All campsites at Timmons Grove are$18/night and are electric. I have visited this place many times but only camped once. This place has never been busy when I have visited.

I generally do not camp electric, so$18/night was steep for non-electric tent camping. There is no shower and the restroom is a port-a-potty.

The area itself is really beautiful. There are good hiking trails, including a walk through some wildflowers. Bird watchers will love this place. Also expect to see deer and turkeys.

There is boat access to the Iowa river as well as a public hunting area(I have not gone boating or fishing here, or hunting).

Other than the nearby highway, which is not too bad for noise, the campground is really quiet.

The price and the nearby highway are my only real complaints here. I am giving it 4 stars.

This campground offered much privacy when I went - I was the only person camping (tent camping). It was very quiet.

That being said, there are not many amenities. It has a vault toilet. I did not check the water hydrant, or even try to locate it, since I brought my own water for one night of camping. There is a small playground for the kids, but it is definitely not a modern playground (think back to the 1970's style playground when I was a kid!).

There are opportunities to hike and view wildlife - my favorite outdoor activities.

This campground is a real bargain. It was $10/night for any site, including the electric (I stayed in one of the non-electric sites near the back).

For me, it offers solitude. I will be coming back regularly.

Union Grove is known for having good lake fishing. The lake is also a great place for kayaking or canoeing.

The campground has mostly RV sites, but there are a handful of smaller tent sites at the back, which are my favorite. The campground is quiet.

Amenities:

Showers and toilets

Dump station

Water

2 cabins

Things to do nearby:

Enjoy the lake

Matchstick Marvels in nearby Gladbrook

I like this campground. It is right on the Iowa river near a takeout, so you can put in upstream and paddle down, or do as I do and paddle upstream and then back down (works when the water flow is not too swift).

This campground is quiet at night, but I will point out that it is near a popular members-only rifle and pistol range. It is very safe as the range points away from the campground into some large dirt mounds, but you may hear the continuous sound of gun fire during the day.

The two cabins are fairly new and have all of the amenities. My mother-in-law stayed here while visiting recently and we enjoyed spending time at her cabin.

While camping is no longer allowed in Tower Rock park, you can still enjoy a walk down to the river or bicycling on the paved bicycle trail. Tube rentals are available nearby for the Iowa River, and a local outfitter will rent a boat for the day to fish Pine Lake or the small lake northwest of Steamboat Rock.

Pine lake is not that far away either and offers many fun activities.

Wolf Creek is a nice little campground near Beaman, IA (Beaman is very small, near Conrad as well which has a grocery store).

There are 10 RV sites, which are $15/night and several tent/small camper sites which are $10/night.

The campground has potable water but no showers. There are vault toilets.

The campground has a nice playground, which was a feature we enjoyed when my daughter was little.

My favorite part about this campground is the privacy. The tent sites are spread out and it is fairly easy to find one without neighbors too close.

Activities:

+ Playground

+ Creek fishing

+ Nice benches and swings

+ Comet trail for hiking and biking

+ Hunting nearby

This campground has many sites to choose from - RV with hookups as well as some non-electric tent sites. There are quite a few activities in Marshalltown, and it is within the Marshalltown city limits.

The downside is proximity. It is right next to the highway. When I was there in a tent, the hog trucks would drive by all night (loud and smelly). The RV sites are closest to the road, so maybe it is not so bad in an RV, but it is not particularly enjoyable in a tent.

Pros:

+ Marshalltown has quite a few places to eat

+ Nice bike trails (and a great bicycle store downtown)

+ It is near the Iowa River

+ Nice park in general with activities like a dog park

+ Camp host on-site

+ Decent sized campsites

+ Playground for the kids

Cons:

+ It can get busy on a summer weekend

+ Noisy - right by the highway

+ Mosquitos are really bad here

This campground is non-electric, self-pay, non-reservable, and has only a few sites. There is a nice trout stream, with a few sites right by the stream. It is most suitable for tent, truck, or teardrop camping… large RVs would not do well.

In addition to the few sites by the stream, there are some additional campsites deeper in the park. Ford a shallow stream (on a paved slab, easy for any car) and the campsites are up the hill.

There are pit toilets at the upper sites, near the pavilion.

Features:

• Quiet
• Trout stream
• Hiking trails
• Photography opportunities
• Nearby West Union
  • The Barrel Drive-in Restaurant is a local favorite, but closed all winter

This campground is near home so I know it well.

The campground itself is nice, with some decent sized campsites, many having a great view of upper Pine Lake. There are flush toilets and showers. Campsites have electric hookups. It can get busy during peak season!

Some of the campsites are near the lake, some are near the road. Noise is usually not a problem as the road has a 35mph speed limit by the campground.

Things to do: (so much to list!)

• Paddle on upper or lower Pine Lake
• Fishing, shore or boat (lake, stream, or river)
• Bicycle trails
• Hiking trails (all around lower Pine Lake)
• Beach swimming (lower only)
• Float or paddle nearby Iowa River (tube and boat rentals nearby)
• Eat, replenish supplies in nearby Eldora

Backbone State Park is unlike any other place in Iowa, having geological features uncommon in Iowa.

There are two campgrounds. I have camped in both:

Modern Campground: This is a large, modern campground with all of the standard amenities found in a modern campground… electric hookups, flush toilets, water. I have camped here twice, both times in my travel trailer. Overall, it is a nice campground with decent space in between campers, however, I tend to avoid it during the busier summer and fall colors seasons.

Primitive Campground: This is my favorite at Backbone for camping, especially in the autumn after the leaves have fallen off of the trees. As this campground is non-electric, there are not many people camping after it turns colder. I have spent many nights there alone in the primitive campground, watching RVs pull in and then leave after realizing that it has no hookups.

Nearby trout fishing: Backbone is home to one of the more popular trout streams in Iowa. The fishing is easy as most of the fish are stocked (April-October). Still, it is an enjoyable fishing trip as the stream itself is mostly rocks and gravel, with several deep holes. The water is cold and clear.

Other activities: Hiking is very popular in Backbone. I have also seen rock climbing and rappelling. There are some nice spots away from the trout stream for wading and a little swimming. Backbone State Park also has a small lake with a swimming area and boat rentals during the summer. Several nice cabins are available for those who do not want to camp.

I have camped here a few times and fished here often. 

The campground is actually just the parking lot with a few makeshift fire rings available. There is a port-a-potty available most of the year (but not winter). A couple sites are very close to the stream, which is wonderful to have the flowing water sound to help me fall asleep.

This campground can get very busy during the spring, summer, and fall. RVs will often run their generators all night long, which is not great for those in tents. I tend to avoid camping here when it is busy (I still fish, just no camping when it is crowded).

Winter offers quite a bit more solitude, both in the campground and on the trout stream. Many times I have been the only person camping here during winter. The campsite is not plowed, so a 4WD is recommended.

North Bear Creek is one of the most popular trout streams in Iowa. It offers fishing for a variety of skill levels from simple power-bait up to fly fishing.

Beeds Lake campground offers an opportunity to camp by a picturesque lake with a beautiful waterfall.

There are many campsites to choose from. My only negative point for Beeds Lake is that the campground is very "campgroundy". Many of the RV sites are very close together, which is the norm in Iowa. However, there are a few on the outskirts that have a little more privacy.

Things to do:

• Nice trails to hike or bike
• Beautiful small lake, great for kayaking and fishing
• Paddle boat rental available
• Man-made waterfall
• Fishing (lake and beneath the waterfall)
• Enjoy the nearby town of Hampton

Iowa only has a few state forests and this one has something the others do not… trout fishing.

There are actually three campgrounds in YRSF… one on Little Paint Creek, one equestrian campground on Little Paint Creek, and a campground on Paint Creek. I have stayed at both non-equestrian campgrounds multiple times. All of them, including the equestrian, have easy access to trout fishing. All are primitive - non-electric.

Little Paint Creek:

This is the larger of the two non-equestrian campgrounds. While there are no electric sites, there are many sites suitable for a small to large RV or camper. I generally camp in a tent here. Most of the sites are large with plenty of space between adjacent sites. Many are right next to the trout stream. This trout stream is excellent for beginners. It is stocked, and there are multiple pools that are easily accessible with one that is handicap accessible. The stream can get busy when the stock truck arrives. It is popular with fly fisherman as well as spinners and power-bait. The campsite itself is usually pretty quiet. There are several pit toilets available.

Paint Creek:

This is my favorite of the two sites and I have camped many nights here, mostly in a tent but once in a small camper. The trout stream is bigger than Little Paint and offers more challenging fishing. Fly fishing seems to be most successful but I catch most of my trout on an ultralight spinner rig. The campsite itself is usually pretty quiet and not very busy, but it can get more busy during Iowa deer season. There are two pit toilets available.

I have stayed in these campsites in spring and autumn months.

I have been coming to Fountain Spring for the trout fishing for years. More recently, for the last two years, this has become my go-to spot for camping. Camping is free and there are several sites to choose from, most (literally) a few yards from the trout stream. The sites have fire pits and there are a couple of vault toilets.

The several times I have camped, there have been at most a few other sites with people camping. Often, I have been alone in the campground, which is perfect for those seeking solitude.

The stream offers good trout fishing. It is stocked regularly with rainbow trout.

Usually, I hear (or see) turkeys and woodpeckers. Other camp visitors include whitetail deer, squirrels, raccoons, and the occasional skunk.

Eagle City Park has two parts - a lower campground that is a paddlers camp on the Iowa River, and an upper campground with a few secluded campsites.

All campsites are free, and there are many to choose from. I have camped in both the upper and lower campgrounds, in summer and fall. I tend to prefer off-season when I am (often) the only camper in either campground. Summer will have more campers, ranging from tents to small RVs, but there are plenty of campsites so it is never full.

There is nowhere to buy firewood, but a short hike in the woods usually produces a small supply for a campfire.

Negatives:

As there are no trash containers, it is not uncommon to find the firepits full of burned or unburned trash.

There is a very poorly kept vault toilet in the lower campground. I do not believe that it is ever pumped out. The upper campground has no toilet. I always bring my own stool "just-in-case" but otherwise just take care of business after I take the 20 minute drive to get home.

The gates are closed all winter, often into late spring. The roads are not plowed in either campsite. It is a nice place to hike in winter time, but there is no camping.

I live near Stoehr Fishing Area and fish there often. It has excellent shore fishing on the two ponds. The main species are black bass and bluegill, however I did catch a northern pike once. There are grass carp as well.

There really is no campsite to speak of. There is a picnic shelter and grill, but no fire pit - campfires are not allowed. A tent could be carries a short distance from the parking area to a fairly level spot, or a little farther to the back for a little more privacy. Camping is free, but limited to 24 hours.

Enjoy the sound of pheasants and song birds in this area. It is not heavily wooded, but there are oaks, walnuts, and buckeye trees as well as a variety of aquatic plants.