115 campgrounds · Check availability for any dates.
Campgrounds around Swisher, Iowa provide a mix of established facilities focused on lake and river recreation along the Coralville Reservoir and Lake Macbride. Several developed camping areas like Sugar Bottom Campground, Sandy Beach Camp, and West Overlook Campground offer both tent and RV accommodations with varying levels of amenities. The region includes full-hookup RV sites at locations such as Scales Pointe and Amana RV Park, while state park options like Lake Macbride provide a more natural setting with modern and primitive camping areas. Most campgrounds in the area maintain proximity to water recreation while providing electric hookups, picnic tables, and fire rings.
Camping conditions vary significantly by season, with most locations operating from spring through fall. Many campgrounds require reservations, especially during summer weekends when lakefront sites fill quickly. The modern campground at Lake Macbride State Park provides full hookups, clean bathhouses, and access to hiking trails, while the primitive campground offers a more basic experience with vault toilets. Public campgrounds typically offer affordable rates, with some sites available for as little as $11 per night during off-peak times. Access roads are generally well-maintained, though some campsite approaches may have terrain limitations. A review noted, "Only about 2-3 of the walk-in-only sites can fit bigger campers. The biggest downside: hard to tell until you see your site if you have water pump close enough."
Campers frequently mention the quality of water recreation as a highlight of the area. Lake Macbride State Park receives consistent praise for its family-friendly environment, with one visitor reporting it's "our favorite place to be in the summer. Great trails for hiking and walking and my kids love swimming here as well." Several campgrounds like Scales Pointe cater to boating enthusiasts with lake access, boat rentals, and shoreline campsites. Sandy Beach Camp offers waterfront sites with views of the Coralville Reservoir. While weekends tend to be busy at most locations, particularly during summer months, the campgrounds generally provide adequate spacing between sites. Visitors also appreciate the wildlife viewing opportunities, with reports of deer and wild turkey sightings throughout the camping areas. Winter camping options are limited, with only a few campgrounds remaining open year-round.
"Very nice COE campground north of Iowa City in the Lake Coralville area. Beautiful setting, lots of options for sites."
"Nice grassy sites near lake for fishing, hiking, wildlife viewing. Near Iowa Raptor Project that conducts raptor programs and site with walking tour and live raptors, and Macbride State Park as well."
from $14 - $260 / night
Check Availability"We stayed during an Iowa Football weekend, attended the game in nearby Iowa City, and then enjoyed the rest of our weekend exploring the ponds and trails in the park."
"It is the perfect camping destination between Amana colonies and Iowa City."
from $20 / night
Check Availability"My niece who lives nearby recommended this place to stay when we went to visit her since was a short drive from where she lives. "
"Close access to boating and town"
from $26 - $38 / night
Check Availability"The reservoir behind the dam creates both the Coralville Lake alongside Lake MacBride which is a state park in a side bay."
"LuLu and I stayed for 10 days while visiting family in Iowa City. The campground hosted mainly locals but it’s only a couple of miles off the I80."
from $22 - $28 / night
Check Availability"You may also be able to take the dam trail with a bike, but I'm not totally sure about that."
"This is for the primitive southern camp site at lake macbride, iowa. Their is a modern campsite on the north side as well. This one is spacious, beautiful and peaceful."
from $14 - $25 / night
Check Availability"Relatively wide open, sites adjacent to one another. Utilities all worked fine, decently maintained."
"Campground is a nice bike ride away from the Amana villages and overall a great base camp"
from $25 - $42 / night
Check Availability"Given its proximity to a busy interstate highway, this campground scores high on the convenience factor, but it is just far enough away where you will feel as though you have escaped the busy hustle and"
"Given its proximity to the busy interstate highway, this campground scores high on the convenience factor being EZ on- and off-, but it is just far enough away where you will feel as though you have escaped"
from $45 - $65 / night
Check Availability"Great walking trails through wooded areas near the river. Beautiful place."
"Situated along the Cedar river, fishing and paddling can be done. Lots of trails, CG and cabins closed for winter season for improvements and online reservations."
from $18 - $80 / night
Check Availability"This is one of around 4 campgrounds near/around Lake Coralville."
"Natural setting with plenty of trees and located near Coralville Reservoir. Paved roads and sites. Ample roam for big rigs, but no pull through sites."
from $26 - $30 / night
Check Availability"The couple downfalls is the shower and bath house is outdated and there's no swimming area on this side of the lake. Other than that I had a blast."
"Just looking for a layover spot after a long day of driving. Couldn't figure out where to register so we walked into the bar/restaurant, Bobber's Grill. The owner was at the bar."
GuideOne of my favorites. Iowa knows how to do County campgrounds. Firefly campground has full hookups and reservations. The other campgrounds have water and electric and are first come first serve. I arrived on a Friday afternoon in July and found a site easily.
ScoutA well kept park with a very laid back atmosphere. Buggy yes but the park is worth it.
ScoutThe campground was very nice and clean. Rangers made several loops around so we felt safe. Saw plenty of wildlife. Campsites were big but not level. We thought they only had outhouses until we discovered a modern bathhouse at the other end of the campground. Showers were big but very shall rustic. We only stayed one night as we were passing through but definitely could be an option in the future for other stays.
GuideGrass sites, plenty of space. Some sites have great views of the lake. Nice walking trails. Wild life to watch. If you are camped under a hickory tree you will need to brush off the Hickory nuts off your slide outs. Plenty of parking for guset to visit. Peaceful. We love camping in Hickory hils.
GuideGood spacing between spots that have oversized cement slabs. The bath/shower rooms are the cleanest I have even witnessed.
There is a bike trail running just outside the campground.
Hills, trees and water.
TravelerWe really liked the nearby trails and the beach area was lovely. Our dogs lived hiking to the spillway and laying down for a soak. Our site (35) was slanted and wished we had more shade since it was in the upper 80s while we were there. Site 38 would be great for full shade and more privacy. Next time.
GuideJust an overnight stay but I want to return to Firefly. There are lots of fireflies at night so easy to see why it got the name. All the pads are concrete in this new park. Full hookups that are easy to use. Great playground for the kids.
ScoutI would give it a zero if I could. Uneven pads for camper, right next to interstate and loud, neighbors so close it is unreal. Do not believe the pictures online posted those are campsites for permanent seasonal campers in the back. I was told the cost was $650 a month then charged $718 on my card. Campers are placed tongue to the back of your neighbor in front of you camper. so if one wants to move out you have to pack up your camper and move yours to a temporary spot for a couple of days so they can get out then pack up your camper again and move it again. They broke the contract doing that with us so instead of signing a new contract on a new spot we went ahead and went to another campground. Owner (which you never see, never picks up phone or has an office you can go to) continually tries to charge my credit card a large sum of money because she is mad. Update three weeks later still trying to charge my credit card various amounts. We didn’t even complete the whole month we paid for and did not ask for a refund for the days not stayed so technically they owe us money. Also you are not allowed to have any mail sent to you if renting monthly' and there was a lot of trash and illicit drug use going on in the campground.
TravelerInexpensive but poorly maintained. Parking is unlevel and no dump station. Sites were slightly bigger than needed and rock driveway barely had rock. Clean and well mowed. Caves were small and visited in about 30 minutes.
Camping near Swisher, Iowa centers around a region that receives 36 inches of precipitation annually with summer temperatures averaging 85°F during peak camping season. The terrain features rolling hills with limestone outcroppings along waterways that create unique paddling and fishing opportunities. While the Coralville Reservoir dominates the landscape, smaller inland lakes and river access points offer alternatives for campers seeking less crowded experiences.
Hiking at Palisades-Kepler State Park: Located 20 miles east of Swisher near Mount Vernon, this park offers challenging terrain with significant elevation changes. "Lots of intense trails to explore but some trees were in the way due to a past storm. Close to cedar river for awesome fishing!" notes Danni J. from Palisades-Kepler State Park Campground.
Biking and cycling: Multiple campgrounds provide access to dedicated cycling routes. F.W. Kent Park offers "plenty of campsite offerings with good amenities. Paddling, fishing, hiking, swimming, to name a few. Firewood available. Conservation education center open seasonally with programs offered," according to James M. from F. W. Kent Park.
Boating and water recreation: Sandy Beach Camp gives campers direct access to water activities. "Probably the best spot in the whole camp, overlooks the lake. Level sites with adequate space," says Kristin B., highlighting the camp's lake access with boat ramp only steps from campsites.
Affordable rates and value: Many campgrounds offer economical options, especially during weekdays. According to Adam J., "Stayed at modern campground. Very quiet midweek in October which was great because there would be no privacy between the small sites. Nice walking access to nice beach to dam trail. We appreciated the small playground near the north campground. Showers are meh, but overall value is great at $11 per night."
Lake and river views: Waterfront sites rank among the best places to camp near Swisher. At Sugar Bottom Campground, Brad B. shares, "We stayed at site 48 and it's a perfect spot just off the lake with great views. Only drawback is it's kinda of a walk from a bathroom and the beach but that is more than ok to deal with...with a pop up. Highly recommend."
Wildlife viewing: Many campgrounds near Swisher provide opportunities for animal sightings. At Kent Park, Robert F. observed, "We camp here every year in for Scouts. The time a year we go it is not busy and we pretty much have the place to our selves. The last time we were there the ranger let us have all the firewood we wanted. Nice easy hiking paths and the beautiful grounds."
Campsite spacing varies significantly: Many campgrounds become crowded during summer weekends. Jacob B. notes about Lake Macbride State Park, "This park has two campgrounds. The modern side on the north end of the park with full hookups, and the primitive side on the south side of the park with no electricity or water hookups. Both campgrounds have flushing toilets but only the modern side has showers. All restroom facilities are very well kept. Beautiful park with lots to do! Only thing keeping me from giving it 5 stars is how busy both campgrounds get on weekends and holidays giving you little to no privacy since sites are pretty close together."
Weather and seasonal considerations: Spring and fall offer better camping conditions with fewer crowds. At West Overlook Campground, John D. mentions, "This campground has become our go to on travels west. September 9, 2020 was our third visit. Beautiful view of the water. Very clean and well run COE."
Site leveling challenges: Many campgrounds in the area require leveling equipment. Warren W. cautions about Beyonder Getaway at Sleepy Hollow, "Busy on the weekend. Bring a lot of leveling blocks. Most sites are slanted in both planes."
Playground access: Several campgrounds offer play areas for children. Amber R. from West Overlook Campground reports, "Horsehoe pits and 2 playgrounds in the campground" making it suitable for families with children of different ages.
Swimming areas: Beach access varies between locations. Sugar Bottom Campground gets high marks from Steve T.: "Great campground, cheap sites with electric and water even for tent campers. Fantastic amenities including hot showers and nice bathrooms and a cleaning station with sink basin for camping dishes. Great beach swimming area. Fun for all."
Educational opportunities: Look for campgrounds with nature programs. Jamee H. recommends Lake Macbride's primitive campground: "Lake MacBride State Park is divided into two areas, and you need a car (or boat) to get between the two sections. You may also be able to take the dam trail with a bike, but I'm not totally sure about that. One side is called the 'modern campground' and has spots for RV camping and tent camping, and this campground has toilets, playground, beach, and shower house."
Hookup availability: Full hookups are available at select campgrounds. MickandKarla W. advise about Sugar Bottom, "Check-in was quick and easy. We proceeded to back-in site 61 with water and electric(50/30/20 AMP). We were one and done on what we thought might be a more difficult back-in, but there was enough level ditch in front to allow an easy swing. Our site was somewhat level, but we did have to put blocks under the passenger-side tires."
Dump station access: Consider proximity to dump stations when booking. At Amana RV Park & Event Center, Julie G. notes, "This is a great location right in the Amana Colonies to explore the area. There are sites for tents up to big rigs. They have showers and laundry and the folks are very nice. There are some trees scattered throughout the campground but mostly wide open. Services work well and wifi is strong."
Site size and accessibility: Pay attention to site dimensions when booking. Dennis G. from West Overlook observes, "The locale is beautiful, just on the lake. All of the internal roads are paved and the spaces are nicely paved or graveled. The sites are spacious and angled for ease of backing into. Some sites are a bit far from the bathhouses, but that's the only ding."
Frequently Asked Questions
Where can I find camping opportunities in Swisher, Iowa?
While Swisher itself is a small town, several excellent campgrounds are located within a short drive. Sugar Bottom Campground is a popular Corps of Engineers site north of Iowa City featuring spacious sites, beautiful lake access, and wildlife viewing opportunities. Another great option is Cottonwood Campground/Coralville Lake (COE), which offers tent camping among trees with fire rings, showers, restrooms, and proximity to both the Iowa River and Coralville Lake for fishing. Both campgrounds provide easy access from Swisher and are within 20-30 minutes driving distance, making them convenient for visitors looking to experience Iowa's natural beauty.
What hotels or accommodations are available in Swisher for visitors?
Swisher itself has limited hotel options as it's a smaller community, but visitors can find alternative accommodations nearby. For those with RVs or campers, West Overlook Campground offers electric sites just off I-80 and is part of an outdoor recreation complex on the Iowa River. For budget-conscious travelers passing through, Walmart — Coralville Supercenter provides overnight parking with convenient highway access. Traditional hotels can be found in nearby larger communities like Cedar Rapids and Iowa City, which are both within a 20-minute drive from Swisher and offer a range of accommodations from budget to upscale options.
Which is the most popular campground near Swisher, IA?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular campground near Swisher, IA is Sugar Bottom Campground with a 4.5-star rating from 24 reviews.
What parks are near Swisher, IA?
According to TheDyrt.com, there are 5 parks near Swisher, IA that allow camping, notably Coralville Lake and Mississippi River - Pools 11-22.
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