Top Tent Camping near Ventura, IA
Looking for the best tent campgrounds near Ventura? Find the best tent camping sites near Ventura. Each spot offers quick access to one or more of Ventura, Iowa's most popular destinations.
Best Tent Sites Near Ventura, IA (12)
1. Rice Lake Wildlife Management Area
1 Review•4 Photos•22 Saves- Pets
- Phone Service
- ADA Access
- Tents
- Dispersed
- Drinking Water
4. Ambrose Call State Park
1 Review- Reservable
- Tents
5. River Ranch Camping
1 Review•1 Save- Pets
- Electric Hookups
- Tents
- Picnic Table
6. Chickasaw Park
1 Review- Pets
- Fires
- Phone Service
- Tents
- Group
- Standard (Tent/RV)
8. River Bend Campgrounds
Be the first to review!- Electric Hookups
- Tents
10. Colwell County Park
Be the first to review!•1 PhotoThis peaceful primitive campground includes a picnic shelter, pit toilet and fishing access to the Little Cedar River. Purchased in 1966, this park is managed for camping, picnicking, and wildlife viewing.
- Pets
- Fires
- ADA Access
- Tents
- Standard (Tent/RV)
- Trash
Showing results 1-10 of 12 campgrounds
Recent Tent Reviews In Ventura
158 Reviews of 12 Ventura Campgrounds
Chloe T.
Traveler
Myre State Park Campgrounds
Beautiful and easy to get to backpacking sites
Sites are approximately 2 miles from parking and the hike it relatively easy with minimal elevation change. You have a choice between a grassy walk or walking mainly on tar and gravel as part of the Blazing Star Trail. They are also accessible by boat.
There are 4 backpacking sites and they are well-spaced so you each have privacy. #3 and #4 are close enough that you could be in a group together but #1 and #2 are pretty isolated. Each site has a fire pit, picnic table, wood cabinet/fish cleaning table, at least 1 flat spot for a tent, and a nearby porta potty.
Views of the lake are amazing with a variety of birds making appearances. Harvesting season may bring some farm sounds but otherwise, aside from the occasional train, you'll mainly hear the sounds of nature around you.
If you can make the walk carrying everything, including water, on your back, definitely check out one of these sites.
- R
Ryan S.
Guide
Dows Pool Park & Campground
Shady, quiet campground with electric & water hookups and a dump station
I only drove through here I did not camp. It was quiet and the sites were shaded. I saw water, electricity and a picnic table at every site. The pads are gravel and very level.
You can easily bike into town.
There is a dump station.
I had 3 bars of Verizon 4G which provided 70 down and 12 up.
On T-mobile I had 5 bars of 5G and 100 down and 7 up.
- RRyan S.Guide
Cedar View Park
Beautiful park, gross bath house
This is a lovely park. It is fairly quiet, you can hear some highway noise in the distance. The lake is lovely and clean. The spots are gravel, most sites will require some leveling but are not too bad.
Each site has a newer electric pedestal with 30 and 50 amp service, and each site has a water spigot, as well as a picnic table and fire ring.
There are a few sites that back up directly to the lake. There is a swimming beach and a dock. There is a city park adjacent to the campground with a playground and picnic shelter.
I had 3 bars on on T-mobile which got me 64 down and 18 up. On Verizon I had 3 bars which got me 65 down and 12 up.
The shower house was pretty bad though. It was older, which doesn't bother me, but it was dirty. There are camp hosts on site but I guess their duties do not include ever cleaning the restroom. There was food trash in there all week, and if you look around you'll find feces, blood, and personal hygiene trash including used condoms.
I would stay in this campground again because I have a self contained unit and do not need to use the on-site shower house.
Jennifer K.
Ranger
Blue Earth City Campground
Fantastic overnight
Just stopped for the night. It's like a fair grounds. Friendly host. Adorable green giant statue.
Jim L.TravelerBlue Earth City Campground
Clean And quiet
Didn’t realize it was on the fairground. Very small. Very clean. Host family was very friendly and helpful. Free firewood was nice. Enjoyed our stay. Great for a one day stop
- JJanet K.Guide
Clear Lake State Park
Nice but crowded campground
Nice campground with grassy pull thru sites. But very close together. If full, you would have no privacy. Fortunately, it was 1/4 full, so no problem. Bathrooms clean, nice warm showers! Nice beach, lots to do. Would be a fun place if you don’t mind camping next to neighbors!
James P.
Legend
White Fox - Myre-Big Island State Park
Wooded hideaway
Roomy gravel sites. A mix of electric and non-electric sites. Commercial fire rings. Electrical needs refreshing. We had an issue with the 30A breaker not resetting on site 46E; eventually relocated to 47E. Park employee Noah was very accommodating and pleasant to deal with. He came out to the site to discuss options with us and eventually made some site reservation changes to resolve the situation. Close to town, nice historic district.
Nate H.
Scout
Oakwoods Trails Campground
Really Great Campground
The owners Jan and Brian are super nice. The campground is a ways from their home and quite secluded and quiet. There weren’t any kids when we were there though, I imagine they could change the quiet aspect. The bathrooms and showers are very nice as are the sites. Well worth the $25 we paid!
- JJordan M.Scout
Oakwoods Trails Campground
Late weekend excellence
Arrived Sunday evening and found the campsite mostly empty, (season pass members had campers here but there was only one other active camper). Staff was very friendly and helpful. TOILETS FLUSH! Showers clean, basketball court, horseshoes, and volleyball all provided. Could see the sites being kind of close and it being a little pricey but more than worth it in my mind. Site 6&7 were perfect for hammocks
- TTracy B.Guide
Riverside Co Park
Great little city/county park!
Beautiful large sites along the river so you can fish as well as has a pond that you can swim in with three beach entry areas. Large bath house with restrooms and showers and a little free library inside. Very long parking pads- big rig friendly and very roomy sites. Nice walking trails on the east and south side of the park. Very creative natural play park for children to play on. Full hook up sites with a very reasonable nightly rate. It appeared that some of the campsites were seasonal but couldn’t confirm that.
- RRichard R.Scout
Myre State Park Campgrounds
We loved it
We were here mid week and pretty much had the place to ourselves. Beautiful old growth forest with lots of shade. For July the bugs weren’t bad. After traveling across South Dakota and dealing with 100 plus temperatures with no shade this was a welcome change. The rangers and hosts were welcoming and helpful. The bathrooms and showers are ultra modern and clean. We are planing on stopping back here on our way home.
- Niki S.Scout
R Campground, Inc
Very clean, friendly owners, great co-campers
Randy was amazing and very attentive to my questions. Check in was super easy and the directions for check in were clearly spelled out. Everything was mapped out and the website was easy to use as well. The pond itself was pretty to look at and made for great photos, however it was loaded with geese which made it not user friendly. I would recommend this campground, and I will definitely go back to camp again!
Emelia O.GuideWhite Fox - Myre-Big Island State Park
Early Spring Camping
We visited in early April so the sites were quite exposed, I can imagine they would be more private in the summer. Water and showers were not open yet as it was too cold but the vault toilets were well maintained.
- CCarly G.Scout
Myre State Park Campgrounds
Nice Campground
Ok cell coverage for Verizon, no issues web surfing. Site 7E was larger with a good size and distance from others. Not the fault of the campground, bugs were in full force. Tons of tree coverage and very humid making it a great place for the little buggers. Would probably visit October/November when cold gets rid of them and the tree coverage. Hard to see the amazing views in the summer. Again, no fault of campground, just a consideration. Also, no real potty spots for pups. Either weeds/woods or muddy spots attempting to be grass/weeds. Best was around the showers/restrooms. Those were by far the shining gem of this campground. Fantastic bathing facilities. We’re self contained, so didn’t need it but my spouse did go use the restroom there instead of waiting. We peeked in the showers and they were really nice looking.
- Greg K.Guide
Alden riverview campground
15$! Alden Riverview Campground
30/50/110 power. Drinking water and dump onsite but not on sites. Wifi! Hot showers, playground,boat launch,fire pits,grills,good camp host.town is right there 2 bars and restaurants. Gas station I think was 8 blocks up to the right. Been hard to find all this for 15 bucks a day!
- ccoreyTraveler
Camp At The Woods
Open year round
Very accommodating super nice people helped us back in and set up in middle of winter after dark after we had drove 2 days from the east coast. Our spot was on an incline but the water worked when temp was below freezing the camp was nice with new park for kids new basketball court new pavilion wish we could have been there in the summertime I’m sure the pool is nice when uncovered. I saw laundry and bathrooms by the river.
- SSkip H.Ranger
Rice Lake Wildlife Management Area
Good spot, but not exactly private
It's a nice spot off of the main road. It's pretty quiet, but there aren't many spots to camp. When you come in on the dirt road, it hooks to the right, and you'll come upon a dirt cul-de-sac. On the right, you'll see a grassy area set into the woods where you could camp. Other than that, your parking in the perimeter. There's enough room that virtually any size camper could navigate into this spot, but if there are other people, that will really complicate your life.
There is a boat launch and paths down each side of the launch you could fish. On the way in, you'll see a deck to the left, providing a scenic overlook. There's also a spot there you could potentially park, but you'll be very exposed if there is any foot traffic.
- EErin G.Guide
Myre State Park Campgrounds
Great Campground, Even in 20° Weather
We arrived after dark last night so we weren't able to see the gorgeous view until the sun rose! Luckily we woke up early and went for a walk right as the sun was coming up. It was quite cold, a little over 20°, but that meant the lake was frozen solid so we got to walk around on it! Tons of fun. Unfortunately the bathhouse, water spigots, and dump station were closed. That is not a super big deal since we have a camper. And it was publicized on their website about the dump stations being closed. The sites were spacious, the one we were in was non electric and a back-in site. But for $24 a night it was pretty nice! Especially would be worth it if more of the amenities had been open, but with how cold it is, it's very understandable that they would have them closed. There was still an outhouse with a vault toilet that was open. Unsure if there is a working sink because we did not use it. We had to call to make a same day reservation which was a tad bit annoying but the man on the phone was very helpful and nice so not bad at all.
- SSaarah P.Traveler
Blue Earth City Campground
Great Stop Near I-90
We stayed here per the recommendation of a friend and had a great experience. The camp host, Denise, was very nice upon arrival. The grounds were quiet and bathrooms were clean. Fast wifi and free firewood were great added benefits that made our night after a long day of driving.
- vvickieScout
Cedar View Park
Wonderful Find!
Great find! We thought we would be dry camping because it was Labor Day weekend. We found this Park on the app and thought we would check it out. It’s first come first serve. I really never thought there would be any hookups because of what I had read, but they had electric and water! We found a spot right on the Lake! Very busy but wonderful view, location and was only $20.00!
- SSydneyScout
Oakwoods Trails Campground
Lovely campground with lots of trees!
This is a great campground with lots of shade and spacious tent pads! The large oak trees throughout the campground made for beautiful scenery and nice spots to string a hammock up. My site was right next to the bathroom building which did have a light on all night, but I had an eye mask so that didn’t bother me. $25/night for a tent site
- MMallory M.Traveler
Myre State Park Campgrounds
Great spot in SE MN
We stayed at the Big Island Campground in the beginning of August. The sites seemed pretty large to us. My kids loved skipping rocks at the little shore at the entrance to the big island. You cannot swim in the lake but there are canoes and kayaks to rent. We really enjoyed our time here. Rangers were super nice and helpful. We hiked about 5 miles, saw a few deer and other animals. Bathrooms were very nice and clean. All of us that remembered to reapply bug spray didn't have any bites.
Jason H.Traveler
Interstate Co Park
Empty but lovely.
Here on a Wednesday (which is the only night the nearby restaurant is closed). It was empty. It's on a lovely river with swimming. Mostly people here for day use putting boats in.
Showers have hot water.
They don't take reservations. Would definitely stay here again if I'm in the area.
- CChristopherTraveler
White Fox - Myre-Big Island State Park
Quiet private campsites
Great spot for nature seekers. Great bike trails. Well spaced, quiet sites. Electric hookup for RV and easy dump station. Showers were what you can expect but good pressure and hot water. No where to swim in the lake.
- MMonique C.Guide
Albert Lea-Austin KOA
Day 4 of cross country trip
People are nice small campground. Not much for kids to do but if your staying overnight it’s fine for travelers.
Art S.LegendMyre State Park Campgrounds
Nice wooded area off the highway
There are two campgrounds in this state park. We snagged the last open site on the island. There are a mix of families, older folks and even a youth group. Our site is fully shaded as are most others. There is a central shower house and a couple vault toilets in the two loops. The trail heads out around the edge of the island. It’s a little over 1 mile long. There are a bunch of small trails leading to some spots to sit along the water. We headed down each offshoot and enjoyed our visit. A paved trail leads back and ends up right across from our campsite. The weather is cool so we stayed an extra day. The place cleared out on Sunday night. We are the only ones in this loop. We would stay here again but not in the middle sites. We feel too much in view of everyone which causes some distraction for the dog.
- MMona Lisa B.Scout
Blue Earth City Campground
Kind Host, quiet and quaint RV park
The host is very kind, helpful. This was our first stay at an RV park. Although we did not realize this coming in, we were pleasantly surprised at the cleanliness and quiet surroundings in this cute little RV park. For an incredibly low price, we were able to connect to water, dump, and electricity. Neighboring RV’s were equally kind and helpful to provide helpful hints with hookup. Thank you for making our last stay from South Dakota before we reached home in Wisconsin, very pleasant and safe.
Guide to Ventura
Camping near Ventura, Iowa, offers a mix of beautiful landscapes and fun activities for everyone. Whether you're looking for a peaceful retreat or an adventurous getaway, there are several campgrounds to choose from.
What to do:
- Hiking and Biking: Explore the scenic trails at Dolliver Memorial State Park Campground. One visitor mentioned, "The hiking is so good, it'd be silly to worry about much of anything down here."
- Fishing and Kayaking: Enjoy fishing or kayaking at Pine Lake State Park Campground. A reviewer shared, "Fishing is good here, as are the hiking trails."
- Beach Access: Spend a day at the beach at Clear Lake State Park Campground. One camper noted, "Nice beach, lots to do."
What campers like:
- Clean Facilities: Campers appreciate the cleanliness of the restrooms and showers. A visitor at Blue Earth City Campground said, "The bathrooms were clean. Fast wifi and free firewood were great added benefits."
- Friendly Hosts: Many campers mention the welcoming atmosphere. One reviewer at Big Island Campground stated, "The rangers and hosts were welcoming and helpful."
- Spacious Sites: Campers enjoy the roomy sites at Myre-Big Island State Park. A camper remarked, "Well spaced, quiet sites."
What you should know:
- Bug Season: Be prepared for bugs, especially in the summer. A visitor at Big Island Campground mentioned, "Bugs were in full force. Tons of tree coverage and very humid."
- Limited Amenities: Some campgrounds may have limited amenities. A camper at Eagle City County Park noted, "There is no pit toilet."
- Reservations Recommended: It’s a good idea to make reservations, especially during peak seasons. A visitor at Dolliver Memorial State Park Campground mentioned, "The reservation website depicts the sites with a small photo and details."
Tips for camping with families:
- Kid-Friendly Activities: Look for campgrounds with playgrounds and swimming areas. One camper at Clear Lake State Park Campground said, "The playground was fun for the kids, nice beach access!"
- Space for Kids to Play: Choose campgrounds with spacious sites. A family at Briggs Woods Park enjoyed, "Closest other campers were about a football field away."
- Plan for Evening Activities: Bring games or activities for the evenings. A camper at Myre-Big Island State Park mentioned, "Longer time for beautiful campfires in the evenings."
Tips from RVers:
- Check Hookups: Make sure the campground has the right hookups for your RV. A visitor at North Equestrian Campground noted, "If you need 50 amps, you're going to want to head to the Beach Camp."
- Level Sites: Look for campgrounds with level sites. A camper at Pilot Knob State Park mentioned, "Not all sites are level, and most do not have delineated parking pads."
- Quiet Locations: Choose quieter campgrounds for a more relaxing experience. A reviewer at Blue Earth City Campground said, "The grounds were quiet and bathrooms were clean."
Camping near Ventura, Iowa, has something for everyone, from families to RVers. With clean facilities, friendly hosts, and plenty of activities, it’s a great spot to unwind and enjoy nature.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular tent campsite near Ventura, IA?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Ventura, IA is Rice Lake Wildlife Management Area with a 5-star rating from 1 review.
What is the best site to find tent camping near Ventura, IA?
TheDyrt.com has all 12 tent camping locations near Ventura, IA, with real photos and reviews from campers.