Best RV Parks & Resorts near West Des Moines, IA

Des Moines West KOA Holiday provides full hookup RV sites with 50-amp service approximately 15 miles west of West Des Moines in Adel. The campground operates from April through October and accommodates large motorhomes with big-rig friendly sites. Griffs Valley View RV Park in Altoona features concrete pads with full hookups including water, sewer, and both 30/50-amp electrical connections. River Oaks RV Park offers 99 RV sites with similar utility options and is also suitable for larger rigs. Shady Brook Camping & RV Adventures in Earlham provides water and sewer hookups in a more wooded setting. "Sites are large with nicely manicured lawns. My only issue was that my hose was just barely long enough but that was my fault not the campgrounds."

Several RV parks near West Des Moines provide amenities beyond basic hookups. Dump stations are available at Des Moines West KOA, Griffs Valley View, and River Oaks. Laundry facilities can be found at Griffs Valley View, which also offers propane filling service on-site. Most parks permit pets, though specific restrictions may apply. Some parks experience significant seasonal demand, particularly during Iowa State Fair periods and summer months. Interstate proximity creates noise concerns at select locations - notably at Shady Brook where one reviewer noted it was "so close you could literally throw a rock from the entrance and hit a passing semi." Cell service is generally reliable throughout the area, with no reported connectivity issues at major RV parks.

Best RV Sites Near West Des Moines, Iowa (90)

    1. Griffs Valley View RV Park

    11 Reviews
    Bondurant, IA
    17 miles
    Website

    $35 - $90 / night

    "The campground very very well kept with spacious concrete pads, both 30/50 amp and full water/ sewage hookups. Two nice laundry/shower houses, one in the front and one in the back of the campground."

    "I came here once for a baby shower and then check the place out for RV camping you can stay year round you can stay for a week a month or a day and they have full hookup propane they have so many interesting"

    2. Shady Brook Camping & RV Adventures, LLC

    2 Reviews
    Earlham, IA
    16 miles
    Website
    +1 (515) 238-1998

    "We looked at the other reviews and it talked about it being so close to the freeway, but we didn’t hear a sound. It was really in a good perimeter of trees and lots of shade and level camp spots."

    3. River Oaks RV Park

    2 Reviews
    Runnells, IA
    22 miles
    Website
    +1 (515) 989-0574

    $45 - $60 / night

    "Nice size campground, sites have good spacing and full hookups that were installed with some thought."

    "We stayed here to go to the Iowa State Fair. It was easy to park here and catch a shuttle to the fair."

    4. Kellogg RV Park

    12 Reviews
    Kellogg, IA
    47 miles
    Website
    +1 (641) 526-8535

    "The sites are mostly pull through with full service electric, water, and sewer. The only real issue is the constant noise from I-80 which is just to the south of the campground."

    "Level sites with full hookups Plenty of space to walk the dog

    Right next to a gas station with great burgers and tenderloins! 

    It was cold and windy so we didn't get out much to explore."

    5. Lakeside Casino RV Park

    4 Reviews
    Woodburn, IA
    35 miles
    Website
    +1 (877) 477-5253

    $35 - $45 / night

    "All the spaces are pulled through. It is very clean. There is full hook up for water, electric and sewer. All spaces are paved. There are picnic tables scattered throughout the park."

    "The park was clean with level sites. The front desk person was friendly and helped me with my reservation. It was a close walk to Pilot for supplies."

    7. Crow's Nest RV Resort

    Be the first to review!
    Indianola, IA
    19 miles
    Website
    +1 (515) 961-4324

    8. Des Moines West KOA Holiday

    23 Reviews
    Earlham, IA
    15 miles
    Website
    +1 (515) 834-2729

    "Gravel sites require some leveling. Not much privacy between sites nor shade. Bathhouses were clean and private. Laundry available. Off leash dog area available."

    "We stayed at the West Des Moines KOA for the Nationals Softball Tournament for my daughter in July. There were 6 families that stayed there with us."

    10. Bob Shelter Recreation Area & Campground

    15 Reviews
    Johnston, IA
    12 miles
    Website
    +1 (515) 276-0873

    $22 - $26 / night

    "We stayed at spot 20 which was extra wide, concrete pad with electric hook up. No water or sewer."

    "Great spot located next to the Des Moines River. Check in was a breeze and conveniently near the fill and dump stations. Peaceful lot near the river. Great fishing in the river."

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RV Park Reviews near West Des Moines, IA

495 Reviews of 90 West Des Moines Campgrounds


  • Renee H.
    May. 7, 2024

    Howell Station

    Large spacious campground

    Well maintained campground with mature shade trees. Gravel sites, a little bit of leveling required. Poor Verizon cell signal, no internet signal. Not much natural privacy between sites, but sites were well spaced apart. Paved trail nice for biking and walking. Fishing nearby and the Dutch themed town of Pella is a short drive and a must see. Bathrooms and showers were nice, clean. Handicap camp site and bathhouse available. Firewood for sale at front gate. The potable water available at the dump station was clear and good for drinking. Dump station is easily accessible. Dumpsters were positioned around the campground. Staff was friendly. The night we stayed, there was a severe weather threat, and the staff, at the end of the night, had unlocked the storm shelters (utility area in the middle of the bathhouses) should the need arise. We ended up having to seek shelter because of a tornado warning.

  • H
    Aug. 20, 2018

    Prairie Flower Recreation Area

    Fantastic Space and View!

    This quickly became one of our favorite close to home spots. Sites are large and there is plenty of space between sites. We had a concrete pad with a picnic table and fire pit with grill grate. Most are back in sites, but once settled we had a gorgeous view of the lake and sunsets. Restrooms were clean and dump stations were easily accessible. This is now our go to spot when we want to camp but stay close to home!

  • N
    Aug. 17, 2023

    Adair City Park

    Great overnight spot

    Park was clean and close to highway. Husband said bathrooms were clean enough. Didn't use the showers. Arrived around 10pm on a Tuesday and there were 3 spots left. Not all spots could accommodate big rigs. About 8 sites total with electric and water hookups. $15/night for RVs and $6 for tents. Drop box and dump station by the bathrooms. Police rolled through shortly after we arrived. Safe area now but marker says this is the site of Jesse James first train robbery in July 1873. Would definitely come back if passing through.

  • DThe Dyrt PRO User
    Oct. 18, 2023

    Lakeside Co Park

    Nice lake, but run down campsites.

    First, there is no dump station! All sites have water and electricity with 20, 30, and 60 amp plugs. The sites are 20 dollars. The campsites located near the entrance are pull-through but need maintenance. The campsites along the lake will support short to medium length RVs or trailers, and all are back in. As of this posting, all are not level and in poor condition. The city of Huneston, Iowa is a few minutes away and has several gas stations and a grocery store.

  • J
    Dec. 14, 2021

    Jester County Park

    Nice, Quiet CG

    Nice CG located on the North end of Saylorville Reservoir. Camped in the upper CG site#145. Numerous shade trees, gravel pad and room for our 20' trailer and TV. CG has a kids playground, hiking trails, Equestrian Center, golf course and nature center. Plenty to do with the city of Ankeny just 15 minutes away. CG was fairly empty until around Thursday and filled on the weekend. Seniors can get$5 off per day of their reservation. Dump station is at the entrance of the CG. We camped at Jester Park in a Travel Trailer.

  • Jason F.
    Jun. 14, 2022

    Walnut Woods State Park Campground

    Comfortable Camping Convenient To Des Moines

    Walnut Woods is conveniently located 25 minutes outside of downtown Des Moines. Sites are paved and mostly level, although we did have to throw a couple of blocks under one side of our TT tires. Most sites feature 20/30/50 electric, a fire ring and a picnic table. Some also have water and sewer hookups. Sites are relatively small and close together, so get comfortable looking into your neighbors’ site/camper depending on how your site is oriented. The road around the campground is paved, but very narrow. We had to ask our neighbor across the street to temporarily move their tow vehicle so that we’d have adequate room to back into our site.

    There is a bathroom, trash dumpsters, and a dump station with both potable and tank cleanout water spigots. There are trail heads near the campground that follow along the raccoon river for almost 2 miles. It was very muddy when we camped here, so we had to turn around about 1.5 miles into our hike and backtrack due to an impassible area.

    3 bars of T-Mobile and 2 bars of AT&T were more than sufficient for internet browsing and streaming.

  • A
    Apr. 3, 2022

    Adventureland Campground

    Parking more than camping

    I stayed at Adventureland for the summer months and had no issues. The staff was very helpful, plenty of laundry/restrooms throughout the campground and pretty clean overall. Concrete pads with full hook ups (30/50 amp, water and sewage) make setting up quick. Tent camping is an option in the back of the campground. Nature is not really the draw of this campground, convenience is more the approach. With a theme park on one side and a casino on the other, both in walking distance. It’s more of a park and party place hahaha

  • Renee H.
    May. 23, 2024

    Des Moines West KOA Holiday

    Nice modern KOA

    Large modern KOA with sites to accommodate all sizes of rigs and also tent campers. Gravel sites require some leveling. Not much privacy between sites nor shade. Bathhouses were clean and private. Laundry available. Off leash dog area available. Convenient to John Wayne’s birthplace and covered bridges of Madison County. Bulk propane tanks were on site for winter campers. Camper cabins available. Small store with Hunt Brothers pizza to order. Gathering room on site and pedal car racetrack. Verizon cell signal was good. Garbage dumpster and dump station on site.

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

    Newton KOA

    This KOA Deserves Your Attention

    Literally a single stone’s throw from I80, one of the busiest thoroughfares you’ll find yourself on here in the great ‘Hawkeye State,’ this is one campground that very much deserves your attention, despite being a KOA. In fact, this campground outpost is so close to the highway that you’ll be hard pressed not to see or hear it during your entire stay. While this KOA does sit down a bit from the hustle & bustle that comes with a major interstate highway, a good number of the available RV sites sit on a sloping hill that is the same elevation as the highway itself, so if you do have the choice, opt for the lower sites (more on that later). 

    Sitting just 30 minutes east of Des Moines, Newton KOA offers up about 100 sites for RVs and 5th wheelers offering up all the standard hook-ups (water, sewage and 30 / 50 amp- but be careful because some sites only offer 30 or 50, while some do offer both, so be sure to ask when making your reservation). For mi tent pitching bredren, there’s about a dozen or so sites to choose from and all are fairly intermingled with the RV sites, although each site does sit on a plush patch of grass, so this KOA does a nice job on that front of integration. Oh, and if you don’t have an RV, 5th wheeler or a tent, on worries, this KOA will rent you one of its three cabins. 

    As this is a KOA you can expect a ton of amenities and this place does not disappoint with: catch & release fishing pond w/ fish cleaning station (that is oddly placed about as far away from the fishing pond as you can get), disc golf course, K9 camp for the puppies, cable TV, WiFi, in-ground pool (available 5/25 until 9/3) with ADA pool lift, horseshoes, meeting rooms, firewood for sale, LP gas refueling station, pool table, shuffleboard, social lounge, two kids playground, laundr-O-mat, basketball court, restroom & shower facilities, mini-market with basic groceries, ping pong, jump pad, game room, gaga pit, designated dumpster and dump station and of course the scattered fire pits and picnic tables. Just to go above and beyond, this KOA serves up free breakfast of flapjacks on Saturdays. Yahoo! 

    Insider’s tips? Here’s a few: (1) Whether you are pitching a tent or pulling up in your RV, the best sites IMHO are those in the lower valley, but located right in front of the main office, where there are 6 RV slots numbered #45 – 50 and 6 tent sites numbered T1 – T6; (2) Should you get hungry and might want to try some local fare, check out Taco John’s and La Cabaña Mexican Restaurant, which I guess stand for ‘local’ around here, although there is Newton Family Restaurant. If you are looking for something really different and amazing, I would suggest heading on over to Dan’s Sandwich Shop, which feels like real Americana from a bygone era, complete with a diner-esque vibe and matching elbow counter to warm up to over a nice piece of apple pie, scoop of ice cream washed down with a hot mug of coffee; (3) While this KOA has a mini-market, you will find a bigger selection with better prices just down the road at the local Walmart, where just due west of this, you’ll find a Hy-Vee Grocery store with a wine & spirits shop positioned there as well. Further down the road, you have excellent fresh cut meat from Fareway Grocery, but check out the local hotspot, Newton Market as well; and (4) While what you will discover from an outdoor standpoint at Newton KOA is interesting, if you want something more substantial, head to Newton Arboretum & Botanical Gardens for 6 acres of family-friendly landscape to explore with more displays and demonstrations that you can shake a stick at! Seriously, there’s a butterfly garden, peony border and nearly 200 individual species of trees here to check out. 

    Happy Camping!


Guide to West Des Moines

RV camping options near West Des Moines, Iowa primarily cluster along Interstate 80 corridors and neighboring communities. Most campgrounds in this central Iowa region operate between April and October, though several offer year-round availability. Winter camping facilities maintain heated bathhouses and water connections despite Iowa's cold season temperatures that regularly drop below freezing.

What to do

Fish at local ponds: Griffs Valley View RV Park features a clean fishing pond with bluegills. "There is a really nice pond for fishing that has some bluegills. The water is very clean," notes one camper, who also mentioned the convenient "very nice bike trail right outside the park."

Use connecting bike trails: The Des Moines West KOA Holiday provides access to regional trails. "The pool was refreshing for the girls and all of the activities kept them busy and having fun! All while being close to the city but the beauty of the country," reported a visitor who stayed with multiple families during a softball tournament.

Visit nearby breweries: When staying at Kellogg RV Park, consider exploring local craft beverages. One reviewer suggests: "If you are looking to get buzzed while out here at Kellogg RV Park, you are in luck as just nearby there's Grinnell Craft Brewhouse, Buzzed Bee Meadery as well as Van Wijk Winery – all of which are absolutely worth the visit!"

What campers like

Spacious concrete pads: River Oaks RV Park offers well-designed sites with thoughtful hookup placement. "Sites have good spacing and full hookups that were installed with some thought. Only used one stinky slinky, could have hooked up water with a 6' hose, and the electrical was near the back of the site," explains one visitor who appreciated the free WiFi that was strong enough for streaming.

Landscaped grounds: The manicured appearance of sites receives consistent praise. At Griffs Valley View RV Park, a reviewer noted: "The campground very very well kept with spacious concrete pads, both 30/50 amp and full water/sewage hookups. Two nice laundry/shower houses, one in the front and one in the back of the campground."

Storm shelters: Safety features matter in tornado-prone Iowa. Kellogg RV Park offers "an F5-rated tornado shelter located on-site, so while your RV might blow away, no worries, you and those you hold most precious will be protected in the event of a tornado, which is important because this state gets hit by them all the time."

What you should know

Seasonal demand: Summer months bring capacity crowds to rv parks in West Des Moines, Iowa and surrounding communities. One camper at Griffs Valley View RV Park reported: "The voicemail said it was fully booked from May until September. Good thing we got through because they found us a site for the night."

Highway noise varies: Interstate proximity affects sound levels differently between parks. At Shady Brook Camping, some report significant noise while others have different experiences: "We looked at the other reviews and it talked about it being so close to the freeway, but we didn't hear a sound. It was really in a good perimeter of trees and lots of shade and level camp spots."

Self-check-in options: Late arrivals have accommodation at some facilities. "Although we were arriving after 10pm, we could still check in without a reservation! They have an awesome 'self check in'. A board marked with available spaces we chose from," noted a Des Moines West KOA visitor.

Tips for camping with families

Look for activity packages: Adventureland Campground combines camping with amusement park access. "We were there for most of the early summer so we got a season pass to the park which included the water park," shared one family, adding that the "fireworks display on the 4th" was especially memorable.

Consider buddy sites: Some parks offer specialized group camping arrangements. One visitor noted that Des Moines West KOA has "buddy sites" where "you are sitting on top of your neighbors with no privacy. It works pretty good if you actually have a 'buddy', but if you come alone it's not private at all."

Winter options exist: Year-round family camping is possible at select locations. "Office is open until 7pm which was very helpful as we arrived a little later than expected. Well kept, clean bathrooms with space heaters running to ensure they're warm during the December cold," reported a winter visitor who recommended ignoring highway signs indicating seasonal closure.

Tips from RVers

Water hose planning: Site layouts affect hookup accessibility. A reviewer at Shady Brook Camping & RV Adventures shared: "We thought this was a nice little spot and a great price," while noting that level sites with shade made for comfortable camping despite their initial concerns about highway noise.

Check for on-site food options: Several rv parks near West Des Moines offer food service. "We needed to stop for the night and this was a great choice. It was right off the interstate but the sounds of traffic wasn't too bad. The site was an easy pull through and pretty level," wrote a Kellogg RV Park visitor who added "The burgers were not the greatest but ok."

Site leveling requirements: Concrete pads don't guarantee level parking. "Sites are gravel and it looked like most campers had to use blocks," noted a River Oaks RV Park camper, though they still praised the campground as "clean and quiet" with good WiFi service that only occasionally froze.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular RV campsite near West Des Moines, IA?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular RV campground near West Des Moines, IA is Griffs Valley View RV Park with a 4.6-star rating from 11 reviews.

What is the best site to find RV camping near West Des Moines, IA?

TheDyrt.com has all 90 RV camping locations near West Des Moines, IA, with real photos and reviews from campers.