CENTERVILLE, IA. -- The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers at Rathbun Lake has announced a new reservation policy for the 2020 recreation season. Beginning May 1, 2020 all sites in Island View, Bridge View and Prairie Ridge Parks will be 100% reserveable. This will result in several changes for campers at Corps of Engineers managed parks at Rathbun Lake.
- Island View, Bridge View and Prairie Ridge: 100% of the sites at these parks will be reserveable online or pay by phone using a credit or debit card only at www.Recreation.gov or 1-877-444-6777
- Reservations will no longer be taken at the park attendant booth and the booth will not have regularly staffed hours
- These campsites will have a zero day reservation window. This will allow for a “walk up” same day visitor to find a site that is unoccupied and not reserved to call in and reserve the site. Recreation.gov will provide the availability of that site for additional days if desired
- Park attendant volunteers will post reservation tags daily, making contact with campers to verify occupancy, checking passes, issuing white arrival tags and boat ramp hang tags
- Sites may be reserved 180 days in advance
- All paid sites must be occupied by a camping unit (Hard sided camper or Tent) during reservation dates
Buck Creek Park will continue to have both reserveable and non-reserveable sites. Please check the inventory as the site status (reserveable/non-reserveable) has changed. Buck Creek will also continue to have a staffed park attendant booth with regular hours. Reserveable sites can be booked online at or by phone at 1-877-444-6777. The park attendant can make reservations for Buck Creek when the booth opens May 8, 2020.
For questions, contact the Rathbun Lake office at 641-647-2464.
Release no. 19-067