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Best Glamping in Iowa

652 Reviews

Timberline Campground houses deluxe yurts and canvas glamping accommodations along with traditional sites across its 168 maintained campsites near Waukee, Iowa. Jester County Park and Des Moines West KOA Holiday also feature premium glamping options with luxury amenities throughout the year. One guest shared, "We loved this KOA! Cabin was beautiful inside and out! Would stay again!" The glamping sites come equipped with comfortable beds, quality linens, private decks, and climate control systems for year-round comfort. Most locations provide access to modern bathhouses with hot showers, while the premium options include private bathrooms and kitchenettes. The sites are spacious and well-maintained, with most offering electric hookups, picnic tables, and fire rings for evening relaxation.

The glamping locations throughout Iowa are situated near extensive trail systems, fishing opportunities, and swimming areas. Lake Anita State Park and George Wyth State Park glamping sites provide immediate access to water recreation including fishing, kayaking, and swimming. Year-round activities vary seasonally, with most luxury sites available from April through October, though several locations like Jester County Park remain open throughout winter months. According to a camper, "Timberline is among my favorite campgrounds, always has great people, nice shade trees, fun pool, and quality facilities." Many eco-friendly glamping options feature solar lighting, composting facilities, and locally-sourced furniture. The parks often host ranger-led programs, stargazing events, and guided nature walks for guests, particularly during summer months when sites fill quickly and advance reservations are recommended.

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Best Glamping Sites in Iowa (93)

    1. Ledges State Park Campground

    40 Reviews
    Boone, IA
    Website
    +1 (515) 432-1852

    $12 - $25 / night

    "One of my favorite locations to camp in Iowa as a Boy Scout growing up was Ledges State Park. Since I hadn't been back in years, I decided to check it out and spend a night camping there."

    "One of the more beautiful places to camp in Iowa. Awesome hiking trails and really well-shaded campsites."

    2. Hitchcock County Nature Center

    30 Reviews
    Honey Creek, IA
    Website
    +1 (712) 328-5833

    $10 - $50 / night

    "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."

    "Best campground shower I've ever had in my life, both in water pressure, heat and cleanliness of facilities. Be aware that it's first come first served."

    3. Jester County Park

    30 Reviews
    Granger, IA
    Website
    +1 (515) 323-5300

    $20 - $25 / night

    "Each site as a gravel drive and then open gravel area with a picnic table and fire pit with grill grate.  Plenty of room for camp chairs and other furniture you may want to set up. "

    "Jester Park is our go-to camping destination in central Iowa! By far, this county park has a lot of fun activities and access points to the Saylorville waterway circuit."

    4. Des Moines West KOA Holiday

    23 Reviews
    Earlham, IA
    Website
    +1 (515) 834-2729

    "Bathhouses were clean and private. Laundry available. Off leash dog area available. Convenient to John Wayne’s birthplace and covered bridges of Madison County."

    "Very courteous staff and clean campground. Pizza on site is excellent snd you can order it ahead for your arrival."

    5. Lake Anita State Park Campground

    24 Reviews
    Anita, IA
    Website
    +1 (712) 762-3564

    $12 - $20 / night

    "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."

    "We were on the outer loop which put us closest to the lake and offered electrical hook-up. The shower house was pretty nice, clean and pretty centrally located. "

    6. Lewis and Clark State Park Campground

    22 Reviews
    Onawa, IA
    Website
    +1 (712) 423-2829

    "Well kept & family friendly camping in Iowa!"

    "Access to water close by. Large playground for kids. Campground host had firewood. Picnic table & firepit with grill rack in good condition. Nearby boat ramp to load kayak onto Blue Lake."

    7. Rock Creek State Park Campground

    21 Reviews
    Kellogg, IA
    Website
    +1 (641) 236-3722

    $12 - $40 / night

    "Stopped overnight on our way home from Iowa City. No reservations & took our chances on finding an electric site. Score! Neighbors were friendly."

    "The lake has lots of features like brush piles, vertical structures, mossy areas and you can go over by the bridge and fish the rocks. It’s a great place if you have a boat or kayak/canoe."

    8. Yellow Banks County Park

    15 Reviews
    Pleasant Hill, IA
    Website
    +1 (515) 266-1563

    "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"

    "It’s got access to trails and to the Des Moines river. It’s a great little escape. There is a fishing pond that’s got plenty of bluegill and largemouth bass."

    9. Timberline Campground

    13 Reviews
    West Des Moines, IA
    Website
    +1 (515) 987-1714

    $35 - $80 / night

    "Arrived just before the office closed at 7pm. They were ready for us and escorted us to our pull-through full-hookups site near the front of the campground."

    "If you’re traveling through Des Moines, Iowa area; this is the place you will want to camp at!"

    10. George Wyth State Park Campground

    14 Reviews
    Cedar Falls, IA
    Website
    +1 (319) 232-5505

    $12 - $20 / night

    "** Iowa state parks are a bargain! This one is $11 for a non-electric site, $16 for an electric site. (Rates go down to $6 and $11 from 10/1-4/30.)"

    "Nice campground with some non-electric sites on bank of Cedar River, clean shower house and flush toilets."

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Glamping Reviews in Iowa

652 Reviews of 93 Iowa Campgrounds

  • p
    Nov. 20, 2022

    Riverside Co Park

    Great full hookup 40 unit campgrount

    40 site Totally renovated 2 years ago nestled along the little Cedar river above the dam. New Shower house/bathrooms. Natural themed kids play area including a huge tree house. City water and sewer with 50 and 30 amp to each site. Man made swimming pond with a lighted waterfall. Volleyball and walking trails with primitive camping across the road. Cabin with air conditioning and fully furnished further up the river on 200 acres of county land. Fishing above and below the dam. Picnic table and fire ring at every site.

  • N K.
    Oct. 11, 2020

    Lewis and Clark State Park Campground

    Clean & kid friendly

    Well kept & family friendly camping in Iowa! We were able to reserve an electric unit (#30) right off the lake and across the road from the large playground (~5 setups for different age groups). We could watch the kids play while getting food ready or preparing a line to throw in the water. Short walk to the very clean restrooms with flush toilets & showers. Will come back!

  • Amy G.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jun. 2, 2018

    Sportsman Park

    Beautiful solitude with well manicured campsites

    This was one of the nicest county campgrounds I've ever seen. We've been to a lot of them, but this one stands out. Not to mention that the price was unbeatable! So much more reasonable than at home. Set off the road a bit in a tiny little town in Iowa, it's along a river and very close to the Raccoon River Valley Trail, an 89 mile loop trail (paved) that goes through several towns and counties. It costs $2/person/day if you are 18 or older, or a year pass is $10. There is also a lodge that you can rent.

    We rented a cabin for $50, because it was only about $10 more expensive than what we were planning on spending for a campsite in Minnesota. Normally, we stay in tents, so we were very pleased to find the options that this campground had to offer at such reasonable cost! If you wanted a tent site without electric, it was only $8. Electric sites were only $12. And the sites were incredibly well groomed. They were clean (I didn't see any trash). And they were tucked into the woods. A caretaker lives on site, and although we rarely saw him, it was obvious that he cared about his job. The bathrooms were clean and cared for too!

    We were in a cabin and they were simple, but suited our needs. They had two wooden cabin-style buildings with little front porches (not screened in, but room under the overhang for chairs). Inside, you had two bunk beds, and the bottom bunk of one was a pull out futon, so you really had room to sleep 5 people. (Must mention: The futon in our cabin was horribly uncomfortable. I would have given 4 stars to the review because of it, but the futon alone shouldn't take away from the rest of the campground, which was immaculate). There was also a bathroom with an ADA shower, toilet, mirror and sink. In the room, there was a mini fridge, coffee maker, microwave, little sink and it even had air conditioning! Tucked in the corner was a folding table and chairs. A few hooks scattered around the walls completed the room. The A/C in ours wasn't at full working capacity, but it did chill the room down enough to be very comfortable. And it was very hot outside! We also had a little fire ring and picnic table, just outside the door.

    The campground could accommodate plenty of tents and campers alike. Some electric, some not. All with very nice grassy pads for tents, all with picnic tables and fire rings. Grass was well clipped and there were plenty of parking spaces. It was very quiet when we were there, but I assume it gets busy on the weekends. The shower/bath house had separate bathrooms (both unisex) and both with toilet, mirror, sink and shower). Both were very clean for a camp bathroom. A little campground for those wishing to camp together was at the back of the park. It, too, had bathrooms. But they were locked, so I couldn't peek inside.

    Bottom line, it was well worth our $50 for the cabin (you can't even get a hotel room for that price any more). I'd love to go back and tent in the quiet of a weekday eve when the crickets are chirping and I can feel the breeze through the tent!

    Please note - there are no trash cans at the campground if you are in tents or RV's (the cabins have them inside). It is a carry in/carry out campground

    There are LOTS of water pumps all over the campground. Yay for water!!

  • B
    Sep. 1, 2016

    Lake Ahquabi State Park Campground

    Lake Ahquabi During Balloon Classic

    We entered the park looking for a walk-up spot and landed on Site 67 which was not reserved. The site was spacious with a big tree with good shade and cover if needed. Also, it had a great fire pit with grill grate that could be moved. It was the perfect overnight location and cheap accommodations during the National Balloon Classic. We spent the night before at the Balloon Glow, came back and had a nice camp fire, then an early morning rise for a balloon flight made for close proximity. There were nearby bathroom facilities that were available. The truth is that the one closest was not lit well and a little messier, perhaps less maintained. The other facility was well lit and not too far a walk. During day light you could see the lake in the distance from this site, and the clearing around the site gave great visibility of stars with very low light pollution. The only downside was this site was near the main entry and exit road on the lower loop, which meant traffic in and out could prove to be a downside. Not for us on our stay at night because of late arrival and early departure, but it is good to know. All in all it was a good stay, the only challenging part was knowing which sites were available and the camp hosts weren't too helpful in knowing or seeking which were still open. But we were lucky to find one!

  • 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.

  • Kristi D.
    Jul. 5, 2023

    Waubonsie State Park Campground

    Had the campground too ourselves!

    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!

  • Mary S.
    Aug. 31, 2018

    George Wyth State Park Campground

    Another bargain at an Iowa State Park

    Why Should You Camp Here?

    • Iowa state parks are a bargain! This one is $11 for a non-electric site, $16 for an electric site. (Rates go down to $6 and $11 from 10/1-4/30.) There is no separate park entry fee (unlike some states).

    • You can rent kayaks, canoes or pedal boats near the campground at Wyth Lake. And there are 3 other nearby lakes.

    • There's a small beach at Wyth Lake.

    • The Cedar River is on the edge of the campground.

    • You're so close to Cedar Falls and Waterloo which means there are craft breweries!

    • We were only there for a night but I saw this on reserveamerica.com: "The Lake-to-State Park Bike Route is a 50 mile route connecting Pine Lake and George Wyth State Park. The route primarily utilizes county highways and established bike routes and paths once inside Cedar Falls/Waterloo." 

    • We didn't do everything we could do there, because we were just passing through. Check this out: https://iowastateparks.reserveamerica.com/camping/george-wyth-state-park/r/campgroundDetails.do?contractCode=IA&parkId=610125

    Amenities

    • The usual fire ring and picnic table

    • Dump station and potable water

    • Flush toilets and running water in bathrooms along with push button showers. Ok, push button showers are not ideal. Just keep pushing that button and hopefully you'll be okay with the temperature that you can't control!

  • Tom S.
    Sep. 30, 2016

    Ledges State Park Campground

    Don't fall off the ledge!

    One of my favorite locations to camp in Iowa as a Boy Scout growing up was Ledges State Park. Since I hadn't been back in years, I decided to check it out and spend a night camping there. It's close to how I remember it.

    The campground has a good picnic area, restrooms, and an excellent trail. It's also inexpensive.

    What I enjoy most about this park compared to others in Iowa are the sandstone ledges and the slopes on the trail. There are some excellent views, so make sure your phone has enough battery to take photos (unlike me). I also spent a lot of time off the trail. It isn't too hard to get around. I'm not one who enjoys staying at a park that is mostly flat, so this is definitely a good place in Iowa for me to camp.

    If you are looking for a cool place to camp within an hour of Des Moines, you should seriously consider this park.

  • James M.The Dyrt PRO User
    Apr. 5, 2023

    Rock Creek County Marina and Campground

    Neat County Backwaters CG & Marina

    CG is spread out along bottomland river forest and includes camping cabins, tent and RV sites, RR/showers, playground, dump and water stations, Eco Tourism store/grill, paddling rentals, Blue Heron Cruises, nature center. Sites include fire rings, tables, gravel backing pads, electric with some right near water edge.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does glamping in Iowa typically cost?

Glamping costs in Iowa vary by accommodation type and amenities. Basic glamping cabins at Jester County Park and other county parks typically range from $50-85 per night. More luxurious options with private bathrooms and kitchenettes can cost $100-150 nightly. State parks like Lake Ahquabi State Park offer competitive rates, with glamping accommodations generally priced between $65-120 depending on season and amenities. Most glamping sites require a two-night minimum stay on weekends during peak season (May-September), and many charge an additional cleaning fee of $15-25.

Where can I find glamping sites in Iowa?

Iowa offers several glamping options across the state. Rock Creek County Marina and Campground features camping cabins alongside traditional sites in a beautiful river forest setting. The campground includes amenities like showers, a nature center, and paddling rentals. Hitchcock County Nature Center near Honey Creek provides alternative accommodations with excellent amenities. Many Iowa state parks are also developing glamping options, with sites typically featuring electricity, proximity to water recreation, and improved facilities while maintaining a connection to nature.

What types of yurt rentals are available in Iowa?

Iowa offers various yurt accommodations across the state. Yellow Banks County Park features yurts with modern amenities like electricity and nearby facilities. Waubonsie State Park offers yurts in a beautiful natural setting with access to hiking trails. Most Iowa yurts are furnished with beds, basic furniture, and electricity, while some feature enhanced amenities like kitchenettes or heating/cooling. Yurts typically accommodate 4-6 people and are available year-round, though availability is limited and advance reservations (often up to 12 months ahead) are recommended, especially for summer weekends.

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