Army Corps of Engineers · Lake Red Rock · Knoxville, IA

Ivans

Ivans sits just below the Red Rock Dam and Lake on the south side of the Des Moines River, across the river from Howell Station Campground. Lake Red Rock is Iowa's largest lake, located just 10 minutes from Pella, known for its Dutch heritage and 15 minutes from Knoxville, the Sprint car capital of the world. Visitors enjoy boating, fishing, hiking, biking and viewing wildlife.

More like this: electric hookups in Iowa · reservable in Iowa · big rigs in Iowa · pets allowed in Iowa

Check availability on Recreation.gov ↗
Ivans ShowerhouseA photo of Site 11 of Loop at Ivans with Electricity HookupA photo of Site 12 at IvansA photo of Site 13 at Ivans
Photos courtesy of US Army Corps of Engineers, Claire Breuer, Army Corps of Engineers · Recreation.gov

Site mix

RV with electric20
Host/management1
Most sites here open on Recreation.gov six months ahead, at 10 a.m. Eastern. Sold out is not final: cancellations come back into the pool, most of them two to three days out. How to catch one

Site guide

20 sites. Tap a filter to narrow the list; the map follows.

SiteEntrySurfaceShadePowerWaterfrontPeople / vehiclesFires
2Back-inGravelPartial50 ampRiverfront8 / 2Yes
3Back-inGravelPartial50 ampRiverfront8 / 2Yes
4Back-inGravelPartial50 ampRiverfront8 / 2Yes
5Back-inGravel50 ampRiverfront8 / 2Yes
6Back-inGravelPartial50 ampRiverfront8 / 2Yes
7Back-inGravelPartial50 ampRiverfront8 / 2Yes
8Back-inGravelPartial50 ampRiverfront8 / 2Yes
9Back-inGravelPartial50 ampRiverfront8 / 2Yes
10Back-inGravelPartial50 ampRiverfront8 / 2Yes
11Back-inGravelPartial50 ampRiverfront8 / 2Yes

Per-site records as published by the managing agency on Recreation.gov. Blank cells mean the agency listed nothing for that site. Check-in 3:00 PM, checkout 2:00 PM.

Amenities & rules

HookupsElectric
Max vehicle length60 ft
EquipmentRVs & trailers, Tents
PetsAllowed
CampfiresAllowed, subject to restrictions

Ivans offers 21 campsites with 50-amp electric hookups. Amenities include flush toilets, showers and drinking water. Anglers enjoy the great river fishing access.

Individual sites vary. Confirm on Recreation.gov or with the managing office.

Weather by month

NOAA climate normals →
Weather by month near Ivans20°30°40°50°60°70°80°January: 1.15 inches of precipitationFebruary: 1.67 inches of precipitationMarch: 1.87 inches of precipitationApril: 3.85 inches of precipitationMay: 4.98 inches of precipitationJune: 5.61 inches of precipitationJuly: 4.34 inches of precipitationAugust: 3.89 inches of precipitationSeptember: 3.66 inches of precipitationOctober: 3.06 inches of precipitationNovember: 1.80 inches of precipitationDecember: 1.57 inches of precipitationJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecJanuary: 21.2°F averageFebruary: 26.0°F averageMarch: 37.6°F averageApril: 49.9°F averageMay: 61.1°F averageJune: 70.9°F averageJuly: 75.1°F averageAugust: 72.9°F averageSeptember: 65.3°F averageOctober: 52.6°F averageNovember: 39.0°F averageDecember: 27.2°F average0 in2 in4 in6 inTemp °FInches
The line is the average temperature and the bars are average precipitation at Knoxville, 7 miles from the recreation area point at 895 feet, station USC00134502 in the NOAA monthly climate normals for 1991 to 2020. Precipitation totals about 37 inches a year.

Getting there

1125 198th Place. Knoxville, IA 50138. The campground is accessed off of Highway T15 by turning east onto Jewell Drive and then turning north on 198th Place.

Nearest townKnoxville, Iowa
AreaRecreation.gov lists no exact point for this campground. The recreation area is at 41.37° N, 92.98° W. Call the office before you drive.

Charges and cancellations

A $10.00 service fee will apply if you change or cancel your reservation. The $10.00 service fee will be deducted from the refund amount. Late cancellations are subject to additional fees.

Explore

Natural features

Hardwood forests cover the riverbanks at Ivans, offering shade and scenic views. Wildlife is abundant around the lake. A wide variety of waterfowl, including the American White Pelican, migrates through the area in the spring and fall. Bald eagles can be observed from November through March. White-tailed deer, turkeys and other small animals are commonly viewed around the lake.

Recreation

Lake Red Rock offers excellent boating, water skiing, wakeboarding and swimming opportunities. Miles of water trails for kayakers and canoeists are designated along the shoreline. Anglers will find crappie, walleye, largemouth and striped bass, channel and flathead catfish, northern pike and bluegill. Several miles of trails for hiking and biking are in the area. The 15 mile paved Volksweg Trail stretches west from Pella to the Des Moines River and the Corova Recreation Area.

Nearby

Des Moines, Iowa's capital, is an hour away, with numerous shopping and dining opportunities, museums and the Blank Park Zoo.

Guidebooks for Iowa

We earn a small commission if you buy through these links. It does not change what we list.

  • Hiking Iowa
    Elizabeth Corcoran Hill and Kate Corcoran, 2023
    Find at Bookshop.org
  • Rail-trails Iowa & Missouri
    Rails-to-Trails Conservancy, 2017
    Find at Bookshop.org
  • Best Easy Day Hikes des Moines
    Michael Ream, 2011
    Find at Bookshop.org

Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.

Reference

Questions people ask

Do I need a reservation at Ivans?

Sites at Ivans are reservable on Recreation.gov. Any walk-up sites are listed on the booking page.

Source: Recreation.gov

What time is check-in at Ivans?

Check-in 3:00 PM, checkout 2:00 PM.

Source: Recreation.gov

What does it cost to cancel a reservation at Ivans?

A $10.00 service fee will apply if you change or cancel your reservation.

Source: Charges and cancellations

How many sites does Ivans have?

21 sites, including 20 RV sites with electric.

Source: Recreation.gov

Will my RV fit at Ivans?

The longest site here provides 60 feet of vehicle capacity. Most sites are shorter. The sidebar tool checks a trailer or motorhome length against every site.

Source: Will my RV fit

Does Ivans have hookups?

Yes, electric hookups at some sites.

Source: Recreation.gov

Are there showers or a dump station at Ivans?

Amenities include flush toilets, showers and drinking water.

Source: Recreation.gov

Are pets allowed at Ivans?

Yes, pets are allowed at Ivans. Leash rules apply.

Source: Recreation.gov

Can I have a campfire at Ivans?

Fires are allowed in the provided rings under normal conditions.

Source: Recreation.gov

What is there to do at Ivans?

Lake Red Rock offers excellent boating, water skiing, wakeboarding and swimming opportunities. The Recreation section on this page has the rest.

Source: Recreation

What is the nearest town to Ivans?

Knoxville, Iowa. Des Moines, Iowa's capital, is an hour away, with numerous shopping and dining opportunities, museums and the Blank Park Zoo.

Source: Getting there