Campgrounds and RV parks near Nevada, IA

Nevada sits in Story County in central Iowa, just east of Ames and roughly a 45-minute drive north of Des Moines. The location puts RV travellers within easy reach of a mix of private RV parks, a well-known state park, and destination-style resort campgrounds, all connected by Interstate 35 and US Highway 30. Close-in options include Griff's Valley View RV Park and Campground, which serves travellers looking for a straightforward hookup stop near the Ames corridor. Families heading toward the Des Moines metro often stage at Adventureland Campground next to the Adventureland amusement park in Altoona, while Cutty's Des Moines Camping Club offers a private membership-style resort environment south of Nevada. For a public-land experience, Ledges State Park sits on a wide bend of the Des Moines River in Boone County, about a 30-mile drive from Nevada, and spans more than 1,200 acres. Paddlers and tubers often pair a campground stay with a trip to Rock-n-Row Adventures Iowa River Tubing for a half-day on the water.

State park sites and private resorts use different systems, so plan ahead for each. Reservations for Ledges State Park are made through the Iowa State Parks online reservation system, and 100 percent of the campsites are reservable with a reservation required. Reservations can be made for the day of arrival and can be made up to three months in advance, so popular summer weekends move quickly once the booking window opens. Private campgrounds handle booking directly. Griff's Valley View RV Park and Campground, Adventureland Campground, and Cutty's Des Moines Camping Club each take reservations through their own websites or by phone. Cutty's operates on a membership model, so day-guest availability can be limited during peak weekends. To prevent the spread of invasive species, bringing firewood from out of state into Iowa is not allowed, so plan to purchase firewood locally.