Best Tent Camping near Vinton, IA

Recent Tent Reviews near Vinton, Iowa

335 Reviews of 20 Vinton Campgrounds

• 

  Kimberly B.

  Guide

  

  Sep. 18, 2021

  Amana RV Park & Event Center

  Very convenient for visiting the Amana Colonies.

  We tent camped here for two nights so we could visit the Amana Colonies. This is an RV park with tent sites on the lawn around the perimeter. A bit of a walk to the bathroom and showers, but the sites were level with short grass. The bathrooms and showers were very clean, and everyone was extremely friendly. The only drawback was that the tent sites don’t have picnic tables, but for two nights we made it work. We’d stay here again.

• A

  Amanda C.

  Guide

  

  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.

• 

  James M.

  Legend

  

  Jan. 26, 2022

  Jolly Rogers Campground

  Larger CG along Iowa River (Seasonal) currently named Scales Pointe

  Large marina on Iowa River, Bobbers Grill restaurant on site, sand volleyball lots, playgrounds, horseshoe pits, camp store with propane/firewood, shower house, full hookups, tent sites.

• J

  Jamee H.

  Traveler

  

  Jul. 18, 2016

  Lake Macbride State Park Campground

  Highly recommend! Non-modern site was great for us! Clean, family-friendly, quiet, but no shower house

  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. The other side is the "non-modern campground" and has RV and tent sites, playground, boat access to the lake, modern bathroom and pit latrine, but NO shower house. Our family of two parents and 2 young boys stayed a Friday night in the non-modern campground in site #49, which is off to the side, close to the woods, and is appropriate for two tents. We had no complaints at all! The campground is well-maintained, the lake is beautiful, the modern toilet house was clean, there was water on site. Our kids played with other kids in the campground at the small but nicely maintained and modern playground. There were some safe little trails in the woods next to our campsite that our kids walked around on with lanterns and looked for bugs and spiders. There was a normal amount of chatter from a Boy Scout group that was near us, but the sound died down fairly early, and it was quiet sleeping. The next morning, we got up and did some exercise and watched the lake while the fog was still low. Saw lots of neat birds, including a great blue heron. There is no swimming beach on this side, but you can launch a boat (boat ramp) or kayaks and canoes. Many of the campsites were empty when we went, and for the empty ones, you just get your campsite on the honor system. I do sort of wish there was a shower house on that side, just in case, but that is probably what is keeping this site quiet. We reserved the campsite through ReserveAmerica, and unfortunately we had to reserve for a minimum of 2 days, so my only other wish would be that we could reserve for just one day, BUT the campsite was very inexpensive, only $9/night, so for $18 plus a very minimal processing fee (I think we paid $22 total for the 2 nights), we had a great place to camp, and much cheaper and quieter than a cheap motel, along our destination from Wisconsin to Kansas! Things nearby to check out include: the beach at the park, the Devonian Fossil Gorge in Coralville, and the Coffee Press (for coffee lovers) in Iowa City.

• 

  Sarah H.

  Guide

  

  Jul. 23, 2016

  F. W. Kent Park

  Nice Midwest Campground off I-80

  Our family enjoys tent camping at Kent Park because the sites are grassy and open, but more private than many Midwest campgrounds because they are lined with tall prairie grasses and trees. 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. Prairie life makes for good photo ops and bird-watching. Restrooms and campsites were clean and well maintained. We will definitely be back!

• M

  Mitch

  Guide

  

  May. 7, 2021

  Stoehr Fishing Area

  overnight tent only

  small park with maybe one primitive tent site no fire pit 24 hour is the length you can stay. 2 small fishing ponds.

• C

  Cassie K.

  Scout

  

  Oct. 5, 2022

  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

• 

  Chelsea M.

  Scout

  

  Mar. 31, 2019

  Pleasant Creek State Recreation Area

  Beautiful

  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!

• A

  Ann B.

  Scout

  

  Jul. 9, 2018

  Pleasant Creek State Recreation Area

  Well maintained with trees!

  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. visited in July

• 

  J. T.

  Guide

  

  Jul. 13, 2021

  Sugar Bottom Campground

  Sweet tent sites on the lake!

  Great open air tent sites right on the side of the lake. Perfect access to restrooms close to the beach and close to the beach and write-off the boat dock.

• P

  Patti M.

  Ranger

  

  Oct. 19, 2018

  Scales Pointe Camping and Boating

  Super nice owner!

  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. Was going to charge us $35 because he thought we needed hook ups. Explained we were self sufficient and really just needed a place to park...very willing to pay for a tent site. After confirming we needed nothing else, he said "Well if that's all you want, you can park in my lot here and buy a beer." Deal!! The tent sites were really muddy that day so we were thrilled to have a lot. Place is right on the lake. Lots of boating. Quiet at night. Really a fun place to be.

• 

  Michael M.

  Traveler

  

  Mar. 19, 2019

  Diamond Lake County Park

  Great view

  Fills up fast on rv side but great views. 1st come 1 serve. Lots of sites on the water and plenty of tent sites. Decent fishing, lots of bluegill and some crappie.

• 

  Iris A.

  Ranger

  

  Dec. 8, 2021

  Sleepy Hollow

  Under new ownership

  This campground has many amenities for the whole family. From tent sites, to Airbnb cabins for 9 people they have a site for everyone. They have laundry, showers, horseshoes, volleyball, basketball, fishing and a swimming beach.

• 

  Mary H.

  Traveler

  

  Jul. 28, 2019

  F. W. Kent Park

  Pleasant stay, quiet campground

  Unique mix of RV and tent sites in a variety of sizes. Some close together would be good for groups and some remote. One shower room with flush toilets near entrance but vault toilets and water available throughout park. No other services.

• 

  Therese T.

  Guide

  

  Aug. 15, 2021

  Baileys Ford

  Love this campground

  I keep coming back to this park. The tent camping sites are quiet, well shaded and good access to the fishing stream. Running water Bathrooms closed due to covid but the vault toilets are fine. Hiking trails are absolutely gorgeous, 3 playgrounds for the kids. Little nature center was nice. Staff there were great. Highly highly recommend Bailey’s Ford!

• T

  Trish I.

  Scout

  

  Jul. 2, 2016

  Fontana County Park

  Relaxing

  Fontana is a small campground which fills up relatively fast. The park boasts animal displays and a nature center, fishing, trails and a playground all within the park, It's a quiet park with primitive and electrical hookups. Though I recommend better for campers since many tent sites are under pine trees.

• 

  Katie J.

  Guide

  

  Sep. 8, 2020

  Six Pines Campground — Backbone State Park

  Favorite Iowa Park

  This park is perfect for families or anyone looking for plenty of activities. They have boat rentals, amazing trails, a camp store onsite, a swimming beach and super clean bathrooms. Stayed at tent site #24 in the Southlake Campground, and it was fairly quiet even on a busy holiday weekend.

• 

  Jacob W.

  Ranger

  

  Apr. 1, 2021

  Lake Macbride State Park Campground

  Wooded walk-in tent sites (MNRA)

  My son and I tent-camped at Macbride Nature Recreation Area (not nearby Lake Macbride State Park) several times circa 2005. Always a good time. You can walk through the forest to get to the injured raptor center with outdoor aviaries. I marked this campground as new to the Dyrt map but the Dyrt changed it to a review of the state park. Oh well!

• 

  Therese T.

  Guide

  

  Jun. 20, 2021

  Sugar Bottom Campground

  Great campsite

  Last minute on Saturday night they had only 2 spots left. We were tent camping but they only had electric sites remaining. We got site 31, beautiful spacious area, right off the River for fishing! Bathroom facilities were clean and had hot water. Each site has a water faucet. Host was helpful and the site was well maintained. Glad we found it in a last minute change of plans. Will definitely go back again!

• 

  Kerry M.

  Ranger

  

  Aug. 29, 2021

  Union Grove State Park Campground

  Campsite at a beautiful little Iowa lake

  Union Grove is known for having good lake fishing. The lake is also a great place for kayaking or canoeing.

  The campground has mostly RV sites, but there are a handful of smaller tent sites at the back, which are my favorite. The campground is quiet.

  Amenities:

  Showers and toilets

  Dump station

  Water

  2 cabins

  Things to do nearby:

  Enjoy the lake

  Matchstick Marvels in nearby Gladbrook

• 

  Max K.

  Traveler

  

  Aug. 3, 2020

  George Wyth State Park Campground

  Good Base Camp to Explore Cedar Falls

  It was kind of loud, but it was busy. The lake for swimming was a little gross but we did it anyway. The bike trails are excellent and same for hiking. Bathrooms were a little old but clean when we were there, but there were massive hornets all over the bathroom area. It's also pretty bright here at night because it's right in the city. But overall, a decent, cheap place to tent camp if you want to explore Cedar Falls.

• R

  Rachel H.

  Scout

  

  Aug. 21, 2018

  Six Pines Campground — Backbone State Park

  Fantastic location cation for individual or group tent camping!

  I went with a group of entering sixth grade Girl Scouts on a weekend tent camping trip to this park. The campsites were simple to access and the grounds were easy to navigate. We hiked on the famous Backbone trail - a really fun hike that isn’t too incredibly long. The grounds were well kept and we had a phenomenal time. The girls gathered our firewood in the neighboring tree line, and our evenings were filled with fun and friendly camping neighbors. I highly recommend this park.

• C

  Carol M.

  Scout

  

  Jun. 6, 2018

  Matsell Bridge Natural Area

  Nice little inexpensive primitive site... spaces almost always available

  Nice quiet little primitive campground next to the Wapsipinicon River. Unfortunately, when I was there the last weekend of May, the gnats were bad, and the mosquitoes were just starting to gear up. HOWEVER, take bug spray and enjoy the rustic peacefulness of this "best kept secret" for primitive and inexpensive camping sites. Beautiful location, ranger close by, wood for sale just across the bridge, fire pits and picnic tables at every site. Good for RV, trailer or tent camping… level ground and lots of shade. Primitive bathrooms, no showers or running water.

• 

  Mike C.

  Traveler

  

  Sep. 4, 2021

  Blue Inn Campground

  Cozy, basic CG

  37 full-hookup sites, some tent sites, all right on edge of town. Adjacent to Kitty Creek, joins Maquoketa River. Some concrete pads, most are gravel, fairly level. Pretty tight layout, average of only 30-40' between sites. New fire rings, picnic tables in good condition. Bakery and other facilities are closed due to COVID. Previous campers at our site left lots of trash on ground...always disappointing. Electrical and water were good. Sewer connections a bit high.

• 

  Chantal C.

  Guide

  

  Sep. 22, 2021

  Baileys Ford

  Great for Families

  The RV/pull behind spots here fill up VERY fast. This was no big deal for us since we went for a long tent camping weekend, there are plenty of sites if you are ok without all the hookups. The park has the river on one end and cold water springs all around the other side. There are restrooms which are well taken care of but no showers at the time as they were 'covid closed'. There are multiple playgrounds with grills and shelter, and tons of easy hiking for families with kids. We played in the springs when we stayed, relaxed and just walked the park. We had no neighbors at our tent spot.

• 

  Kerry M.

  Ranger

  

  Aug. 25, 2021

  Riverview Park Campground

  Urban campground is near a busy highway

  This campground has many sites to choose from - RV with hookups as well as some non-electric tent sites. There are quite a few activities in Marshalltown, and it is within the Marshalltown city limits.

  The downside is proximity. It is right next to the highway. When I was there in a tent, the hog trucks would drive by all night (loud and smelly). The RV sites are closest to the road, so maybe it is not so bad in an RV, but it is not particularly enjoyable in a tent.

  Pros:

  + Marshalltown has quite a few places to eat

  + Nice bike trails (and a great bicycle store downtown)

  + It is near the Iowa River

  + Nice park in general with activities like a dog park

  + Camp host on-site

  + Decent sized campsites

  + Playground for the kids

  Cons:

  + It can get busy on a summer weekend

  + Noisy - right by the highway

  + Mosquitos are really bad here

• 

  Kerry M.

  Ranger

  

  Aug. 25, 2021

  Wolf Creek Rec Area

  Quiet campground in the heart of Iowa

  Wolf Creek is a nice little campground near Beaman, IA (Beaman is very small, near Conrad as well which has a grocery store).

  There are 10 RV sites, which are $15/night and several tent/small camper sites which are $10/night.

  The campground has potable water but no showers. There are vault toilets.

  The campground has a nice playground, which was a feature we enjoyed when my daughter was little.

  My favorite part about this campground is the privacy. The tent sites are spread out and it is fairly easy to find one without neighbors too close.

  Activities:

  + Playground

  + Creek fishing

  + Nice benches and swings

  + Comet trail for hiking and biking

  + Hunting nearby