Just outside of the town of Forest City, Iowa, one can find Three Fingers Campground. The 75-acre property features a 20-acre lake that guests are welcome to swim, boat, and fish on, as well as 118 RV sites and a cabin. Each of the RV sites offers full 50-amp hookups, a fire ring, a picnic table, and a cement pad. Depending on the site reserved, the space may be either back-in or pull-through. It should be noted that 9 of the 118 sites are designated as short-term rentals for patrons staying overnight or for a couple of weeks at a time. The cabin comes fully furnished with a bedroom, kitchen, living area, and patio. Denise, one of the owners, hopes that guests will feel welcome during their stay. There are a number of varied local attractions that people staying at the park usually visit, including the Winnebago factory and the state parks and conservation areas in the region.
Three Fingers Campground is a rural campground outside of Forest City, Iowa, situated on 75 acres. Nearly 20 of these acres encompass a lake that patrons can enjoy. The campground offers 118 total units, all of which are RV sites, with 109 being seasonal and 9 more short-term rentals for people that are staying overnight or for a couple of weeks at a time. There is also one cabin available for rent. The RV sites are available from April to October and are a mix of back-in and pull-through sites, each with a picnic table and fire ring. Every site is equipped with full 50-amp hookups with a cement pad and a tree that can provide shade.
The cabin at Three Fingers Campground comes fully furnished with one bedroom, a kitchen, a living area, and a patio. It also has a washer and dryer for guests' convenience. There is a shower house on-site, and visitors can take advantage of the community garden and chicken coop, where they can interact with chickens, turkeys, ducks, and a goose. A golf cart path runs through the campground, and there is a back patio by the office where people can gather. The on-site pavilion has a full kitchen that anyone can use, and guests can take out two paddle boats, two kayaks, and a canoe on the lake on a first-come, first-served basis. For those with their own boats, only electric motors are allowed on the water.
Three Fingers Campground offers various amenities for patrons, including a volleyball court, basketball court, and playground for children. Bingo is hosted every Friday night at the pavilion, and local food trucks occasionally visit the campground around holidays. Fishing is a popular activity on the lake, and guests can expect to catch sunfish, northern pike, and bass, with grass carp being catch and release only. The campground is surrounded by state parks and natural areas such as Pilot Knob State Park, Crystal Lake Park, and Eagle Flats Wildlife Management Area, to name a few. Nearby restaurants include Mitchell's in Leland, Borderline Taco, and Ay Jalisco, which serves Mexican cuisine. According to Denise, one of the owners of the campground, many guests often take the factory tours offered at the nearby Winnebago factory in Forest City, where they can learn more about how the company’s various vehicles are made. Others may be interested in playing golf at Bear Creek Golf Course in the southern portion of the city or visiting a large number of local public parks with river access to Winnebago River, comprised of Tim Coffee Park and Pammel Park, among others.
Three Fingers Campground is known by its guests as "a friendly and outgoing park," says Denise. She explains that the park’s environment, which includes the lake and trees around the park, sets it apart from other campgrounds in the area. Activities are frequently planned by the campground's activities committee, which take place on weekends during the summer. The owners work to create a welcoming and relaxed atmosphere for visitors, as Denise notes that "just being friendly" is how she helps people feel welcome. Guest reviews often praise the owners for being helpful and accommodating. One previous visitor left a review about their stay at the campground, which is as follows: “The park is convenient to the Winnebago Factory. Denise and Jonathan were very nice, friendly, and easy to work with.” Other former patrons share that they enjoyed the property’s cabin, mentioning that they thought it was “charming, restful, clean, and perfectly equipped.”
The campground has a 10:00 p.m. quiet time, after which guests are expected to be respectful of their neighbors. A five-mile-per-hour speed limit is enforced throughout the park in an effort to ensure the safety of children and pets. Dogs are allowed to stay with patrons on the property so long as they are kept on a leash and are cleaned up after. Smoking is allowed as long as people pick up after themselves and do so away from the buildings on the premises. Three Fingers Campground is open from April to October, with the cabin being the only rental available year-round. June, July, and August are cited by Denise as the busiest months of the season.
Three Fingers Campground has been providing a camping experience for over 30 years. The property originally started as a family-owned business that catered to tent campers. Paula and David Hayes, the RV park’s previous owners, made a number of improvements while they operated the campground. In the 13 years that they were in charge, Denise notes that the Hayes stocked the lake with fish, added and expanded RV sites, and established many of the processes that the park still uses today.
Denise and Jonathan purchased Three Fingers Campground in May of 2022, initially looking for a new career path for Jonathan. Their family enjoys camping, so they decided they wanted to find a campground they could own and operate. Denise and Jonathan enjoy interacting with guests and getting to know the people who stay with them. They plan to make a number of updates and improvements to the campground, including building a dog park and adding a smaller playground for younger children. In addition, they hope to add 25 more RV sites to accommodate more visitors in the future.
35604 135th Ave
Forest City, Iowa 50436
United States
Campground
Denise and Jonathan
Paula and David Hayes
