Army Corps of Engineers · Saylorville Lake · Johnston, IA

Cherry Glen Campground

Cherry Glen Campground is located on the 26,000-acre Saylorville Lake Project, which stretches more than 50 miles up the Des Moines River Valley. The lake provides a wide variety of recreational activities, including boating, swimming, fishing, hiking and hunting.

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

Check availability on Recreation.gov ↗
Cherry Glen Campground - Campsite PhotoCherry Glen PlaygroundCherry Glen Picnic AreaCherry Glen Campsite 90
Photos courtesy of USACE Staff, USACE Saylorville Lake Staff · Recreation.gov

Site mix

Standard with electric125
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

Will my RV fit

The longest site here provides 93 feet of vehicle capacity. Most sites are shorter.

Have the trailer VIN? It carries the trailer length.

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

SiteEntryFits, ftSurfaceShadePowerPeople / vehiclesFiresAccessible
001Back-in48GravelPartial50 amp6 / 2Yes
002Back-in53GravelPartial50 amp6 / 2Yes
004Back-in45GravelPartial50 amp6 / 3Yes
005Back-in54GravelPartial50 amp6 / 2Yes
006Back-in41GravelPartial50 amp6 / 2Yes
007Back-in54GravelPartial50 amp6 / 2Yes
008Back-in50Gravel50 amp6 / 2Yes
009Back-in52GravelPartial50 amp6 / 2Yes
010Back-in47GravelPartial50 amp6 / 2Yes
011Back-in57GravelFull50 amp6 / 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 2:00 PM, checkout 12:00 PM.

Amenities & rules

HookupsElectric, sewer
Max vehicle length53 ft
EquipmentRVs & trailers, Tents
PetsAllowed
CampfiresAllowed, subject to restrictions
AccessibilitySites 015, 016, 017, 066 and 2 more are listed accessible

This large campground offers 125 family sites, all with electric hookups. Amenities include flush toilets, showers, drinking water and a dump station. Educational programs, group shelters, playgrounds, and a boat ramp all provide additional recreation opportunities for guests. Nearby amenities include a visitor center, hiking trail and a disc golf course.

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

Weather by month

NOAA climate normals →
Weather by month near Cherry Glen Campground20°30°40°50°60°70°80°January: 0.97 inches of precipitation, 6.2 inches of snowFebruary: 0.99 inches of precipitation, 8.0 inches of snowMarch: 2.01 inches of precipitation, 3.7 inches of snowApril: 4.00 inches of precipitation, 0.7 inches of snowMay: 5.26 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowJune: 5.37 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowJuly: 4.19 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowAugust: 4.72 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowSeptember: 3.62 inches of precipitation, 0.0 inches of snowOctober: 2.67 inches of precipitation, 0.6 inches of snowNovember: 1.86 inches of precipitation, 1.0 inches of snowDecember: 1.39 inches of precipitation, 4.5 inches of snowJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecJanuary: 20.6°F averageFebruary: 25.1°F averageMarch: 37.4°F averageApril: 49.5°F averageMay: 61.1°F averageJune: 71.3°F averageJuly: 75.2°F averageAugust: 72.7°F averageSeptember: 65.0°F averageOctober: 52.0°F averageNovember: 38.4°F averageDecember: 26.3°F average0 in2 in4 in6 in8 inTemp °FInches
The line is the average temperature and the bars are average precipitation at Ankeny, 2 miles from the campground at 975 feet, station USC00130241 in the NOAA monthly climate normals for 1991 to 2020. Precipitation totals about 37 inches a year. The dotted line is average snowfall, about 25 inches a year on the same inches scale.

Getting there

From I-35, take exit 90 to Ankeny Industrial Parkway. Continue onto Highway 160 west for 4.8 miles. The road turns into Highway 415. Continue for another 4 miles and follow signs into the campground.

Nearest townJohnston, Iowa
Coordinates41.7314° N, 93.6800° W · Directions ↗

Supplies & services

Dump stationDump station ↗1.2 mi
RV sales & serviceHillcrest RV ↗3.2 mi
Outdoor gearSportsman's Warehouse ↗5.4 mi

Locations © OpenStreetMap contributors. Call ahead; hours change seasonally.

Explore

Video

Video of Cherry Glen Campground, IA from Lisa H.

Natural features

Cherry Glen, the oldest and most popular campground on the lake, is nestled on a compact 13-acre wooded ridge. Wildlife is abundant throughout the project. White-tailed deer, turkeys, waterfowl and other small game animals roam the lands around the lake.

Recreation

Visitors enjoy Saylorville Lake for its excellent boating, sailing, water skiing, windsurfing and swimming opportunities. Anglers will find 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.

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 Cherry Glen Campground?

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

Source: Recreation.gov

What time is check-in at Cherry Glen Campground?

Check-in 2:00 PM, checkout 12:00 PM.

Source: Recreation.gov

How many sites does Cherry Glen Campground have?

125 sites, including 125 standard sites with power.

Source: Recreation.gov

Will my RV fit at Cherry Glen Campground?

The longest site here provides 53 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 Cherry Glen Campground have hookups?

Yes, electric and sewer hookups at some sites.

Source: Recreation.gov

Are there showers or a dump station at Cherry Glen Campground?

Amenities include flush toilets, showers, drinking water and a dump station.

Source: Recreation.gov

Are pets allowed at Cherry Glen Campground?

Yes, pets are allowed at Cherry Glen Campground. Leash rules apply.

Source: Recreation.gov

Can I have a campfire at Cherry Glen Campground?

Fires are allowed in the provided rings under normal conditions.

Source: Recreation.gov

Are there accessible sites at Cherry Glen Campground?

Sites 015, 016, 017, and 066 are listed accessible on Recreation.gov, 6 sites in all. What that covers (a paved pad, an accessible table, a nearby accessible restroom) is on each site's booking page.

Source: Recreation.gov

Is there cell service at Cherry Glen Campground?

FCC coverage maps show Verizon 4G LTE, AT&T 4G LTE, and T-Mobile 5G at the campground point. Terrain changes that from one site to the next.

Source: FCC Broadband Map

What is there to do at Cherry Glen Campground?

Visitors enjoy Saylorville Lake for its excellent boating, sailing, water skiing, windsurfing and swimming opportunities. The Recreation section on this page has the rest.

Source: Recreation

What is the nearest town to Cherry Glen Campground?

Johnston, Iowa.

Source: Getting there