Campground

Island View (Rathbun Lake)

Rathbun Lake · Mystic Iowa · Iowa — managed by US Army Corps of Engineers

Island View (Rathbun Lake) campground
Photo: Recreation.gov

Weekend availability at Island View (Rathbun Lake)

Live from Recreation.gov · checked Sep 18, 2:04 PM PT
  • Fri, Sep 18
    Open
    117/188 sites
  • Fri, Sep 25
    Open
    122/189 sites

Friday + Saturday nights, sites bookable both nights. Counts come from a rotating sweep and can lag a cancellation by up to a day — alerts watch your exact dates within minutes.

Campsites & amenities

Site-level details from Recreation.gov's official catalog.

Campsites
192
Electric sites
190
Pull-through
11
Group Picnic AreaGroup Standard ElectricStandard Electric

About this campground

Overview Island View Park is located on beautiful Rathbun Lake, just nine miles northwest of Centerville, Iowa and 8 miles southwest of Moravia.Recreation The 11,000-acre lake provides a variety of fishing opportunities for any angler: Crappie, channel catfish, walleye and largemouth bass are most common. The prevailing winds on Rathbun Lake, also known as Iowa's Ocean, make it one of the best sailing lakes in Iowa.Facilities This large campground offers 187 family sites and one group site, all with electric hookups. Three group picnic sites are also available. Amenities include flush and pit toilets, showers, drinking water and a dump station. A boat ramp, dock, marina, playgrounds, and horseshoe pit are all on-site.Natural Features Rathbun Lake is situated in the gently rolling hills of the Chariton River Valley in southeast Iowa. The campground consists of open grassy areas dotted with trees. Bald eagles, white-tailed deer, Canada geese, wild turkey and other wildlife can be found at Rathbun Lake. Nearby Attractions The Rathbun Fish Hatchery is nearby, offering self-guided tours Monday through Friday year-round. Hundreds of thousands of catfish and walleye are produced here each year. Southern Iowa's only Off Highway Vehicle Park is just 20 minutes from the campground. It is located on the south bank of the South Fork Chariton River and encompasses nearly 125 acres in an abandoned rock quarry. Contact Info This location is unstaffed. To speak with our main office for general information, please call: (641) 647-2464.

Getting there

From Centerville, IA, travel 2.5 miles north on HWY 5, then go 4 miles northwest on J-29, then 0.1 mile north on J5T to the park entrance.

Elevation
938 ft
Contact
(641) 647-2464
Rathbun Lake office

Activities

  • SWIMMING SITE
  • CAMPING
  • BOATING
  • BIKING
  • CANOEING
  • DAY USE AREA
  • FISH HATCHERY
  • FISHING
  • HIKING
  • INFORMATION SITE
  • KAYAKING
  • PICNICKING
  • SAILING
  • SWIMMING
  • WATER ACCESS
  • WILDLIFE VIEWING

Nearby federal campgrounds

Never miss an opening at Island View (Rathbun Lake)

Popular Iowa campgrounds book out months ahead — but cancellations happen every day. We watch Island View (Rathbun Lake) around the clock and alert you the moment a sold-out site reopens for your dates, so you don't have to keep refreshing Recreation.gov.

Not ready to subscribe? Get a free weekend heads-up.

We'll email you if Island View (Rathbun Lake) opens up for a weekend you pick. No account needed.

Details from Recreation.gov's official RIDB catalog. Conditions change — confirm with the managing office or on Recreation.gov before you go. Not affiliated with Recreation.gov or any federal agency.