Fourth trip was a little interesting, as it involved an unplanned destination, the Arrowhead Park in Neola IA. Found in the Loess Hills area of Western Iowa, Arrowhead Park is a county-owned campground and day use area, offering short-term accommodations for visitors and locals alike. A two night stay was had for us.
Grounds: The park is conveniently off Interstate 80, just a couple miles from bypass loop Interstate 880 (formerly I-680) to allow for easy access from all four cardinal directions. After a slight bit of rural driving is a well-marked park that is very easy to navigate with any size of RV. A tiny rural town can be found on the other side of the highway, and only 20 miles from Council Bluffs to re-supply.
Sites: There are approximately 54 RV sites, an additional complement of tent sites, and a few cabins available, all first-come first-served. Six of the sites in the first set are pull-through, with the rest backing in. Paths within the camp area are one lane wide, making for a difficult chore to back-in to a side site. More luck may be had with the corner sites, as the bend of the road can be used to your advantage. Our stay had us lucky enough to find a pull-through with unpaved loose stone. No map is available, but adequate signage makes it easy to understand the layout.
Staff: Any staffing at this site was minimal to not seen at all, seeing how permit and fee payments were done by unmanned envelope station, and likely someone patrolling the grounds to ensure everyone at the park has properly checked in. Maintenance does happen, as the picnic table at our site was moved around our second night, presumably to maintain the small amount of lawn. The check-in envelope offered volunteer opportunities. These aren't out of the ordinary for a municipal park given government budgets, and they maintain the site relatively well.
Amenities: Only electricity is available at the sites, with only one 50-amp and two 30-amp plugs for each electric box covering two sites. Each campground area provides a pit toilet and hydrant to be able to fill potable water by jug. Along the road inside the park is a single dump station for sewer access. A quaint pond is on the grounds for canoeing, kayaking, and fishing. A bathhouse adorned the center of the park with six unisex clean modern bathrooms and free accessible showers.
Atmosphere: Those looking for somewhere quiet to relax and connect with nature have come to the right place. Even with other RVers nearby, the grounds are somehwat secluded to allow you to feel at peace. Dogs will have plenty of places to run around, and with the day use amenities, it's just as easy to be able to stay all day as it is to head out to the Loess Hills or the Council Bluffs and Omaha area.
Overall, Arrowhead Park receives a rating of 8 out of a possible 10. For the economical price, we received a good value. The narrow campground paths, along with the lack of a swimming hole, dock some rating points. If you're looking for a short-term place to park on your way to another destination, this is a good place to be, and is going to be on our list of places to return.
Copyright 2021-24 Freedom Rolling.
Logo Image Courtesy Clipartmax.com
United States Image Courtesy Simple Maps