Best Dog-Friendly Camping near Toddville, IA

Pleasant Creek State Recreation Area Campground and Wanatee Park offer pet-friendly campsites for dogs throughout their facilities. Both campgrounds maintain clean, spacious sites where pets must remain leashed at all times when outside vehicles or tents. The tent sites at Pleasant Creek feature waist-high prairie flowers between sites for privacy, allowing pet owners additional separation from neighboring campers. Campgrounds near Toddville enforce standard pet policies including proper waste disposal and prevention of excessive barking. Well-maintained grounds at these locations provide adequate space for walking dogs, though no designated off-leash areas exist within the parks themselves.

Linn County parks including Morgan Creek and Wickiup Hill welcome pets with varying accommodation options. Morgan Creek County Park offers electric hookups with spacious sites suitable for RVs and tents, making it convenient for pet owners needing quick access to trails. The park features multiple hiking paths where leashed dogs can explore wooded areas and open spaces. Wildcat Bluff County Park provides access to the Cedar River with boat launches nearby for water-loving dogs, though pet owners should be aware of potential high water conditions limiting access. Most campgrounds in the Toddville region maintain basic pet amenities with access to water sources and waste disposal facilities. The hiking trails throughout these parks range from easy walking paths suitable for older dogs to more challenging routes through forested areas, giving pet owners various exercise options regardless of their dog's fitness level.

Best Dog-Friendly Sites Near Toddville, Iowa (91)

    1. Pleasant Creek State Recreation Area Campground

    6 Reviews
    Shellsburg, IA
    6 miles
    Website
    +1 (319) 436-7716

    $12 - $60 / night

    "We stayed here for the easy access to the water for the Scouts to get out in canoes and fishing.  I have been camping here off and on for the last 25 years.  I have not had any issues at all. "

    "There is plenty of access to the lake for fishing whether it's from shore or on a boat."

    2. Pinicon Ridge Park

    9 Reviews
    Central City, IA
    12 miles
    Website
    +1 (319) 438-6616

    "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. "

    "Great county campground with water and electric sites, dump at exit. Bathrooms on loop B are dirty and dated. I suggest going up to the Plains loop and use it's facilities."

    3. Wanatee Park (formerly Squaw Creek)

    6 Reviews
    Marion, IA
    10 miles
    Website
    +1 (319) 892-6450

    $23 - $33 / night

    "We camped at this park for 9 nights with W/E on site with a dump upon exit/entrance.  Our site was unlevel but was able to get the RV right with tri-levelers. "

    "There are a variety of sites to choose from, nice trees, and a beautiful wildflower field to walk through."

    4. Linn County Park Morgan Creek Campground

    4 Reviews
    Atkins, IA
    8 miles
    Website
    +1 (319) 892-6450

    "Trails close by and only about 5 min from expressway."

    "Morgan Creek has amazing trails and the location is fantastic if you are looking for the camping expirence but still have work or other things to get done."

    5. Morgan Creek County Park

    3 Reviews
    Palo, IA
    7 miles
    Website
    +1 (319) 396-2363

    $23 - $40 / night

    6. Beyonder Getaway at Lazy Acres

    5 Reviews
    Vinton, IA
    12 miles
    Website
    +1 (319) 443-4000

    $35 - $50 / night

    "Near the highway so it has truck noise"

    "Near the highway but road noise is minimal."

    7. Wickiup Hill Primitive Campsite

    2 Reviews
    Toddville, IA
    2 miles
    Website
    +1 (319) 892-6485

    $54 / night

    "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"

    "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."

    8. Palisades-Kepler State Park Campground

    9 Reviews
    Ely, IA
    17 miles
    Website
    +1 (319) 895-6039

    $12 - $80 / night

    "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."

    9. Sugar Bottom Campground

    24 Reviews
    North Liberty, IA
    25 miles
    Website
    +1 (319) 624-2102

    $14 - $240 / night

    "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."

    10. Wildcat Bluff County Park

    3 Reviews
    Shellsburg, IA
    11 miles
    Website
    +1 (319) 472-3318

    "There was no map so I only found one primitive site that was super exposed and next to the bathroom. The bathrooms… oh my lanta, that smell will haunt me for the rest of my days."

    "Close to 52 mile Cedar Valley Nature bike trail. On the Cedar River. Boats were going in and out, I would guess you could Kayak there. One half mile on gravel to the park. No cell service."

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Dog-Friendly Camping Reviews near Toddville, IA

424 Reviews of 91 Toddville Campgrounds


  • RThe Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 22, 2024

    Oelwein City Park

    This is a beautiful city park campground

    I enjoyed my 5 night stay at Oelwein City Park Campground. It's located on the south end of town, there is only one business within walking distance. It's a great restaurant (Oelwein Family Restaurant) and it's about a 15 minute walk.

    There is one shower house, and several vault toilets throughout the park. The shower house is old and a little run down but was very clean. I had no problems using it.

    The city park is adjacent to the campground and has picnic shelters, a playground, and a dog park.

    There are electric and water hookups at most sites, and there is a dump station. The park was pretty full on the weekend as you would expect, but very quiet during the week.

    I had great Verizon and T-mobile service here.

  • 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!

  • C
    Oct. 5, 2022

    Beyonder Getaway at Sleepy Hollow

    No Pets?

    Was looking forward to camping there until I found out they do not allow pets at tent sites. Apparently they don’t feel responsible pet owners use tents. Not happy will never stay there

  • James M.The Dyrt PRO User
    Aug. 25, 2022

    Koch's Meadow Lake Campground

    Private CG with lake

    This CG is a full service CG for RVs with community buildings, gravel road lanes, pet friendly, and lake access for fishing, paddling and swimming.

  • Janet R.The Dyrt PRO User
    May. 16, 2025

    West Overlook Campground

    A darn good dam campground

    This campground is maintained by the Army Corps of Engineers as part of an outdoor recreation complex around a large dam on the Iowa River. The reservoir behind the dam creates both the Coralville Lake alongside Lake MacBride which is a state park in a side bay. The recreation area also includes campgrounds and river recreation downstream of the dam, including a gorge of geologic interest that is filled with Devonian fossils exposed in the flood of 1993.

    This review is for the West Overlook campground located on the lakeside upstream of the dam. This is one of the larger campgrounds at Coralville Lake, and is popular due to the large sandy beach, the modern boatlaunch area, and options for a variety of kinds of campsites in separate loops. Some of the loops are close to the lake or in various heights overlooking the lake, some loops are tucked into beautiful shady woods further inland. As a tent camper I chose one of the loops in the woods as the sites are larger and quieter and more spacious. All of the loops seem family friendly and pretty quiet even though pretty full. There are new modern bath houses with showers, and hiking trails all around. There is easy access to a nearby mountain bike trail complex, the state park, fishing, and boating. This seems to be a camping destination for a lot of folks in the area, but is also an easy stopover right off Interstate 80 for folks on road trips. It is also a nice and inexpensive basecamp for folks visiting Iowa City or the University of Iowa, only about a 15-20 minute drive away. My most recent time camping here was this month, May 2025, but I have camped here many times in the past as far back as 1964, and the campground improvements and recreation opportunities have just gotten better and better over the years. Its a popular location, so Spring camping is quieter; fall camping is also quiet, and the fall leaves are beautiful then.

  • Brett F.
    Aug. 5, 2021

    Maquoketa Caves State Park Campground

    Camping & Caves

    This is one of our favorite parks in the Midwest. We usually make a day trip from Chicagoland, but this time we camped at the park. We are glad we did!

    You really can't go wrong with any trail or cave. The kids enjoyed hiking between Lower- and Upper-Dancehall Caves. The trail goes underground and through some water. Window Cave was also a hit. You can climb up about 5-7 feet and out the "window". The kids felt like real spelunkers!

    While the park is usually crowded during the day, we find it nearly empty beginning in the late afternoons on the weekdays we visited. It felt like we had the place to ourselves.

    The campground is about a five minute walk to the park's main entrances. The campground was very quiet... just the way we like it. There is a family of cats that hang around: they visit from a nearby dairy farm. The kids loved this added attraction. The dog did not.

    The bathroom and shower house is clean. There is only one. So it gets pretty busy during "flush hour". Our campsite was right next to the bathroom/ shower and dumpster. We noticed flies and the occasional whiff of trash.

    We'll continue visiting this park. And we look forward to camping on site.

  • Kim F.
    Aug. 10, 2024

    Windmill Ridge Campground

    Hidden little gem

    Clean, quiet and well set campsite for all camping styles. Set well off the main road, the gravel road is well maintained, graded well for easy driveable whee truck, rvs or trailers. Family and pet friendly, clean, well kept property, amenities on site,completive priced sites for camping and to gather together and enjoy life for a moment or two. Check it out, don't believe you will regret it. Peace fellow travelers.

  • Stuart K.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jan. 1, 2024

    Beyonder Getaway at Sleepy Hollow

    Sleepy Campground Oasis Stone’s Throw from Highway Thoroughfare

    Should you be traveling east-west on one of the country’s busiest thoroughfares – Route 80 – and find yourself in central Iowa and looking either for a place to pull over for a day or for much longer than that, then you may very well want to consider Beyonder Getaway at Sleep Hollow. 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 drive-by buzz of non-stop traffic. 

    This campground oasis planted square in the middle of the 'prairieland' of the Hawkeye State, you’ll appreciate that there is a decent-sized lake here that is perfect for a quick dip should you want to get some swimming in and cool down from the blistering Midwestern summer heat or perhaps you’d like to put a kayak or canoe in to get some decent oar exercising in or cast a line to try your luck and some mild ‘catch& release’ fun – whatever the reason … up to and including no reason at all … the mini lake that is front and center here at Beyonder is both a good distraction as well as makes for a great landscape. 

    As for the campground itself, there’s RV sites offering up pull-thru and back-in sites complete with full hook-up water, 30+ 50 amp electric and sewage lines. If you’re a primitive camper like me, there’s a handful of sites (7 by my count) that include picnic tables, fire pits and scattered stand-up BBQ grills. And if you don’t have either a tent or an RV, no worries, Sleepy Hollow will easily rent you one of their 3 cozy cabins which are located up front and close to the fishing pond, where these structures come with running hot and cold water along with electricity. 

    With amenities in mind, Beyonder packs a punch with offering the following: horseshoes, kid’s playground, dog run/ puppy park, designated dumpsters, fairly decent WiFi, community firepits, general market store, laundr-O-mat, shower facility, pavilion, game room, ball pit, volleyball and basketball courts, man-made beachhead with swim area and windmills. Oh, and there’s a lagoon with hundreds of ducks, but depending upon how you look at this, it may or many not be considered an amenity. My kids loved it and we had a lot of fun feeding our feathered friends. 

    Insider’s tips? Here’s a few: (1) When you get tired of digging through your Cordova roto-molded cooler or onboard mini-fridge, then head on over to nearby Renee’s Roadhouse where this roadside stand serves up standard-fare Americana fare like burgers, sandwiches and wraps; (2) For anything more substantial, you’ll have to take a longer drive east to Iowa City of which I recommend Foundry Food+ Tap, Back Berner Bar& Grill or Casa Tequila Tiffin; (3) Should you be looking to explore a nice slice of nature while here at Beyonder’s then head due northeast to Hawkeye Wildlife Management Area where there’s plenty of trails, shooting ranges and some fairly decent bird watching; (4) If you’d like to embrace the Amish vibe that exists here in rural Iowa, then head due north to Amana Colonies where you’ll come across what looks like German colonies that have been expelled from the Schwarzwald (Black Forest) where this displaced utopian outcrop will sell you anything from blankets and cabinetry all while offering you some nice wienerschnitzel and apfelpflanzen. Auf wiedersehen! 

    Happy Camping!

  • Tim M.
    Oct. 6, 2021

    West Overlook Campground

    Comfortable Campground

    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. The park is electric with a convenient dump and water station as you enter the park. It’s located on a lake with boat-ramp, kids play area, hiking trails near by, and close to quaint Iowa City home of the Hawkeyes.


Guide to Toddville

Campgrounds near Toddville, Iowa offer sites along the Cedar and Wapsipinicon Rivers with elevations between 750-850 feet. Camping options range from primitive tent sites to full-hookup RV spaces, with seasonal operation typically running April through October. Most camping areas maintain water access during normal river conditions, though flooding occasionally limits boat launch availability at certain locations.

What to do

Mountain biking on single track: Morgan Creek County Park features trail access for biking enthusiasts. "The best thing about this campground is it's access to the squaw creek man bike single track. The sites are nice, and easy access to town if you forgot stuff," notes Kris P.

Disc golf courses: Wildcat Bluff County Park offers a well-maintained disc golf course connected to the campground. "There is a first class 21 hole frisbee golf course at this park. Close to 52 mile Cedar Valley Nature bike trail," reports Jeff and Linda L.

River fishing access: Boat launches at several parks provide Cedar River access for anglers. "The fish cleaning stations are well maintained and the location is not too far away from town. My son and I like to get the canoes and Kayaks out and paddle around the lake," explains Robert F. at Pleasant Creek State Recreation Area Campground.

What campers like

Privacy between sites: Pleasant Creek State Recreation Area Campground offers natural separation between campsites. "The tent sites are very nice and private. There are waist high prairie flowers between the sites to provide privacy and beauty. New picnic tables. Lots of shade," shares Ann B.

Clean, modern facilities: Pinicon Ridge Park receives praise for its amenities. "Clean shower house with storm shelter. Mixed sun and shade with generous grassy sites, fire pit and picnic table," writes David S.

Paddle sports opportunities: Several parks have water access for canoes and kayaks. "It's a great recreational area, and a beautiful campground, tent camping is a breeze with very secluded sites, and well water very close to each site and a trail that leads to a large dumpster. Awesome lake to go kayaking on too!" reports Chelsea M.

What you should know

Reservations vs. first-come sites: Some campgrounds operate on a first-come basis. "This is a first come first serve campground. No reservations can be made. There were mostly RVers, but some tent campers were also scattered throughout the grounds," notes Jessica C. about Morgan Creek County Park.

Bathroom conditions vary: Wanatee Park (formerly Squaw Creek) has well-maintained facilities, while others may need improvement. "Bathrooms are stationed without so it's never a far walk and the shower house was really nice. You can hear the highway, but overall the campground was very quiet," reports Colleen L.

Seasonal opening dates: Many campgrounds operate from mid-April through October. "We camped at this park for 9 nights with W/E on site with a dump upon exit/entrance. Our site was unlevel but was able to get the RV right with tri-levelers," explains Clint G.

Tips for camping with families

Exceptional playgrounds: Palisades-Kepler State Park Campground offers outdoor activities for all ages. "Beautiful trails, stone gazebo. Nice hike along the Cedar River. Only camped once, but definitely on the list to visit again," states Brett G.

Youth group camping options: Dedicated youth sites provide space for larger groups. "We stayed here for the easy access to the water for the Scouts to get out in canoes and fishing. I have stayed in a regular tent campgounds and the youth group campsites," shares Robert F.

Pet friendly camping near Toddville: All county parks welcome pets with standard leash requirements. "I loved this campground. There are a variety of sites to choose from, nice trees, and a beautiful wildflower field to walk through," says Colleen L. about Wanatee Park.

Tips from RVers

Site leveling preparation: Come prepared for potentially uneven sites. "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," reports MickandKarla W. about Sugar Bottom Campground.

Hookup availability: Electric and water hookups are common, but sewer connections are limited. "We camped at this park for 9 nights with W/E on site with a dump upon exit/entrance. The sites are very spacious with some shade, a fire ring, and picnic table provided," notes Clint G.

Site spacing considerations: Some campgrounds offer more spacious sites than others. "Small campground, so not a lot of people. Site was pretty level. But, closer to your neighbors than I would like. The trails were very nice and easy for most people to be able to walk," explains Leslie P. about Morgan Creek Campground.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular dog-friendly campsite near Toddville, IA?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dog-friendly campground near Toddville, IA is Pleasant Creek State Recreation Area Campground with a 4.7-star rating from 6 reviews.

What is the best site to find dog-friendly camping near Toddville, IA?

TheDyrt.com has all 91 dog-friendly camping locations near Toddville, IA, with real photos and reviews from campers.