If you are searching for the perfect place to enjoy the water while camping, eastern Iowa has your answer. With a waterfall, you can easily hike to (and across) and ample opportunity for swimming, lounging on the beach, fishing, and enjoying nature, this Iowa park has it all.

Lake MacBride State Park is a wonderful place for camping, enjoying nature, hiking, fishing, and boating.

Iowa State Parks Website It’s located right outside the small eastern Iowa town of Solon near the intersection of I-380 and I-80.

The falls are wide, and a careful hiker can cross them on foot without getting wet.

Iowa DNR Website To get to MacBride Falls, follow the Beach to Dam Trail. You’ll see it on the map near the lower left corner.

There are two steep bluffs that surround the waterfall and both can be climbed without much effort.

Stanbro81/Trip Advisor The water is a result of Lake MacBride spilling out into the Iowa River. Locals may refer to this area as the spillway.

The park itself is quite large. There are a few signs on the way to the waterfall, but they are few and far between.

Stanbro81/Trip Advisor You’ll walk down a set of stone stairs to find the waterfall somewhat hidden behind a hill. This area is beautiful during every season of the year.

Lake MacBride has both a modern and non-modern campground.

jlhubb2/Trip Advisor The modern campground is located on the northwest side of the lake close to the dam. On the south arm of the lake, there are accommodations for primitive camping. Solon is just a few miles away and has a gas station and small grocery store for necessities. There are also several incredible restaurants in town.

There are over 16 miles of hiking trails at Lake MacBride State Park. All of the trails offer incredible views.

Stanbro81/Trip Advisor A lovely advantage of camping here is that the sites offer scenic views of the spillway and dam from the trails.

At the primitive campground, fishing is popular.

Mike Willis/Flickr There are 60 non-electrical sites and a non-flush restroom facility. At the entrance of the campground there is a fish cleaning station, fishing jetties, a boat ramp, and a parking lot.

This is a no-wake area with a boat rental facility at the marina.

Brad Covington Follow/Flickr You can enjoy the park from the water by renting a fishing boat, kayak, stand up paddleboard, paddle boat, pontoon boat, or canoe. Water access is available from nearly any area of the park

The park is popular and at times gets quite busy.

Brad Covington Follow/Flickr You can still see wildlife here, though. According to the DNR, this is a great place to catch crappies, muskie, channel catfish, walleyes, and Kentucky spotted bass.

Have you seen the beautiful MacBride Falls?

Iowa State Parks Website

It’s located right outside the small eastern Iowa town of Solon near the intersection of I-380 and I-80.

Iowa DNR Website

To get to MacBride Falls, follow the Beach to Dam Trail. You’ll see it on the map near the lower left corner.

Stanbro81/Trip Advisor

The water is a result of Lake MacBride spilling out into the Iowa River. Locals may refer to this area as the spillway.

You’ll walk down a set of stone stairs to find the waterfall somewhat hidden behind a hill. This area is beautiful during every season of the year.

jlhubb2/Trip Advisor

The modern campground is located on the northwest side of the lake close to the dam. On the south arm of the lake, there are accommodations for primitive camping. Solon is just a few miles away and has a gas station and small grocery store for necessities. There are also several incredible restaurants in town.

A lovely advantage of camping here is that the sites offer scenic views of the spillway and dam from the trails.

Mike Willis/Flickr

There are 60 non-electrical sites and a non-flush restroom facility. At the entrance of the campground there is a fish cleaning station, fishing jetties, a boat ramp, and a parking lot.

Brad Covington Follow/Flickr

You can enjoy the park from the water by renting a fishing boat, kayak, stand up paddleboard, paddle boat, pontoon boat, or canoe. Water access is available from nearly any area of the park

You can still see wildlife here, though. According to the DNR, this is a great place to catch crappies, muskie, channel catfish, walleyes, and Kentucky spotted bass.

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