Campgrounds and RV parks near Manchester, IA

Backbone State Park is the main outdoor draw. The park has 21 miles of hiking and multi-use trails, winding through old twisted and windblown cedars and up rough, rocky staircases to one of the highest points in northeast Iowa, the Devil's Backbone. Rock climbers head to the rugged dolomite limestone cliffs, with the most popular escarpments located near the Backbone Trail; climbers and rappellers must register at the park office before climbing. Backbone is well known for trout fishing in its cold, clear stream fed by Richmond Springs, which pumps out more than 2,000 gallons per minute near the north end of the park. Backbone Lake supports paddling and boat rentals from the concessionaire at the historic CCC boathouse, with electric motors only. Families staying at Yogi Bear's Jellystone Park Camp-Resort: Monticello have access to a heated swimming pool, aqua jump park, splash pad, and pedal boat rentals on the lake, plus planned activities and themed entertainment throughout the stay.

The main RV season in this part of Iowa runs from spring through fall. At Backbone State Park, the main campground is closed January 1 through March 31, off-peak April 1 through April 30, peak May 1 through October 15, and off-peak October 16 through November 30, closing again December 1 through December 31. Cabins remain reservable year-round, but the main campsites do not. Park staff generally turn water on and open shower buildings by mid-April and begin closing them down around mid-October. Private parks follow similar patterns. Yogi Bear's Jellystone Park Camp-Resort: Monticello is open from April through October, with peak activity programming concentrated in summer weekends and holidays. Concession operation at Backbone runs from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend, open daily from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., with the beach concession sometimes closing at 4 p.m. after August 10. The peak season for camping at Backbone is the warmer months from May through September, while spring and fall bring fewer crowds and mild temperatures. Winter visitors can still access Backbone's cross-country ski and snowmobile trails for day use.

Site quality varies between state and private grounds. Non-electric and electric sites are located in the South Lake Campground along with two shower buildings, a playground, and a dump station, and both shower buildings and one campsite are ADA accessible. Six Pines Campground, near the west entrance, has non-electric sites and pit latrines. RV campers should note that water is typically only on from mid-April through mid-October, so it helps to fill tanks before arriving in shoulder season. Private parks lean toward full hookups and structured amenities. Yogi Bear's Jellystone Park Camp-Resort: Monticello offers RV sites with 50-amp electrical service, water, and sewer hookups, and accommodates larger rigs. To help slow the spread of invasive pests such as emerald ash borer, campers should buy firewood locally near the park and burn it all during the stay. Leashed pets are welcome at most sites but should not be left unattended.