Camping Near Des Moines, IA
There are 32 campgrounds within driving distance of Des Moines, IA in the Camphive database, listed below closest-first. The nearest is COTTONWOOD RECREATION AREA, about 8 miles away. 26 of the closest are free. Every listing links to a full page with location, fees, and details.
Looking for no-fee sites? See free camping near Des Moines (28).
Closest campgrounds to Des Moines
- COTTONWOOD RECREATION AREA — 8 mi from Des Moines · COTTONWOOD RECREATION AREA · Vistas 4.1
- BOB SHETLER PICNIC AREA — 8 mi from Des Moines · BOB SHETLER PICNIC AREA · Vistas 3.9
- BOB SHETLER RECREATION AREA — 9 mi from Des Moines · BOB SHETLER RECREATION AREA · Vistas 4.5
- CHERRY GLEN CAMPGROUND — 10 mi from Des Moines · CHERRY GLEN CAMPGROUND · Vistas 5
- CHERRY GLEN PICNIC — 10 mi from Des Moines · CHERRY GLEN PICNIC · Vistas 5
- OAK GROVE PICNIC AREA — 11 mi from Des Moines · OAK GROVE PICNIC AREA · Vistas 4.9
- WALNUT RIDGE RECREATION AREA — 11 mi from Des Moines · WALNUT RIDGE RECREATION AREA · Vistas 5.7
- ACORN VALLEY — 12 mi from Des Moines · ACORN VALLEY · Vistas 5
- PRAIRIE FLOWER RECREATION AREA — 12 mi from Des Moines · PRAIRIE FLOWER RECREATION AREA · Vistas 5
- SANDPIPER RECREATION AREA — 12 mi from Des Moines · SANDPIPER RECREATION AREA · Vistas 5
- Swede Point Park — 24 mi from Des Moines · Swede Point Park · Vistas 5
- Elk Rock Campground and Boat Ramp — 31 mi from Des Moines · Elk Rock Campground and Boat Ramp · Vistas 5.7
- Roberts Creek West Campground — 32 mi from Des Moines · Roberts Creek West Campground · Vistas 6.4
- Roberts Creek East Campground — 32 mi from Des Moines · Roberts Creek East Campground · Vistas 5
- FIFIELD (IA) — 33 mi from Des Moines · FIFIELD (IA) · Free · Vistas 4.5
- WHITEBREAST POINT SHELTER (IA) — 33 mi from Des Moines · WHITEBREAST POINT SHELTER (IA) · Free · Vistas 4
- MINER'S RETREAT ENCLOSED SHELTER (IA) — 34 mi from Des Moines · MINER'S RETREAT ENCLOSED SHELTER (IA) · Vistas 5
- WHITEBREAST CAMP — 35 mi from Des Moines · WHITEBREAST CAMP · ~$10/night · Vistas 5
- WALLASHUCK — 35 mi from Des Moines · WALLASHUCK · ~$10/night · Vistas 5.3
- SOUTH OVERLOOK (IA) — 36 mi from Des Moines · SOUTH OVERLOOK (IA) · Free · Vistas 5.5
- NORTH OVERLOOK PICNIC SHELTER (IA) — 36 mi from Des Moines · NORTH OVERLOOK PICNIC SHELTER (IA) · Free · Vistas 5
- NORTH OVERLOOK CAMP — 37 mi from Des Moines · NORTH OVERLOOK CAMP · ~$10/night · Vistas 5.7
- HOWELL STATION — 37 mi from Des Moines · HOWELL STATION · ~$10/night · Vistas 5
- Ivans — 37 mi from Des Moines · Ivans · Vistas 4.5
- BRIDGEVIEW (RATHBUN LAKE) — 58 mi from Des Moines · BRIDGEVIEW (RATHBUN LAKE) · Vistas 4.5
- South Fork Marina — 60 mi from Des Moines · South Fork Marina · Vistas 5
- Honey Creek Resort Park — 61 mi from Des Moines · Honey Creek Resort Park · Vistas 5
- Honey Creek State Park — 62 mi from Des Moines · Honey Creek State Park · Vistas 5
- PRAIRIE RIDGE (RATHBUN LAKE) — 62 mi from Des Moines · PRAIRIE RIDGE (RATHBUN LAKE) · Vistas 5
- BUCK CREEK (RATHBUN LAKE) — 64 mi from Des Moines · BUCK CREEK (RATHBUN LAKE) · Vistas 5.8
Open the interactive map near Des Moines to filter by free camping, RV access, and scenic rating, or to draw a drive-time radius from your own location.
Camping near Des Moines FAQ
How far are the nearest campgrounds to Des Moines?
The closest campground in the Camphive database is COTTONWOOD RECREATION AREA, roughly 8 miles from Des Moines, IA. The full list on this page is sorted by distance so you can pick by how far you want to drive.
Is there free camping near Des Moines?
Yes. 28 campgrounds near Des Moines, IA are free, mostly dispersed sites on BLM land and in national forests. See the free camping near Des Moines page for the full list.
What is the Vistas score?
Vistas is Camphive's 1-10 scenic rating for every campground, based on the surrounding landscape. This page lists the closest campgrounds first; sort by Vistas on the interactive map to rank by scenery instead.