Discover the best ranch campgrounds in Iowa with campfires

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Iowa

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9 top ranch campgrounds in Iowa with campfires

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Bend River Farms

5 sites · Lodging, RVs, Tents50 acres · Runnells, IA

Bend River Farms is just a short drive from Interstate 80/35. The farm is nestled in the gently rolling hills of central Iowa. Little Camp Creek flows through the property and continues on towards the mighty Des Moines river. Cool woodland meadows provide a comforting back drop to your tent site or glamping experience. All our sites come with complimentary firewood, we offer reduced prices during the summer and a 15% discount on weekday bookings. Our property offers private restrooms, showers, complimentary towels and firewood, 24/7 laundry room, Wi-Fi, a dish washing station, play area with jungle gym, hiking trails, hands on farm animal activities, a communal outdoor dinning area and a saltwater hot tub await your arrival! Bend River Farms was a former junk yard that has now been transformed into a cottage core dream. The farm is operated much like family farms of the 1920's. The focus is on small scale, multi system agriculture, we have fresh eggs, produce and honey for sale. Bend River Farms is not a resort or public camp ground. It is a place to enjoy wild spaces and recharge. Agri-tourism at it's best. Learn about native prairie restoration, regenerative agriculture and sustainable ranching from owners, Amy Buckendahl and Dave Breese. Please understand that our property is a working farm, and our staff are often busy working on projects and have full careers, outside of farming. We do not have the same amenities as a public campground or "all inclusive" camp resort. Instead, we offer your wandering heart a place to rest. All travel to the farm is on paved roads, with no confusing dirt roads to navigate. The property is located near the small community of Runnells, Iowa in rural Camp Township. Enjoy a cold beer or hot food at one of the two local taverns, or check out the local ice cream shop or our local farmer's market on Tuesday evenings during the summer. Don't worry if you forget something! We have a nearby gas station and a general store. Don't forget, we have smores kits, farm fresh honey and eggs available for purchase, check out the EXTRAS option during checkout! Amy, our own resident biologist, will give you an opportunity to learn about livestock husbandry and the local wildlife. The farms orchard boasts several wild bird feeding stations, with edible landscaping! A stay on our farm will provide you with an opportunity to learn about Land Management in an agricultural setting. Learn about carpentry and welding from a master fabricator, or book an adventure to learn about gardening, poultry care, horsemanship, beekeeping and even falconry! These are also available in the EXTRAS option during checkout. Fancy a fireside meal or homestyle dinner? Dave is a trained chef and loves to cook for our guests. Select a meal during checkout. Off-site, but nearby opportunities: miles of scenic hiking and biking trails, kayaking and fishing. The Iowa State Fair Grounds and Adventureland Waterpark is only 20 minutes away, along with big city fine dining, music and art museums are all less than a thirty miles drive; when you need a break from camping and nature. Fee based transportation is available for guests flying in or needing a break from driving, or whenever you need a quick trip into town. Our philosophy: "Here at Bend River Farms we are passionate about regenerative agriculture. We strive to push ourselves and our partners to think of the future and the longevity of our agricultural practices. " Regenerative Agriculture is an agricultural philosophy that both acknowledges the degenerative impact of poor land stewardship, and the positive use of agricultural practices that foster restoration and productivity." Local conditions determine which practices are most appropriate. A well managed food system should improve the long-term health and function of the agricultural system and the communities that depend upon them, physically, culturally, spiritually, and economically. Regeneratively managed businesses protect and improve the natural function of our water, nutrient, and carbon cycles by taking steps to increase biodiversity in the agricultural system, and works to minimize reliance on external inputs, and avoid the use of synthetic chemicals whenever possible.”

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Horse Creek Adventures

23 sites · Lodging, Tents170 acres · Sidney, IA

Horse Creek Adventures is a 170 acre ranch that provides an opportunity for visitors to stay one night or several days to enjoy the land and area sights. You have your choice as to how you want to stay. Our "off the grid" cabins offer a special opportunity to camp with a roof. The cabins are extremely popular! Check out the information about them and then check the photos posted by quests and read their reviews to give you lots of ideas of how you could enjoy these one of a kind sites. Tenting is available all over the 170 acres. You can tent by the pond; on top of the hill, or in a valley. These sites allow you to "get away from it all" and let the stress melt away. We have tenting sites close to a road to give you flexibility to see local attractions while enjoying the whole 170 acres. The land is part of the famous Loess Hills. There are hilltops to take in the breath taking views and valleys surrounded by trees. A pond full of trophy sized bass , catch and release, no license required. Wildlife abounds including a wide variety of birds. We have been described by avid birders as a rich place for birding. The area is rich with history-Lewis and Clark; French Canadian trappers and their Lakota wives established French Villages; Mormons came through here on the way to Utah; Jesse James played cards. Waubonsie State Park is close with hiking trails and seven miles of Horse trails. At night you can use a portable corral to have your horse close. End the day around a campfire, look at the stars and the lightening bugs and be serenaded to sleep by the coyotes and whip-poor-wills Enjoy !!

Two Old Hoes on Hippie Hill

4 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.

Secluded riverside ranch

3 sites · Lodging, RVs, Tents15 acres · Goldfield, IA

This property encompasses 15 acres featuring a mile of mowed trails that weave through wildflower prairies, 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, an ostrich and more! The perfect place to unwind, unplug, and connect with nature in a private setting, not on a gravel pad at a treeless, overcrowded campground.

Tent camping on the Raccoon River

1 site · RV, Tent42 acres · Lake City, IA

Learn more about this land:Come relax at Rainbow Raccoon Ranch on the Raccoon River. The river offers floating, kayaking, canoeing, and fishing. The nearby Rainbow Bend park and other local conservation areas offer hiking opportunities. As a working ranch, we have friendly Scottish Highland cattle onsite for great photos and selfies.

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Sleep in an Iowa Barn @ TLC

2 sites · Lodging, Tents28 acres · Zearing, IA

Threshold Learning Center is 28 acres of prairie, creek, woods, and our barn dormitory. Threshold is first, an outdoor learning center for schools during the school year, and a summer camp offering several day camps, family camps, and trips. As a non-profit, however, we are constantly trying to find a way to offer our programs to everyone regardless of whether they are able to pay our fees while still making enough money to stay open. We started renting TLC to the public 5 years ago for weddings, reunions, or just families who are looking to connect to the world around them. Our motto is "No Child Left Inside" and we want every inner child to enjoy what we have at TLC. We have 7 bedrooms in our dormitory, 5 camp sites, a large camp fire ring, a mini-golf course, and we are always willing to lead your group in an educational experience or take you on a hayrack ride.

Green Grass Farms Camping

5 sites · RVs, Tents150 acres · Bedford, IA

Green Grass Farms was officially started in January of 2016. After being on active duty for years and having a disabled child, we decided we wanted to simplify and slow down our way of life. In November of 2014 our disabled son was put on a 100% "Real Foods Diet" and that played a huge part in motivating us to look more into what that really meant. What was the difference between farm raised and store bought organic food? What was the real benefit of not using hormones or antibiotics or pesticides? Which is better, grain finished or grass finished meat? So we bought the farm and started Green Grass Farms!Learn more about this land:The property is primitive with treed area and lots of grass. With sustainable livestock farming and ranging. We have a mix of chicken, pigs, and cattle on the farm. You would be staying in the pasture or in a wooded area. You can be next to the animals or next to our farm store near our corn field. There's lots of views of windmills and pastures/farmland.Happy to give farm tours outside of my working hours.

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Whitetail Tent Camping

3 sites · RVs, Tents104 acres · Keosauqua, IA

Camping, (Fishinfg at 2 of our sights) Enjoying a campfire and sometimes even petting Pedro the donkey! Learn more about this land: Nestled into the center of historic and scenic Van Buren County (where there are more Whitetail Deer than people) You are a 5 minute drive away from The Des Moines River which is great for kayaking, boating and fishing. You’re also 5 minutes away from Lacey State Park, which has a 30 acre lake. Lacey Lake also has a sandy beach area and over 13 miles of trails to hike on. If you like to go fishing and boating, Lake Sugema, a 579 acre lake, is a 10 minute drive from this campsite. If you’re into horseback riding, you’ll be camping 19 miles from where you can rent a horse and ride on 25 miles of trails in Shimek State Forest, just east of Farmington, Iowa.

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Sunset Hills Bison Ranch & Lodging

7 sites · Lodging15 acres · Malcom, IA

*NEW 2023*Prairie-Schooner Wagon*You are invited to stay where the buffalo roam in a beautiful Conestoga Wagon! These unique wagons have heat & a/c, a king bed, twin/twin bunk beds and locking front door. Enjoy the beauty of the sunset along the rolling hills. Stargaze while cuddled around your private fire pit. Wake up to our bison herd grazing near by. Private luxury shower house w/ heat & a/c. The wagons do NOT have a kitchen. They do have a coffee maker, refrigerator, microwave, toaster and grill & more.

Happy farmer sitting in a truck in a grassy field

Ranch camping in Iowa with campfires guide

Overview

Sandwiched between the Mississippi, Missouri, and Big Sioux Rivers, Iowa is characterized by a mix of plains and hilly countryside, farmlands, lakes, and rivers. This Midwestern state is full of spots to get out and adventure, with about 83 state parks and nearly 6,000 campsites spread among them. The state also has an extensive river system—with numerous lakes and reservoirs—and boating and angling are among the most popular summer activities here. Like elsewhere in the Midwest, the winter months often bring with them plenty of snow, ideal for snowshoeing and cross-country skiing.

Where to go

Northwest Iowa

Northwest Iowa has lots of parks and camping opportunities along the Des Moines River, including the massive Brushy Creek State Recreation Area and Dolliver Memorial State Park. The Lakes Region—home to West and East Okoboji Lakes and Big Spirit Lake—is particularly popular among boaters, anglers, and birders, with a number of state parks and wildlife preserves across the region. Camping is available at Gull Point State Park.

Southwest Iowa

Southwest Iowa is characterized by wide-open farmland and pretty woodlands. Cyclists can take a tour of this region on the Wabash Trace Nature Trail, which stretches for 63 miles from the Missouri border up to Council Bluffs near the Nebraska border. The region's Loess Hills State Forest is one of the more popular areas for outdoor recreation, offering a fishing lake and more than 60 miles of trails.

Northeast Iowa

Iowa's Northeast is ideal for getting outside, with miles of recreation opportunities, from trout fishing to canoeing, on the Mississippi River and its Upper Iowa River tributary. Popular spots in the region include Backbone State Park, which offers camping, fishing, and cycling and hiking trails. The Effigy Mounds National Monument, which preserves hundreds of ancient effigy mounds built by Indigenous people during the first millennium, is also worth a visit.

Southeast Iowa

There's no shortage of lakes in Iowa's southeastern region, including Lake Keomah, Indian Lake, and Lake Bonnefield, in the charming town of Fairfield. This region is home to Lake Red Rock—the largest lake in the state—and the lakefront Elk Rock State Park offers camping, boat ramps, and 13 miles of trails. Other lake areas worth checking out include Geode State Park on the banks of Lake Geode and Lacey-Keosauqua State Park, which has camping, cabin rentals, and easy access to Lake Seguma.