Acorn Valley

Saylorville Lake

Acorn Valley Campground is located on the 26,000-acre Saylorville Lake Project, which stretches over 50 miles up the Des Moines River Valley.

The lake provides a wide variety of recreational activities, including camping, bicycling, boating, swimming, fishing, hiking and hunting. 

The campground offers 29 family sites with electric hookups and 54 primitive walk-to tent sites. The campground also features 2 group tent camping areas; a youth group camping area with special restrictions to organized youth as well as a standard group area open to all visitors. Amenities include flush toilets, showers, drinking water and a dump station. Nearby facilities include picnic areas with group shelters, boat ramps, a marina and a fishing dock.

Need to Know

• Group/Youth Site 102 is listed as a group and youth camping site. If you are an organized youth group, please contact the Acorn Valley Fee Booth at (515) 276-0429 or Saylorville Lake Administration Office at (515) 276-4656. Youth groups may request the youth site rate of $35/night after registering on Recreation.gov or by calling 1-877-444-6777.

  Youth Group Definition: All groups reserving this campsite must be composed of persons 17 years of age and under which is sponsored by and accompanied by adult representatives of a formal organization, including but not limited to Boy and Girl Scouts of America, religious organizations, YMCA and YWCA, 4-H, and non-profit organizations. Proof of membership may be requested at registration. Chaperoned Organized Youth Group DOES NOT include families of individual members of a formal organization. Additional sites are available for larger groups if needed. If there are additional questions to an acceptable Youth Group Organization please contact the Saylorville Lake Administration office at (515) 276-4656. Sites 99-101 adjacent to the group site are also available if requested for groups up to 42 people. Saylorville Lake must be contacted for the additional sites.

• Click here for more information about Saylorville Lake.

• Click here for a virtual tour of the Saylorville Lake area.

• Don't Move Firewood: Protect your forests from tree-killing pests by buying your firewood locally and burning it on-site. Visit Dontmovefirewood.org for further information.

  STOP THE SPREAD OF INVASIVE SPECIES. Remove plants, seeds, animals, and mud from boots, gear, pets, and vehicles. Clean your gear before entering and leaving the recreation site. Stay on designated roads and trails, and follow local guidelines for firewood. CLEAN, DRAIN, DRY boats and any other recreational equipment that contacts water. Dispose of unwanted bait, worms, fish parts, or other organisms into the trash and not into the environment. For more information visit https://www.invasivespeciesinfo.gov/rec. 

Natural Features

The mature Bur Oaks at the entrance to Acorn Valley beckon visitors to explore its 26 acres on the fringe of an upland timber stand. Wildlife is abundant throughout the area. White-tailed deer, turkeys, pheasants, waterfowl and other small game animals roam the lands around the lake.

Recreation

Anglers enjoy the lake for its abundance of walleye, wiper, largemouth bass, catfish, crappie and northern pike.

The paved Neal Smith Trail winds 24 miles from Des Moines to Big Creek State Park and connects the campgrounds on the east side of the lake. It is designated as a National Recreation Trail and is used for biking, hiking, jogging, walking and in-line skating.

Contact Information

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SAYLORVILLE LAKE ADMINISTRATION OFFICE 5600 NW 78TH AVENUE JOHNSTON IA 50131-1941

Phone Number

For campground inquiries, please call: 515-276-0429

Rental Options

Learn more about gear rental options for your trip

Driving Directions

From I-35/80 north of Des Moines, Iowa, take exit 131 toward Johnston/Saylorville Lake. Turn north on Merle Hay Road and continue for 2.8 miles. At the four-way stop, turn left on Northwest Beaver Drive and continue for 3.7 miles. Turn right onto Northwest Coryden Drive and follow signs into the campground.

Available Campsites

• Site 021, Loop ACORN VALLEY , Type Standard Electric
• Site 019, Loop ACORN VALLEY , Type Standard Electric
• Site 012, Loop ACORN VALLEY , Type Standard Electric
• Site 026, Loop ACORN VALLEY , Type Standard Electric
• Site 049, Loop ACORN VALLEY , Type Walk To
• Site 006, Loop ACORN VALLEY , Type Standard Electric
• Site 015, Loop ACORN VALLEY , Type Standard Electric
• Site 009, Loop ACORN VALLEY , Type Standard Electric
• Site 013, Loop ACORN VALLEY , Type Standard Electric
• Site 011, Loop ACORN VALLEY , Type Standard Electric
• Site 087, Loop ACORN VALLEY , Type Walk To
• Site 005, Loop ACORN VALLEY , Type Standard Electric
• Site 023, Loop ACORN VALLEY , Type Standard Electric
• Site 053, Loop ACORN VALLEY , Type Walk To
• Site 093, Loop ACORN VALLEY , Type Walk To
• Site 025, Loop ACORN VALLEY , Type Standard Electric
• Site 042, Loop ACORN VALLEY , Type Walk To
• Site Group/Youth Site, 102, Loop ACORN VALLEY , Type Group Tent Only Area Nonelectric
• Site 020, Loop ACORN VALLEY , Type Standard Electric
• Site 003, Loop ACORN VALLEY , Type Standard Electric
• Site 092, Loop ACORN VALLEY , Type Walk To
• Site 044, Loop ACORN VALLEY , Type Walk To
• Site 097, Loop ACORN VALLEY , Type Walk To
• Site 060, Loop ACORN VALLEY , Type Walk To
• Site 075, Loop ACORN VALLEY , Type Walk To
• Site 081, Loop ACORN VALLEY , Type Walk To
• Site 094, Loop ACORN VALLEY , Type Walk To
• Site 086, Loop ACORN VALLEY , Type Walk To
• Site 051, Loop ACORN VALLEY , Type Walk To
• Site 046, Loop ACORN VALLEY , Type Walk To
• Site 082, Loop ACORN VALLEY , Type Walk To
• Site 047, Loop ACORN VALLEY , Type Walk To
• Site 024, Loop ACORN VALLEY , Type Standard Electric
• Site 014, Loop ACORN VALLEY , Type Standard Electric
• Site 035, Loop ACORN VALLEY , Type Walk To
• Site 029, Loop ACORN VALLEY , Type Standard Electric
• Site 076, Loop ACORN VALLEY , Type Walk To
• Site 061, Loop ACORN VALLEY , Type Walk To
• Site 101, Loop ACORN VALLEY , Type Walk To
• Site 028, Loop ACORN VALLEY , Type Standard Electric
• Site 045, Loop ACORN VALLEY , Type Walk To
• Site 007, Loop ACORN VALLEY , Type Standard Electric
• Site 080, Loop ACORN VALLEY , Type Walk To
• Site 090, Loop ACORN VALLEY , Type Walk To
• Site 089, Loop ACORN VALLEY , Type Walk To
• Site 037, Loop ACORN VALLEY , Type Walk To
• Site 048, Loop ACORN VALLEY , Type Walk To
• Site 041, Loop ACORN VALLEY , Type Walk To
• Site 056, Loop ACORN VALLEY , Type Walk To
• Site 078, Loop ACORN VALLEY , Type Walk To
• Site 083, Loop ACORN VALLEY , Type Walk To
• Site 091, Loop ACORN VALLEY , Type Walk To
• Site 079, Loop ACORN VALLEY , Type Walk To
• Site 017, Loop ACORN VALLEY , Type Standard Electric
• Site 050, Loop ACORN VALLEY , Type Walk To
• Site 059, Loop ACORN VALLEY , Type Walk To
• Site 096, Loop ACORN VALLEY , Type Walk To
• Site 077, Loop ACORN VALLEY , Type Walk To
• Site 001, Loop ACORN VALLEY , Type Standard Electric
• Site 038, Loop ACORN VALLEY , Type Walk To
• Site 008, Loop ACORN VALLEY , Type Standard Electric
• Site 088, Loop ACORN VALLEY , Type Walk To
• Site 010, Loop ACORN VALLEY , Type Standard Electric
• Site 095, Loop ACORN VALLEY , Type Walk To
• Site 043, Loop ACORN VALLEY , Type Walk To
• Site 018, Loop ACORN VALLEY , Type Standard Electric
• Site 054, Loop ACORN VALLEY , Type Walk To
• Site Group 030, Loop ACORN VALLEY , Type Group Walk To
• Site 002, Loop ACORN VALLEY , Type Standard Electric
• Site 004, Loop ACORN VALLEY , Type Standard Electric
• Site 057, Loop ACORN VALLEY , Type Walk To
• Site 085, Loop ACORN VALLEY , Type Walk To
• Site 099, Loop ACORN VALLEY , Type Walk To
• Site 058, Loop ACORN VALLEY , Type Walk To
• Site 040, Loop ACORN VALLEY , Type Walk To
• Site 022, Loop ACORN VALLEY , Type Standard Electric
• Site 039, Loop ACORN VALLEY , Type Walk To
• Site 027, Loop ACORN VALLEY , Type Standard Electric
• Site 084, Loop ACORN VALLEY , Type Walk To
• Site 100, Loop ACORN VALLEY , Type Walk To
• Site 052, Loop ACORN VALLEY , Type Walk To
• Site 098, Loop ACORN VALLEY , Type Walk To
• Site 036, Loop ACORN VALLEY , Type Walk To
• Site 055, Loop ACORN VALLEY , Type Walk To
• Site 016, Loop ACORN VALLEY , Type Standard Electric

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