Campgrounds and RV parks near Grimes, IA

Grimes sits on the northwest edge of the Des Moines metro, putting RV travelers within a short drive of both private resorts and public parks along the Raccoon River corridor. The area serves as a practical base for exploring the capital city, the Raccoon River Valley Trail, and small towns like Waukee, Adel, and West Des Moines. Campground styles vary. Timberline RV Campground and Timberline Campground in nearby Waukee offer shaded sites, cabins, a pool, and a camp store roughly a mile and a half from Interstate 80. Cutty's Des Moines Camping Club in Grimes is a private, members-only property with two outdoor pools, an indoor pool, a fishing lake, mini golf, and more than 500 sites spread across over 80 acres. For public land, Walnut Woods State Park in West Des Moines is one of the only state park campgrounds inside the metro, with electric and full-hookup pads under mature trees along the Raccoon River. Dallas County Fairgrounds Campground in Adel rounds out the options with nearly 80 sites at a county-run facility close to the North Raccoon River.

Iowa state park sites use a single centralized system. Reservations for Iowa state parks are made through the ReserveAmerica-powered Iowa State Parks website, and campsites can be reserved up to 3 months in advance. Walk-in campsites are available on a first come, first serve basis, with few exceptions. Walnut Woods State Park is 100 percent reservable and accepts reservations year-round, with a same-day cut-off of 9 pm. Private and county parks book directly. Timberline RV Campground and Dallas County Fairgrounds Campground both take online reservations through Campspot, and same-day sites are often available at the fairgrounds. Cutty's Des Moines Camping Club is private and gated, so guests must be a member or a guest of a member to stay. Iowa state park campers may stay up to 14 consecutive nights, after which they must leave the park for at least 3 nights before returning.