6 Iowa State Parks with Big Family Cabins

Many families enjoy the camping experience offered through the variety of cabins at several Iowa state parks. We combed through Iowa’s state parks and found 6 locations with big family cabins. So pack up the kids and plan a fun outdoor vacation hiking, swimming, fishing, and more! Enjoy!

Updated 2022.

Backbone State Park, Dundee, IA

Backbone Lake is an impoundment of the Maquoketa River created by the CCC. Recreation on the lake includes swimming, boating, fishing, and a concession stand for refreshments. Backbone has 21 miles of hiking and multi-use trails. Visitors can hike along trails winding through old twisted and windblown cedars and up rough, rocky staircases to one of the highest points in northeast Iowa, the “Devil’s Backbone.”

The modern two-bedroom cabins and renovated one-bedroom cabins are available and are equipped with heating and air conditioning. The two-bedroom cabins are available year-round. Newly renovated one-bedroom-style cabins are available year-round. Renters must provide their own bedding and dinnerware.

Family Cabins Deluxe – sleeps 9. Two available.

Black Hawk State Park, Lake View, IA

Black Hawk Lake lies off the southeast tip of the town of Lake View in Sac County. The lake’s 957 acres adjoin the state park, and the many services provided within the town of Lake View, all combine to provide a variety of outdoor recreation opportunities.

Family cabin modern – sleeps 10. Bedding includes 1 Queen + 3 singles and 2 sets of bunk beds with a single over double. Full kitchen. Renters must provide their own bedding, pillows, towels/washcloths, and other toiletry items, cooking utensils, pots and pans, dishes, and some cleaning items such as paper towels, dish soap, etc.

Lake Wapello State Park, Drakesville, IA

Lake Wapello’s 1,150 acres include beautiful wooded hillsides, shaded picnic areas, and a lake. Lake Wapello’s beach is great for swimming. Several miles of trails take you around the lake and through the park. Or bring your boat to go fishing.

Family Cabin Modern – Site 013- sleeps 6. Two sets of twin over double bunk beds.

Pine Lake State Park, Eldora, IA

Pine Lake State Park provides a pleasing mix of woodland, river, and lake in the midst of rolling farmland. The 654-acre park encompasses two lakes: 50-acre Lower Pine Lake and 69-acre Upper Pine Lake. Nature enthusiasts will enjoy the ancient white pine, the white-barked birch trees, and the rare ferns found along the Iowa River. Park cabins were built by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) and the Works Progress Administration in the 1930s. These cabins have fireplaces to take the chill off a cool fall day. Each cabin features a shower, restroom, stove, and refrigerator. Cabin users must provide their own dishes, eating utensils, bedding, towels, and other camping items.

Pine Creek Cabin- sleeps 6.
Bitterweet Cabin – sleeps 6.

Springbrook State Park, Guthrie Center, IA

The rolling hills of the beautiful Springbrook State Recreation Area abound with deer, red and gray fox, coyote, raccoon, beaver, muskrat, and wild turkey. Trails lead through 920 acres of prairie and woodland, near small ponds, the Middle Raccoon River, and the beautiful spring-fed 17-acre, artificial lake. There is a sandy beach for unsupervised swimming.

Sherburne House – sleeps 10-14. It has four bedrooms, three bathrooms, two living rooms, a full-service kitchen. This getaway is nestled in a wooded area on the park’s west side, with a scenic overlook and great opportunities to view wildlife.

Waubonsie State Park, Hamburg, IA

Waubonsie State Park provides one of the most scenic views of Iowa’s Loess Hills and is also a site on the Lewis and Clark Historical Trail. Waubonsie State Park provides one of the most scenic views of Iowa’s Loess Hills and is also a site on the Lewis and Clark Historical Trail. The seven-acre Lake Virginia boasts a good stock of channel catfish, largemouth bass, and bluegill and is also great for canoeists and kayakers.

Camping Cabin – Site 4 Administration sleeps 6. The cabin is not equipped with running water, modern restrooms, or showers inside.
Camping Cabin – Site 6 Windy Knoll sleeps 10. The cabin is not equipped with running water, modern restrooms, or showers inside.