About Bob Shetler Recreation Area
Number of accommodations: 60
Seasonal information
2026 Season availability
Campground Amenities
Most popular amenities
Pet friendly
River Access
RV Utilities and Hookups
- Dump station on site
Water and Hygiene
- Potable Water
Water Access
- River Access
Pets and Policies
- Pet friendly
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Rates, Sites & Availability
60 Sites Available
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Site Details
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60 Sites Available
No available sites
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Reviews (717)
What Guests Are Saying
Bob Shetler Recreation Area offers a well-maintained and spacious campground with clean facilities, friendly staff, and convenient amenities like water and sewer hookups. Many visitors appreciate the peaceful atmosphere, beautiful scenery, and opportunities for outdoor activities such as fishing, hiking, and biking. While some experienced noise disturbances from nearby road activities and motorcycles, the overall experience is generally positive, with many campers expressing their desire to return.
What Guests Are Saying
Bob Shetler Recreation Area offers a well-maintained and spacious campground with clean facilities, friendly staff, and convenient amenities like water and sewer hookups. Many visitors appreciate the peaceful atmosphere, beautiful scenery, and opportunities for outdoor activities such as fishing, hiking, and biking. While some experienced noise disturbances from nearby road activities and motorcycles, the overall experience is generally positive, with many campers expressing their desire to return.
Review Summary
Lynne H
VerifiedJune 18, 2022 • Stayed at: 07, Loop: BSHW
Love camping at Bob's Shelter! It's a relaxing environment but busy with visitors driving through or people fishing. Love to hear the Dam flow..
Robert or Kathy K
VerifiedJune 7, 2022 • Stayed at: 12, Loop: BSHE
Great place and location. We were at site 12 right on the river below the spillway. Everything was great except the bathroom access for wheelchairs. The facilities closest to the campsite doesn’t provide a big enough stall for wheelchairs and the facilities across the river have a doorway entry that’s too high for a wheelchair to go in or out of safely. Other than that issue, everything was clean, fun and the picnic tables were in great condition. The concrete pads make for easy leveling too. If they could do something about the bathrooms, this would be a 10 out of 10 spot for us. Close to everything too. If you forgot anything, stores are within a few miles. Can even order food from several close by restaurants. We spent 9 nights and wish we’d had made it for a couple more days.
Roger J C
VerifiedJune 7, 2022 • Stayed at: 53, Loop: BSHM
Always a great place to stay and very convenient. Camp hosts were kind, friendly and helpful. Spaces are wide and long and spaced nicely apart. However,the infrastructure could use some upgrading to 50 amp service. The trees have had a tough last couple of years and there could be the addition of a couple hundred trees easily. But this continues to be an easy place to reserve and stay.
Robert or Kathy K
VerifiedJune 7, 2022 • Stayed at: 12, Loop: BSHE
Great place and location. We were at site 12 right on the river below the spillway. Everything was great except the bathroom access for wheelchairs. The facilities closest to the campsite doesn’t provide a big enough stall for wheelchairs and the facilities across the river have a doorway entry that’s too high for a wheelchair to go in or out of safely. Other than that issue, everything was clean, fun and the picnic tables were in great condition. The concrete pads make for easy leveling too. If they could do something about the bathrooms, this would be a 10 out of 10 spot for us. Close to everything too. If you forgot anything, stores are within a few miles. Can even order food from several close by restaurants. We spent 9 nights and wish we’d had made it for a couple more days.
Roger J C
VerifiedJune 7, 2022 • Stayed at: 53, Loop: BSHM
Always a great place to stay and very convenient. Camp hosts were kind, friendly and helpful. Spaces are wide and long and spaced nicely apart. However,the infrastructure could use some upgrading to 50 amp service. The trees have had a tough last couple of years and there could be the addition of a couple hundred trees easily. But this continues to be an easy place to reserve and stay.
LISA B
VerifiedJune 6, 2022 • Stayed at: 27, Loop: BSHM
Peaceful campground, wonderful people at the check in desk!
LISA B
VerifiedJune 6, 2022 • Stayed at: 27, Loop: BSHM
Peaceful campground, wonderful people at the check in desk!
Gary N
VerifiedJune 3, 2022 • Stayed at: 36, Loop: BSHM
Good location with a disc golf course close by. Check in was easy and the rangers were helpful. It can get pretty noisy late night on top of the dam with cars/bikes. Glad I had my noise cancelling headphones. Lots of activities close by.
Gary N
VerifiedJune 3, 2022 • Stayed at: 36, Loop: BSHM
Good location with a disc golf course close by. Check in was easy and the rangers were helpful. It can get pretty noisy late night on top of the dam with cars/bikes. Glad I had my noise cancelling headphones. Lots of activities close by.
Carl S
VerifiedDecember 19, 2021 • Stayed at: 33, Loop: BSHM
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Location Bob Shetler Recreation Area
Address:
Saylorville Lake Administration Office
Johnston, IA, 50131-1941
United States
From I-35, take exit 90 to Ankeny/Oralabor Road and go west for 4.8 miles. The road turns into Highway 415. Turn left onto 37th Street, then turn right onto Horseshoe Road. Turn right and drive across the Saylorville Lake Dam to the campground.
The campground is accessible from I-35 via exit 90, approximately 4.8 miles to the west on Highway 415.
Latitude & Longitude: 41.7017 / -93.6853
Elevation: 247 feet
Policies & Rules
Arrival & departure
Check in time
2PM
Check out time
12PM
Cancellation policy
- Reservation fees are non-refundable. For campsites, cabins, lookouts, yurts, group sites, and similar stays, we charge a reservation service fee of $8.
- Standard cancellations usually have a $10 cancellation fee. Customers can generally cancel before the check-in date online.
- Late cancellation rules differ by stay type.
- Individual campsites: cancelling after 12:00am local time the day before arrival usually means a $10 cancellation fee plus forfeiting the first night's fee.
- Cabins, lookouts, and yurts: cancelling less than 14 days before arrival usually means a $10 cancellation fee plus forfeiting the first night's fee.
- One-night reservations: a late cancellation usually forfeits the full amount paid, up to the total original reservation cost.
- Modifications are allowed before the cut-off window, but fees depend on the change. Changing to dates completely outside the original reservation dates may trigger a $10 change fee. Extending or shortening a stay that still includes original dates usually has no change fee, though refunds may depend on timing and facility rules. Switching to the same type of campsite for the same dates usually has no change fee, but price differences are charged or refunded.
- Early departures may or may not be refunded. At certain facilities, partial refunds may be possible if staff can mark the site available for other visitors. No refund is given for a night if the early departure is requested after that day's check-out time.
- Security deposits are separate. Security deposits may be refunded to the original payment method if the facility is left in acceptable condition, as determined by the property.
General
- Click here for more information
- Click here for a virtual tour of the Saylorville Lake area.
Safety & rules
- Quiet hours are from 10:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m., and only registered campers are allowed during this time.
Nearby Campgrounds
Last updated: June 3, 2026
