City, County & Regional Parks · Iowa
Pinicon Ridge Park
City, County & Regional Parks · Iowa, United States
- Sites
- 150
- Hookups
- 133 electric, 133 with water, 17 no hookups
- Season
- mid-April to mid-October
- Group sites
- Yes
- Drinking water
- Yes
- Restrooms
- Yes
- Showers
- Yes
- Dump station
- Yes
- Elevation
- 932 ft
- Dark sky
- Bortle class 3
- Nearest town
- Central City
- Address
- 4948 Valley Farm Road, Central City, IA
About
Linn County Conservation's 1,018-acre park along the Wapsipinicon River, hilly and heavily wooded, with hiking and mountain-bike trails, an observation tower, cabins, lodges and a watercraft concession. Three campgrounds on the north side of the river, reached from 4948 Valley Farm Road: Flying Squirrel (loops A-C, 83 sites with water and electric, first come, first served), Plains (18 sites with water and electric plus 17 non-electric, first come, first served) and Firefly, opened in 2025 (32 full-hookup sites with sewer, online reservation only, with its own shower house and playground). Seven reservable group camps are on the south side of the river. Fire pad and picnic table at each site, showers and restrooms nearby, dump station for park campers. Campgrounds open April 15 to October 15, ground conditions permitting; all campers self-register and pay on arrival.
Weather, month by month
| Month | Typical high | Typical low | Coldest night | Hottest day | Years with a night below 32°F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 26° | 8° | -22° | 51° | 11 of 11 |
| February | 32° | 14° | -15° | 66° | 11 of 11 |
| March | 47° | 29° | 4° | 75° | 10 of 11 |
| April | 59° | 38° | 22° | 80° | 6 of 11 |
| May | 69° | 52° | 35° | 87° | 0 of 11 |
| June | 81° | 62° | 48° | 94° | 0 of 11 |
| July | 83° | 66° | 59° | 92° | 0 of 11 |
| August | 79° | 64° | 54° | 90° | 0 of 11 |
| September | 78° | 60° | 47° | 90° | 0 of 11 |
| October | 62° | 43° | 26° | 80° | 3 of 10 |
| November | 47° | 31° | 6° | 71° | 8 of 10 |
| December | 36° | 22° | -12° | 70° | 10 of 10 |
Mid-month figures from 2016–2026 of daily weather at this spot (ERA5 reanalysis via Open-Meteo, CC BY 4.0), in °F. Typical is the median; coldest and hottest are the extremes seen.
Nearby campgrounds
- Buffalo Creek Park · City, County & Regional Parks · 4 mi · 18 sites
- Wanatee Park · City, County & Regional Parks · 15 mi · 69 sites
- Pleasant Creek State Recreation Area · Iowa State Parks · 16 mi · 72 sites
- Wapsipinicon State Park · Iowa State Parks · 16 mi · 25 sites
- Wildcat Bluff Recreation Area · City, County & Regional Parks · 18 mi · 26 sites
All public campgrounds in Iowa · Every state and province · Facts read from the operator 2026-09-08. Confirm fees, rules and current status with the operator before you go.