Best Tent Camping near Winterset, IA

Recent Tent Reviews near Winterset, Iowa

447 Reviews of 10 Winterset Campgrounds

• R

  Russ G.

  Traveler

  

  Oct. 14, 2019

  Acorn Valley

  Peaceful, lots of riverbed area to explore

  We’re big fans of Acorn Valley. It’s quiet and there is plenty of shade in the tent camping area. The tent sites lead to some small trails which end at the riverbed. Our boys love exploring here.

• 

  Abby G.

  Scout

  

  Jul. 8, 2019

  Mormon Trail County Park

  Off the Grid

  Mormon Trail is absolutely beautiful. Myself and some friends tent camped there over the weekend and we were not disappointed! It is a very small state park with only a couple tent sites/camper sites, so it is not over populated. The drive there is easy and beautiful. Big RV’s/campers might have a difficult time getting there as the road turns into a one lane, curvy gravel road. AT&T has absolutely no service there, but US cellular does. No showers/clean bathrooms, just 2 waterless restrooms. The lake has a very large, mostly shallow, swimming area, the water is absolutely perfect, along with a big sandy beach area. You can boat and fish on the lake as well. The stars are also very bright and beautiful (we are from a city with the light pollution hides them). I would highly recommend visiting this campsite if you love off the grid camping and don’t need to shower/primp everyday. What a relaxing/fun weekend we had!

• 

  Matt S.

  Legend

  

  Oct. 1, 2016

  Pammel County Park

  Try out the Middle River Trail at Pammel Park

  Pammel Park is awesome. It is actually a State Park that is managed by the local County Conservation Board. Pammel Park has amazing trails with varied terrain and nice forests.

  The campgrounds are clean with options for tenters and RVs. There are even Yurt Cabins that can be rented. Pammel Park has a great water trail for Kayakers with several launch points.

  The only caution I would have is pay attention while you are hiking, there are rattlesnakes in the park. Overall I highly recommend Pammel Park. It is about a 30 minute drive from Des Moines and about 5 minutes from Winterset.

  I would consider Pammel Park a secret gem even for native Iowans. Checkout Pammel Park and spend some time in the historical town of Winterset.

• 

  Matt S.

  Legend

  

  Jul. 15, 2017

  Three Mile Lake Recreation Area

  Three Mile Rec Area is clean and beautiful

  I have to say, of all of the campgrounds and parks that I have visited in southern Iowa near highway 34, Three Mile is the best.

  This park is clean with nice amenities and a beautiful lake. During the week you can almost have the place to yourself... it is a different story on the weekends.

  You can tent camp or pull your camper and just enjoy the setting. If you don't like to tent camp and don't have a camper, don't worry, there are several cabins for rent.

  There are showers and bathrooms and an awesome playground for the younger kids.

  I am definitely adding this to my list for regular stays with my family.

• 

  Caitlyn H.

  Scout

  

  Aug. 28, 2018

  Lake Ahquabi State Park Campground

  Nice Place

  I have tent camped at Lake Ahquabi Campground several times. There are some great spots down by the lake that are perfect for tent camping. There is quite a bit to do in this State Park. There are a few trails, there is plenty of fishing, a swimming beach, and they have water sport rentals! The area is very pretty and peaceful. I would recommend for campers with kids and without. There are showers and plenty of bathrooms.

• M

  Maybo H.

  Traveler

  

  Jul. 2, 2021

  Grant Park (Warren County Consevation Board)

  Amazing free find

  Got here a bit late and almost didn’t get a site. Very clean and nice with grassy tent sites. Best free site I have ever been to.

• M

  Mary H.

  Scout

  

  Jun. 18, 2019

  Lake Anita State Park Campground

  Great State Park

  just camped here, what a nice park. Great little beach, clean water, good for kayaking. Nice paved trail around the park. Wooded, shady at tent sites, quiet and clean. Friepits with grates for cooking.

• H

  Heather F.

  Scout

  

  Jun. 15, 2019

  Lake Anita State Park Campground

  Perfect stay!

  A one night stay at a beautiful park! Tent camped next to really nice college kids. The paved trail offered great views of the lake! Brought the pup and he was happy and very context. Park was very well maintained - there will be a return trip to this gem!

• 

  Ben K.

  Scout

  

  Aug. 28, 2023

  Thomas Mitchell County Park

  Clean and quiet in tent

  Spent 2 nights tent camping here. We stayed at site 4, glad I read reviews on here. I personally would not want to be in a site beyond number 7 as it gets too close to the dump station and subsequent “sewage lagoon”

  Shower house was clean, pretty quiet, and only 5 miles off the highway

• 

  Willy W.

  Ranger

  

  Jul. 13, 2019

  Thomas Mitchell County Park

  Best little park

  Great place to go tent camping, very clean and quiet. They sell firewood bundles for $5. Easy trails for the kids to go hiking and playing in the creek to cool off in the heat. There is even a pond for fishing that you can take a trail from the campsite to. 100% going to go back and camp again.

• 

  Zachariah M.

  Guide

  

  Sep. 7, 2019

  Bob Shelter Recreation Area & Campground

  Nice spot

  I would suggest getting reservations. We stopped on a Friday with out one, they were booked. We only wanted one night in a tent. They don’t have designated tent sites but they have one overflow sight and they let us use it for the night. Price is great, $20 per night. Easy to get rvs into the spots and a lot to do for the kids.

• 

  April B.

  Scout

  

  Jul. 29, 2018

  Ledges State Park Campground

  Quiet, low-key hike in camping

  Though it’s closed this summer :( - the Ledges State Park campground is a long time favorite of ours. Lots of electrical and non electrical spots and also an entire section of hike-in tent camping that is just a short hike down to a secluded section of the Des Moines River. Secure your food at night or the racoons will dine lavishly on your supplies. :)

• M

  Megan M.

  Guide

  

  May. 9, 2021

  Springbrook State Park Campground

  Worth a stay!

  We've tent camped twice at Springbrook, and though it's not perfect, it's a nice campground we plan to keep coming back to for a number of reasons.

  Pros:

  -Not a far drive from Des Moines, but still quite remote

  -Lots of nice hiking trails

  -Easy access to large, mostly clean modern bathrooms

  -The lake is a peaceful spot to spend the early mornings, a nice place to fish (but don't expect to catch anything) and its beach is fun on the hot summer days, and tends to not be too busy. Has lots of benches around to sit and enjoy the view.

  -No cell reception, which could be a "con" but we like that it forces us to unplug

  Cons:

  -Tent camping spots are clustered mainly in the middle of a loop, which feels a bit like a fishbowl with no privacy

  -It's mainly an RV/camper campground, which can be loud/rowdy at night for tent campers. Lots of parties happening the two weekends we were there. Definitely don't recommend if you want a peaceful weekend away from the world.

  -Other than hiking and a bit of swimming/fishing, there's not much to do

  -Firewood is a short drive from the campground, which can get inconvenient

• B

  Billy K.

  Scout

  

  Sep. 4, 2018

  Swede Point Park

  Hidden Gem

  Small county park with clean showers and restrooms. Several short trails, mile mile and a half maybe. Tent camping is always available (literally - was just there over Labor day weekend and had no trouble getting a spot on Saturday), with maybe 20 electric sites, no reservations. New this year is firewood for purchase. Not far from the famous High Trestle Trail for you bicycle enthusiasts! My wife and I teardrop trailer camp here as often as we can.

• 

  Matt S.

  Legend

  

  Jul. 15, 2017

  Thayer Lake Rec Area

  Skip Thayer Lake and go to Three Mile SP

  This is a really small campground with a few electric boxes to park your camper on the outside of the parking lot next to the lake and one average tent site with a fire ring and picnic table.

  The lake is a good local spot for fishing but I would go to Three Mile State Park to camp with my family, it's just an extra 10 or 15 minute drive away.

• 

  Jacob W.

  Ranger

  

  Jul. 7, 2022

  Mine Pond Campground — Stephens State Forest

  Vibrant Iowa forest in summer

  I tent camped at “Mine Pond Campground” in Stephen’s State Forest in July 2022. I arrived about 8:15pm and had about 45 minutes of daylight to pitch camp. The campground feels deep in a vibrant Iowa forest surrounded by lush greenery. That said, mosquitoes swarmed me instantly. And “Mine Pond” is a small muddy pond without the most remote possibility of swimming. The pond kind of seems too small to fish but maybe. A storm blew in around dark and it rained much of the night. The frogs sang loudly deep into the night (see my video for the audio), which I enjoyed. A pair of barred owls hooted and laughed in the dark trees. I departed early while it was still dark. I don’t think I’ll return to this place.

• 

  Nicole G.

  Traveler

  

  Jul. 8, 2018

  Lake Anita State Park Campground

  Nicely maintained campground with great views of the lake!

  This campground has both RV full hookup and electric sites very close to the lake. Campsites offer a great view of lake and close access to docks. There is an adjacent area with non- electric sites that would work for tent campIng. All sites have firepots and picnic tables. The lake is great for fishing or kayaking and there is also a beach with swimming. Bring your bikes to ride on a paved trail that goes all the way around the lake. Very clean and quiet campground!

• 

  Nicole B.

  Guide

  

  Jan. 23, 2022

  Lake Icaria Co Park

  Easily my favorite spot

  This is a very clean, lovely camp ground. The spots are spacious, and there are tons of options. In the fall we went and had no neighbors. It’s busy in summer, but well kept. They had people cleaning the bathrooms constantly (my mom kept pointing out, in awe, that it was “practically hourly”) which was great for tent camping with a large group! It’s quiet, beautiful lake, great boating, great swim spot, fun park for kids. Beautiful trees and hiking especially in the fall.

• 

  Laura B.

  Guide

  

  Jul. 3, 2018

  Lake Anita State Park Campground

  Good state park

  This is a decent state park campground but is always full. It has tent sites separated from the trailer sites. There is a park and on saturdays during the summer they do Disney movies and free popcorn. The lake is good for fishing. They have a beach and volleyball. There is also a biking trail they goes around the lake. It is close to town so if you need anything that is helpful.

• A

  Anthony W.

  Guide

  

  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

• E

  E H.

  Scout

  

  Jun. 17, 2019

  Lake Anita State Park Campground

  Great Find!

  This is hands down one of the best campgrounds we’ve been to in the U.S. Everything is beautifully maintained from the grass covered campsites to the clean bathrooms and free showers. Full hookup and tent campsites are plentiful with or without reservations. Beautiful lake, great walking trail, close to town and I-80, but quiet and peaceful. Can’t beat it for $11 a night.

• 

  Jim H.

  Ranger

  

  Oct. 8, 2018

  Green Valley State Park Campground

  Nice, clean campground

  Campsite was pretty packed on a Saturday night in late September. We didn't have a reservation but was able to get one of the last tent sites available. Nice spot, fire pits have nice swinging grates on them. There was a picnic table at our spot as well. Great view of the lake from here. We were in Campsite 092. Only drawback is that there must be a cow farm somewhere to the south as you will hear cows mooing all night at this campground.

• 

  Matt S.

  Legend

  

  Oct. 1, 2016

  Lake Anita State Park Campground

  Lake Anita State Park surprised me

  Lake Anita State Park is just a few miles off of Interstate 80. When I decided to go to Lake Anita I had very low expectations, it surprised me.

  Lake Anita has boating and fishing as its main attraction. If you like birds there are bird houses built all around the park. The lake is beautiful and the campground is built all around the lake with great views.

  The tent camping is placed away from the RVs/camper trailers and everything is well kept. I highly recommend Lake Anita State Park for the relaxing environment and the easy access from the interstate.

• 

  Eugene B.

  Scout

  

  Sep. 11, 2021

  Little River Recreation Area

  Rv/tent sites on a big lake... Fish, fish, fish

  Nice little campground 4.5 miles of the freeway...9 minutes away from a small town with stores that stay open till 9. A bait shop onsite, closes early. Most rv sites with power, walk in tent sites w/o. Rates are great $12/15. Showers and flush toilets onsite as well as cabin rentals, canoe rental and fire wood available. Downside is a lot of flying bugs...not really biting just annoying. The lake has a lot of fish in it I hear... Family friendly.

• 

  Sara S.

  Legend

  

  Jul. 25, 2016

  Walnut Woods State Park Campground

  good place for a day trip

  We just did a day trip here with families who have a bunch of kids. Great park for kids and they loved floating down the river. We did a fun short hike as well. We checked out the camping situation for our next visit to Des Moines and decided a park a bit further away was worth a more secluded camping experience. Sites were not secluded and not very exciting plus they seemed very set up for an RV experience not so much tent camping. The bathrooms look pretty nice though. Definitely a nice place to spend a few hours, but the campground leaves something to be desired for me.

• 

  Willy W.

  Ranger

  

  Jun. 1, 2020

  Ledges State Park Campground

  Ledges

  Ledges State Park

  Ledges is an amazing place. It has so much to do. There are long trails to hike, creeks to play in.

  You can bring your tent or RV and camp. The RV camps have water/sewer hookups. The primitive tent sites are usually pretty clean and can get pretty busy on the weekends.

  There are lots of bridges that get flooded out and are fun to drive over. Most of the kids like to hang out near them and get splashed.

  Its a fantastic place to enjoy the outdoors and especially in the fall. Also if you go to Ames stop at Great Plains pizza company.

• 

  Whitney S.

  Guide

  

  Apr. 9, 2022

  Yellow Banks County Park

  Ever changing

  I camped here in 2021 and I enjoyed it but the first night I was there I ran my vehicle down the second night I was there I took a tour on the campgrounds and got verbally accosted but another camper for walking near their campground and then I mistakenly left some food out and my dog and I were woken up by wild dogs.
  In 2022 I came out again and it was a much better adventure the campgrounds are beautiful they have two different electric sights and they have a newly furnished tent site.