My husband and I cannot say enough good things about this campground and the owners/hosts. To begin…read morethe grounds are beautiful and well kept. We arrived late at night and our car ended up breaking down upon arrival. The owners were amazing - helped us to have a mechanic look at the vehicle. Totally went above and beyond to help us and make sure we were all set to be on our way the next day. Our site was just beautiful and private. They all have a place to make a fire. There are endless little walks and trails. For just 5$ you can add firewood to your stay. We loved it so much that we are going back next week. The experience is so different from the larger and more commercial, crowded campgrounds we have experienced in the past. Stay here and you will love it!!

Shady Brooks campground really lives up to its name. I would not recommend it to anyone. We…read morereserved a spot and when we got to the campground and got to our site we would not fit in that site or any sites there. I went and ask for refund she proceeds to tell me that there will be a $50 fee to return my money and it should take 5-7 business days. Then I wake up to a text several days later stating that Shady Brooks will not be giving me a refund.. Also when I paid for a month she added sales tax . Who does that at a campground because everyone I've been to the tax is already included. They are just scamming left and right at that campground! This is what she sent me: Hi Andrew, this is Dena with Shadybrook Camping. I just wanted to let you know that you will not be getting a refund due to our very strict cancellation policies, and the fact that your camper fit just fine in your site. Or we could have put you in a different site. Our policies are on our website, if you want to look at them. Sorry for the inconvenience. Thanks. This woman never came out to the campground site so she has no idea how we wouldn't fit there or in any of them to park 44ft fifth wheel with a deck that opens more less park two vehicles, and a enclosed trailer!

We celebrated our family Christmas here. There were about 20 of us and we had a blast. The first…read morefloor was equipped with a full kitchen and eating area large enough for all of us to sit and eat comfortably. The kids played upstairs while the adults hung out downstairs so was great for the noise level. Fully equipped with free wifi, direct tv and hotel-like amenities (how can you beat a free homemade continental breakfast?) When the kids got restless we went outside and played in the treehouse, walked to the pond and enjoyed the teeter totter. The owners have thought of everything and provided it! We will definitely be back!

My family and I stayed in the treehouse campground in late May 2016. Kids were 10, 8, 6, and 4…read more The experience was unforgettable for all of us. The kids enjoyed the tent and camping. They enjoyed the vineyard grounds, tire swing, and play area. We also went fishing and caught twelve fish from sunfish to walleye. The campground is supplied with a tank of water for cleaning or other nonpotable uses. There is a ton of firewood with the fire pit. There's a port a potty. Dean and Nancy have thought of everything. Plus, there is NO ONE around. It's your own private Iowa. There is golfing but our kids brought baseball and football stuff. The big area was huge and they filled their days with sport. Glidden is nearby for swimming. Groceries are 15 mins away. We loved our stay was outstanding and we will definitely be back. By the way, Dean and Nancy are phenomenal hosts.

What a fun place! One of the last open air skating rinks in the country .. in the world? Really…read morenice campsites and grounds. But, the skating rink! It is so cool!

A beautiful campground, just the right distance away from home…read more Lots of electric sites with easy access. There is a Lake, there is two sides to said Lake. No matter which side you pick to camp on you are going to be close enough to walk to the middle. Or somewhere where there is water to fish in. In the middle is beach area. You can swim at the beach. You can get snacks at the snack house or you can get a paddle boat, kayak, or canoe and rent from the snack house. (They have ice cream too) There is a is even a wood floor skating rink! This was my favorite thing. I am a grown woman and I still love to skate. They pull up the window shutters and play music you can hear all the way out to your camper if you are on the waters edge. We took advantage of their Frisbee course. Its a smaller one, but it was set up nice and a perfect size to teach my parents how to play Frisbee golf. There is a golf cart that comes around in the evenings selling firewood and ice. What a fantastic idea. We only wished there was a little better signage or maybe another dump station. We only located one to fill up and dump for this big campground. I will be back. FYI- this was new. The local golf course was offering free golfing to campers. So it was purchase 9 holes get 9 free for the campers here. They don't have rental clubs yet, so you'll want to bring your own.

What a great small ski hill. Excellent instructors and learning environment. Not crowded. Priced…read moreright.

What an awesome place! We did tubing 4-6pm; not super busy and kids had a blast. Everyone working…read morethere were interacted with were friendly and welcoming! Facilities were well maintained and clean. Can't say enough good things about this place!

How lucky were we to find this! The county should be really proud of what they've done here. They…read morehave many very affordable sites, our has full hookups and it it cozy and spacious at the same time. The entire park is beautiful and even has a great looking public golf course. Easily reservable online, we were able to line it up same day and pop right into our pull thru spot as soon as we arrived. The is one street light in the campground and I wish it wasn't right next to site 26, but not enough to spoil a perfect evening. As our campfire dwindles in the late evening, we know the memories and appreciation we have will never fade. Thanks to Hamilton county for a truly wonderful park!

Lovely waterfalls Peaceful trails…read moreNot nearly as crowded as Ledges

We got in too late to truly enjoy the camping, but we did have a lovely hike in the morning before…read morewe left. The parts of the park we saw were clean and the trails were well maintained. Hopefully we can come back in the future- I feel like there is a lot left to explore!

What a hidden gem of a campground. Beautiful spot. Nice level campsites. I can't wait to come back.read more

This place is awesome and always a destination when we need to touch Ledges State Park is one of…read moreour favorite places to take visitors when we want to show off just how beautiful this part of Iowa really is. It never disappoints. We've spent so much time here exploring, hiking, and driving through the water crossings -- which is always a blast, especially when you accidentally (on purpose) splash water all over the kids waiting nearby. So much fun. I have way too many pictures from this place, and somehow it still feels different every time we go. On our most recent visit, we brought Kim's parents to see the fall colors. We missed peak color by a bit, but honestly, it was still beautiful. Even when it's not at its "perfect" moment, Ledges is still worth the trip. If you want nature, scenery, and a spot that never gets old, this is it

Nestled in the Iowa Central Plains, just north of Des Moines, is a hidden gem called Ledges State…read morePark. Established in 1924, this 100-year-old park has beautiful vegetation and wonderful camping spots. Picking Chris are available for those. They just want to stop in and check out the area for the day. Camping spots are a mixed combination of primitive, electric only, and electric / water,/ sewer combo spaces. Bathrooms include showers and are kept in very neat and clean manner. Reservations for camping can be made online and there are a number of spots that are walk in only. June is definitely their high month so checking out availability ahead of time is recommended There are a number of hiking / running paths in the area that allow for all levels of ability. The park includes a boat ramp to the Des Moines river so bring your fishing poles too. Smaller streams in the area offer little swimming spots and splash pads for kids, but does require parental supervision. Camp spots typically include picnic table firing, and well cleared out area for your equipment. Check park rules for details. Leashed pets are allowed. Nice playground offers a great central meeting area for the kiddies. There are camp hosts on site that will immediately attend to any maintenance issue. Within short distance to some of the most excellent bike paths in Iowa including the famous high trestle bridge and definitely some awesome ice cream parlors at trailhead in small towns. The Iowa Arboretum is a short drive from the campground if you want to see some beautiful Flora and Fauna (there is admission fee). An abundance of aviary wildlife in the area for birdwatchers. Exceptionally quiet and a great spot for stargazers. Don't forget your bug spray!

We stayed here on an RV trip across the country. It was a great site. A load of trails and…read morefriendly people everywhere. Also, as you're in the middle of des moines you can get delivery from the town. The tree coverage is very nice and keeps the place cool during the day and the prices are super reasonable. We really enjoyed our stay here and I would suggest it for anyone looking for an RV campsite in or around Des Moines.

If you are looking for a quiet camping experience place close to Des Moines then Walnut Woods State…read morePark is the place for you. Great views of the Raccoon River! Plenty of hiking trails. Small playground for kiddos. Bird watching blind. Even has a large lodge you can rent for events.

Quiet place and the owners are very friendly. The pond has fish in it and if your vehicle breaks…read moreyou can work on it here and not get in trouble for working on it.

If you're in the area or driving through and want a peaceful stay with beautiful sunsets and super…read morefriendly hosts this is the place! We stopped in after we had some camper issues and the owner was super friendly, helpful and accommodating! The sites are super easy to get in and out of and there is a nice pond well fed with fish!!

My wife and I are Camp host at dolliver Memorial state Park. I've been to most of our state parks…read moreand this is by far the most beautiful park we have. My wife and I take pride in the cleanliness of the bathrooms and the ground and we will do our best to keep it that way.

I stopped at this park on my way from Fort Dodge, IA back to Omaha. I had heard great things about…read morethis park, and it was defientely worth the detour! The place was amazing, surrounded by big beautiful trees. It was adjacent to a river, and perfect for kayaking. Beautiful campsites, and hiking trails. I was out on the trails for a few hours this morning, and extremely cleaned, well maintained trails! It was peaceful, and easy to navigate. I have attached pictures for gorgeous reference! Happy Trails!