Campgrounds and RV parks near Earlville, IA

At Backbone State Park, RV travelers can hike the 21-mile multi-use trail system, fish spring-fed trout streams stocked with rainbow trout, and climb the limestone bluffs of the Devil's Backbone ridge, the highest point in northeast Iowa. Only electric trolling motors are allowed on Backbone Lake, so it stays quiet for paddling and swimming. A concession stand at the beach lodge operates Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend, renting boats and selling firewood, bait, and food. Families staying at Yogi Bear's Jellystone Park™ Camp-Resort: Monticello get a heated pool, planned character activities with Yogi, Boo Boo, and Cindy Bear, pedal boat rentals, jumping pillows, and a WIBIT inflatable water course on the lake. Monticello sits between Dubuque and Cedar Rapids, both within an hour by RV. Cyclists can ride portions of the Northeast State Park Bike Route, a 130-mile county-highway loop that links Backbone with Wapsipinicon and Pikes Peak state parks.

Peak camping season in the Earlville area runs May through September. Backbone's South Lake and Six Pines campgrounds are 100 percent reservable and accept reservations from April 1 through November 30, with peak status running May 1 through October 15 and off-peak windows on either end. Both campgrounds close entirely from December 1 through March 31. Cabins at Backbone remain reservable year-round. Private resorts follow a similar arc. Yogi Bear's Jellystone Park™ Camp-Resort: Monticello operates from April through October, with the busiest weekends around Memorial Day, the Great Jones County Fair, Independence Day, and Labor Day. Booking well ahead is important for those holiday weekends and for Backbone cabins, which often sell out months in advance for peak summer dates. Spring brings mud, high water in the Maquoketa River, and flash flood potential after heavy rain. Fall delivers cooler nights and hardwood color through the park's oak and maple canopy. Winter camping at Backbone is limited to cabins, with cross-country ski and snowmobile trails open in the park itself.

Expect classic eastern Iowa terrain: wooded ridges, spring-fed streams, and gravel county roads connecting small towns. South Lake Campground at Backbone offers a mix of electric and non-electric sites, two shower buildings, a playground, and a dump station, and both shower buildings plus one campsite are ADA accessible. Six Pines Campground near the west entrance is non-electric with pit latrines only, better suited to smaller rigs and tent setups. Quiet hours in Iowa state parks typically run from 10:30 p.m. to 6:00 a.m., and alcohol is generally prohibited on state park property. Pets are allowed but must stay leashed at all times. Cell coverage can be patchy in the river valley. Bring a card or cash for the concession stand, sturdy shoes for the rocky Backbone Trail stone steps, and buy firewood locally to avoid spreading invasive species.