RV Dump Stations Iowa

There’s a quiet beauty to driving through Iowa. The landscape is a gentle rhythm of rolling hills and meticulously kept farms, stretching out under a sky that seems impossibly big. It’s a peaceful, easy place to put on the miles, with straight roads and a calm, unhurried vibe. For years, that easygoing nature extended to RV services, with a handful of convenient dump stations located right at the interstate rest areas. But let me give you a crucial piece of advice, a public service announcement from one RVer to another: those days are over. You absolutely cannot count on finding a dump station at an Iowa rest area anymore.
A few years back, the state made the decision to close and permanently seal off all of its rest area dump stations. The official reasons cited were issues with misuse, people dumping things they shouldn’t, and the high cost of maintenance. While we can debate the decision, the reality on the ground is what matters. I have a vivid memory of pulling into a familiar rest stop on I-80, the one I’d used for years, only to find the dump lane blocked off and the drains filled with concrete. It was a jarring moment that completely changed my strategy for traveling through the state. It’s a story I’ve heard from many other full timers, and it underscores the most important rule of RVing in Iowa today: you must have a new plan.
So, where do you go now? Your strategy must shift away from the highway and toward the towns and campgrounds. Your primary options are now state parks, private RV parks, and in some cases, municipal facilities. The highest concentration of options is, not surprisingly, around the Des Moines metro area. But if you’re out in the more rural parts of the state, you’ll need to be more proactive. This often means planning your route to include a five or ten mile detour off the interstate into a small town that has a city or county park with a campground. Many of these small town facilities are fantastic, sometimes even free or by donation, but you have to know they exist.
Iowa’s state parks are another solid bet, with most of their campgrounds offering dump stations for registered guests. Some may allow non-guests to use them for a fee, but this policy can vary from park to park, so it’s best not to assume. A quick phone call can save you a lot of guesswork. Given the change in state policy, being prepared is more critical than ever. Before I even enter Iowa now, I have my next two potential dump locations identified and marked on my map. I don't leave it to chance. And, of course, you have to factor in the season. Iowa gets bitterly cold in the winter, and the vast majority of these campground and park facilities will be completely winterized and shut down from late fall until spring. During the winter months, your options are limited to a few year round private RV parks or perhaps a friendly RV dealership in a larger city. RVing across the Hawkeye State is still a wonderful experience, but it requires a new level of planning. Forget what you thought you knew about the rest areas, embrace the small town detour, and you’ll be just fine.