Howell Station

Summary

Howell Station Campground offers visitors excellent boating, fishing, and hiking opportunities on Iowa's largest lake, located just a short drive from nearby Pella and Knoxville. Over 140 campsites with 50-amp electric hookups, flush and pit toilets, showers, playgrounds, and two dump stations are available to enjoy the beautiful hardwood forests and nearby attractions. Furthermore, visitors can observe wildlife such as American White Pelicans, Bald Eagles, and White-tailed Deer while exploring the area.

Overview

Howell Station Campground sits just below the Red Rock Dam and Lake on the north side of the Des Moines River. Lake Red Rock is Iowa's largest lake, located just 10 minutes from Pella, known for its Dutch heritage, and 15 minutes from Knoxville, the Sprint car capital of the world. Visitors enjoy boating, fishing, hiking, biking and viewing wildlife.

For more information regarding the Army Corps of Engineers and the Lake Red Rock Project, click here:
Lake Red Rock Website 

For a virtual tour of the area, click here:
Lake Red Rock - Virtual Tour 

Recreation

Lake Red Rock offers excellent boating, water skiing and swimming opportunities. Miles of water trails for kayakers and canoeists are designated along the shoreline. Anglers will find crappie, largemouth and striped bass, walleye, channel and flathead catfish, northern pike and bluegill. Several miles of trails for hiking and biking are in the area. The 15 mile paved Volksweg Trail stretches west from Pella to the Des Moines River and to the Cordova Recreation Area.

Facilities

Howell Station offers 143 campsites with 50-amp electric hookups. Amenities include flush and pit toilets, showers, drinking water and two dump stations.
Younger campers love the park's playgrounds, while anglers enjoy the great river fishing access.

Natural Features

Hardwood forests cover the riverbanks at Howell Station, offering shade and scenic views. Wildlife is abundant around the lake. A wide variety of waterfowl, including the American White Pelican, migrate through the area in spring and fall. Bald eagles can be observed from November through March. White-tailed deer, turkeys and other small animals are commonly viewed around the lake.

Nearby Attractions

Des Moines, Iowa's capital, is an hour away, with numerous shopping and dining opportunities, museums and the Blank Park Zoo.

Charges & Cancellations

A $10.00 service fee will apply if you change or cancel your reservation. The $10.00 service fee will be deducted from the refund amount. Cancel or change reservations through recreation.gov or by calling 1-877-444-6777. Late cancellations are subject to additional fees.