CampgroundsGlampingRV rentalsActivities
My trips
CampgroundsGlampingRV rentalsActivitiesMy tripsAbout

Your next chapter starts here

See you
out there

Find your next escape
Find your outside
  • Campgrounds
  • Glamping & cabins
  • RV rentals
  • Outdoor activities
  • RV rentals by state
Make it a trip
  • Explore destinations
  • Field Guides
  • My saved places
  • How it works
  • Photo credits
Say hello
  • Contact us
  • Partner with us
  • Common questions
AboutPrivacy policyTerms & conditions
© 2026 Basecamping

Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors. Activities powered by Viator. Prices and availability come from each provider and are confirmed when you book with them.

  1. Home
  2. Iowa
  3. Bob Shetler Recreation Area

Camping at Bob Shetler Recreation Area near Johnston

Public campground · Johnston · 60 campsites

A forested campground near fishing, hiking, and mountain biking. RV fit varies by site.

About this campground

Recreation at Saylorville Lake ranges from placid shoreline fishing to wind-driven water sports; the lake supports boating, sailing, water skiing, windsurfing and swimming, and anglers chase walleye, wiper, largemouth bass, catfish, crappie and northern pike. The paved Neal Smith Trail, a 24-mile National Recreation Trail that links Des Moines to Big Creek State Park, passes along the east side of the lake and is popular for biking, hiking, jogging, walking and in-line skating.

4.0 on Recreation.gov · 344 reviewsBook on Recreation.gov
View all 4 photos

At a glance

  • RV sites up to 70 ft

    Length limits vary by campsite.

  • Electric hookups
  • Pets welcome
  • Flush toilets

    Showers on site. Dump station on site.

OverviewCampsitesAmenities & locationReviewsPlan your stay

0 available sites

0 open of 60 sites
No sites offered for these dates.

We checked every night of your stay on Recreation.gov: no site is open for all 2 nights. Some sites are open on some nights.

Flexible dates

View the next available two-night stay.

Looking for the next open dates…
Fixed dates

Compare nearby campgrounds open for these dates. Your camping setup, rig size, hookups and dates stay applied.

Nearby campgrounds open for these dates
Check Recreation.gov directly ↗
View full availability calendar · night-by-night from Recreation.gov

Check dates on Recreation.gov. Showing 40 of 60 sites.

SiteFr
13
Sa
14
Price
37
standard electric
––$22
42
standard electric
––$22
48
standard electric
––$22
49
standard electric
––$22
52
standard electric
––$22
67
standard electric
––$22
27
standard electric
––$22
31
standard electric
––$22
34
standard electric
––$22
38
standard electric
–
No site is open for every night of your stay

You book directly on Recreation.gov. Rates and availability can change until reserved. Campground page on Recreation.gov ↗

No sites offered for these dates
Book on Recreation.gov

Amenities & location

  • Accessible Showers
  • Day Use Area
  • Drinking Water
  • Dump Station
  • Electric Hookups
  • Flush Toilets
  • Parking Area
  • Paved Parking
  • Paved Roads
  • Pets Allowed
  • Picnic Tables
  • Playground
Check-in
2:00 PM
Checkout
12:00 PM
Pets
Allowed (per listing)
Maximum stay
14 nights

Hookups (individual campsites): 60 electric individual sites.

Location

SAYLORVILLE LAKE ADMINISTRATION OFFICE
Open in Google Maps ↗

Bob Shetler Recreation Area: questions answered

What is the maximum RV length at Bob Shetler Recreation Area?
Longest RV site listed: 70 ft (67 of 67 RV sites list a length) (per the listing)
Does Bob Shetler Recreation Area have RV hookups?
60 electric individual sites (per the listing)
How do I reserve a site at Bob Shetler Recreation Area?
Reservable on Recreation.gov (per the listing)
Are pets allowed at Bob Shetler Recreation Area?
Allowed (per the listing)
Sources and details

At a glance

Official facts link to their source; “Listing” facts come from the Recreation.gov listing. Anything we can't source says so.

Max rig length
Listing Longest RV site listed: 70 ft (67 of 67 RV sites list a length)
Hookups & power
Listing 60 electric individual sites
Pull-through / back-in
Listing 8 pull-through, 59 back-in
Road & site access
Listing 9 paved, 58 gravel site driveways
Pets
Listing Allowed
Cell signal
Listing Visitor-reported signal on Recreation.gov (higher is better): Verizon 3 (141 reports), T-Mobile 3 (45 reports), AT&T 2 (40 reports)
Water
Listing Water at 10 sites
Shade
Listing 37 of 37 sites that report shade are listed as shaded
Booking
Listing Reservable on Recreation.gov
Price
Listing Lowest listed rate $22/night (live price once you pick dates)
Stay limits
Listing 14 nights max
Getting there
Listing SAYLORVILLE LAKE ADMINISTRATION OFFICE (map in Location below)
Generators · Quiet hours · Starlink / satellite
Not listed — check with campground

Reviews

Selected reviews

Verbatim from guest reviews on Recreation.gov ↗ (344 reviews, ★ 4.0). Not written or edited by us.

“Clean park . Friendly staff. Large sites. Wish they had more with full hookups.”

DeWayne M 5 · Oct 2025 · Recreation.gov

“Good size sites, convenient to Des Moines. Must see Living History Farms- ~7mi away. Good smaller size lake, access from Bob Shetler, perfect for kayak or canoe paddling without waves and sheltered from the wind which can be a problem on Saylorville Lake.”

Steve K 4 · Oct 2025 · Recreation.gov

“I like the spots that back up to the river. Nice level, concrete sites with decent shade and water close by. I've been there twice now. ”

William B 5 · Oct 2025 · Recreation.gov
Nearby

Campgrounds to compare

Prefer a roof?

Prefer a roof over your head

All glamping →
  • Timberline RV Campground12.9 mi · Waukee
  • Timberline West RV Campground, Cabins12.9 mi · Waukee
  • Shadybrook Camping and RV Adventure24.6 mi · Earlham
  • Crows Nest RV Resort25.7 mi · INDIANOLA

Explore nearby

  • Campgrounds near Johnston
  • RV rentals near Johnston
  • Glamping & cabins near Johnston
  • RV rentals in Iowa
  • Glamping in Iowa

Guides for this trip

  • How much does it cost to rent an RV?
  • Camping with dogs
–
$22
29
standard electric
––$22
35
standard electric
––$22
50
standard electric
––$22
54
standard electric
––$22
60
standard electric
––$22
30
standard electric
––$22
44
standard electric
––$22
55
standard electric
––$22
57
standard electric
––$22
61
standard electric
––$22
64
standard electric
––$22
39
standard electric
––$22
45
standard electric
––$22
46
standard electric
––$22
68
standard electric
––$22
58
standard electric
––$22
56
standard electric
––$22
63
standard electric
––$22
47
standard electric
––$22
51
standard electric
––$22
41
standard electric
––$22
53
standard electric
––$22
65
standard electric
––$22
66
standard electric
––$22
32
standard electric
––$22
33
standard electric
––$22
36
standard electric
––$22
40
standard electric
––$22
62
standard electric
––$22
69
standard electric
––$22

✓ available · R reserved · X not available · C closed · W first come, first served · N not yet released

Available Nov 13–15 · 2 nights7 sites open for every night

Timberline RV Campground

12.9 mi from Bob Shetler Recreation Area (straight-line)
Sites from $35/night
$70 total for Nov 13–15 · before taxes & fees
Rates & availability from Campspot · you book on their site
View Campsites
Available Nov 13–15 · 2 nights7 sites open for every night

Timberline West RV Campground, Cabins

12.9 mi from Bob Shetler Recreation Area (straight-line)
Sites from $92/night
$184 total for Nov 13–15 · before taxes & fees
Rates & availability from Hipcamp · you book on their site
View Campsites
Available Nov 13–15 · 2 nights11 sites open for every night

Burkhart Farm

20.1 mi from Bob Shetler Recreation Area (straight-line)
Sites from $15/night
$30 total for Nov 13–15 · before taxes & fees
Rates & availability from Hipcamp · you book on their site
View Campsites
Ways to stay

Bring a tent or have an RV waiting

  • Tent camping here: 60 sites take tents. See open sites ↑
  • Electric sites: 60 sites have power.

Need an RV for your stay?

Rentals that may deliver here and whose listed length fits sites up to 70 ft. Delivery may be available — confirm fees and dates with the owner before you book.

2022 Jayco Jay Flight SLX
2022 Jayco Jay Flight SLX

Travel trailer · 20 ft · sleeps 5 · 6 mi from campground

$109/night listed · RVshare · Delivery may be available

View rental
2022 Forest River IBEX 19MBH
2022 Forest River IBEX 19MBH

Travel trailer · 25 ft · sleeps 5 · 10 mi from campground

$110/night listed · RVshare · Delivery may be available

View rental
2023 Forest River Forester-Your Airbnb on Wheels!
2023 Forest River Forester-Your Airbnb on Wheels!

Class C motorhome · 24.4 ft · sleeps 6 · 11 mi from campground

$250/night listed · RVshare · Delivery may be available

View rental
Best time to go

Seasons, rates and how booked it gets

  • Peak season May 1–Oct 14: Tent $24, RV & Tent $22–$26 per night
  • Peak season May 1–Oct 14: Tent $24, RV & Tent $22–$26 per night

stays up to 14 nights (Recreation.gov rules).

Plan your stay

How far ahead to book Bob Shetler Recreation Area

For May weekends, book about 124 days ahead. Three in four May Friday and Saturday arrivals were booked later than that, and half were booked 29 days or less before arrival. Past timing is guidance, not a guarantee of what is open now.

See booking patterns
Arrival monthFri/Sat arrivals: half booked at leastA quarter at leastOther days: half booked at leastA quarter at least
April52 days ahead90 days ahead44 days ahead106 days ahead
May29 days ahead124 days ahead25 days ahead129 days ahead
June37 days ahead106 days ahead19 days ahead101 days ahead
July25 days ahead89 days ahead14 days ahead80 days ahead
August26 days ahead79 days ahead20 days ahead93 days ahead
September17 days ahead68 days ahead9 days ahead46 days ahead
October15 days ahead39 days ahead8 days ahead32 days ahead

Months with fewer than 30 reservations of that kind are left blank. Sites where nearly every booking was made the day of arrival (pay on arrival) are left out. Closed seasons, windows not yet released for booking, and currently unavailable nights are separate from this history.

Based on Recreation.gov reservations, FY2015–2025 (18,651 reservations in the years scored). Counts reservations made, not nights actually camped: cancellations aren't in the data, and nights a site was closed count as not booked. FY2020–21 (COVID) are left out of the scores.

Compare site types

60 individual reservable campsites from Recreation.gov, checked Nov 7. Rates are the listed nightly rates.

Standard sites with electric

Tent or RV, with power

60 sites · $22, $26/night

0 open Nov 13–Nov 15