Yellow Banks County Park

Most of the campsites in this county park are first-c0me first-served. We got lucky and nabbed one of the last available campsites at noon on a Wednesday in the summer season. Most of the campers appear to be locals who bring their campers out here and then go in to work during the day and socialize with their neighbors during the day. Consequently it's a quiet campground during the day and livelier in the evening. Doesn't matter if it's 95 degrees, there will be campfires! Judging from the receipts on the camping posts, most people are staying at least a week, so expect some difficulty getting a spot if you don't have reservations. The sites themselves are large, mostly shaded by mature trees, and have a well constructed crushed rock camping pad that includes a fire ring and large picnic table. There is well-manicured grass providing ample separation from your neighbors. The power was solid, though there is no water at each site. You may want to fill your tank near the restroom, which had a water station specifically for this.

A previous reviewer's complaints about the dump station were unfounded. Possibly they were confused with nearby Thomas Mitchell Park (under several inches of water when I visited). The dump station has two lanes and an acceptable concrete apron around each dump. However there is no potable water at the dump station and only a single rinse hose for the two sewer inlets. The approach and exit curves from the station are sufficiently wide for any RV.

Reserved a spot online since this is a popular local destination. Only a few spots are reservable, most are first come first served and those spots were full. All are electric only (hence the three star rating) water is available at a spigot in front of the restroom/shower house. Lots of kids around and it looks like some are using the park as a home. There is a dump station with a muddy dirt road access.

Stayed here 8/22/2020 to 8/23/2020. I just stopped here one night on my way back out west. I came in late on a Saturday afternoon at the end of the season, before kids went back to school, and the place was totally packed. I actually wasn't able to find a campsite and while I was pulled over trying to find something else in the area a ranger stopped me and told me he could get me in one of the reserved sites where the person had backed out. So I got extremely lucky. I was in site #6 in the reservable loop, which was a huge site. All gravel with a picnic table and fire ring and tons of space between me and my neighbors. My site was electric only but it looked like they had water and a dump station available (I never used either). Each loop also had a restroom, which I never checked out. I walked my dog around the park and we did a couple of the hiking trails and overall it seemed like an awesome spot for the weekend.

Stayed overnight so we could explore Iowa’s capitol city. Easy in/out and most sites are FCFS but several can be reserved. First loop has bigger sites but was quite busy when we arrived on a Sunday late morning, second loop quieter and had room for our 32’ TT. Electric only but water and dump onsite. Bathrooms/showers clean. Lots of large trees for shade. Separate large tent area only $15/night (no electric) 15 minutes to the city!

Was traveling from east coast to South Dakota and need to stay south to avoid Chicago. I got a little ahead of myself and need a place on short notice near Des Moines. Online I found this gem. It's a first come first serve campground run be the county.
I'm in whats called the "electric campground" which is 30 amp serve and no water. Check-in is by drop box. My site is level gravel with a fire ring and newer picnic table. Most of the sites have light tree cover. During the day workers where changing 2 gravel sites to concrete. The place is clean and well kept.
Bathrooms and showers are clean and fresh.
Groceries are about 10 miles away near the interstate.
Some tents mixed in.
Verizon is about 2 bars but steady.

This is a county park that is East of Des Moines downtown out in a rural environment. There is a train that flanks the South side of the park, which in a tent or soft side camper you will hear at a distance and in a hard sided rig there is a slight rumble. This is a pretty good size county park. Unfortunately, for anyone to get to the day use areas they have to drive by either of the campgrounds back and forth. Getting into campground 1 are some very low hanging trees that are not trimmed back for big rigs. Most of the sites are spacious and gravel pads, very well done. Each campground has flush toilets and showers. We are here in the off season and they have an ADA accessible port-a-pot in place since the water is not yet on. Price is the same off season as on season. There is a caretaker that lives right between the two campgrounds. We stayed here 2 years ago and it was a great stay then and this was too. The park is sort of in the middle of nowhere but on the edge of everywhere sort of thing.

AT&T 1 bar LTE. 48ms ping, 2 Mbps down, 3 Mbps up

Verizon 1 bar LTE, didn't get a speed test