Marion County Park Campground

On the shores of the Lake Red Rock, the largest in Iowa, the Elk Rock State Park is just minutes away when you’re RV camping at Marion County Park and attracts both wildlife and wild adventurers. Migrating waterfowl make stopovers at the lake while hikers, mountain bikers, and especially horseback riders make the park's 13 miles of multi-use trails busy. Patient birders are rewarded with regular sightings of bald eagles in the winter and white pelicans which migrate through the lake in the spring and fall. Anglers hoping to land crappie, bluegill, and largemouth bass also flock to the lake, and so are boaters eager to launch from Robert Creek and Cordova Park.

Just 90 minutes away by Knoxville camper rental, Ledges State Park beckons with a hiking challenge that will give you a serious workout. The four-mile trail in the park goes up and down but mostly ascends, as it takes you to a lookout with a commanding view of the Des Moines River and the Peak's Creek Canyon. Thirteen thousand years ago, melting glacial water carved the creek bed here and left "ledges" rising to 100 feet.

If you have a bit of paleontologist in you, the Palisades-Kepler State Park just a few miles from Cedar Rapids is definitely worth a stop. Follow the Cool Hollow Trail, and you just might stumble into a mammoth fossil similar to a discovery made here some years ago. Even if you come up empty-handed, the park's rolling hills, valleys, dramatic tree-lined bluffs, and deep ravines should make a fantastic souvenir photo.

Sprint car racing enthusiasts may want to rent a camper near Marion County Park Campground in August when the Knoxville Nationals kicks into high gear. The “non-wing” Corn Belt Nationals happens in early summer. At the Marion County Fairgrounds, the Knoxville Raceway also holds Saturday night races from mid-April through to the end of September.

If you want to have a go at the wheel yourself, strap in for a fun ride at a go-karting park near the race track. Round out your auto sports adventures with a visit to the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame and Museum to learn more about the history of the sport and its champions, and browse memorabilia, including restored big cars, supermodifieds, and sprint cars.

At the Marion County Historical Village, a handful of buildings provide a window into the life of Marion County's earliest settlers. Some of the notable buildings include a one-room schoolhouse, a general store, and a stagecoach inn.

Nearby Pella has its own version of their Historical Village. In the mid-19th century, some 800 Dutch immigrants seeking refuge from religious persecution and escaping famine settled in the area and purchased land that soon became a thriving town. Today, in the historic village, you can examine how a windmill works, stroll along a canal, and admire tulips lining the downtown streets. To see tulip gardens in full bloom and Dutch costumes, camp in an RV at Marion County Park Campground in early May and join Pella's colorful Tulip Festival.

There’s no shortage of color and action in Iowa if you know where to look. With so many campgrounds in the Corn Belt region, your RV rental in Knoxville, Iowa could take you to places far more colorful and action-packed. So start planning now and map out your journey through the Hawkeye State.