Campgrounds and RV parks near Murray, IA

Lake recreation drives most trips in this corner of Iowa. Green Valley Lake supports fishing for largemouth bass, crappies, bluegill, walleyes, and channel catfish, and the park offers boating and a sandy swim beach. The 64-acre lake at Nine Eagles State Park draws anglers for bass, channel catfish, bluegill, and crappie; its timbered watershed makes it one of the clearest artificial impoundments in the state, and only rowboats and electric motors are permitted. On land, Green Valley has a 6.5-mile paved multi-use trail on the east and south sides of the lake and additional trails winding through wetland, woodland, and remnants of native prairie. The Whitebreast Unit of Stephens State Forest has two stocked ponds, three equestrian campgrounds, and 20 miles of multi-use trails for hiking, mountain biking, cross country skiing, and equestrian riding. Casino gaming and dining are available at the Lakeside Casino Resort complex.

Iowa state park camping runs on a defined season. The Green Valley and Nine Eagles campgrounds are closed each year from November 1 through March 31, sitting fully closed from January 1 through March 31 and again from November 1 through December 31, with off-peak operation in April and again from October 16 through October 31. Park staff generally try to have water on and shower buildings and dump stations open by May 1, and start closing showers and turning off water and dump stations around mid-October depending on the weather. Shoulder-season campers should plan for reduced services. Frost-free hydrants may be available for off-season camping, but campers need to call the park to confirm hydrant availability, and there is no guarantee modern facilities will be available in April or later in October. Peak demand runs from Memorial Day through Labor Day, with holiday weekends filling early. Stephens State Forest offers more flexibility for non-reservable dispersed use, though the reservable Whitebreast Equestrian campground follows the same November 1 through March 31 closure. The non-modern campgrounds in the Lucas and Whitebreast Units have pit toilets but no electricity.

Facilities vary widely by property. Lakeside Casino Resort RV Park offers sites with water, sewer, electrical hookups, and Wi-Fi, and accommodates larger rigs with pull-through sites. This is the option for big rigs and travelers who want full hookups near dining and gaming. State park campgrounds are more modest. Green Valley has 145 campsites, 85 of them with electrical hookups, plus modern restrooms, showers, and a trailer dump station. Nine Eagles has three campgrounds with 68 campsites, 28 with electrical hookups, along with modern showers and a dump station, plus seven primitive equestrian campsites with fire rings and pit toilets. Stephens Forest sites are primitive: no showers or modern restrooms, only pit latrines, though frost-free hydrants may be available seasonally. Bring extra water, level blocks, and firewood purchased locally, since Iowa is under statewide emerald ash borer firewood advisories.