Camp out under the stars this summer
Visitors enjoying the Iowa Great Lakes do so from a variety of vantage points.
Summer homes and condos dot the shoreline while hotels and resorts fill up with folks flocking to the lake. Still others prefer a different base of operations for their vacation.
For those looking to pitch a tent just steps from the water or hook up a camper with a view of the lake, we’ve put together a list of campsites offering their own slice of the Lakes experience.
1. Emerson Bay State Recreation Area
3100 Emerson St., West Okoboji, IA | 712-337-3211
This campsite includes 83 spots — 58 standard electric and 24 standard full hookup — and is one of the most popular not just in the Lakes, but throughout the state. Well-shaded with paved roads, playground equipment and modern restroom and shower facilities, Emerson Bay provides a great home base for a fun-filled family vacation. The spacious boat ramp area provides a popular access point to West Okoboji Lake along with a sandy beach for soaking up the sun and going for a swim. The Lighthouse Tower provides a unique sky-high vantage point eastward from Emerson Bay and out across the lake and Lighthouse Point has a shelter house you can reserve, perfect for a family picnic.
2. Elinor Bedell State Park
1619 260th Ave., Spirit Lake, IA | 712-337-3211
One of the newest spots in the state park system, Elinor Bedell’s 80 acres are situated along the eastern shoreline of East Okoboji Lake. There are eight standard full hookup sites, along with a youth group site for tent camping and a reservable shelter house. An extensive trail system links the campsites with the Shelby Duis Playground and allows walkers, joggers and hikers great wildlife viewing across a variety of natural landscapes from prairie to wetland to oak savanna. A boardwalk along the lakeshore offers a unique glimpse of East Okoboji from across the Narrows.
3. Loon Lake and Pearl Lake
Jackson, MN | 507-847-2525 ext. 7250
With four campgrounds tucked in and around the Loon Lake and Pearl Lake complex, this area just a couple miles north of the state line offers another excellent option for camping in the great outdoors. Brown Park and its neighbor Brown Park South offer a combined number of campsites and cabins with excellent outdoor recreation options with a bike trail connecting the two locations as well as the Iowa Great Lakes trail system. Anderson Park comprises 25 acres on the west shore of Pearl Lake with 36 campsites, electrical hookups, playground equipment and a sand volleyball court. Robertson Park spreads across 46 acres on the southeast shore of Loon Lake in a naturally wooded area and has been added to the National Register of Historic Places.
4. Gull Point State Park
1500 Harpen St., Milford, IA | 712-337-3211
Two areas of this park, including the lodge, are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. There are 52 standard electric and 52 standard nonelectric spots to set up camp. Nestled within the natural confines of the area, Gull Point is a hiker’s delight with the Barney Peterson Memorial Interpretive Trail making for excellent bird and wildlife viewing, while lake and canal access allows for fantastic fishing and kayaking opportunities. A popular beach area makes a great swimming spot while the historic lodge is a great setting for group events and receptions. There are three more open shelters located throughout the park.
5. Marble Beach State Recreation Area
12320 240th Ave., Spirit Lake, IA | 712-337-3211
The largest campground in the Iowa Great Lakes, the recently updated Marble Beach contains 68 standard full hookup sites, 17 standard electric, 28 standard nonelectric and nine electric with water, all within a well-shaded stretch along the western edge of Big Spirit Lake with paved roads, boat ramps and modern restroom and shower facilities. A prime spot to access the lake’s fantastic fishing, the campground also rests right alongside a paved portion of the bike trail, which is connected to the extensive trail system. Just a short jog up the road is Crandall’s Beach, a perfect spot for a family afternoon at the water’s edge.
6. Silver Lake Campgrounds
15 Park Dr., and 50 Country Club Dr., Lake Park, IA | 712-320-3178
Just a short drive west of the main chain of the Iowa Great Lakes are a pair of campgrounds nestled around Silver Lake in Lake Park. The Silver Lake City Park Campground and South Shore Campground both offer sites for pitching tents or parking an RV, along with daily, weekly and monthly rates. Both sites offer access to all the water recreation and fishing opportunities on Silver Lake while the City Park Campground is also just steps away from the city swimming pool and playground.
7. Arnolds Park Minnewashta Campground
7 Bascom St., Arnolds Park, IA | 712-332-2341
This cozy campground is nestled right in the center of the action being just blocks from Broadway St. and Arnolds Park Amusement Park, yet also just steps from Lake Minnewashta with its own dock and boat access. There are 15 sites, all with electricity and three with water, along with on-site restroom and shower facilities. The sites fill on a first come, first served basis with a maximum stay of 14 nights in any 30-day period, so be sure to grab a spot early and enjoy everything the heart of the Iowa Great Lakes has to offer.
