Lake Red Rock
Howell Station Campground sits just below the Red Rock Dam and Lake on the north side of the Des Moines River. Lake Red Rock is Iowa's largest lake, located just 10 minutes from Pella, known for its Dutch heritage, and 15 minutes from Knoxville, the Sprint car capital of the world. Visitors enjoy boating, fishing, hiking, biking and viewing wildlife.
For more information regarding the Army Corps of Engineers and the Lake Red Rock Project, click here:
Lake Red Rock Website
Howell Station offers 143 campsites with 50-amp electric hookups. Amenities include flush and pit toilets, showers, drinking water and two dump stations.
Younger campers love the park's playgrounds, while anglers enjoy the great river fishing access.
Notifications and Alerts
Attention Campers! Beginning 2024, Lake Red Rock's new Check-out time will be 12:00 pm. The new Check-in time will be 2:00 pm.
Need to Know
Howell Station does not have a reservation window. You MUST have a reservation prior to occupying a site.
The fee booth is open 7 days per week: Monday through Thursday: 3:00 - 7:00 pm. Friday through Sunday: 9:00 - 11:00 am & 3:00 - 7:00 pm.
Parking or driving motor vehicles on the grass is not allowed. Boat trailers may be parked on the grass.
Golf carts, UTVs, and ATVs are not permitted.
Camping units are restricted to one wheeled unit and two tents, or three tents per site. A maximum of eight persons per campsite is allowed.
Check-in time is 2:00 p.m. and check-out time is 12:00 p.m.
We offer a limited supply of firewood at the campground. If you want to ensure you have firewood for your stay, please plan on bringing your own supply. Travelers entering Iowa are strongly encouraged to leave out-of-state firewood behind.
Natural Features
Hardwood forests cover the riverbanks at Howell Station, offering shade and scenic views. Wildlife is abundant around the lake. A wide variety of waterfowl, including the American White Pelican, migrate through the area in spring and fall. Bald eagles can be observed from November through March. White-tailed deer, turkeys and other small animals are commonly viewed around the lake.
Nearby Attractions
Des Moines, Iowa's capital, is an hour away, with numerous shopping and dining opportunities, museums and the Blank Park Zoo.
Recreation
Lake Red Rock offers excellent boating, water skiing and swimming opportunities. Miles of water trails for kayakers and canoeists are designated along the shoreline. Anglers will find crappie, largemouth and striped bass, walleye, channel and flathead catfish, northern pike and bluegill. Several miles of trails for hiking and biking are in the area. The 15 mile paved Volksweg Trail stretches west from Pella to the Des Moines River and to the Cordova Recreation Area.
Changes & Cancellations
A $10.00 service fee will apply if you change or cancel your reservation. The $10.00 service fee will be deducted from the refund amount.Cancel or change reservations through recreation.gov or by calling 1-877-444-6777. Late cancellations are subject to additional fees.
Contact Information
Physical
1081 198th Place Pella IA 50219
Phone Number
For campground inquiries, please call: 641-828-7522
Rental Options
Learn more about gear rental options for your trip
Driving Directions
1081 198th Place
Pella, Iowa 50219
From Pella, Iowa, take Highway T-15 southwest for 5 miles, then turn east on Idaho Drive to 198th Place. Travel south and follow signs to campground.
Available Campsites
- Site 077, Loop KVIL, Type Standard Electric
- Site 088, Loop KVIL, Type Standard Electric
- Site 045, Loop PRAI, Type Standard Electric
- Site 024, Loop PRAI, Type Standard Electric
- Site 067, Loop KVIL, Type Standard Electric
- Site 098, Loop PPOI, Type Standard Electric
- Site 102, Loop PPOI, Type Standard Electric
- Site 135, Loop PPOI, Type Standard Electric
- Site 112, Loop PPOI, Type Standard Electric
- Site 115, Loop PPOI, Type Standard Electric
- Site 128, Loop PPOI, Type Standard Electric
- Site 122, Loop PPOI, Type Standard Electric
- Site 143, Loop PPOI, Type Standard Electric
- Site 087, Loop KVIL, Type Standard Electric
- Site 093, Loop PPOI, Type Standard Electric
- Site 105, Loop PPOI, Type Standard Electric
- Site 037, Loop PRAI, Type Standard Electric
- Site 113, Loop PPOI, Type Standard Electric
- Site 069, Loop KVIL, Type Standard Electric
- Site 142, Loop PPOI, Type Standard Electric
- Site 025, Loop PRAI, Type Standard Electric
- Site 008, Loop PRAI, Type Standard Electric
- Site 085, Loop KVIL, Type Standard Electric
- Site 013, Loop PRAI, Type Standard Electric
- Site 007, Loop PRAI, Type Standard Electric
- Site 065, Loop KVIL, Type Standard Electric
- Site 075, Loop KVIL, Type Standard Electric
- Site 066, Loop KVIL, Type Standard Electric
- Site 033, Loop PRAI, Type Standard Electric
- Site 012, Loop PRAI, Type Standard Electric
- Site 094, Loop PPOI, Type Standard Electric
- Site 108, Loop PPOI, Type Standard Electric
- Site 053, Loop PRAI, Type Standard Electric
- Site 015, Loop PRAI, Type Standard Electric
- Site 104, Loop PPOI, Type Standard Electric
- Site 103, Loop PPOI, Type Standard Electric
- Site 129, Loop PPOI, Type Standard Electric
- Site 011, Loop PRAI, Type Standard Electric
- Site 133, Loop PPOI, Type Standard Electric
- Site 095, Loop PPOI, Type Standard Electric
- Site 051, Loop PRAI, Type Standard Electric
- Site 004, Loop PRAI, Type Standard Electric
- Site 118, Loop PPOI, Type Standard Electric
- Site 127, Loop PPOI, Type Standard Electric
- Site 114, Loop PPOI, Type Standard Electric
- Site 056, Loop PRAI, Type Standard Electric
- Site 096, Loop PPOI, Type Standard Electric
- Site 032, Loop PRAI, Type Standard Electric
- Site 120, Loop PPOI, Type Standard Electric
- Site 054, Loop PRAI, Type Standard Electric
- Site 109, Loop PPOI, Type Standard Electric
- Site 132, Loop PPOI, Type Standard Electric
- Site 136, Loop PPOI, Type Standard Electric
- Site 047, Loop PRAI, Type Standard Electric
- Site 006, Loop PRAI, Type Standard Electric
- Site 023, Loop PRAI, Type Standard Electric
- Site 073, Loop KVIL, Type Standard Electric
- Site 116, Loop PPOI, Type Standard Electric
- Site 028, Loop PRAI, Type Standard Electric
- Site 078, Loop KVIL, Type Standard Electric
- Site 041, Loop PRAI, Type Standard Electric
- Site 031, Loop PRAI, Type Standard Electric
- Site 130, Loop PPOI, Type Standard Electric
- Site 002, Loop PRAI, Type Standard Electric
- Site 030, Loop PRAI, Type Standard Electric
- Site 042, Loop PRAI, Type Standard Electric
- Site 019, Loop PRAI, Type Standard Electric
- Site 134, Loop PPOI, Type Standard Electric
- Site 097, Loop PPOI, Type Standard Electric
- Site 086, Loop KVIL, Type Standard Electric
- Site 057, Loop KVIL, Type Standard Electric
- Site 119, Loop PPOI, Type Standard Electric
- Site 070, Loop KVIL, Type Standard Electric
- Site 071, Loop KVIL, Type Standard Electric
- Site 060, Loop KVIL, Type Standard Electric
- Site 082, Loop KVIL, Type Standard Electric
- Site 018, Loop PRAI, Type Standard Electric
- Site 138, Loop PPOI, Type Standard Electric
- Site 063, Loop KVIL, Type Standard Electric
- Site 005, Loop PRAI, Type Standard Electric
- Site 026, Loop PRAI, Type Standard Electric
- Site 040, Loop PRAI, Type Standard Electric
- Site 099, Loop PPOI, Type Standard Electric
- Site 111, Loop PPOI, Type Standard Electric
- Site 052, Loop PRAI, Type Standard Electric
- Site 009, Loop PRAI, Type Standard Electric
- Site 141, Loop PPOI, Type Standard Electric
- Site 107, Loop PPOI, Type Standard Electric
- Site 043, Loop PRAI, Type Standard Electric
- Site 110, Loop PPOI, Type Standard Electric
- Site 106, Loop PPOI, Type Standard Electric
- Site 123, Loop PPOI, Type Standard Electric
- Site 074, Loop KVIL, Type Standard Electric
- Site 081, Loop KVIL, Type Standard Electric
- Site 092, Loop PPOI, Type Standard Electric
- Site 016, Loop PRAI, Type Standard Electric
- Site 014, Loop PRAI, Type Standard Electric
- Site 121, Loop PPOI, Type Standard Electric
- Site 131, Loop PPOI, Type Standard Electric
- Site 044, Loop PRAI, Type Standard Electric
- Site 124, Loop PPOI, Type Standard Electric
- Site 027, Loop PRAI, Type Standard Electric
- Site 080, Loop KVIL, Type Standard Electric
- Site 125, Loop PPOI, Type Standard Electric
- Site 090, Loop KVIL, Type Standard Electric
- Site 029, Loop PRAI, Type Standard Electric
- Site 059, Loop KVIL, Type Standard Electric
- Site 083, Loop KVIL, Type Standard Electric
- Site 003, Loop PRAI, Type Standard Electric
- Site 072, Loop KVIL, Type Standard Electric
- Site 126, Loop PPOI, Type Standard Electric
- Site 064, Loop KVIL, Type Standard Electric
- Site 140, Loop PPOI, Type Standard Electric
- Site 117, Loop PPOI, Type Standard Electric
- Site 039, Loop PRAI, Type Standard Electric
- Site 089, Loop KVIL, Type Standard Electric
- Site 139, Loop PPOI, Type Standard Electric
- Site 017, Loop PRAI, Type Standard Electric
- Site 036, Loop PRAI, Type Standard Electric
- Site 034, Loop PRAI, Type Standard Electric
- Site 091, Loop PPOI, Type Standard Electric
- Site 055, Loop PRAI, Type Standard Electric
- Site 062, Loop KVIL, Type Standard Electric
- Site 076, Loop KVIL, Type Standard Electric
- Site 035, Loop PRAI, Type Standard Electric
- Site 010, Loop PRAI, Type Standard Electric
- Site 046, Loop PRAI, Type Standard Electric
- Site 001, Loop PRAI, Type Standard Electric
- Site 100, Loop PPOI, Type Standard Electric
- Site 061, Loop KVIL, Type Standard Electric
- Site 101, Loop PPOI, Type Standard Electric
- Site 068, Loop KVIL, Type Standard Electric
- Site 021, Loop PRAI, Type Standard Electric
- Site 049, Loop PRAI, Type Standard Electric
- Site 079, Loop KVIL, Type Standard Electric
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