Iowa State Parks
Iowa State Parks, run by Iowa Department of Natural Resources (Parks, Forests and Preserves Bureau), has 55 state parks, 10 recreation areas, 1 natural area or preserve, 4 state forests in this directory. 55 units offer camping and 1 allow dogs under park rules.
The state reports 70 units (source); counts differ when the state includes or excludes areas such as trails, boat launches or undeveloped land. See coverage notes.
Current alerts 43 parks
Fees, passes and reservations
Entrance fees and passes
No statewide pass information was found on the official site.
Reservations
Bookings use Iowa State Parks reservation system (ReserveAmerica).
Day-use lodges and shelters are reservable through the same system.
Pets
Privately owned animals must be on a leash of max six feet or confined; pets may not be left unattended in campgrounds; most cabins/yurts are pet-free. Source
Browse Iowa parks by activity
Camping 55RV camping with hookups 43Cabins and lodging 31Swimming 28Fishing 28Boating and paddling 37Hiking 52Accessible features 6Historic sites 7Beaches 28Horseback riding 13
All 70 parks and units
Listed by designation. Fees shown are the main entrance fee where the park posts one.
State parks (55)
Recreation areas (10)
Natural areas and preserves (1)
State forests (4)
Coverage notes
Inventory source: Iowa DNR 'All Parks' directory (Drupal view, ?page=0..3) — state parks, recreation areas, a state preserve and state forests. We re-check it weekly and keep renamed, merged and closed parks traceable.
Not included: Parks owned by the state but managed by county conservation boards/cities and not in the All Parks directory (e.g. Pillsbury Point, Swan Lake, Lost Island Lake per Wikidata) (Not listed by the Iowa DNR All Parks directory; local management.); State preserves other than Fort Atkinson (e.g. Roberts Creek), wildlife management/waterfowl production areas (State Preserves Board / Wildlife Bureau lands, not in the parks directory.).
Statewide information last reviewed Oct 29, 2026.