Campgrounds and RV parks near West Branch, IA

West Branch sits along Interstate 80 in eastern Iowa, about ten miles east of Iowa City and roughly thirty miles from the Cedar Rapids metro. The town is best known as the birthplace of Herbert Hoover and the location of the Herbert Hoover National Historic Site, which shares grounds with the Herbert Hoover Presidential Library and Museum. For RV travelers, the surrounding area combines small-town access with several nearby rivers, reservoirs, and state park lands. Campground options within a short drive include Hidden River Campgrounds and Cedar River Campground, both close to the Cedar River corridor, along with Cedar Valley Grove Campground and Scales Pointe Camping and Boating. Farther west, Lake Macbride State Park offers a primitive tent-oriented campground in its southern unit and full-service RV camping in its modern northern campground. The Coralville Lake reservoir, managed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, sits just northwest of Iowa City and adds several federal campgrounds to the trip-planning mix. Together, these options range from private RV parks with hookups to primitive state and federal sites near water.

Iowa state park sites, including Lake Macbride, are booked through the Iowa DNR reservation system on ReserveAmerica. All campsites at Lake Macbride are reservable, with no walk-up sites during the open season, and the booking window opens up to twelve months in advance. Reservations must be made at least four days ahead of arrival, and same-day campsite changes are accepted until 10 p.m. Central Time. Federal campgrounds at Coralville Lake, operated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, are booked through Recreation.gov or by phone. Sites are in high demand during peak summer weekends, so booking well ahead is recommended. Private options such as Hidden River Campgrounds, Cedar River Campground, Cedar Valley Grove Campground, and Scales Pointe Camping and Boating are reserved directly with the operator. Iowa firewood guidance asks campers to buy local and burn it on site to slow the spread of emerald ash borer and other forest pests.