Not a ton of trails. Has some nice hills which provides an overlook of the prairie. Part of the…read moretrail was along the river, which with recent rain, was too waterlogged for us to use. We were able to find a 2-3mile path which took us through the woods and onto the prairie. Not the best of MN State Parks but still nice and well maintained.

Beautiful campground! All areas around the campground were…read morevery well maintained. Restrooms/showers were spacious, clean and plenty of hot water during showers. Campsite spots are Huge! Pretty sure the biggest spots of any campground I've been to and #9 the spot we camped has its own road leading to it so it's completely private from foot/vehicle traffic. Around 5 miles of trails from prairie hills to wooded trails across streams leading to the Des Moines River. Well marked and wide paths make it an enjoyable hike. Can't go wrong with a weekend at this campground

Stayed for one night in the tent camping area. Campground and bathrooms clean, coin laundry room,…read morewalking trail with frisbee golf, two children's playgrounds. The shower was great: clean, the drain was clear, and the water actually stayed in the shower and drained down the drain. I called to reserve the site and was told that there would be a packet in the check-in box with an envelope for me to put cash payment in, since I would be arriving after hours. The packet was where I was told it would be, and the camp hosts came by to make sure I found it, they were very nice. The interstate is noisy, so be aware of that.

Campground is in great shape. Priced right. Friendly staff. We had a few issues that won't allow…read moreus to stay here again. Arrived last Wednesday night on our way to Badlands National Park. It's half way for us. First site was cramped, as there was a tree in the way and I couldn't back up far enough for our electric and sewer to hook up. Had to go back to the office to move a spot over. Not a big deal. We arrived at 5:30 pm. After set up, my girls walked to the pool that was supposed to be open till 8 pm. Well. They closed open swimming at 6 pm for lessons. Disappointing. I confirmed my reservation for Sunday night, July 3rd. When we arrived on Sunday, the office wasn't staffed. My reservation was no where to be found and had no clue what site I was at. We took an open site that was electric only. They only accept checks when the office is closed. So bring a check book. We don't carry checks. We decided to stay anyway. Once we set up, we walked to the steakhouse, which was closed. Website said it would be open, so we didn't stop to eat in Sioux City. . So we went to subway. Nice staff, and the place was super clean. Our experience wasn't as nice as it should have been. But the stay was ok. People around the site were obviously no stranger to the park. When everything gets quiet and you have a 100 set of eyes on you, it's a little uncomfortable. I smiled and waved with no responses. Just weird. We couldn't wait to leave. This was our first and second time, but probably won't be back.

This was the first KOA I stayed at and it was a lovely experience. Friendly staff, clean…read morefacilities, and safe, quiet environment. My friend and I arrived past sunset after a long day of driving (post Mount Rushmore) in early September 2020. We were greeted with kindness and had the option to pick a place to park and set up tent. Then we used the restroom (very clean) and went to bed. Left early the next morning after sleeping well. Easy to find and convenient location off the highway. Peaceful atmosphere and felt very safe for two female travelers with a dog. Lots of space between camping spots, so it didn't feel crowded.

We came in after closing time, but our packet was waiting with clear instructions. The site was…read morelevel and we had a quiet, good night's sleep.

Absolutely beautiful area! We were there in 30 degree weather and will definitely be back in the…read morespring/summer to check things out again, we had a great time walking and checking out all the sites!

Went camping with the whole family and this park really brings out the adventurous side of you…read more Will definitely make plans to come back again!

This is a great campground, didn't know what to expect but was not disappointed. They also have a…read morereally nice bike path just outside of the park that takes you through some awesome backcountry roads.

Let's start with directions to the campground and really the only reason I can't give them five…read morestars. We were pleased to receive an automated email with everything you'd want to know about our camping reservation however the one thing it did not include was the physical address of the campground. Clicked on the link sent in the reservation and it took us to the middle of a residential neighborhood; the only other info on the website was a GPS coordinate and a mailing address. Luckily, we were able to reach the reservation line and they were able to locate the correct physical address which is 12320 240th Street, Orleans, Iowa. Upon arrival we were greeted by a DNR officer who was very helpful with brochures for local attractions and pointed us directly to our campsite. Beyond that one glitch, the campground is clean, well organized, offers well spaced out campsites, clean bathrooms with showers, and each campsite fitted with a picnic table and fire ring with grill. Campsites next to the lake are heavily treed so you should not expect to get a good view of the lake. We were on location mid week so the campground was probably a little quieter than you might find in the weekend. The campground is directly linked to the bike trail (some portions shared with traffic, but all paved) which will take you around Spirit Lake and as far as downtown Okoboji. Recommend if you're looking for a campsite in the area. Note that there is no ice, firewood, or basic necessities available on site however can be obtained nearby in town

Pretty small state park. The two mile hike brings you around the outer edge. The main attraction is…read morethe beach but we weren't swimming. It was a combo of woods and open field hiking. Bugs were a bit annoying.

In the summer of 2018, my husband and I stopped at this park for the Passport stamp and to do the…read moreHiking club trail. Nice pretty park. The historic WPA bridge is made with local stones. There are other WPA era buildings at the park also. This was a fun park for a quick day trip.

Hosts are excellent. Very friendly and helpful. Campground is clean and well cared for. Great…read morelocation for sightseeing. Would stay again!

We always enjoy coming to Emerson Bay Campground. Lots of sights with different hookups…read more I do wish people would treat this park better. We pay for this park through our tax dollars, why won't you want to keep it clean. The state doesn't have the staff or money to hire people to pickup after all the campers. When we pulled into site 56 I picked up a grocery sack of garbage and the fire pits had trash in it. Thanks to the De Jong family for not caring enough to clean up the site when you left.

There are really no bells or whistles at this campground, however they have a very nice park with a…read morenice shaded walking path. This campground had WiFi which was pretty good. They have a nice play area for kids (see pictures), and a walking path way. We actually stayed here 2 different dates. They have beautiful and huge widow maker trees which offered a lot of shade. Pull through sites with full hook up or just electric and water. They do have a dump station that is on the wrong side of the campground. You have exit out of the campground then make this sharp turn in order to use it. Both times we stayed here were very peaceful and quiet. You must go to the park when the sun is setting. You will get beautiful pictures (please see photos). The first time we stayed at site 8 and then site 9 on the second time. This campground is very reasonably priced at $30 a night. It is a perfect place to pull in and get some sleep then to leave the next day back on the road. The town is really cute and small. For a fast dinner or meal, try Pizza Ranch out. They have all you can eat pizza buffet for $15 per adult. #campground #rvcampground #campgroundMN #fullhookups #pullthroughsites #beautifulsunsets