This is a really neat park north east of Ames. It's the home of the Story County Conservation…read moreCenter and a lot of classes and programming. There are some deceptively long hiking trails here that will let you traverse the various biomes of the state of Iowa. There are wooded, riparian and native prarire areas along trails immediately adjacent to the park and it also serves as a great launching point and connector for the Skunk River Greenbelt system of trails that continue to the north. There are primitive campsites and mutli-use hiking and biking trails. There is actually a lot to do outside in Story County, it's just not obvious & McFarland Park is a great place to get acquainted.

McFarland is a beautiful park with a small lake suitable for fishing, picnic sites, a paved walking…read moretrail and what I call a prairie walking trail. The Story County conservation office is located here and is open during the week and is a good source for material for what outdoor activities are available in the area.

I booked a spot for my camper for a class reunion. The campgrounds had been closed for a while for…read moreupgrades and remodeling..new bathrooms and showers..so I was pretty stoked to have the new upgrades..well the bathrooms and showers were both clean and new.. not sure what they were thinking when they sat down and designed it though..solid concrete looked good in paper, double as a storm shelter..instead during camping season this turns it into a sauna..literally sweating while shaving..no fans? Did the budget run over? And the showers..has that great push button get X amount of time then push it again. I get it..but the shower head right on the wall..so you get to kiss that button if you want your head directly under the shower head. And the cool part is you don't have to waste time deciding the temperature of your water. They decide for you..100 degrees out. Cool off in a hot shower inside a sauna.. wth..then last jab on showers.. they had a blank slate to work with and it is a wet room..everything is wet because it is a shower..but you have to get to it..aka you have clothes on and with you to change into clean ones..1 darn hook..saved some money there..at least your towel has somewhere to stay dry..because the 2x2 foot bench isn't keeping anything dry..where do you sit to get dressed? Dry off? Keep clean clothes clean and dry? Just a stupid overall design..use the handicap shower and hope nobody in a wheelchair needs it..it at least has a small separate space that stays dry..same dumb 1 hook 2x2 foot bench concept..other than that wonderful stay..clean well kept grounds..campers were respectful nice..park staff were helpful and nice..scenery was beautiful..

Very nice picturesque park... Very very busy in the summer decent kayaking, and fishing to be had…read moreonly electric motors are allowed

Iowans know that parks with lakes are scarcities in this state, which is why I'm fond of any and…read moreall parks that include: a. a lake b. walking trails and c. overall convenient access. Prairie Rose is just seven miles north off I-80 at the Antique City Dr./Walnut exit; a convenient stop if you're looking to shed the stress of interstate travel for an hour or two. Entrance into the park is free. Don't be deceived by the park's office; it is in an old house very close to the entrance of the park. There, the park attendant explained the walking trails in the area and offered a map. I would most certainly consider visiting for a weekend, as Prairie Rose offers just enough to do/explore in order to fill two days (especially for those with kids). Camping spots are plentiful, and there are a few cabins on the premises. There are a handful of trails for walking (come with walking shoes), a beach on the NW side of the lake, a playground or two, and picnic benches throughout for those homemade meals. If you're looking for a quick getaway, I'd say it's worth the 50-mile drive from Omaha or Council Bluffs.

Hidden treasure! Quiet, green, tree-lined campsites. Lovely little lake with swimming beach…read more Well-maintained sites...some with full hook ups! Will definitely be coming back. Town of Harlan is cute and even has good Mexican food!

Its about 2 miles from my house. The bank fishing sucks due to the weeds. Camping was awesome over…read more4th july weekend. Beautiful scenery except for all the goose . The staff is helpful, friendly and polite.

Beautifly manicured and organized camping site. Staff super helpful too. Efficient RV dump!read more

What a great park! There are several playgrounds, gazebos, and leisure areas so you never feel…read morecrowded. It's kept very clean and well maintained. The local flower beds throughout the park are a nice touch too. Fishing in the Ioway Creek is quite fun as well. Even the wildlife says hello every now and then

Lovely park! I like to drive to this place when I feel down or have had a long day. Love to walk…read morearound, absorb in the park's beauty and have some quiet time to myself. Sometimes, I don't even get down from my car, just sit inside and look at the sunset in an amber sky and the park getting dark all of a sudden. I'll come back during summer and post better pics :)

My husband & I enjoyed camping at Rock Creek. The only thing you NEED to know is the campsites are…read morenot gravel/concrete and most are not level so be sure to bring lumber or a LOT of those plastic pads. We camped in a grove of trees but still had room for our awning. It's quiet and worth the effort to camp at Rock Creek. Plenty of shade

Great campground just north of I-80. We visited in late October for an overnight stay with our 20…read morefoot travel trailer. We had a electric hook-up, potable (frost free) water was available to fill our water tank and there was a dump station and trash dumpster. A great deal for $11/night (off season rate?). Only slight negative was the amount of pesky flies.

My biggest gripe was that this is a family centered destination and there is nowhere for nursing…read moremothers to feed their babies? A worker suggested I feed my baby in a port a potty. I had to go all the way back to the car to feed her. :( A lot of the food stops are closed at the end if the season. The funnel cake place wasn't taking orders because they set the oil too low or something and couldn't give a clear time they would be ready. However! There were some cute photo stops and my kid had a blast in the big corn pool I have never seen anything like it. They also have the BEST applesauce I have ever had.

In my opinion the pricing is out of whack. You must buy admission to the barnyard in order to go…read morepick apples on their twenty acre orchard. Basically thirty bucks for two adults before you buy apples for $65/bushel. If you want a bag of apples just get them from the store.

A tucked away playground that isn't so secret…read more.. Found this playground through a friend who lives in the neighborhood. It's tucked away in suburbia and a collection of baseball diamonds. You wouldn't know it was here unless you live close by. Wonderful place to play! Must be new to the baseball diamonds. During COVID19 review: A playground that isn't so secret...Many visitors were here while we came out during the middle of a work day. There were a lot of kids running around including my own and a friend's. Kids were not social distant. Two kids wore masks while their mom had one on as well. The rest of the kids were not masked. The playground is super fun! Slides, slides, and more slides. Rubber playground surfacing and updated equipment make it phenomenal. The mini zip line seat is the highlight! Rolling slide and horizontal rolling slide. Plenty of swings as well. The playground is an all inclusive one: accessible pieces of equipment that were created and designed that allows all children to play of different abilities, skills, and conditions. We love these playgrounds! Highly recommend visiting! Will be coming back if there are smaller crowds.

I live right by this park and raised 50 dollars to help fund it, unfortunately my brother stole and…read morespent it, but its the thought that counts. Its a great park for all ages, adults too. Its got a zipline and a seesaw and a huge play set. I recommend visiting. Its a miracle park for handicapped people. And there is a bathroom nearby but its usually locked unless the miracle field is being used. I love going here at least weekly if not more. If you stand from the park side of the (well kept) trail, and go right down the trail. After a five minute walk there is another fun park with a little library. You have to cross the street once though (if you have little runners). I recommend the miracle park no question it is an amazing resource for disabled children and is wheelchair accessible. If you want to know about more good parks in the area, walker johnston park, terra park, and if you are willing to go for a 35 minute ride from the north view park area (urbandale), big creek park. I will leave reviews on these three parks for more information. - local helper, Via w.

Awesome park. 4 stars due to only porta potty bathroom and little shade. There is a covered area…read morewith 4 picnic tables, trash and a grill. Also a water fountain for humans and pets. There is a small basketball court with 2 hoops at different heights. The play areas are very cool. The pirate ship is an awesome feature. It even has a "kid powered" music feature that I have not seen before AND a plank that bounces. Behind this is an island style playarea. Lots of slides, climbing features and a couple bridges. The ground is the springy kind and there are various fake boulders and other stand alone climbing features. Behind the play area are little hills to run around on and probably good sledding come winter months.

My daughter loves this park! The playground is great and for all ages. There is also a small…read morecovered shelter with about 4 picnic tables and a basketball court. The park sit on a lot of land so the area is also good for flying a kite or kicking a soccer ball around. My daughter loves to run up and down the big hills.

I'm focusing on the campground here- outer perimeter sites are nice - shady and private. Inner…read moreperimeter sites are laid out so there is very little separation - no privacy and no noise abatement. Our neighbors weren't loud in any way but because of the layout their conversations were entirely audible. The camp host was never seen so sites had as many as 5 cars parked on them etc. The park has beautiful walking and bike paths throughout and the bike paths are heavily used. Unfortunately many of the bikers leave the path and cut through the campground road going quite fast- faster than cars would drive through - as campgrounds tend to have small kids playing I would be concerned if those were my kids. The park itself had much to offer - the campground and rest rooms are well maintained. Sites have some gravel and are mostly level. I think during the week would be a better experience.

This is a beautiful park and campground in Waterloo, Iowa. Really nice bike trails a decent beach…read moreon the lake and a nice campground. We didn't fish but saw a lot of anglers. The campground is on the bank of the Cedar river as are the boat launch ramps. The river is really pretty. The primitive campsites are right next to the river and are really nice sites.