Best Tent Camping in Iowa

Recent Tent Reviews in Iowa

1923 Reviews of 103 Iowa Campgrounds

• 

  Isabel M.

  Guide

  

  Apr. 28, 2023

  Hitchcock County Nature Center

  Nice

  We tent camped in the modern loop. Bathroom was clean, lit, and stocked - even had hand sanitizer! RV loops had flush toilets and showers, but we didn’t stay long enough to make the trek worth it. The walk down to the tent sites was annoying at worst, but plenty doable. Campsites were level enough, and there were a few sites with pads. Lots of ticks to look out for. There’s an airfield nearby so plane noise was regular but not frequent. Wifi didn’t quite reach the tent campsites; nor did Verizon service, but T-Mobile was good. All around a fine campground.

• 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.

• 

  Kimberly B.

  Guide

  

  Sep. 18, 2021

  Amana RV Park & Event Center

  Very convenient for visiting the Amana Colonies.

  We tent camped here for two nights so we could visit the Amana Colonies. This is an RV park with tent sites on the lawn around the perimeter. A bit of a walk to the bathroom and showers, but the sites were level with short grass. The bathrooms and showers were very clean, and everyone was extremely friendly. The only drawback was that the tent sites don’t have picnic tables, but for two nights we made it work. We’d stay here again.

• 

  Amber M.

  Scout

  

  Jul. 8, 2023

  Hitchcock County Nature Center

  Secluded and well-kept

  This is my favorite place to tent camp! Nice bathhouse, and even the pit toilet is clean and unoffensive. Tent sites are spacious and most are separated by lots of trees so there's plenty of shade, privacy, and wildlife. Firewood is available and hiking trails are nearby. Unfortunately, I have to find a new favorite spot because I can no longer lug my gear up and down the hill between my car and my tent.

• 

  James M.

  Legend

  

  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.

• 

  Jamee N.

  Guide

  

  Sep. 17, 2020

  Newton KOA

  Family Friendly

  We tried to stay here on probably the hottest day of the year. It was just wayyyyy too hot so we made sandwiches and decided to drive through the night, but it wasn’t this KOA’s fault! Very friendly staff. Tons for kids and families to do. My only complaint is that where we were, tent spot #1...there wasn’t really any soaration of the tent sites. People moved in beside us and were literally in our site because there wasn’t anything stopping them. Probably a better place for RV camping over tent camping.

• J

  Jessica C.

  Traveler

  

  Aug. 28, 2020

  Arrowhead Park Campground

  Peaceful Serenity

  I arrived just in time to see the beautiful sunset over the small lake near the primitive campground closest to the Park Office. It only cost $10 for tent camping and $3 for a vehicle pass. Campground and vault toilets were pretty clean. There is a fire ring and picnic table at each tent campsite and there are plenty to choose from near the water. You can bring your own kayak or canoe and even fish here. We had a nice encounter from the campground employee who explained how to put the stake out to claim our campsite. Right away, I saw abundant wildlife, including turkey, deer, black squirrels, woodpeckers, geese, ducks and bats. Come prepared for the mosquitoes but overall I would highly recommend this place!

• 

  Sarah H.

  Guide

  

  Aug. 7, 2016

  Arrowhead Park Campground

  Easy Family Camping Near Omaha

  Our family and another family shared a primitive tent site near the back of the park. We were first and foremost impressed with the freedom we had in choosing our site. Tent camping here is non-reservable, but once you enter the park, you may choose from any spots containing a fire pit outside of RV loops. Tent sites range from lake-front, to playground side, to more private sites on the outer rim of the park. We chose a large, private site at the back of the park. This site was well maintained and had enough space to easily accommodate two families of four. We even had a picnic shelter all to ourselves. Our site was lined by woods and farmland and had a good view of a small pond. The night was full of exciting animal noises from both the nearby farm and pond. Vault toilets were a short walk away with clean shower facilities just a few loops away. The kids enjoyed riding bikes up and down gravel roads, looking for frogs, and playing on the playground. Canoe and paddle boat rental is extremely reasonable. Hiking trails near the park entrance are rugged. The staff was incredibly kind and easy-going, yet attentive. Just a short drive from neighboring towns, this is a good starter campground for families with younger kids. We hope to return in winter to check out the camping cabins.

• 

  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!

• C

  Casey M.

  Traveler

  

  Jun. 15, 2023

  Hitchcock County Nature Center

  Literally can’t beat the price

  We camped in a tent and it was $10 so great and the bathrooms were super clean

• A

  Amanda C.

  Guide

  

  Sep. 4, 2020

  Six Pines Campground — Backbone State Park

  Great park!

  I tent camped at Six Pines Campground for 3 nights in August. The park has two campgrounds and this one is non electric with pit toilets and water. Each site has a picnic table and fire ring with a really nice grill. The sites are large and flat and the ones on the outside of the loop are well shaded. Two trails can be accessed from the tent campground - Six Pines trail and West Lake trail. There are two shower houses that you can use at the RV campground but it takes about 15-20 minutes to drive across the park to that campground. The park is very large with about 20 miles of trails. There is a spring fed creek and, if you stay away from the trout fishing area, you can play and wade in the creek. It has a sandy/rocky bottom and sandy banks. It felt wonderful on a hot day. There is a swim beach on the lake but it was closed due to E. coli in the water. There’s a small camp store too. At night in this campground there are no lights except in the registration kiosk so it’s perfect for star gazing. The Field of Dreams movie site is just 45 minutes away and makes for a fun side trip. There is a town about 10 minutes away with a couple restaurants and coffee shops. The Six Pines trail can be taken from the campground to the Backbone trail. The Backbone trail is along a rocky ridge. There are side trails down to the base of the cliffs and lots of rock climbing to do. Very fun to explore the side paths and climb up the rock walls.

• A

  Amanda H.

  Scout

  

  Jul. 19, 2023

  Wallashuck

  Convenience with some space

  We were able to camp in a tent near RVs without feeling crowded. The restrooms, showers, and playground were all close by…great for camping with kids. There were some nicer than ours and some with less privacy or further away than we’d prefer.

  A nice mix of convenience and privacy. Perfect location to showers and playground for kids. Ample space for our needs, but not overly private

• 

  Brian W.

  Traveler

  

  Jul. 14, 2019

  Dolliver Memorial State Park Campground

  Nice and clean

  Nice clean park, if passing through Iowa it's a nice overnight. A little loud if tent camping. Area not large enough to separate hard shell campers and tent campers. Plenty of fly's and mosquitoes, plenty of shade.

• 

  James M.

  Legend

  

  Jan. 26, 2022

  Jolly Rogers Campground

  Larger CG along Iowa River (Seasonal) currently named Scales Pointe

  Large marina on Iowa River, Bobbers Grill restaurant on site, sand volleyball lots, playgrounds, horseshoe pits, camp store with propane/firewood, shower house, full hookups, tent sites.

• 

  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.

• 

  Susanjoy P.

  Traveler

  

  Jul. 17, 2021

  River Junction

  I camped in "stumptown "

  24 years ago River Jct Lone Tree Iowa was Just stumptown. Outhouse at the top. Just a spot by the river. A lone camper. How things have changed . Still primitive tent campgrounds there. Alot of sites. Boat ramp. Camper sites no electricity. $10 per night. Bear & Sue's Adventure 2021.

• 

  Willy W.

  Ranger

  

  May. 31, 2020

  Newton KOA

  KOA is OK

  Newton KOA

  This is the primary location for camping in Newton. It’s right off interstate I-80 and is very close to the Iowa Speedway.

  There are places to go tent camping but it’s primarily setup for rvs. The tent camping spots have a picnic table and fire pit.

  The RV sports are pretty nice, most have the usual hookups. This place can get pretty busy when there is a race going on.

  There is a creek in the back and some pretty easy hiking trails to explore. There is a fish cleaning station near the creek. They do also have a pond with bass and bluegill. They also have a pool by the office but it’s currently being painted.

  Overall this is a pretty nice KOA and it’s very clean and maintained. You can hear the interstate but you get used to it.

• J

  Jamee H.

  Traveler

  

  Jul. 18, 2016

  Lake Macbride State Park Campground

  Highly recommend! Non-modern site was great for us! Clean, family-friendly, quiet, but no shower house

  Lake MacBride State Park is divided into two areas, and you need a car (or boat) to get between the two sections. You may also be able to take the dam trail with a bike, but I'm not totally sure about that. One side is called the "modern campground" and has spots for RV camping and tent camping, and this campground has toilets, playground, beach, and shower house. The other side is the "non-modern campground" and has RV and tent sites, playground, boat access to the lake, modern bathroom and pit latrine, but NO shower house. Our family of two parents and 2 young boys stayed a Friday night in the non-modern campground in site #49, which is off to the side, close to the woods, and is appropriate for two tents. We had no complaints at all! The campground is well-maintained, the lake is beautiful, the modern toilet house was clean, there was water on site. Our kids played with other kids in the campground at the small but nicely maintained and modern playground. There were some safe little trails in the woods next to our campsite that our kids walked around on with lanterns and looked for bugs and spiders. There was a normal amount of chatter from a Boy Scout group that was near us, but the sound died down fairly early, and it was quiet sleeping. The next morning, we got up and did some exercise and watched the lake while the fog was still low. Saw lots of neat birds, including a great blue heron. There is no swimming beach on this side, but you can launch a boat (boat ramp) or kayaks and canoes. Many of the campsites were empty when we went, and for the empty ones, you just get your campsite on the honor system. I do sort of wish there was a shower house on that side, just in case, but that is probably what is keeping this site quiet. We reserved the campsite through ReserveAmerica, and unfortunately we had to reserve for a minimum of 2 days, so my only other wish would be that we could reserve for just one day, BUT the campsite was very inexpensive, only $9/night, so for $18 plus a very minimal processing fee (I think we paid $22 total for the 2 nights), we had a great place to camp, and much cheaper and quieter than a cheap motel, along our destination from Wisconsin to Kansas! Things nearby to check out include: the beach at the park, the Devonian Fossil Gorge in Coralville, and the Coffee Press (for coffee lovers) in Iowa City.

• 

  James M.

  Legend

  

  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.

• R

  Randi

  Traveler

  

  Dec. 17, 2020

  Dolliver Memorial State Park Campground

  Scenic Hiking

  Beautiful views, wonderful trails, cramped campground, poor tent camping conditions.

• 

  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.

• 

  Kaylinn W.

  Scout

  

  Jun. 8, 2019

  Hickory Grove Campground

  Little patch of heaven

  We go camping at Breezy Bay and it’s our favorite. We tent camp, so the modern bathrooms (with showers!!) is a huge plus. The spots are some of the biggest we’ve seen at any campground, so there aren’t many and it’s almost always quiet. Lots of trees for shade but the lake has trails and a swimming beach with watercraft rentals. Truly a hidden gem in central Iowa!

• 

  Sarah H.

  Guide

  

  Jul. 23, 2016

  F. W. Kent Park

  Nice Midwest Campground off I-80

  Our family enjoys tent camping at Kent Park because the sites are grassy and open, but more private than many Midwest campgrounds because they are lined with tall prairie grasses and trees. We stayed during an Iowa Football weekend, attended the game in nearby Iowa City, and then enjoyed the rest of our weekend exploring the ponds and trails in the park. Prairie life makes for good photo ops and bird-watching. Restrooms and campsites were clean and well maintained. We will definitely be back!

• L

  Lisa M.

  Scout

  

  Aug. 12, 2021

  Big Hollow Recreation Area

  Nice simple place for tent camping

  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. They don’t have electric or water hookups for tent camping which was ok for us. It was easy to find and quiet. The only downside is the lake was filled with algae. So if you’re wanting to fish or swim, this isn’t the place for you! There’s a gun range, horse farm, playground, bathrooms, and even a place to use a few telescopes to see the stars!

• 

  Brian M.

  Scout

  

  Sep. 9, 2023

  Waukon City Park

  Great campground

  Free firewood, free wifi, water and electric at each campsite. Found a nice shady site for tent camping.

• 

  Emily S.

  Scout

  

  Jul. 28, 2019

  Pulpit Rock Campground

  Clean

  Very nice, clean campground with a lot of amenities. Tent camping on the river was neat, but tents were very close together due to the small sites

• 

  James M.

  Legend

  

  Jan. 20, 2025

  Pine Grove Campground, Scott Co Park

  Smaller campground in primitive tent, site area

  Pine Grove campground has primitive tent sites open this time of year, the other portion, including RV spots are closed for the season. The tent sites are well shaded, gravel, parking area, tables, firings included. There is firewood at the campground, and cabins for rent at the end of the Lane. The park itself offers many trails, pride Lake for paddling and fishing. The campground itself offers, restrooms, showers, dump station, and a seasonal host.