Best Camping Options near Waterloo, Iowa

Campgrounds near Waterloo, Iowa can be found along the Cedar River basin at elevations ranging from 850-900 feet above sea level. The area features a mix of wooded river corridors and open prairie landscapes typical of northeastern Iowa. Many camping options have paved bike trails connecting to the Cedar Valley Trail network, which spans over 100 miles through Black Hawk County and neighboring communities.

What to do

Disc golf at Hickory Hills Park: A 700+ acre park offering a disc golf course along with hiking and fishing opportunities. "This is a great quiet park with animals for visiting and a very clean shower house," notes one camper at Hickory Hills Park.

Kayaking and canoeing: Big Woods Lake provides calm waters perfect for paddling. "The lake is small, no wake lake - but great for using your SUP or kayaks," according to a camper at Big Woods Lake.

Paddleboating at Grundy County Lake: Located about 25 minutes west of Waterloo, this newer campground offers water recreation options. "There is a paved trail that'll take you over to the lake so it's not a bad walk," shares a visitor, who adds there are "lots of wildflowers during the summer around the outer edges so butterflies and small birds can be seen quite often."

What campers like

Clean, modern facilities: Many campgrounds maintain well-kept bathrooms and shower houses. At George Wyth State Park Campground, "The campground's shower house is handicap accessible. All sites have 50 amp service and the water provided is from the city of Waterloo. There is an onsite dump station."

Access to extensive bike trails: The Cedar Valley Trail network connects multiple campgrounds to nearby communities. "If you are a biker there is a wonderful bike path. It will take you all the way through Cedar Falls and Waterloo you could bike all day long. Nice little cozy places to enjoy lunch along the bike trail."

Family-friendly amenities: Waterloo - Lost Island Waterpark KOA offers additional attractions. "Decent sites with full hook ups. 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."

What you should know

Seasonal flooding concerns: Some campgrounds experience regular flooding issues. At McFarlane Park, a camper warns: "Be prepared for mosquitoes though! Lots of standing water and lots of mosquitoes!"

Highway noise at some locations: Several campgrounds sit near major highways. "Off a main highway, but you feel like you are a long ways from no where," notes one camper about George Wyth State Park, while another mentions, "it is fairly close to the highway. That's good for convenience sake of getting in and out of the park, but it does mean there is some road noise in the parts of the park."

Limited shade at newer campgrounds: Grundy County Lake Campground has minimal tree cover. "NO SHADE at this campground (a few new trees so in about 10-20 years maybe shade)," reports one visitor, adding it's "a little walk or drive from camp ground" to reach the lake.

Tips for camping with families

Look for playgrounds and beaches: Several campgrounds feature family amenities. "For little ones, there is a large sand playground area with slides and swings. There is a sand beach to swim, where they also rent kayaks & canoes," says a camper about George Wyth State Park.

Consider campgrounds with recreation options: Waterloo - Lost Island Waterpark KOA provides multiple activities for children. "Nice park with colorful Kabin's and a lake for swimming or paddle boats," mentions one reviewer, while another notes it's "great for families" with a "playground on the campground."

Check campsite spacing: Some campgrounds provide more room for families to spread out. "Sites are well planned out though, giving each camper plenty of space. Several buddy set ups, allowing two campers to set up with main doors facing each other," observes a visitor at Big Woods Lake.

Tips from RVers

Pay attention to water hookup arrangements: At Grundy County campgrounds, note that some require sharing water access. "37 electric camping pads with water spigot every other pad (you must share although seen alot of rude people hogging the water) no sewer hookups but, there is a dump station."

Look for level sites: Many RV sites in the area are well-maintained. At Siggelkov County Park, a camper notes it "has dump station a water source. Would be nice if it had gravel parking but that's a small inconvience."

Check connectivity: For those needing internet access, coverage varies by location. At Waterloo - Lost Island Waterpark KOA, "We had 4 bar LTE with Verizon. Our hotspot was usable and performed very well."