Lake Macbride State Park
Open for the 2026 season. The campground operates April 1 through November 15, with reservations available up to three months in advance. All 100 campsites are reservable; no walk-up sites. Closed November 16 through March 31.
Flood Warning issued September 20 at 10:02AM CDT until September 23 at 6:25PM CDT by NWS Quad Cities IA IL
...The Flood Warning is extended for the following rivers in Iowa... Iowa River near Lone Tree affecting Louisa, Washington and Johnson Counties. * WHAT...Minor flooding is forecast. * WHERE...Iowa River near Lone Tree. * WHEN...Until Wednesday evening. * IMPACTS...At 18.0 feet, Sand Road closes south of 520th Street to the Highway 22 intersection. * ADDITIONAL DETAILS... - At 9:00 AM CDT Sunday the stage was 15.7 feet and rising. - Forecast...The river will rise above flood stage this afternoon to 16.8 feet this evening. It may fall briefly, but likely to rise again Monday night into Tuesday to 17.5 feet. It will then fall below flood stage Wednesday. - Flood stage is 16.0 feet.
Flood Watch issued September 20 at 9:24AM CDT until September 20 at 1:00PM CDT by NWS Quad Cities IA IL
* WHAT...Flooding caused by excessive rainfall overnight continues to be possible. * WHERE...Portions of Illinois, including the following areas, Bureau, Carroll, Henry IL, Jo Daviess, Mercer, Putnam, Rock Island, Stephenson and Whiteside and Iowa, including the following areas, Benton, Buchanan, Cedar, Clinton, Delaware, Dubuque, Iowa, Jackson, Johnson, Jones, Keokuk, Linn, Louisa, Muscatine, Scott and Washington. * WHEN...Until 1 PM CDT this afternoon. * IMPACTS...Flooding may occur in poor drainage and urban areas. Area creeks and streams are running high and could flood with more heavy rain. * ADDITIONAL DETAILS... - Heavy rains have ended over the area, but many area creeks are running high and in some cases, are flooding this morning. This areal flooding will continue this morning, with additional rainfall amounts under one quarter inch.
Flood Warning issued September 20 at 8:06AM CDT until September 20 at 2:00PM CDT by NWS Quad Cities IA IL
* WHAT...Flooding caused by excessive rainfall continues. * WHERE...Southern Cedar County in east central Iowa... Iowa County in east central Iowa... Johnson County in east central Iowa... Muscatine County in east central Iowa... Keokuk County in southeastern Iowa... Northwestern Louisa County in southeastern Iowa... Washington County in southeastern Iowa... * WHEN...Until 200 PM CDT. * IMPACTS...Flooding of rivers, creeks, streams, and other low-lying and flood-prone locations is imminent or occurring. Streams continue to rise due to excess runoff from earlier rainfall. Low-water crossings are inundated with water and may not be passable. Expect many areas of slow moving or standing water. It will take several hours for all the water from these storms to work through local drainage systems in urban areas. * ADDITIONAL DETAILS... - At 804 AM CDT, Doppler radar and automated rain gauges indicated heavy rain of 2 to 5 inches occurred since last evening across the area. This heavy rain falling on saturated ground has resulted in flooding of low lying areas, streams, creeks, rivers and poorly drained areas. The threat for heavy rain has ended, but runoff will delay the fall of water levels and improvement in conditions. - Some locations that will experience flooding include... Iowa City, Muscatine, Washington, Tipton, Marengo, West Branch, Sigourney, Columbus Junction, Durant, Coralville, North Liberty, West Liberty, Williamsburg, Wilton, Kalona, Tiffin, Wellman, Lone Tree and University Heights. - This includes the following highways... Interstate 80 in Iowa between mile markers 205 and 277. Interstate 380 between mile markers 1 and 7.
About
Lake Macbride State Park is one of Iowa's most popular state parks, spanning 2,180 acres around an 812-acre reservoir in Johnson County. The park is divided into northern and southern units connected by the lake itself. The northern unit houses the modern campground with 32 standard electric sites (20/30/50 amp) and 11 full-hookup sites with water and sewer connections. These sites accommodate RVs up to 60 feet in length. The southern unit features 52 primitive tent-only sites in a heavily wooded area with a shaded, secluded atmosphere near the water. Both campgrounds offer modern restrooms with flush toilets and shower facilities, a notable feature for Iowa state parks. The modern campground includes a trailer dump station. Park amenities extend well beyond camping: a swimming beach, seven boat ramps, dock slips, ADA-accessible fishing piers, a fish cleaning station, and over seven miles of hiking trails through diverse habitats. Lake Macbride Boat Rentals operates Memorial Day through Labor Day, offering pontoons, kayaks, canoes, paddle boards, plus food, bait, and firewood. The park operates seasonally from April 1 through November 15, with 100% of campsites reservable through the Iowa State Parks reservation system. Reservations can be made up to three months in advance. Check-in is at 4 PM and check-out at 3 PM. Maximum stay is 14 consecutive nights. The park is located four miles west of Solon, accessible via County Road F-16 for the northern unit or County Road F-28 for the southern unit.
Directions
Northern unit: Take County Road F-16 west from Solon for approximately 4 miles to the campground entrance. Southern unit: From Solon, take Fifth Street to County Road F-28 and follow signs to the primitive campground.
Amenities
| Water | Yes |
| Fires Allowed | Yes |
| Toilets | Yes |
| Dump Station | Yes |
| Wifi | — |
| Pets Allowed | Yes |
| Showers | Yes |
| Electric Hookups | Yes |
| Water Hookups | Yes |
| Sewer Hookups | Yes |
| Camp Store | — |
| Price | $18 - $250 |
Vehicle
| Max RV Length | 85ft |
| Max Trailer Length | — |
| Big Rig Friendly | Yes |
| Pull Through Sites | No |
Contact
| Lake_Macbride@dnr.iowa.gov | |
| Phone | +1 (319) 624-2200 |
Cell Service
| AT&T | Yes |
| Verizon | Yes |
| T-Mobile | None |
Availability
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