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Bridgeview Park is located on beautiful Rathbun Lake, just 13 miles northwest of Centerville, Iowa. Camping, boating, swimming, fishing and picnicking are popular activities at this waterfront recreation area. Recreation The 11,000-acre lake provides a variety of fishing opportunities for any angler. Crappie, channel catfish, walleye and largemouth bass are most common. Whether power boating or sailing, Rathbun Lake, also known as Iowa's Ocean, has something to offer everyone. In particular, the water's prevailing winds make it one of the best sailing lakes in Iowa. Facilities This large campground offers 106 family sites, 95 of which have electric hookups. A day-use group picnic shelter for up to 24 people is also available. Amenities include flush and pit toilets, showers, drinking water, a dump station, boat ramp, playground and horseshoe pits. Natural Features Rathbun Lake is situated in the gently rolling hills of the Chariton River Valley in southeast Iowa. The campground consists of open grassy areas dotted with trees. Bald eagles, white-tailed deer, Canada geese, wild turkey, and other wildlife can be found at Rathbun Lake. Nearby Attractions Southern Iowa's only Off Highway Vehicle Park is just three miles from the campground. It is located on the south bank of the South Fork Chariton River and encompasses nearly 125 acres of an abandoned rock quarry. The Rathbun Fish Hatchery is located near the main dam, and offers self-guided tours Monday through Friday year-round. Hundreds of thousands of catfish and walleye are produced here each year. For more information, visit: https://usace.contentdm.oclc.org/utils/getfile/collection/p16021coll10/id/12276
From Moravia, IA, travel 10 miles west on Highway J18 and follow signs into the campground.
Great views of the water. Hosts are super nice and friendly. Well kept.
This place used to be great but then the army corp. Of engineers desided that they was going to reservations only no more walk in's. If I was traveling and I was looking for a place to stay for the night and I have not made a reservation in advance I can not stay there anymore unless I go onto there web site in order to pay for my camping. And anyone like me that just goes at the sper of the moment I can not stay there with out going online to get a camp site and this camp site web page is not the easiest to get onto. But anymore sense they have started doing it this way I have not been back there to camp there but I do camp out across the road from there and it does not cost me anything. I just park my truck and sit there all night fishing til the next day and I have a nice fire to sit around all night long and I do not have anyone next you to complain about me making excessive noise at not or that I have had on to many bright lights all night. It's just lucky for me that I do not live that far from there now. I live about 30 to 35 miles away from it. So it's nothing for me to drive and fish for the whole night or just part of it and then go home to my nice comfy bed and I do not have to pack everything up just to go there for the night witch I would do from time to time just to save time and gas from driving back and forth. Infact the just might start going to red rock to fish for awhile the last few times that I had been fishing at rathben lake the fishing has not been very good I don't know if there has been a fish kill at rathben or what the deal is but the catfish there has not been biting much at all there this year.
Friendly park volunteers make camping here enjoyable. Bathrooms,showers and electric hook ups as well as dumping station. Many sites in view of the lake which I enjoy. Easy access to boat ramp. Boat ramp needs lighting after dark to make loading less dangerous.
