Campgrounds and RV parks near Hawarden, IA

Water recreation drives most trips. The Lazy H campground sits on a 50-acre private lake stocked with walleye, perch, crappie, bluegill, bass, catfish, and rainbow trout, with a swimming beach, boat, kayak, canoe, and paddle board rentals, and several miles of trails across 235 acres between the Big Sioux River and the Loess Hills Byway. At Main - Newton Hills State Park, campers swim at the Lake Lakota beach, launch small boats, and fish from the shore and fishing dock. The park sits on the Coteau des Prairies with wooded trails for hiking, biking, and cross-country skiing through oak forest. Main Camp - Union Grove State Park adds a multi-use trail network of roughly four and a half miles for hiking, biking, horseback riding, and cross-country skiing along Brule Creek. The Horse Camp - Newton Hills State Park and the horse loop at Union Grove have corrals and trailer parking for equestrian trips.

Peak camping season runs from late May through mid-September, when state-park loops and private resorts are fully staffed and water systems are on. Union Grove State Park is open year-round, but between October 1 and April 30 showers, flush toilets, and other water systems may be closed, with vault toilets usually remaining open. Newton Hills stays open for year-round recreation on the same schedule, with camping cabins and the lodge available through winter. Spring is wet and can bring flooding along the Big Sioux River. Trails may be muddy into May, but wildlife activity and bird migration are strong. Summer is warm and humid with the region's heaviest thunderstorm rainfall in June, so shaded state-park sites fill quickly on weekends. Fall brings cooler nights, hardwood color through the Coteau des Prairies, and lower campground occupancy. Weekday stays after Labor Day are the easiest bookings of the year, and hunting seasons open at Union Grove from October 1 through April 30 in designated areas.

Main - Newton Hills State Park has 126 campsites plus 10 horse sites, 11 camping cabins, a modern cabin, and two group lodges, with showers, flush toilets, and a dump station. Most sites have electric hookups, some sites accommodate rigs up to 75 feet, and a few are ADA-accessible. Loops are wooded and shaded. Main Camp - Union Grove State Park is much smaller: 25 campsites including 4 horse sites, on a compact hillside loop with 30 and 50 amp electric service, a dump station, and a playground. There are no individual water or sewer hookups, so fill fresh tanks at the water hydrant before pulling up to the site. The park sits just off Interstate 29, so a few sites pick up highway noise. The Lazy H offers double-wide concrete pull-through pads with full hookups, stone fire rings, and picnic tables. Shade is limited as trees are still maturing.