As a site on the Lewis and Clark Historic Trail, Waubonsie State Park in southwest Iowa is known for its exceptional vistas of Iowa’s unique Loess Hills and the Nebraska plains. Its extensive trail system offers something for the avid mountain biker, equestrians looking for a relaxing ride, or anyone eager to hike amongst the tranquil surroundings of the park’s ridgetop prairies and shaded woodland valleys. With nearly 2,000 acres of recreational opportunity and quiet beauty, Waubonsie State Park is an Iowa gem waiting to be explored.

Stay overnight in one of eight cabins at Waubonsie, some featuring fireplaces and year-round accommodations. The park also contains a modern campground with non-electric and electric campsites, modern showers, restrooms, and a sanitary dump station. The more primitive equestrian campground contains non-electric sites with hitching rails, pens, and pit vault toilets. Cabin and campsite reservations can be made through the online reservation system for Waubonsie State Park.

Waubonsie State Park Campground

**Waubonsie State Park** near Hamburg, Iowa is under construction. That is the road was when we visited. The workers were not the most helpful either. That being said the park employees were very informative, if you could find one.

We visited enroute through the area and enjoyed the trails most of all. Though my map skills are questionable I had a more then usual difficult time navigating by the map supplied. The signage was close to non-existent. I fell back on the tried and true , always go left. Which worked well enough for the ridge line we hiked. Some awesome views.

I often have the problem of comparing places I’ve been. You can’t do this state to state I’ve learned because they all run, staff and take care of their natural resources in different ways. I do my best to base my opinion on face value and impressions of my visit to that park. Waubonsie SP is my first Iowa Park , I was not impressed. BUT it was in the style I like, sparsely used, I saw few campers or employees. Of course school was in and harvest going on and I know that makes a huge difference in certain states. Mostly just blue-hairs camping right now, soon to snowbird to the south :) I aspire to that life someday.

Other then the roadwork the park looked to be somewhat maintained. The cabins I saw need some updating but were functional. The campground was basic, grill, fire ring , picnic table, electric on designated sites. Needed some clean up and graveling on the pads. The facilities were not ancient and were maintained okay. The visitors center looked brand new but was closed so no souvenirs goodies.

I would not consider this a destination campground, but the view is worth an overnight enroute somewhere else.

Sorry for the intrusion 

Waubonsie’s camping area has tent and rv, power and no power sites. Modern restrooms and showers are available. Trails are beautiful and quiet, with several scenic overlooks. Bikes are not allowed on trails. This was a perfect place to take my 12-year-old daughter hiking, and we will be back!

Quiet small campground, beautiful hiking trails

First off let me make it clear, I like this park.  But for me this is not the greatest camping area.  The sites just are to close for me as a tent camper.  The could almost use some of the day use picnic area as primitive sites.  The rest of this park is great.  For one it is clean, and maintained.  The hiking trails are not for bikes, and they have several different levels or skills levels.  The look out was pretty cool as well.  We will return, and do some more hiking.  I am not sure the campsites were fall, but it could be because the applejacks festival going on across the river in Nebraska City.

Great hiking park

This is my second review, because second time is a charm.  Even though the campsites are closer together than I am use to.  We actually took 2 sites, one for us and one for my oldest sons site.  This worked out and gave a little more space needed.   This also gave us time to really explore those trails I was drooling over.  We took one of the more scenic trails and took us over the top of some of those beautiful Loess Hills. I still believe it us a great hiking park, and is only a hour away from Omaha for us.

Second time back, and a stone throw away from Nebraska City

Grew up camping and hiking here. Not many amenities but the bathrooms are clean and the trails are fantastic. The view is great from the side bluff train. Close to Nebraska city. Tent sites are not too close together. Can get pretty busy on weekends in the summer.

Fun in the Bluffs

The campsite was very nice. Not too expensive. The showers and bathrooms were nice and had decent room. If you are wanting a site here it would be best to reserve one there were not a lot 
to choose from when we got there just about every spot was reserved. But overall was a great place to camp for a family.

Very nice

This is a great weekend spot not much to do around the park. The campsites are nice but close with not much space in between. There are 2 campgrounds, the one north of the highway is a horse campground but required. There are nice trails in this area. The campground on the south is more of a tent site. There are vault toliets, no showers. A lot of great trails o  this side. All campsites include a picnic table and fire ring.

Nice Trails

It appears not many people camp in Iowa in February. We had the campground to ourselves. We missed the crazy cold and snow by a day but it was 20 degree with the wind when I hiked the prairie. Lovely little state park, clean and the trail system was pretty neat. Wasn't perfectly flat and had some overlooks. Very much enjoyed!