4.2588 reviewsPrice
$15 - $35/night
Booking
Reservable
Sites
Varies
Season
Cabins available spr...
Cell
Unknown
Pets
Check Policy
Price
$15 - $35/night
Booking
Reservable
Sites
Varies
Season
Cabins available spr...
Cell
Unknown
Pets
Check Policy
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Learn more about alerts →Palisades-Kepler State Park
700 Kepler Drive, Mount Vernon, Iowa, 52314, United States
We'll monitor this campground and alert you the moment sites become available.
Free to start · paid plans add 2-min scans
256,000+ sites monitored · Email alerts to start; SMS and in-app with an account
Learn more about alerts →Hikers and wildlife watchers get the most from this place. Trails leave directly from the campground, bald eagle sightings are common along the river bluffs, and cabin renters get AC and private showers. Summer weeks book fast, so lock in early.
Sites can be 15 feet apart or less, so privacy-seekers will feel the squeeze. A few reviewers also reported encounters with park staff that felt targeted and unwelcoming, so campers who've experienced that kind of treatment elsewhere should factor it in.
Camper Report Card
Rated higher than 41% of graded campgrounds
Graded on what 68 campers actually wrote - graded on 14 things that make or break a trip. Each topic is graded against every other campground on it - A is among the best, C about average. No star ratings.
Strengths
Watch-outs
Each topic is graded against every other campground on it; a topic campers liked never grades below C−. ± shows the 95% confidence range from the sample size.
Palisades-Kepler State Park appears in our curated guides. Explore more top-rated campgrounds for the same activities and regions.
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Summer delivers the most inviting conditions, with daytime highs in the mid-70s to mid-80s and nights in the upper 50s to mid-60s. The river becomes swimmable, trails stay shaded under the hardwood canopy, and rental cabins book up for weekly stays. Holiday weekends and summer evenings draw the largest crowds. Winter transforms the landscape with snow and offers solitude. Spring rains can leave trails muddy enough that some visitors recommend walking sticks. Fall brings cooler temperatures and color to the hardwood forests.
Peak season: warm days, river swimmable, boating and shaded trails make summer inviting.
Reservation tips, booking windows, and free cancellation alerts.
Palisades-Kepler State Park offers a variety of amenities to enhance visitors' experiences. These include modern restrooms, showers, a dump station, fire grills, and water hydrants. Cabins on-site are equipped with air conditioning, private showers, restrooms, and kitchenettes. For recreational activities, visitors can enjoy bird watching, boating, fishing, hiking, and wildlife viewing. The park also features a lodge, picnic shelters, and a modern boat launch ramp. Several reviews highlight the cleanliness and maintenance of the facilities, with one user noting, 'Quite possibly the cleanest facilities we have ever stayed at.' However, another reviewer mentioned that the shower house was 'filthy' during their visit. Firewood and other essentials are available within 10 miles of the park.
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