Best Tent Camping near Wheatland, IA

Tent camping options near Wheatland, Iowa include several county-managed areas with primitive sites for nature-oriented campers. The Wapsipinicon River Environmental Education Center offers limited primitive camping by authorization only, while Buzzard Ridge Wildlife Area features hike-in tent sites along the Maquoketa River with direct water access.

Most tent sites in the region feature basic amenities like fire rings and picnic tables, with varying levels of facilities. Joinerville County Park requires camping permits obtained at least one month in advance of stay and offers no toilets, functioning primarily as a day-use area with primitive camping options. Buzzard Ridge Wildlife Area provides more rustic accommodations with a single latrine, fire ring, and table. Campers should plan to bring their own drinking water, as most primitive tent sites lack potable water sources. A review noted that Buzzard Ridge is a "unique hike or paddle primitive site with native forbs and wildlife surrounding the area."

Tent campers seeking more developed facilities can find options at Indian Meadows Campground in the Loud Thunder Forest Preserve, which provides shower houses and toilets while maintaining a natural setting. Sites are spaced for privacy, with some campers describing them as "like a nature playpen." Most primitive tent campgrounds in the region operate on pack-in, pack-out principles and require adherence to Leave No Trace practices. Saulsbury Bridge Recreation Area offers primitive tent camping with access to drinking water, showers, and toilets, making it suitable for campers who want basic comforts while maintaining a connection to nature. Cedar River Campground represents a more developed option with amenities like a pool and mini-golf, though sites are notably close together for tent campers.

Best Tent Sites Near Wheatland, Iowa (17)

Show More
Showing results 1-10 of 17 campgrounds

2025 Detourist Giveaway

Presented byToyota Trucks

Review Campgrounds. Win Prizes.

Enter to Win


Tent Camping Reviews near Wheatland, IA

640 Reviews of 17 Wheatland Campgrounds


  • James M.The Dyrt PRO User
    Apr. 16, 2022

    Buzzard Ridge Wildlife Area

    Unique County wildlife site along Maquoketa River

    Unique hike or paddle primitive site. Native forbs and wildlife surrounding the area. Two parking sites to hike in or access by river. Site is along river, has table, fire ring, latrine. Pack in, pack out and Leave No Trace.

  • C
    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.

  • Stuart K.The Dyrt PRO User
    Mar. 7, 2025

    Bald Eagle Campground and Cabins

    Barren RV-Riddled Campground Outpost

    One of the 6 campgrounds that you will have to choose from here at Scott County Park, Bald Eagle CG & Cabins is one that is more geared for the RV driving and trailer toting tribes as each site has FHUs with electric, water & sewage, fire rings and picnic tables; however, if you wanted to pitch a tent here, you could, although I would recommend nearby Incahias as an alternative. Unlike some of the other campgrounds here, Bald Eagle kind of lives up to its name as there’s not much in the way of tree cover or brush, so the land is somewhat BALD. The land is incredibly flat, back-in slots are spacious, hard and very level grounds are incredibly well-organized and the bathroom / shower facilities with great HOT running water and are about as impeccably clean as can be.

    Near by Bald Eagle is Pride Lake, which makes this pet-friendly CG your top pick if you’re an angler or looking to get some decent oaring with your kayak or canoe. Sitting in front of Pride Lake are 2 very large shelters – Whispering Pines and Hickory Hills – as well as a playground for the kiddos and a restroom facility that is also spartan-clean. Surrounding Bald Eagle is also no shortage of hiking / biking / horse trails. We found the CG itself to be fairly quiet, although lacking in privacy without the benefit of any real brush or trees to blot out our next-door neighbors, but that said, everyone was incredibly friendly with full displays of Midwestern hospitality that this area is known for. There is also a single large cabin available for rent that has capacity for 10 people.

    We loved Scott County Park so much because there is a lot that this gem offers up, from fresh water catch & release lakes, a combination of topographies (from woodlands, wetlands and prairie grasslands), a beautiful 18-hole championship golf course, outdoor exercise areas, club house and concessions, stand-alone cabins for rent, designated dump stations and trash receptacles, numerous picnic areas, a massive heated swimming pool complete with a snake-like water slide, volleyball court, ranger stations, seasonal on-site hosts, firewood available for purchase at entry stations, Walnut Grove Pioneer Village and St. Anne’s church at the park’s NW perimeter, 7 community shelters, designated picnic areas, a memorial park, equestrian area and an incredibly well-paved network of roads that allows you to easily access just about every corner of this park.

    Happy Camping!

  • James M.The Dyrt PRO User
    Aug. 28, 2022

    Saulsbury Bridge Rec Area, Primitive Tent Camp

    Neat Primitive Tent CG along water

    The camp is walking only, with few tables and fire rings. Firewood available t main cg all ng with water and showers there too. Sites are spread along a waterway within bottom land woodlands with water access for fishing, paddling etc. Parking is within 100 yards so must pack in/out, use Leave No Trace ethics.

  • Jessica H.
    Jul. 11, 2018

    Saulsbury Bridge Recreation Area - Main Camping

    Ranger Review: VivoBarefoot Primus Trail SG Womens at Saulsbury Bridge

    Campground Review:

    Saulsbury Bridge Recreation Area is 675 acres, nestled between rolling fields of corn, dairy farms, native prairie, and the Cedar River. Located in Muscatine County in southeast Iowa, this rec area offers well-maintained campgrounds, hiking trails, fishing, kayaking/canoeing and seasonal hunting.

    There are three separate campgrounds. The main campground has electrical hookups, picnic benches, fire rings, modern restroom facilities including showers, a dump station, playground, and firewood for purchase. There are 24 sites, and they run $20 per night.

    The primitive campground area sits along Chicken Creek and offers four, tent-only sites, and is just off the main campground. The sites are well spaced and surrounded by large trees. These are walk in sites with parking in the main campground. It’s a short hike in from the parking area, and within walking distance of the restrooms and firewood. Primitive sites are $10 per night.

    Across the road from these two campgrounds is the main boat access and fishing dock for Chicken Creek. Only non-motorized boats are allowed here. If you don’t have your own, you can rent kayaks and canoes through the Muscatine County Conservation office. There is also a large shelter, which is reservable along with day use picnic areas, playgrounds, a sand volleyball court, and vault toilets. There’s large, open expanses of grassy fields and oak shade trees; perfect for relaxing on a hot summer day.

    The river campground sits right along the Cedar River and allows easy access to fishing along with a boat ramp. This campground is a short hike to the old Saulsbury Bridge and Lodge. The bridge has a small gazebo-like structure and bench which provides a nice view of the river. There are vault toilets in this campground, but the modern restrooms are within walking distance as well. There are 10 sites in this campground and run $17 per night.

    All campsites are self-registration and are on a first come, first served basis. There is a campground host on duty in the main campground and the park officer lives on site. Dogs are allowed, but must be on leash in the campgrounds and on trails. However, they are allowed to run in the designated hunting areas. These areas are marked with signs. If you plan to hike during hunting season, it’s a good idea to wear bright colors/blaze orange so you are visible to hunters and not mistaken for a deer or other wildlife.

    This park also has prairie/natural habitat restoration areas that, in spring and summer, attract Monarch butterflies, and an abundance of birds including indigo bunting, red headed woodpecker, and goldfinch. In the colder months you can spot bald eagles flying along the river. There are also deer, wild turkey, and pheasants. While there, we walked around the campground areas that were open and over to the day use area along Chicken Creek to roast marshmallows. We hiked the short distance out to the Saulsbury Bridge to watch the Cedar River flow by and caught a beautiful sunset.

    The one downfall to this park is the possibility for flooding. When the Cedar River is high, it pushes Chicken Creek out of its banks which can mean potential closure of campgrounds.

    A call ahead to the conservation office to check on closures is a good idea. We had hoped to camp at a primitive site, but learned the trail leading into the campground was under water, which also meant the river campground was closed as well. Though there was some water over the road in the main campground, it was minimal and we were able to choose an electrical site. We opted to car camp as we were only staying one night. Only about a third of the campground was filled and we had no one on either side of us which meant for a more quiet camping experience.

    This is one of my favorite local areas to hike and camp that’s close to home. It offers a full picture of Iowa’s varied landscapes and outdoor activity opportunities.

    Product Review:

    As a Ranger for The Dyrt, I get products to test from time to time. On this camping trip, I tried out VivoBarefoot Primus Trail SG Womens sneakers. VivoBarefoot’s goal is to provide an environment that allows the feet to remain in their natural state while providing a protective shoe. https://www.vivobarefoot.com/us/womens/off-road/primus-trail-sg-womens?colour=Olive

    1. Anytime I purchase a new pair of shoes, whether for daily use or outdoor recreation, I make sure to break them in as much as possible as I’m prone to blisters. I did wear the Primus around the house a few times and on my daily walks before taking them camping. Though they have a snug fit, they’re not uncomfortable. They also include a pair of removable inserts and extra laces. The laces are adjustable which allowed me to either loosen or tighten the shoe. Bonus; no socks needed. As someone who would opt to wear sandals year round if possible, I liked the fact I didn’t have to put an extra layer on my feet.
    2. The timing couldn’t have been better for testing out these sneakers; Saulsbury was experiencing minor flooding while we were there. Not only do they have rugged soles for gripping in wet and rocky terrain, the mesh material allows for quick drying if they do get wet, and provided easy clean up of mud and other debris.
    3. Honestly, I was really pleased with the fact that many of the women’s shoes came in neutral and earth tone colors (I absolutely checked out other shoe options on their website). While I don’t mind the brighter colors that seem to be the trend for women’s trail runners, I really prefer something a little more low key.
    4. One of the best things about these shoes was the ease of slipping them on and off, say in the middle of the night when nature called.
    5. All in all, I feel this shoe is a good match for the outdoor activities I enjoy; camping, hiking, bicycling, and kayaking. I’m looking forward to seeing how they hold up while hiking in the mountains out West this summer.
  • Emma N.
    Sep. 25, 2017

    Sugar Bottom Campground

    Boats and Beautiful Views

    Our one-night stay at the Sugar Bottom- Coralville Lake Campground was terrific! My husband and I stopped there during our cross-country road trip. We arrived around 7:30pm on a Sunday in September and easily got a spot. The lady at the entrance station was incredibly kind and answered all of our questions.

    The campground is very well marked, with easily visible site number labels. Each site is in a grassy area with a picnic table and fire ring with a grate. Our site had a tree or two that provided some shade, but some other sites were a but more shaded.

    We ended up staying in site #103, which is right by the water. What a beautiful view we had! Our campsite was very close to a boat dock, a sand volleyball court, and a sandy beach. We didn't have a chance to swim at the beach, but it looked really nice! It had a large, designated swimming area that was marked with floating ropes. We were also located close to a building with restrooms. Each restroom had a clean, hot shower. The showers were free, which was a plus!

    In my opinion, this is definitely a 5-star campground. I can't wait to come back!

  • James M.The Dyrt PRO User
    Aug. 5, 2021

    Swiss Valley County Park

    Great County park, preserve, campground

    Campground is well maintained, restrooms, showers, recycling station, fire wood available, campground host onsite, resident park ranger, standard RV sites, some electric tent sites otherwise primitive with fire rings and tables. Trout stream (Catfish Creek) runs through campground and park and is stocked by Iowa DNR, has Swiss Valley Nature center with trails.

  • Amy W.
    Apr. 2, 2022

    Morrison-Rockwood State Park

    Family friendly; great first timers

    first timers/ young kids- yes. Primitive campers- no. My husband had never been camping. I grew up with very primitive camping- no electricity, only pit toilets, sometimes fresh water, and no showers (milk jug showers!) Little by little, I’m warming him up to camping. This is a great place for new campers, families of young kids, or just looking for an easier trip. There’s a shower house with flush toilets, warm showers, and surprisingly CLEAN! The site was medium size. Enough room to spread out. Ground was flat so finding a tent site was no problem. Electric hookup worked. Picnic table was good. Check your site before booking! One section of sites is like an open field? No trees and full view of others. But these surround a playground- also very nice. Glamping with young kids? These sites would be a perfect. AT&T and Verizon cell service worked fine

  • James M.The Dyrt PRO User
    Aug. 28, 2024

    Sherman Co Park

    Scenic County park along Wapsipinicon River

    The campground offers to camp areas: one better suited for RVs, and the other area is better suited for primitive tent, camping. Sites have picnic tables and fire rings, our recites include electric. There is a campground host, shower house, shelter and playground area there too. The tent sites are prone to flooding occasionally from the gun river. There is a boat ramp with access to the river for fishing and paddling.


Guide to Wheatland

Wheatland, Iowa, offers a variety of tent camping options that cater to outdoor enthusiasts looking for a memorable experience in nature.

Tent campers should check out Cedar River Campground

  • Enjoy a family-friendly atmosphere with numerous activities at Cedar River Campground, where both adults and kids can have fun together.
  • This campground features essential amenities like drinking water, showers, and picnic tables, making it a convenient choice for families.
  • With a beautiful riverside location, it’s perfect for those who enjoy fishing and paddling.

Explore the natural beauty at Wapsi River Environmental Ed. Ctr.

  • The Wapsi River Environmental Ed. Ctr. offers a unique experience with access to trails and live animal exhibits, ideal for nature lovers.
  • Campers can enjoy the serene environment while staying in a cabin or pitching a tent, with modern amenities available.
  • The nearby Wapsipinicon River provides excellent opportunities for fishing and paddling, enhancing your outdoor adventure.

Experience the tranquility of Wildcat Den State Park Campground

  • Nestled within the scenic Wildcat Den State Park, Wildcat Den State Park Campground features rustic sites surrounded by trees, perfect for a peaceful retreat.
  • Campers can explore historical sites and enjoy hiking trails that wind through beautiful landscapes.
  • The campground is equipped with picnic tables and fire rings, allowing for cozy evenings under the stars.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular tent campsite near Wheatland, IA?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Wheatland, IA is Wapsi River Environmental Ed. Ctr. with a 4.5-star rating from 6 reviews.

What is the best site to find tent camping near Wheatland, IA?

TheDyrt.com has all 17 tent camping locations near Wheatland, IA, with real photos and reviews from campers.