Cherry Glen Campground

This is a lovely campground right next to the lake . Pros : pretty, friendly staff , immaculate bathrooms ,very close to boat launch for lake activity
Cons: most sites are not level even though they might look level ( we saw some precarious leveling on some sites ) we started on 75 which is a concrete site but a def a hill!! We have a class b and can usually find a level spot without blocks , then moved to 60 which we still had to use blocks to level . The showers are push button with with like 2 min per push which I didn’t mind , but the shower heads are really low ( I am 5’5 and had to bend down … my 6'4 husband hated it )

Would we stay again , yes . We love the Des Moines area . We tried their tasty taco place as recommended by a local ( fried flour taco!)

Great stay at Cherry Glen COE campground in Polk County, Iowa.
Very nice campground! Well maintained and clean. We had site 39, electric only. Potable water and dump station available. $22/night, we did not have any discounts.
Our camper is 36' and fit nicely on the site with the dually. Definitely pay attention to site sizes if you are big as their sites vary in size.
There are 3 other COE's in the area that we would definitely like to visit. The town of Ankeny is a few miles away with the basics for stores, fuel and restaurants

This is a beautiful campgrounds, I stay here when ever I'm in the area and can get in. I had trouble with the on-line check-in, but I think with a little practice it would become easier. The sites are large, but mine this time was a little unlevel, dropped a lot in the front. Site are gravel and interior roads are paved. Most lots are wooded with shade.

We came here for one night to visit family in the area. We were very pleased with our choice. Campground is clean and orderly. Several campsites fronting the water but those were all taken. We got a great spot off to the side with some view of the reservoir. Each site has a metal fire ring and a nice big steel picnic table. Spacious sites and miles of hiking/biking trails. Glorious fall foliage in the large forests surrounding the reservoir. Saw a few deer as we went walking before dinner. After dinner we had a persistent raccoon continue to visit us until we put everything away.

We enjoyed three nights this past week. This is our third or fourth time in this campground while visiting family in the area. The campground receives a lot of use, though it is well maintained. All sites were full when we visited. Most appeared to be occupied by family groups.

There has been a lot of work clearing underbrush around the campground since we last visited. The campground is adjacent to one of the boat ramps for accessing Saylorville Lake. There is also a large day use picnic area with 6 group shelters and bathrooms.

The Neal Smith Trail can be accessed from the campground. This trail is a 26 mile paved biking and walking trail that extends from Des Moines to Big Creek State Park. You can easily reach the Corp of Engineers visitor center and a nearby butterfly garden from the campground via this trail.

I almost hate to review this army corps park because it already fills up fast. We stayed here a couple of nights last year and loved it so planned for a longer stay this year. The lake is beautiful, most sites fairly roomy, 50 amp electric service, no water or sewer but dump station in park. The trails are great for walking or biking. Bath houses were fine although we usually use our own. Our rate is half because of the lifetime senior pass available at 62. Park about half full during the week (August) and full on weekends.

After staying at Bob Shelter campground the last two times we were in the Des Moines area, we tried the Cherry Glen campground as it was the first one to open in April. This will definitely be our go to place from now on. The campground has lots of lovely trees for shade, though due to the Green Ash Bores, lots of Ash trees were being taken out while we were here for the two weeks. Our understanding is that there will be new trees, other than ash, planted in place during the spring/summer.
The one thing we have notice with both the Bob Shelter and the Cherry Glen campgrounds, are the sites are definitely not level, so you will need lots of blocks to level your RVs. The hot water is minimal in the showers, which was a minus as well.
Due to the closeness to the Des Moines area, this campground is packed during the weekends, but plenty of camp sites during the week. Hence the noise level varies.
It should also be noted we paid a lower price for our spot as we have the Golden Age Pass.

This is a COE campground and I loved it. Wasn't too busy since it was the end of September and midweek but the weather was excellent and not every space was filled. Q went swimming and there is a paved but hilly bike path that can also be used for rollerblading. Disc golf course can be found not too far away. Some sites don't have much vegetation between sites but most sites are spaced very well. Overall, a very good campground. Didn't have much interaction with campground host except with check-in but they were very nice and let me know which sites were open for 2 nights and let me drive around looking at sites available. If you have a Senior Access Pass, the price will be half.

Didn't go into Des Moines, IA but would be something I would do if more time. Nice grocery store is fairly close.