By:
Submission
SE of Hwy. 2 and Hwy. V64
Waubonsie is amazing! Our biggest pet peeve is hearing interstate traffic and it just doesn’t happen here. The only thing we heard overnight was the raccoons banging in and out of the dumpsters. Between that and no sign of recycling was the only downfalls. Other than that it was amazing. The trails are perfectly set, though we didn’t walk the one with the waterfall, they’re all equally great. We found a baby deer on one of the trails and only took a picture and kept moving as not to disturb nature. The overlook points were great and the maps pointed them out perfectly. Campsites fill up fast so I recommend reserving a site even though it’s a pain. RV campers take up most the sites which is also annoying though not the parks fault. They do offer cabins we plan to rent at some point. They sell firewood on an honor roll system so make sure to bring cash. Each site has a fire pit and picnic table. We will definitely be back! Gorgeous hidden gem in Iowa!
We feel that Waubonsie State Park is a hidden gem in the South West corner of Iowa. I first went to the park as a child more than 50 years ago. Since then it has expanded and now includes what at one time was a Girl Scouts camp. There are very well kept campsites for rv's and tent camping. Clean restrooms with showers. Cabins are also available for almost any size of group. Some of the cabins have fireplaces inside and also on the porch, great for autumn foliage viewing. The park staff are great, friendly and helpful. We have found that the equestrian loop can be a great place to camp. There are times when it's busy, but for the most part it's pretty quiet. There are some nice hiking trails that you be sharing with horses (after all it's their trail). The camping is "primitive", so no hookups for campers, be prepared for boondocking if you bring a camper. There are a couple of water spigots, but only vault toilets.
Visited in July, and it was absolutely gorgeous. I think that this is an extremely underrated park in Iowa. Worth the visit if you are ever in the west side of the state.
