🌝 2024 Solar eclipse: Book now for 4/8

Camping in Iowa with swimming

Explore lakes, rivers, wide-open expanses, and hilly countryside in the heart of the American Midwest.

99% (1320 reviews)
99% (1320 reviews)

Popular camping styles for Iowa

Available this weekend

Dog-friendly getaways

12 top campgrounds in Iowa with swimming

99%
(410)

Windy Goat Acres

6 sites ¡ Lodging15 acres ¡ Chelsea, IA
We love animals, plants, art, and outdoor recreation and love sharing these things with people! We found the perfect little plot for all of these things we love. Nature, art, animals, and lots of space! The hilly, lush land is also known as the Bohemie Alps and it's quite a beautiful area tucked away in Iowa.Visit with the llamas, goats, peacocks, potbelly pigs and the horses and hike around the property or stay in for a quiet stay with a good book and enjoy all the sights and sounds. Lots of extra 'add ons' to enhance the experience!Semi wooded property with hiking trails, hammocks, aerial silks, campfire pit. 5 mi away is Otter Creek Lake, a recreational park for fishing, kayaking, swimming, etc. We have 2 kayaks available. So much to do! Also perfect to just relax, meditate, yoga, sleep...
Pets
Potable water
Toilets
Campfires
Showers
from 
$65
 / night
97%
(202)

Nature Heaven

8 sites ¡ Lodging, RVs, Tents40 acres ¡ Knoxville, IA
This seclude, beautiful pet friendly 40 acres of fenced camping site is on top of hilly land is rare in Iowa. It has close view of 3.5 private fishing ponds and far view of the Red Rock Lake. There are 10 acres nature timber area that keep you away from the other campers and rest of the world. Each site has a firepit, picnic table and a solar light . The drinking water is at the entrance, but no electricity on site. The RVs need to be self contained. There are tons of nature features, you may see deer, rabbits and other game birds by your campsite. The camping sites has good distances to keep privacy for each sites A recently built a 20ft diameter geodesic dome tent is for those who want more climate controlled stay while still enjoying the magnificent nature's gifts. for surrounding areas, the White breast beach is very close, a lot of water and hunting activities in the lake red rock year round. For our campers safety, any hunting activities are not allowed within our camping ground. However, in case you come for hunting with Iowa hunting tags, a couple of public deer hunting grounds are near our camping ground. The recently built glamping geodesic Dome tent is located on a top of hill. Our campers will have a fantastic sunset view of ponds and lake view while enjoy the great nature, and have a comfortable stay . And cell phone signals are good to use your hotspot remote working at this astonishing Lake Red Rock Oasis ^_^. Hope you will find joy, peace and happiness in this wonderful piece of natural land and the Red Rock lake areas. A little history of this land: This 40 acres of land was a surface mining site. The reclamation works done during the 1970s. But over the years, the soil was seriously eroded. Anna and Peilin, who have Masters and PhD in soil and environment health background, bought this land several years ago and started to restore the vegetation. Now the site looks beautiful and ready for nature lovers and campers to enjoy the fantastic view of the lake, ponds and tall grass... The site is totally different from what the Google map shows now.
Pets
Potable water
Toilets
Campfires
Trash
from 
$25
 / night
99%
(218)

Folk School Farm Stay

7 sites ¡ Lodging, RVs, Tents120 acres ¡ Oxford, IA
Come enjoy the natural beauty of a working farm! In our transition to agroforestry, wetland restoration and perennial ag, you'll find some great spaces to walk your dog, let your children run and learn about ecological conservation. The farm is also home to a flower cutting garden, a food forest garden, and a folk school. Guests are welcome to cut flowers for a donation, and enjoy the sheep, chickens and resident cat. The setting is also great for taking in sunrises, sunsets and star gazing. Come explore the landscape, book a farm tour or enjoy some studio space at Land Alliance Folk School.
Pets
Potable water
Toilets
Campfires
Showers
from 
$40
 / night
97%
(90)

1860's Botanical Paradise

2 sites ¡ Lodging, Tents2 acres ¡ Bellevue, IA
Happy to announce we’ve won 2nd best property to visit in Iowa! We hope to keep striving and adding more amenities as we go! Thank you to our wonderful guests and hello to future guests! 👋🏽 Built in 1860 by its first caretaker botanist, this homestead was propagated over its many years of life and is busting at the seams with medicinal and edible herbs. We now run a flower farm and vegetable gardens on our homestead. If you’d like to learn about herbs or gardening/ homesteading, we love sharing our knowledge. If you’d just like some farm fresh eggs for breakfast and enjoy your time alone amongst the songbirds, that's just fine too :) The property is built into the stone hillside allowing for breathtaking views but also stairs to get to the campsites. Please wear comfortable shoes (not flip flops 😉). If you have mobility issues property access will be difficult. !CLASSES! We run our small school/business: HOMESTEAD and HAMMER from the property and are bringing classes to YOU in the 2022 Season! Look in the "EXTRAS" for classes you can partake in on your visit OR for more information on what's included on class weekends check out our website below! Classes include, forAging wild edibles, mushroom identification, homesteading skills, soap making, forging metals and many more! Website: www.homesteadandhammer.com *For guest and host safety property managed 24-7 by video and security services*
Pets
Potable water
Toilets
Campfires
Showers
from 
$30
 / night
98%
(64)

Greenhouse Camping

2 sites ¡ RVs5 acres ¡ Ankeny, IA
We love this beautiful land that has been in our family since 1917, and think you will too!   We are located 1/2 mile off I-35 at the north border of the City of Ankeny.  Here you'll find the best of both worlds just fifteen minutes away from your quiet campsite - Boating, skiing, jet-skiing, fishing at Saylorville Lake.   Canoe,  kayak and paddleboat rental at Big Creek State Park.  Swimming & waterplay for all ages at the Ankeny Aquatic Center.  Upscale shopping and dining at the District.  Or venture out a bit further to concert venues in Ames & Des Moines, local farmers markets, Des Moines' beautiful riverwalk and exciting nightlife, or the Iowa State Fair.  It's the best of country and suburban living!  End your day with a quiet stroll along the mowed walking path that overlooks one of the most beautiful areas of Four Mile Creek in Iowa, which circles right back to your cozy campfire.   Learn more about this land:You'll love this relaxing space to camp and enjoy the Iowa outdoors!  Very easy access,  we are just 1/2 mile off of Interstate-35.  Our farm is bordered by nature on three sides and the city of Ankeny on the south.  This is a single campsite, private and quiet. Your campsite has an adjoining mowed private walking trail overlooking Four Mile Creek, and is also within walking distance of Ankeny sidewalks for biking, walking, jogging.  It’s the best of both worlds - town and country! We're a 15 minute drive from Big Creek and Ledges State Parks, Jester Park and Saylorville Lake where you can enjoy fishing, skiing, boating, horseback riding, hiking, biking, and the beach life.  You'll find unique shopping experiences, delicious dining, a good movie, a thriving live music scene just 15 minutes away in downtown Des Moines, downtown and campus town Ames, and  at The District in Ankeny.  Upon your arrival you'll find the greenhouse mini-fridge is stocked with 4 complimentary bottles of water and everything you'll need for making S'mores.  One free bundle of wood is included with each booking.  
Pets
Potable water
Toilets
Campfires
Trash
from 
$35
 / night
97%
(431)

Come Enjoy the Beauty

61 sites ¡ Lodging, RVs, Tents30 acres ¡ Earlham, IA
This property has a year round running creek called Bear Creek. They also mined the stone off the property for the State Capital in Des Moines, Iowa. Abundant wildlife and mature beautiful trees.
Pets
Potable water
Toilets
Campfires
Showers
from 
$29
 / night
98%
(563)

Draco Hill Nature Farm

4 sites ¡ RVs, Tents75 acres ¡ West Branch, IA
Early Bird Special! Book an April camping trip and get another 20% off. A convenient 7 miles north of Interstate 80 but feels like an oasis away from it all. Enjoy nature in a private, wooded river valley setting. Go to sleep under the stars to the sound of frogs, cicadas, coyotes, deer and the rustling wind through the tallgrass prairie. Wake to an amazing sunrise over the river. Enjoy a hike through our 75 acres of rolling woodlands and prairie, picking berries, finding mushrooms, scaring up a turkey or pheasant in the brush or listening to the birds. (Pull out your Merlin app to see who's singing!) Play in the river or upland pond, cut cattails and prairie grasses for souvenirs and enjoy being unplugged for a while. Your hosts are here if you need us, but we leave you to enjoy this beautiful place at your own pace.
Pets
Toilets
Campfires
Cooking equipment
from 
$34
 / night
100%
(18)

Secluded riverside ranch

2 sites ¡ RVs, Tents15 acres ¡ Goldfield, IA
15 acres featuring wildflower prairies, mowed trails along a meandering creek, peaceful woods along the river, and a 501(c)(3) animal rescue providing sanctuary to goats, a llama, a miniature cow, and more!
Pets
Potable water
Toilets
Campfires
Trash
from 
$20
 / night
98%
(20)

Lutheran Lakeside Camp

20 sites ¡ RVs, Tents110 acres ¡ Spirit Lake, IA
Our mission is to be a place of belonging for all people to find joy and purpose in God's creation. We have a beautiful property with lots of activities and amenities to offer and we want to share it with as many people as possible. All the income we receive through campers and guests goes towards Camp for ALL Kids, where we allow foster children to attend camp at no cost. Learn more about this land:Park your RV and enjoy WiFi, endless activities onsite as well as peace and serenity while only being a few miles from the Okoboji excitement. Back in, hook up to 30 or 50 amp, Dump Station, short walk or drive to the waterfront. All guests get a picnic table and fire ring. Enjoy 3.5 miles of trails, basketball, sand volleyball, gaga ball, human foosball, 9 square, soccer filed, playground, and open fields. 
Pets
Potable water
Toilets
Campfires
Showers
from 
$50
 / night
100%
(5)

The Waypoint

5 sites ¡ RVs18 acres ¡ Earlham, IA
A vanlife destination located at the confluence of I80 and I35. 18 acres of land featuring a limestone quarry pond, perfect trees for hanging hammocks, flat ground for parking vans and so much space for community. If you’re interested, we are happy to coordinate introducing you to our small herd of alpacas and Great Pyrenees dogs.
Pets
Campfires
from 
$25
 / night
100%
(16)

Two Old Hoes on Hippie Hill

2 sites ¡ RVs, Tents30 acres ¡ Stanton, IA
Learn more about this land: You can camp, wander, head down the road to Viking Lake. Easy, relaxing and not too many rules. I don't do trash, unattended firepits or really loud gatherings past dusk. I love to camp but, this is our oasis. We also have outdoor dogs that help keep the coyotes and wildlife at bay. The means that they may bark at night.
Pets
Potable water
Campfires
from 
$20
 / night
100%
(66)

East Grove Farms Winery and Vineyard

1 site ¡ Tent10 acres ¡ Salem, IA
Located in Southeast Iowa, East Grove Farms Winery and Vineyard specializes in honey wine (also known as mead) made from various fruits like Elderberries. Our headquarters is the O.A. and Emma Garretson House, which has been placed on the National Register of Historic Places. The farm itself is the oldest continuously-settled farm in Iowa, and was established in 1837. The farm served as a station on the Underground RR and farm founder Joel C Garretson was the stationmaster. All are welcome to visit during our open hours on Saturdays and Sundays from 10 am to 6 pm (or by appointment) for free wine and mead tastings. During the summer we offer wagon rides, and in the winter (weather permitting) we offer sleigh rides. East Grove Farms focuses on sustainable agricultural practices, and strives to be pesticide-free whenever possible. Feel free to wander through the fields, go hiking through the timber, fish for dinner in our pond. Learn more about this land: East Grove Farms invites you to pitch your tent in the former hazelnut thicket that our ancestors and the East Grove community safely hid freedom seekers from Missouri in the 1840's.   It is located 1/4 m north of the winery near the vineyard and tree line and you can usually drive to the camp on a grass path thru the elderberry patch.  It offers complete privacy and has a fire ring, picnic table, a prep table, and shade.  Firewood is available if you ask.  PLEASE TAKE NOTE THERE ARE NO ELECTRICAL HOOKUPS, WATER, OR TOILET AND SHOWER FACILITIES. WE NO LONGER HAVE A PORTA JON AT CAMP! TOTALLY PRIMITIVE CAMPING.   There is a pond for fishing and some trails, and of course all campers are welcome to visit our headquarters for a free tasting of our wine and mead!  Wagon rides can be arranged and on occasion there is live music at the meadery on weekends.  For those interested in the underground RR, there is an excellent museum in nearby Salem, the Lewelling Quaker Museum, a National Park Service noted site for abolitionist activity.
Pets
Toilets
Campfires
from 
$20
 / night

Under $50

Star Hosts in Iowa

Value Prop
Value Prop

Camping in Iowa with swimming guide

Overview

Welcome to Hipcamp! If you're looking to camp in Iowa and love swimming, you're in luck. We have over 250 options in Iowa with swimming available. Whether you prefer lakes, rivers, or even swimming pools, we've got you covered. Looking for some top-rated campsites? Check out Windy Goat Acres (208 reviews), Draco Hill Farm (192 reviews), and Come Enjoy the Beauty (160 reviews). Our campsites offer a range of amenities including pet-friendly spaces, showers, and campfire pits. Plus, you'll have plenty of activities to choose from like biking, wildlife watching, and whitewater paddling. The average price per night is $60, with options as low as $5. So get ready to dive into your next camping adventure with Hipcamp!

Top cities in and near Iowa

Safety at Hipcamp

Inclusion Policy
Inclusion Policy
Inclusion Policy
Hipcamp Hand

Safety partners

Recreate Responsibly

About us

Hipcamp is the most comprehensive resource for beautiful private campsites.

Discover and reserve tent camping, RV parks, cabins, treehouses, and glamping.

Download the Hipcamp App

Hipcamp is created with ❤️ and hope for our future.