Camp in forested sanctuaries near West Bend, just beyond Iowa’s farmland and fields.
Stop by West Bend campgrounds for cozy nights in a quiet town before heading out for a camping retreat at Pilot Knob State Park. About 65 miles northeast of West Bend near Forest City, the 700-acre park features the scenic Pilot Knob Loop for hiking and horseback riding through forested trails—a far cry from Iowa’s iconic corn fields. Ascend the 33-foot-tall Observation Tower for panoramic countryside views before retiring to RV sites with electric hookups. Other campground amenities include modern showers and restrooms, reservable picnic shelters, a children’s playground, and a trailer dump station. An hour’s drive south of West Bend is Dolliver Memorial State Park, which offers powered RV and tent sites overlooking the Des Moines River. Campers can also find family cabin rentals with kitchens for up to four people in the park. Explore the unique box canyon and rocky streams of Boneyard Hollow. Local legends say the Woodland Culture people once drove bison off the cliff here.