Can you reserve a site at Acorn Valley?

Yes, Acorn Valley is reservable through Recreation.gov.

How many campsites does Acorn Valley have?

91 sites in total, of which 85 can be booked.

What is the maximum RV length at Acorn Valley?

82 ft. That is the longest vehicle the sites here are recorded as taking; individual sites may be shorter.

Are pets allowed at Acorn Valley?

Yes, pets are allowed at Acorn Valley.

Are campfires allowed at Acorn Valley?

Campfires are allowed at Acorn Valley. Check for a current fire restriction before you go.

Acorn Valley, Iowa — 85 sites, fees and cancellation alerts

Overview

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.

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.

Facilities

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.

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.

The facts

85 bookable sites
91 sites in total, including non-bookable
2 accessible sites
Vehicles up to 82 ft
Up to 30 people per site
Loops: ACORN VALLEY

Site types

54 Walk To
29 Standard Electric
6 Management
1 Group Tent Only Area Nonelectric
1 Group Walk To

Amenities

Electric hookups
Water hookups
Campfires allowed
Fire pits
Picnic tables
Grills
Shade
Pets allowed

Not recorded upstream: sewer hookups.

Book on Recreation.gov

91 campsites at Acorn Valley

Accessible only

Site	Loop	Type	Entry	Surface	Access	Water	Max rig	People
001	ACORN VALLEY	Standard Electric	Back In	Gravel	—	—	55 ft	6	🐾
002	ACORN VALLEY	Standard Electric	Back In	Gravel	—	—	—	6	🐾
003	ACORN VALLEY	Standard Electric	Back In	Gravel	—	—	54 ft	6	🐾
004	ACORN VALLEY	Standard Electric	Back In	Gravel	—	—	45 ft	6	🐾
005	ACORN VALLEY	Standard Electric	Back In	Gravel	—	—	32 ft	6	🐾
006	ACORN VALLEY	Standard Electric	Back In	Gravel	—	—	82 ft	6	🐾
007	ACORN VALLEY	Standard Electric	Back In	Gravel	—	—	22 ft	6	🐾
008	ACORN VALLEY	Standard Electric	Back In	Gravel	—	—	30 ft	6	🐾
009	ACORN VALLEY	Standard Electric	Back In	Gravel	—	—	41 ft	6	🐾
010	ACORN VALLEY	Standard Electric	Back In	Gravel	—	—	51 ft	6	🐾
011	ACORN VALLEY	Standard Electric	Back In	Gravel	—	—	57 ft	6	🐾
012	ACORN VALLEY	Standard Electric	Back In	Gravel	—	—	67 ft	6	🐾
013	ACORN VALLEY	Standard Electric	Back In	Gravel	—	—	36 ft	6	🐾
014	ACORN VALLEY	Standard Electric	Back In	Gravel	—	—	55 ft	6	🐾
015	ACORN VALLEY	Standard Electric	Back In	Gravel	—	—	30 ft	6	🐾
016	ACORN VALLEY	Standard Electric	Back In	Gravel	—	—	39 ft	6	🐾
017	ACORN VALLEY	Standard Electric	Back In	Gravel	—	—	41 ft	6	🐾
018	ACORN VALLEY	Standard Electric	Back In	Gravel	—	—	19 ft	6	🐾
019	ACORN VALLEY	Standard Electric	Back In	Gravel	—	—	55 ft	6	🐾
020	ACORN VALLEY	Standard Electric	Back In	Gravel	—	—	53 ft	6	♿ 🐾
021	ACORN VALLEY	Standard Electric	Back In	Gravel	—	—	53 ft	6	🐾
022	ACORN VALLEY	Standard Electric	Back In	Gravel	—	—	59 ft	6	🐾
023	ACORN VALLEY	Standard Electric	Back In	Gravel	—	—	20 ft	6	🐾
024	ACORN VALLEY	Standard Electric	Back In	Gravel	—	—	66 ft	6	🐾
025	ACORN VALLEY	Standard Electric	Back In	Gravel	—	—	51 ft	6	🐾
026	ACORN VALLEY	Standard Electric	Back In	Gravel	—	—	37 ft	6	🐾
027	ACORN VALLEY	Standard Electric	Back In	Gravel	—	—	56 ft	6	🐾
028	ACORN VALLEY	Standard Electric	Back In	Gravel	—	—	70 ft	6	🐾
029	ACORN VALLEY	Standard Electric	Back In	Gravel	—	—	35 ft	6	🐾
035	ACORN VALLEY	Walk To	—	—	—	—	—	6	🐾
036	ACORN VALLEY	Walk To	—	—	—	—	—	6	🐾
037	ACORN VALLEY	Walk To	—	—	—	—	—	6	🐾
038	ACORN VALLEY	Walk To	—	—	—	—	—	6	🐾
039	ACORN VALLEY	Walk To	—	—	—	—	—	6	🐾
040	ACORN VALLEY	Walk To	—	—	—	—	—	6	🐾
041	ACORN VALLEY	Walk To	—	—	—	—	—	6	🐾
042	ACORN VALLEY	Walk To	—	—	—	—	—	6	🐾
043	ACORN VALLEY	Walk To	—	—	—	—	—	6	🐾
044	ACORN VALLEY	Walk To	—	—	—	—	—	6	🐾
045	ACORN VALLEY	Walk To	—	—	—	—	—	6	🐾
046	ACORN VALLEY	Walk To	—	—	—	—	—	6	🐾
047	ACORN VALLEY	Walk To	—	—	—	—	—	6	🐾
048	ACORN VALLEY	Walk To	—	—	—	—	—	6	🐾
049	ACORN VALLEY	Walk To	—	—	—	—	—	6	🐾
050	ACORN VALLEY	Walk To	—	—	—	—	—	6	🐾
051	ACORN VALLEY	Walk To	—	—	—	—	—	6	🐾
052	ACORN VALLEY	Walk To	—	—	—	—	—	6	🐾
053	ACORN VALLEY	Walk To	—	—	—	—	—	6	🐾
054	ACORN VALLEY	Walk To	—	—	—	—	—	6	🐾
055	ACORN VALLEY	Walk To	—	—	—	—	—	6	🐾
056	ACORN VALLEY	Walk To	—	—	—	—	—	6	🐾
057	ACORN VALLEY	Walk To	—	—	—	—	—	6	🐾
058	ACORN VALLEY	Walk To	—	—	—	—	—	6	🐾
059	ACORN VALLEY	Walk To	—	—	—	—	—	6	🐾
060	ACORN VALLEY	Walk To	—	—	—	—	—	6	🐾
061	ACORN VALLEY	Walk To	—	—	—	—	—	6	🐾
075	ACORN VALLEY	Walk To	—	—	—	—	—	6	🐾
076	ACORN VALLEY	Walk To	—	—	—	—	—	6	🐾
077	ACORN VALLEY	Walk To	—	—	—	—	—	6	🐾
078	ACORN VALLEY	Walk To	—	—	—	—	—	6	🐾
079	ACORN VALLEY	Walk To	—	—	—	—	—	6	🐾
080	ACORN VALLEY	Walk To	—	—	—	—	—	6	🐾
081	ACORN VALLEY	Walk To	—	—	—	—	—	6	🐾
082	ACORN VALLEY	Walk To	—	—	—	—	—	6	🐾
083	ACORN VALLEY	Walk To	—	—	—	—	—	6	🐾
084	ACORN VALLEY	Walk To	—	—	—	—	—	6	🐾
085	ACORN VALLEY	Walk To	—	—	—	—	—	6	🐾
086	ACORN VALLEY	Walk To	—	—	—	—	—	6	🐾
087	ACORN VALLEY	Walk To	—	—	—	—	—	6	🐾
088	ACORN VALLEY	Walk To	—	—	—	—	—	6	🐾
089	ACORN VALLEY	Walk To	—	—	—	—	—	6	🐾
090	ACORN VALLEY	Walk To	—	—	—	—	—	6	🐾
091	ACORN VALLEY	Walk To	—	—	—	—	—	6	🐾
092	ACORN VALLEY	Walk To	—	—	—	—	—	6	🐾
093	ACORN VALLEY	Walk To	—	—	—	—	—	6	🐾
094	ACORN VALLEY	Walk To	—	—	—	—	—	6	🐾
095	ACORN VALLEY	Walk To	—	—	—	—	—	6	🐾
096	ACORN VALLEY	Walk To	—	—	—	—	—	6	🐾
097	ACORN VALLEY	Walk To	—	—	—	—	—	6	🐾
098	ACORN VALLEY	Walk To	—	—	—	—	—	6	🐾
099	ACORN VALLEY	Walk To	—	—	—	—	—	6	🐾
100	ACORN VALLEY	Walk To	—	—	—	—	—	6	🐾
101	ACORN VALLEY	Walk To	—	—	—	—	—	6	🐾
103	ACORN VALLEY	Management	—	—	—	—	—	6	🐾
104	ACORN VALLEY	Management	—	—	—	—	—	6	🐾
105	ACORN VALLEY	Management	—	—	—	—	—	6	🐾
106	ACORN VALLEY	Management	—	—	—	—	—	6	🐾
107	ACORN VALLEY	Management	—	—	—	—	—	6	🐾
108	ACORN VALLEY	Management	—	—	—	—	—	6	🐾
Group 030	ACORN VALLEY	Group Walk To	—	—	—	—	—	30	🐾
Group/Youth Site, 102	ACORN VALLEY	Group Tent Only Area Nonelectric	—	—	Hike In	Lakefront	—	24	♿

Getting there

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.

41.73778, -93.72361 · 41°44'16.0"N 93°43'25.0"W

Directions (Google Maps) · Directions (Apple Maps)

Typical weather

Typically 85°F in Jul, down to 30°F in Jan.

	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
High °F	30	35	49	62	72	81	85	83	76	63	48	35
Low °F	13	17	29	40	52	62	66	64	55	43	30	19
Precip in	1.0	1.3	2.1	4.0	4.8	5.3	4.3	4.0	3.4	2.5	1.9	1.5

1991–2020 averages from the nearest NOAA station, 0.1 mi away — not measured at the facility itself, and elevation can make a real difference over that distance.

Map

Common questions about Acorn Valley

Can you reserve a site at Acorn Valley?: Yes, Acorn Valley is reservable through Recreation.gov.
How many campsites does Acorn Valley have?: 91 sites in total, of which 85 can be booked.
What is the maximum RV length at Acorn Valley?: 82 ft. That is the longest vehicle the sites here are recorded as taking; individual sites may be shorter.
Are pets allowed at Acorn Valley?: Yes, pets are allowed at Acorn Valley.
Does Acorn Valley have hookups?: Electric, Water.
Are campfires allowed at Acorn Valley?: Campfires are allowed at Acorn Valley. Check for a current fire restriction before you go.

Camping near Acorn Valley

Walnut Ridge Recreation Area 0.6 mi · Campground · we watch it
Sandpiper Recreation Area 1.3 mi · Campground · we watch it
Prairie Flower Recreation Area 2 mi · Campground · we watch it
Oak Grove Picnic Area 2 mi · Campground · we watch it
Cherry Glen Picnic 2.3 mi · Campground · we watch it
Cherry Glen Campground 2.3 mi · Campground · we watch it
Lake View Recreation Area (Saylorville) 2.3 mi · Campground · we watch it
Bob Shetler Recreation Area 3.2 mi · Campground · we watch it
Bob Shetler Picnic Area 3.6 mi · Campground · we watch it
Cottonwood Recreation Area 4.1 mi · Campground · we watch it
Fifield (Ia) 42.2 mi · Campground · we watch it
Whitebreast Point Shelter (Ia) 42.6 mi · Campground · we watch it

Contact

Phone 515-276-0429
Book Recreation.gov

Recreation.gov last updated this record on 2026-02-25.

Acorn Valley