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Pine Lake
Overview
Pine Lake State Park offers a unique landscape in the heart of Iowa, characterized by its ancient White Pine trees and rolling hills. Established in the 1920s, this destination centers around Upper and Lower Pine Lakes, providing a serene backdrop for RV travelers seeking a natural escape. The park's historical significance is visible in its CCC-built stone structures, which blend seamlessly with the lush, wooded environment near the Iowa River. It is a rare pocket of diverse ecology that feels distinct from the surrounding prairie landscape.
Location & Surroundings
Situated just outside Eldora, Iowa, the park is nestled within the Iowa River Greenbelt, a scenic region known for its dramatic sandstone bluffs and diverse timber. The location feels secluded yet remains accessible, offering a mix of water-based recreation and deep-woods exploration. Visitors can enjoy the contrast between the calm lake waters and the moving Iowa River, which borders the park's western edge and provides additional opportunities for kayaking and wildlife observation among the limestone outcroppings.
Amenities & Park Features
The campground provides electric hookups suitable for various RV sizes, though drivers of larger rigs should navigate the wooded curves with care. Essential facilities are well-maintained to ensure a comfortable stay for all visitors. Key features include:
- Modern restrooms and clean shower buildings
- Accessible fishing piers and multiple boat ramps
- A sandy swimming beach with a nearby historic lodge
- A centralized dump station for RV maintenance
Nearby Attractions & Things to Do
Beyond the campground, guests can explore over ten miles of multi-use trails that wind through the pines and along the river. The Pine Lake Recreational Trail is a popular choice for both hikers and cyclists looking for paved surfaces. Fishing is a major draw, with the lakes stocked with bass and channel catfish. Locally, the town of Eldora offers historical charm, local eateries, and the Hardin County Farm Museum for a taste of regional heritage and rural history.
Who This Park Is Best For
This park is an ideal match for nature lovers who prioritize scenery and quiet over resort-style luxuries. It is a fantastic choice for families looking to spend time on the water or birdwatchers hoping to spot species attracted to the rare old-growth forest. If your travel style involves reconnecting with nature in a rustic, well-maintained setting that emphasizes the beauty of the outdoors, Pine Lake State Park provides the perfect Iowa sanctuary for your next road trip.
Amenities
- Recreational Facilities
- Policies
- Other Amenities & Services
- Recreation Nearby (within 10 miles)
- Facility
- On-Site Rentals
- Sites
User Reviews
Jenny V.
Beautiful day trip from Des Moines. Cabins are wonderful to stay in for a little Iowa getaway. Many paved paths for walking, cycling, running, etc... Two lakes for fishing/kayaking/canoeing. Just a gem of a place.
Greg Hinton
Great couple lakes. Upper Pine is near the campground and has a boat ramp. Good fishing, with quite a bit of shoreline to fish that's hard to reach from the bank. Lower Pine has a boat ramp, an island in the middle. It has some good fishing, with several diff species, including walleye, crappie ,bluegill and bass. It also has a beach for swimming. The campground was nice and near the water. The park has lots of trails and is well maintained. Great place to camp, or just visit for the day.
Don Albert
You can hike both on some paths in the woods or on a concrete path that it's also good for bikes. Some good fishing spots.
Jeremy B
Peaceful place for fishing on the bank. I drove up here over a holiday weekend, so I was pleasantly surprised to see that it wasn’t crowded. There were others, but we found a great place on the bank to enjoy the space while the girls caught a variety of small fish. Bringing your own lawn chairs would probably be a good idea if you want to sit.
dslam cracker
Awesome bike trails. You can ride from the upper to lower take a right on edington and then into eldora.. go down the road to the riverside trail and take a right back north to steam boat rock. Then your only a couple miles back to the park.. basically a loop! Well kept trails.. super nice ride and lots of camping options around with easy access to the trail!
Chantal Craft
We love this park. There's plenty to do in terms of trail walking, kayaking, there's a beach and it's just close enough to town that we can easily grab any forgotten items. The sites were decent sized, some bigger, some smaller as with any campground. They've done a lot of renovations over the last few years and it all seems to be going well.
ron llewellyn
Went camping at Pine Lake state park last weekend. Very nice campgrounds. Clean bath house. Great lake to go fishing on (we didn't have much luck) had a great time.
Jason Clements
Campground is nice. Campsites are well spaced out, bathrooms have the unisex private toilet/shower rooms and were very clean. The paved county trail comes thru the park and also has some off road trails shooting off the paved trail
Megan
We had a wonderful time kayaking here. I'm a wheelchair user and the boat launch is quite steep but if you look to the right, there's a narrow trail that leads down to the water and has the perfect grade to get down in a controlled manner. There's also a handicap parking spot right by the boat launch. They only allow electric motors, so we had no problems with obnoxious speed boaters, just quiet fishermen. There's a small island in the middle of the lake that was loaded with birds, mostly Canadian geese. On the far side of the lake, I found a massive snapping turtle surrounded by dozens of painted turtles. To the right side, there's a shallow opening where the creek feeds the lake. We ventured down it, around many downed trees, even scooting our kayaks over one to get to the dam that created the stream. There were dozens of huge fish there, too! I tried to capture them on camera but was largely unsuccessful. A couple of fishermen on a larger boat got as close as they could, but the big ones were right up close to the dam, far out of reach of anyone not in a kayak. Even a canoe would be too wide to get through. 10/10, we will be back!