Campgrounds near West Point, Iowa offer varied camping experiences along the Mississippi River watershed. The area features a mix of wooded terrain and open landscapes with elevation changes between 500-700 feet above sea level. Temperatures average 60-85°F during peak camping season from May through September, with summer humidity often exceeding 80%.
What to do
Fishing opportunities: Big Hollow Recreation Area provides a no-wake lake stocked with multiple fish species. "If you are into fishing, this place has large mouth bass, crappie, bluegill, and catfish," notes one visitor at Big Hollow Recreation Area.
Kayaking and canoeing: Several area lakes permit non-motorized watercraft with rental options available. "There is a good sized lake that we have kayaked and swam in," reports a camper at Big Hollow. At Indian Lake Park, visitors can enjoy "a lake with a nice sandy beach" with opportunities for "swimming, kayaking, bird watching."
Astronomy viewing: Designated stargazing areas with telescope platforms exist at select parks. "There's even a place to use a few telescopes to see the stars!" mentions a reviewer at Big Hollow Recreation Area.
River exploration: The confluence of the Iowa and Mississippi Rivers offers unique paddling experiences. "Great isolated camping at river edge where Iowa and Mississippi rivers meet! Paddling, fishing, hiking in bottom land forests," writes a camper about Ferry Landing.
What campers like
Budget-friendly options: Many county and state parks provide affordable camping with basic amenities. "We tent camped here a few weeks ago and it was pretty nice. You self check in and cost is only $10/night for primitive," states a visitor at Big Hollow Recreation Area.
Spacious sites: Several campgrounds offer well-separated campsites for privacy. "Large, spacious site. Wooded. Fire ring," reports a camper about the primitive section at Big Hollow. Another notes Indian Lake Park has "sites are nice and shady and level."
Clean facilities: Multiple campgrounds maintain well-kept shower houses and restrooms. At Crossroads RV Park, a camper states, "Great staff and RV park amenities. Camped for two nights and it was quiet." Another visitor to Nauvoo State Park found the area "clean and the staff was friendly. There are grills and toilets and trash collection."
Mixed camping types: Many parks accommodate various camping preferences within the same facility. Indian Lake Park "has something for everyone. They have primitive tent sites, electric only, electric+water, and fhu. They also have cabins for rent. All very reasonably priced."
What you should know
Noise considerations: Some rv sites near West Point, Iowa experience railroad or highway noise. At Crossroads RV Park, one camper warned of "constant train traffic all night! Horns blaring! The tracks are less than 1/4-mile away. And quite a bit of freeway noise, too!"
Access challenges: Certain campgrounds have difficult entrance roads. For Camp Nauvoo, a visitor noted, "If you are southbound on Illinois Hwy 96, the left turn off the highway is very sharp and steep. Might be easier to continue about a mile south and use the scenic turnout to turnaround."
Seasonal limitations: Water availability changes throughout the year at many parks. A November visitor at Nauvoo State Park found "electricity and the dump station was operating, but the water hookups were shut off and the bath house was closed for the winter."
Cell service variability: Reception depends heavily on terrain and tree cover. At Updog RV & Camping, a camper reported their wooded site "made cell service very hard to receive."
Tips for camping with families
Playgrounds and recreation: Several parks offer dedicated children's play areas. Indian Lake Park includes "a playground, a few nice hiking trails, and a lake with a nice sandy beach."
Educational opportunities: Historical sites provide learning experiences near camping areas. At Nauvoo State Park, campers appreciate being "right across the street from the historic sites, if you're up for it it's just a little further to walk to main street."
Bathroom accessibility: Consider campsite proximity to facilities when traveling with children. A Nauvoo State Park camper cautioned that "the main showers and flushing toilets are not by most of the main sites and the outhouse are not lit, so at night it's really dark to see to go!"
Tips from RVers
Site spacing considerations: RV campsites vary significantly in width between parks. A camper at Updog RV & Camping reported: "With slide out on each side, and not superslides either, I had EXACTLY 1 foot left on each side of my slides. I could not put out my awning as it would hit the camper next to me."
Full hookup availability: Several rv campgrounds near West Point offer complete utility connections. At Big Hollow Recreation Area, "sites are pretty level and easy to get parked. Full hookup!!!" Another visitor noted the park has "a large number of mostly cement camper spots, including pull through."
Off-season access: Some campgrounds maintain partial services during colder months. Nauvoo State Park operates year-round with reduced amenities, where "water was available at a hydrant across from the bath house, but lacked a garden hose thread, so you could only fill water jugs."
