You can find a camping site and caravan adventure site with many available facilities after reading this article within 30 miles of Des Moines. Let us dive in to read more:
Best Campgrounds In Des Moines
Yellow Banks Park campground:
Yellow Bank Park campground covers an area of 522 acres, located a few miles east of downtown Des Moines. Des Moines River Valley is famous for its radical views, bluffs, and large mature trees.
The popular camping activities of this campground are fishing and hiking. Two campgrounds are at the entrance of the park. Some of the Des Moines River bluffs offer tent and hike-in backpacker sites.
Both of the campgrounds of the Yellow Banks Park campground offer the facilities of:
- 48 Electric sites
- Restrooms
- Shower
- Playground between two campgrounds
- Dump station
Saylorville Lake campgrounds:
Saylorville Lake is the most popular camping site north of Des Moines. This beautiful Lake is enriched with outdoor recreational activities, extraordinary sharp views, and facilitated with modern accessories.
It has 530+ campsites with four significant campgrounds. These are here:
Cherry Glen campground:
This campground is usually covered with woods on the east side of the Lake. It spreads over the compact area of 13 acres on the north side of the dam.
This campground is facilitated with modern accessories of 125 electric sites, a playground, a Dumping point, a boat ramp, and modern restrooms.
Prairie Flower campground:
Location: 10498-10534 NW Lake Dr, Polk City, West of HWY 415, near the Marina
The largest campground of Saylorville Lake lies across 60 acres along oak Groove beach near the marina.
This campground of Saylorville Lake is enriched with the facilities like a playground, dumping point, electric sites, beautiful scenes, concrete pads, group tent sites, a playground, and modern restrooms with a shower.
Acorn Valley campground:
Location: At the end of Corydon Drive at NW Beaver Drive, Johnston
Acorn valley is the quiet area on the west side of Saylorville Lake covered with the long and shady trees of oaks.
It spreads over 26 acres aligned with advanced facilities like electric sites, group tent sites, dumping points, portable water, modern restrooms, showers, and playgrounds. But Alcohol is not allowed at this site, so it is also a Dry campground.
Bob Shelter campground:
Location: Near the NW intersection of 78th Avenue and Water Avenue in Johnston
Bob shelter campground is a compact and grassy area along the Des Moines River on the south corner of Saylorville Lake. Due to the coastal location, you can enjoy activities like boating, fishing, and swimming in this campground.
You can enjoy the amenities like electric sites, toilets, modern restrooms, and showers.
More information about Saylorville Lake will benefit you in choosing.
Jester Park campground:
The area of the jester park campground is famous for its mini-golf course, elk herd, natural play area, bison, and many more activities like this. It spreads over 1660 acres, situated 22 miles north of Des Moines on the west Shore of Saylor Ville Lake.
This park remains open from mid-April to mid-October. The management offers most of the seats on a first-come, first-served basis while the remaining are for reservation.
Jester Park offers the facilities like:
- 80 electric and 82 non-electric sites
- Dump station
- Restrooms with showers
- Youth campsite
Chichaqua Bottoms Greenbelts campground:
Chichaqua is half an hour drive northeast of Des Moines and occupies the area of 8300 acres along the Skunk River oxbows. You can reserve your youth tent site in advance only while other sites are on a first-come, first-serve base. It has five tent sites as well as youth sites.
Chichaqua Bottoms Greenbelts area has the features like a prairie, wetland, and a low landscape. It also provides us the amenities of:
- Electric and Non-Electric sites
- Modern restrooms and shower
- Dumping point
- Water
Thomas Mitchell Park campground:
This campground has easy access from Des Moines within a drive of 15 miles in the east. This campground offers youth tent sites as well as primitive tent sites. Five youth and electric sites are reserved tables, while the others are on a first-come, first-serve base.
Thomas Mitchell Park offers the facilities:
- Hiking
- Water
- Dumping Point
- Modern shower and restrooms
- 23 Electric sites
Walnut woods state park:
Walnut woods state park is the most popular shady campground spread over 260 acres along the river Raccoon. With comfort access from Des Moines city, the walnut woods are suitable for camping with its campsite on the park's east side. The Naturally surviving Black Walnut tree also lies within this park.
This family getaway is nestled among the long shady trees with a limited number of sites. Some offer on a first-come, first-serve basis, while some are reservable. This site is aligned with these facilities:
- Eight Full Hookups
- Dump stations
- Restrooms
- Thirteen electric sites
- Dump Station
- Group tent sites
- Concrete pad
Lake Ahquabi State park campground:
Ahquabi Lake is 25 miles south of Des Moines in Indianola. Its coastal area is famous for swimming, picnic, boating, and fishing, so it covers an area of 115 acres.
This campground has 141 campsites. Most sites are reserve tables, while others are on a first-come, first-serve base.
Lake Ahquabi Park campground has the following facilities:
- 85 electric sites
- Restroom with shower
- 2 Dumping points
- Playground
Quarry Springs Park campground:
Quarry Spring Park is located east of Des Moines, having 470 acres, including three lakes. Seven miles walking area is covered with timbers along the Lake, filled with wildlife and sand dunes.
Northeast shore offers ten primitive campsites aligned with the facilities of recreational activities.
Other Private and Caravan parks campground in Des Moines:
- Cutty's Camping Club Resort campground
- Wheelhouse Caravan Park campground
- Webb's Caravan Park campground
- The Crow's Nest Caravan Resort campground
- Des Moines West KOA Holidays campground
- Iowa State Fair campground
- Caravan adventure and shady Brook campground
- Griff's Valley view caravan park and campground
- Adventure land Resort campground
- Caravan Park and Timberline campground
FAQ'S
Are the Wi-Fi signals free at Jester Park?
You can enjoy the free Wi-Fi signals at the fee booth and the Jester Park Golf course clubhouse.
How much would you pay for the Caravan campsites?
Usually, the cost of a caravan campsite depends upon the location and the available facilities. It ranges from $25 to $80 per night. But you have $45 per night on average.
How many state parks are in Iowa?
Iowa State offers 53000 acres of land for recreational activities. There are near about 83 state parks and recreational sites in Iowa.
How many months before you can book the campsite?
You can book a campsite in advance in Iowa three months before camping.
Wrap-Up:
You have many campgrounds, public and private parks, and lakes for camping. Some campsites facilitate the visitors and campers with modern accessories and activities.
Each campground is unique in its fun activities, so this article will pinch you to go there and have a fun time!
