Prairie City

Saylorville Lake

Lake Red Rock

Ledges State Park

Find & reserve the best beach, lake, and river, stream, or creek RV campsites near Prairie City, Iowa. Tent, cabin & RV camp on private & State Parks, on local farms, vineyards & nature preserves.

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Glamping

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Pets

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Showers

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Cooking equipment

Come Enjoy the Beauty

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.

RV Spots have electric at the site, water to fill your tanks with and we have a dump station on the way out.  

Cabin rental $150.00 night for the first two people.  $10.00 each person after the first two. 

Sleep in an Iowa Barn @ TLC

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.

Our barn dormitory with 7 bedrooms, a lounge, men's and women's restrooms with showers, and kitchenette on the lower level.  The upper level has a full kitchen, a large dining hall/dance hall, and a stage.

Each room has two bunk beds and can sleep up to 5 people.

Relax, talk, or read a book in our quiet lounge.

Enjoy a camp fire and gaze up at the stars.

Comfortable Camping near Des Moines

Once a piece of farmland, now this is home to a historic church rectory and a whole lot of chickens (real and fake ones to be clear.)

Learn more about this land:

BEFORE BOOKING - if you are traveling with a dog be sure to message us BEFORE booking to make sure that we can accommodate you.

IMMEDIATELY AFTER BOOKING please send a message introducing yourself and confirming how many are in your group and how large your camping set up is.

We live on just over 3 acres of land.  Some of it is a flat grass area, some is hilly, and some has taller brush.  From any of these camping areas you can see our home but not much else besides fields, brush, and grass - and the sky!  

A train goes by a few times a day/night.  We are located on a paved rural road, so while you will hear cars go by, there is no flow of constant traffic.  We are located an easy two miles from a gas station and an easy 17-30 minute drive to Des Moines if you're looking to go into the city.

The land is former farm land but the house is a historical church rectory that was moved to this location several years ago.


Pitched my tent adjacent to the chicken coop

The Fantastic Geodesic tent during night with the lights on powered by a aolar battery.

Nature Heaven

This seclude, beautiful  pet friendly 40 acres of fenced camping site is on top of hilly land and  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. Each camping sites have good distances to keep privacy from each other.

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 close by White Breast Beach is open from May 23-September 3, 2024,  boating, hunting and hiking activities in the lake red rock year around.  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.  You will have a fantastic sunset view of ponds and lake view while  enjoy the great nature, and have a comfortable stay .

The cell phone signals are good, you may use your cell phone hotspot work remotely 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 Master's 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.

Out side the dome portable fire pit. A perfect spot to watch sunsetting.
There is an additional sitting area behind the dome with another fire pit and picnic table. Additional spaces behind the dome for hammocks car parking etc.

A king size bed. The mattress can be electric heated during winter. A standby electric generator provided so an air conditioner or room heater can be used for colder winter weather. 

Site 3. is on a hill top. One part of the site is in the shade and another part is on a limited open spaces.  This site  have beautiful view of pond, hills and lake.  very nice sunset view if weather permit.

Pets are allowed in this fantastic geodesic tent. Sit inside the tent, work through cell phone hot spot.   

An amazing view of sunsetting can be viewed inside the dome if weather conditions permit. Inside dome has  king size bed, a sofa, a small table.  

Greenhouse Camping

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.  

It's the best of both worlds, country and suburban -- we are on the north border of the town of Ankeny, yet surrounded by quiet countryside.  

Lots of morning sun with afternoon shade.

Explore Central Iowa, then cozy up with a campfire in your quiet campsite.  

First class views of  beautiful sunsets right from your campsite.  

The view from your camper, overlooking the beautiful Four Mile Creek valley.

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