About Prairie Flower Recreation Area
Number of accommodations: 153
Seasonal information
2026 Season availability
Campground Amenities
Most popular amenities
RV Utilities and Hookups
- Dump station on site
Water and Hygiene
- Potable Water
On Site Services
- Playground
Water Access
- Beach Access
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Rates, Sites & Availability
153 Sites Available
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Site Details
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153 Sites Available
No available sites
All sites are booked for your selected dates. Try showing all sites to see booked options, create an alert to be notified when something opens up, or adjust your dates.
Reviews (618)
What Guests Are Saying
Prairie Flower Recreation Area is a well-maintained campground featuring spacious, clean sites with large concrete pads and excellent facilities, including spotless restrooms and friendly staff. Many visitors appreciate the quiet atmosphere and proximity to recreational activities in nearby Ames, Ankeny, and Des Moines. Some suggestions for improvement include adding more paved sites and addressing overgrown grass and weeds, but overall, guests express a strong desire to return for future visits.
What Guests Are Saying
Prairie Flower Recreation Area is a well-maintained campground featuring spacious, clean sites with large concrete pads and excellent facilities, including spotless restrooms and friendly staff. Many visitors appreciate the quiet atmosphere and proximity to recreational activities in nearby Ames, Ankeny, and Des Moines. Some suggestions for improvement include adding more paved sites and addressing overgrown grass and weeds, but overall, guests express a strong desire to return for future visits.
Review Summary
Berton W
VerifiedJune 7, 2021 • Stayed at: B47, Loop: BLAZ
We always enjoy camping
Elizabeth S
VerifiedJune 7, 2021 • Stayed at: A29, Loop: ASTE
Quiet campground - fantastic hosts - great location to Des Moines - lake access - sparkling clean bathrooms! Favorite campground in the area !
Bruce D
VerifiedJune 6, 2021 • Stayed at: B62, Loop: BLAZ
Enjoyable place to camp. Clean restrooms and spacious well maintained campsites!
Raymond L
VerifiedJune 5, 2021 • Stayed at: C102, Loop: CONE
Great place to stay! Beautiful paved, large spaces. Excellent bathroom/shower facilities! Close proximity to the Neal Smith bike trail is a definite plus. There’s also a paved sidewalk down to Oakgrove beach on Saylorville Lake. Close to groceries, gas, shopping, and restaurants in either Polk City or Ankeny. The campground hosts do a fantastic job! Bathrooms are always pristine. Our favorite campground!
Doug C
VerifiedJune 5, 2021 • Stayed at: B56, Loop: BLAZ
Nice and spacious, clean
Hannah G
VerifiedJune 5, 2021 • Stayed at: C92, Loop: CONE
It was very easy to make our day of reservation and get in and out. Beautiful scenery as well.
Karen C
VerifiedJune 4, 2021 • Stayed at: B41, Loop: BLAZ
Beautiful scenery overlooking the lake. Shade. Space
Tracey G
VerifiedJune 3, 2021 • Stayed at: A03, Loop: ASTE
Clean, quiet, great staff
George G
VerifiedJune 1, 2021 • Stayed at: C102, Loop: CONE
Well maintained campground. Clean Bathrooms.
Jean R
VerifiedJune 1, 2021 • Stayed at: C98, Loop: CONE
We love Prairie Flower. Great sites. Spacious. Our biggest complaint: PLEASE INSTALL MORE DUMP STATIONS! So many sites, always full, desperately needs additional water fill and dump stations.
Location Prairie Flower Recreation Area
Address:
Saylorville Lake Administration Office, 5600 Nw 78 Th Avenue
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, continue and follow signs to the campground.
Prairie Flower Recreation Area is accessible via Iowa State Highway 415, which is approximately 5 miles to the east. Interstate 80 is about 20 miles to the north.
Latitude & Longitude: 41.7483 / -93.6875
Elevation: 286 feet
Policies & Rules
Arrival & departure
Check in time
2PM
Check out time
12PM
General
- Click here for more information
- Click here for a virtual tour of the Saylorville Lake area.
- Quiet Hours: From 10:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. Campgrounds are restricted to registered campers during these hours. Visitors must leave by 10:00 p.m. Gates remain open 24/7.
Nearby Campgrounds
Last updated: June 3, 2026