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Sugar Bottom Campground
USACEU.S. Army Corps of Engineers — Solon · Iowa · Coralville Lake
| Agency | USACEU.S. Army Corps of Engineers |
|---|---|
| Area | Coralville Lake |
| Location | Solon · Iowa · Coralville Lake · 41.75639, -91.55917 · Map |
| Sites | 234 public sites counted from the federal listing — 219 standard electric; 14 walk to; 1 group standard area electric |
| Getting a site | Reservable — the federal listing marks this campground as taking reservations. Some sites or seasons may still be first-come; the listing’s own words are below. |
| Hookups | Electric at 227 of 234 sites (up to 50 amp where reported) Water hookups at 37 of 234 sites Sewer hookups at 13 of 234 sites Full hookups (all three at one site) at 13 of 234 sites Counted site by site from affirmative reports in the federal record. A site with no report is not counted either way. |
| Max RV length | Longest reported site fits 89 ft Sites that fit at least — 25 ft: 228 sites · 30 ft: 228 sites · 35 ft: 228 sites · 40 ft: 226 sites |
| Months open | Not in federal data — the federal listing does not publish a season for this campground. Check the official description below or Recreation.gov. |
| Fees | Not reported — the federal listing carries no fee description for this campground. |
| Check-in / out | In 2:00 PM · Out 12:00 PM (most common in the listing) |
| Pets | Allowed at 244 sites, as reported |
| Accessible sites | 4 marked accessible in the listing |
| Accessibility | N |
| Phone | MAY 1 - SEPTEMBER 30 CAMPGROUND ENTRANCE STATION: (319) 624-2102 OCTOBER 1 - APRIL 30 CORALVILLE LAKE PROJECT OFFICE: (319) 338-3543 X.6300 |
Check availability & book on Recreation.gov →
This site takes no reservations and shows no live availability. Source: Recreation.gov (RIDB export pulled November 5, 2026); this listing was last updated in the federal record on 2026-02-25.
From the official listing
Overview The Sugar Bottom Campground is located on the shores of Coralville Lake. The Coralville Lake Project is a multipule use project providing primary benefits in flood control and low flow augmentation, and secondary benefits in recreation, fish and wildlife management and forest management. Coralville Lake provides many recreational opportunities, including boating, camping, hiking, mountain biking, lake and river fishing, swimming, water activities, picnicking, and hunting. Recreation Visitors enjoy Coralville Lake for boating, fishing, swimming and water activities. Anglers will find large and smallmouth bass, crappie, walleye and catfish. Hiking and mountain biking are popular activities in Sugar Bottom. Several trails are within Sugar Bottom, including the Cedar Valley Nature Trail, Sugar Bottom Mountain Bike Trail, and a barrier-free asphalt trail.The Sugar Bottom Disc Golf Course is located in the Sugar Bottom Day Use Area and offers 18 partially wooded and open holes. The Sugar Bottom Mountain Bike Trail is located in the Sugar Bottom Day Use Area and offers beginner to expert trails. Facilities The Sugar Bottom Campground offers 232 campsites to include full hook-up campsites, 50 amp electric and water hookup campsites, standard 30 amp electric campsites, and non-electric walk-to tent campsites. Amenities include modern restroom and shower facilities, vault toilets, dump station, drinking water supply, entrance station, beach, and boat ramp. Natural Features Coralville Lake is located in the Iowa River Valley, just north of Iowa City. The Sugar Bottom Campground lies among a heavily wooded forest of mixed hardwood species on the east side of the lake. Wildlife is abundant throughout the project. Whitetail deer, turkeys, pheasants, waterfowl, song birds and other species roam the lands around the lake. Nearby Attractions The Devonian Fossil Gorge is 10 miles away, just below the Coralville Dam. It offers a unique opportunity to explore a 375-million-year-old sea floor and discover fossil remains of sea life that once inhabited this tropical marine environment. Twenty Discovery Points can be found throughout the site. Iowa City/Coralville offers the Veterans Affairs Medical Center, University of Iowa campus, hospital and clinics, numerous restaurants and shops as well as Coral Ridge Mall. Cedar Rapids has wonderful cultural, historic and ethnic attractions such as The National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library and is the home of the Kernels Professional Baseball Club. West Branch boasts the Herbert Hoover National Historic Site and Presidential Library/Museum. At Amana Colonies visit seven quaint villages with outstanding restaurants, wineries, historic sites and specialty shops. Kalona is known as the �¢����Quilt Capital of Iowa�¢���� and is home to an Old Order Amish and Mennonite Community.
Directions, from the listing
From Interstate 380 (North Liberty, Iowa), take Exit 4 towards North Liberty. Travel east on W. Penn St. for 2.2 miles. At the four way stop sign, turn left onto N. Front St./Mehaffey Bridge Rd. NE. Continue traveling on Mehaffey Bridge Rd. NE for 2.9 miles. Right after crossing the Mehaffey Bridge, take a right hand turn onto the Sugar Bottom Campground Access Rd. Continue on the Sugar Bottom Campground Access Rd. for 1.1 miles. The entrance to the Sugar Bottom Campground is straight ahead.
From Highway 1 (Solon, IA), turn west onto 180th St. NE/E 5th St. Travel west on 180th St. NE for 2.3 miles, the road will then become Mehaffey Bridge Rd. NE. Continue traveling on Mehaffey Bridge Rd. NE for 2.4 miles. Right before the Mehaffey Bridge, take a left hand turn onto the Sugar Bottom Campground Access Rd. Continue on the Sugar Bottom Campground Access Rd. for 1.1 miles. The entrance to the Sugar Bottom Campground is straight ahead.
Nearest federal campgrounds
1 mi straight-line · Solon IowaUSACEU.S. Army Corps of EngineersLinder Point Campground
2 mi straight-line · Iowa City IowaUSACEU.S. Army Corps of EngineersWest Overlook Campground
2 mi straight-line · Iowa City IowaUSACEU.S. Army Corps of EngineersCottonwood Campground (Ia)
3 mi straight-line · Iowa City IowaUSACEU.S. Army Corps of EngineersTailwater West Day Use Area
3 mi straight-line · Iowa City Iowa
Trip Card — Sugar Bottom Campground
Solon · Iowa · Coralville Lake
| Agency | USACE · U.S. Army Corps of Engineers |
|---|---|
| Location | Solon · Iowa · Coralville Lake |
| Fees | Not reported in the federal data |
| Getting a site | Reservable |
| Hookups | Electric at 227 · full hookups at 13 |
| Max RV | Up to 89 ft |
| Months open | Not in federal data |
| Sites | 234 sites |
Book: recreation.gov/camping/campgrounds/233642 · Source: Recreation.gov, pulled November 5, 2026. Facility details come from federal recreation data and may be out of date — this site takes no reservations and shows no live availability; confirm details and book through Recreation.gov or the managing agency.