April and cabin camped in October. The cabin camping was the better of the two experiences, mainly due to the unusually chilly overnight temperatures in April. During the warmer months you can rent canoes from the concession stand. Climbing/rappelling is also allowed in the park via registration at the park office.

    We stayed in a family cabin that sleeps up to 4 people. You have to reserve cabins and there is a 2 night minimum stay, but the price is extremely reasonable. These cabins also offer heat and A/C. Our cabin had a common area with a kitchenette.The bathroom included a toilet and shower. The small, but cozy bedroom included a mattress - you're responsible for bringing your own linens - along with a sink. Additional amenities included stove, frig, microwave, pots and pans, and even a small coffee maker. And, the couch in the common area pulled out into a futon, providing extra sleeping space. Outdoor amenities included a fire pit and picnic bench. Bonus: The back of our cabin area looked out onto Backbone Lake.

    We purchased firewood in Strawberry Point, a small town just a short drive from the park. Iowa requires that firewood be obtained within the county you're staying in due to the Emerald Ash Borer epidemic.

    We fished for trout and hiked along several trails in the park. The Devil's Backbone was our favorite mainly because of the scenery along the bluff. It was the perfect way to view the changing leaves and watch the Maquoketa River flow by.

    While we did have neighbors on either side of us, the noise level was minimal, and everyone was respectful of parking spaces as there is a common parking area in front of the cabins.

    This is a beautiful spot to visit especially in autumn.

  • Tori L.
    May. 26, 2024

    Big Paint Campground — Yellow River State Forest

    Dream stay.

    Came to learn more about Tenkara fly fishing. Had a ball. Visited the 3 lookouts including Iowa only Fire tower. Bird life is colorful. Lots of places to hike. Scenery is lush. I had no phone service. Campsites are well mown, have a picnic table and fire ring. Pit toilets. Easy access to water. Drink water and firewood are at the host A frame. There is no dump site. Everyone was very friendly. Helpful. Nights were quiet. Very relaxing.

  • L
    Aug. 22, 2020

    Waterloo - Lost Island Waterpark KOA

    Something for everyone

    Great RV park. Lots of room and cabin rentals for folks that don’t have an RV. The fenced dog park was fantastic for those of us with dogs. A lake with beach area and an area for fishing founded it out! Would recommend!

  • Ashley D.
    Aug. 23, 2018

    Six Pines Campground — Backbone State Park

    Fun for the whole family

    This campground has many things to do. This place has tent, rv and cabin camping, you can choose modern or non modern camping. Fun activities include fishing, swimming in a lake and also ground fed springs, boat rentals on the lake, hiking also horse trails, rock climbing, caves, playgrounds shelters for events and parties. I am sure there are even more things to do that I didnt have the time for.

  • Melissa K.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jul. 3, 2017

    Boulder Creek Campground

    Pretty Disappointed

    This park fell short in so many ways. Having stayed in other Yogi Bear's we were expecting similar accommodations. I will say they had a lot of rain and it did affect most of the campground. We booked over the phone for two nights. It was nearly $90 for those two nights. This is pretty spendy for us but we were meeting friends there. We arrived at the campground and were given site 14. It as across from our friends cabin so it should have been good. However, we got to our site on a very poorly maintained road only to find the site did not have a fire pit or a picnic table. It was extremely tiny, barely big enough for our truck and definitely not enough room for our two tents. The site was covered in sticks and debris and there was trash bags in front of the cabin across the washed out road. We went down to voice our concern that this was just not going to work and they said to try site 13. Even worse then 14. It was a grass spot, mowed out, no place to park a vehicle, which I'm glad I left at the bottom of the hill, extremely narrow, washed out road going to site 13. There still was no picnic table but there was a fire pit. Stated this is just not going to work. We paid way too much for so little accommodations. They said they couldn't refund or move us to an electric site (we didn't need electric but the two previously mentioned sites were not going to work) without talking to their boss. After already spending 28 days in a tent, across the country, I was pretty upset that this yogi bear was so bad. They did end up moving me to site 17, which was one of the few that did not have a completely flooded fire ring. Which leads to the next things, almost all of the grounds were completely flooded. Fire rings couldn't even be seen they were so far under water. To walk to any part of the park involved getting your feet wet. The playground swings were above water making it difficult for the kids to reach them without getting really wet. There had been no attempts to move any water from the storms making it difficult to enjoy parts of the park. The pool was pretty cold but I suppose it is Wisconsin. The staff did have many events going on but if you were early, you wouldn't even know the events were going on. They showed up right on time and then had to set up. But they did do a variety of races and had a pirates and princess dance. They brought in actual hair dressers to do the little girls hair for them. That was something the girls in the group enjoyed. They also had cartoons playing in the evenings. The kids also enjoyed that. Overall, I would never return, there are so many really nice parks in Wisconsin for way less money. This was not worth it at all.

  • James M.The Dyrt PRO User
    Feb. 23, 2021

    Fire Tower Cabin — Yellow River State Forest

    Best Wildplace Camping in Iowa

    Trout streams well fed, campsites spread out well, amenities good for primitive use area. Horses welcome, firewood and ice available. Historical Fire Tower hike/visit is a must. Primitive pack-in sites, 1 cabin available. Modern Cabin is well maintained, electricity, microwave, a full sized refrigerator, and two porches, where one of them is screened in. Sleeps 6.

  • AThe Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 4, 2020

    Six Pines Campground — Backbone State Park

    Great park!

    I tent camped at Six Pines Campground for 3 nights in August. The park has two campgrounds and this one is non electric with pit toilets and water. Each site has a picnic table and fire ring with a really nice grill. The sites are large and flat and the ones on the outside of the loop are well shaded. Two trails can be accessed from the tent campground - Six Pines trail and West Lake trail. There are two shower houses that you can use at the RV campground but it takes about 15-20 minutes to drive across the park to that campground. The park is very large with about 20 miles of trails. There is a spring fed creek and, if you stay away from the trout fishing area, you can play and wade in the creek. It has a sandy/rocky bottom and sandy banks. It felt wonderful on a hot day. There is a swim beach on the lake but it was closed due to E. coli in the water. There’s a small camp store too. At night in this campground there are no lights except in the registration kiosk so it’s perfect for star gazing. The Field of Dreams movie site is just 45 minutes away and makes for a fun side trip. There is a town about 10 minutes away with a couple restaurants and coffee shops. The Six Pines trail can be taken from the campground to the Backbone trail. The Backbone trail is along a rocky ridge. There are side trails down to the base of the cliffs and lots of rock climbing to do. Very fun to explore the side paths and climb up the rock walls.

  • M
    Aug. 12, 2021

    Chimney Rock Canoe and Campground

    Hidden oasis from the city

    We booked a spot for our RV because we wanted to explore the Decorah,IA area and it’s abundant set of activities. The campground is more on the rustic side but they have a nice clean shower house, very well kept grounds and a ton of space to spread out. The lower campground is right next to the river and there are RV, tent and cabin sites available.


Guide to Sumner

Discover the charm of cabin camping near Sumner, Iowa, where nature meets comfort in a variety of scenic locations.

Enjoy Water Activities at Nearby Lakes

Cabin Campers Appreciate These Amenities

Explore Scenic Trails and Outdoor Adventures

  • Big Woods Lake offers a bike path around the lake and nature trails, making it a great spot for hiking and biking enthusiasts.
  • Backbone State Park is known for its stunning hiking trails and unique geological features, providing endless exploration opportunities.
  • Hickory Hills Park boasts over 700 acres of parkland with hiking, fishing, and disc golf, perfect for outdoor adventurers.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular cabin campsite near Sumner, IA?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular cabin campground near Sumner, IA is Six Pines Campground — Backbone State Park with a 4.4-star rating from 29 reviews.

What is the best site to find cabin camping near Sumner, IA?

TheDyrt.com has all 19 cabin camping locations near Sumner, IA, with real photos and reviews from campers.