Fairport State Recreation Area

On our past visits to Muscatine, Iowa, we have stayed at Shady Creek, a Corps of Engineers campground.  That option was not available because Shady Creek doesn't open until May.

Instead we chose Fairport State Recreation Area, which is managed by Iowa DNR and open year-round.  The 43 site campground is on the Mississippi River and costs $12/night this time of year for dry camping with electric hookups.  A pit toilet is available. It's a good idea to bring your own toilet paper.  

Once the water gets turned on, the price goes up to $18/night, but showers, toilets, garbage dumpsters and water spigots are available.  

The waterfront is the star of the campground.

We had a front row view of the river from our site.  The interior rows are fairly tight.  The back row is very close to the highway and very, very close to the train tracks, which is only a problem when the train comes through.  On our first night, there were no trains, but the other two nights included several train visits.

There were fewer than six other campers in the campground during our stay.  One family had recently been evicted and was angry at the world.  Lots of shouting, ranger visits for non-payment, etc.  They were in a pop-up camper and were using one of those electric fireplaces for heat.  I know because they first set it up on the picnic table.  Lots of colorful language about that purchase and where it should go, etc.

Another guy got his huge fifth wheel trailer (3 slide-outs) and four-wheel drive RAM 3500 truck massively stuck on wet ground.  He spun all four wheels for so long and hard that I thought he had blown his engine, and that the truck was on fire.  It was on the other side of the campground, but I came running with the news that there was a fire raging under his truck.  Another camper (more usefully) gave him their fire extinguisher, and he eventually was able to put it out the fire, although it reignited briefly.

It turned out that he had set fire to the grass and brush under his truck.  The tires spinning dug quite an impressive trench that he was unable to escape, even with his four-wheel drive in low.  With a straight face, he asked me if I could pull him out.  I told him that I didn't have near enough truck to do that.  The Nissan has a 6000 pound towing capacity, and he wanted me to  pull out his truck and fifth wheel.

A tow truck was called and winched both units out together.  After setting up in his site, the guy never left the comfort of his fifth wheel for the next two days.  That side of the campground will bear the scars of his adventure for awhile.

Wildcat Den

 There are about five miles of of up and down trails at Wildcat Den State Park, which is just north of Muscatine, Iowa.

We started at the Grist Mill.

Julia watching the water fall

The trail then went up and into The Punch Bowl. The temperature was in the 30’s. We didn’t see anyone else hiking.

After our hike we had a beer at Contrary Brewing in Muscatine. The outdoor and indoor seating were packed on a Saturday early afternoon. 

I had a chocolate milk stout that was very good. Contrary is located across the street from the Mississippi River. 

Switching It Up

Weather forecasting is an imperfect science, especially in the early spring. This trip to Iowa was spur-of-the-moment, and we were perhaps overly optimistic about a forecast that included one rainy day and a warming trend with sunshine. 

Friday morning, we were confronted with a different reality.

The only decent weather days ahead would be Saturday and Sunday. We decided to spend those days further south with an actual Mississippi River view at a campground that was new to us.

River Ridge Brewing

A year is a long time to wait for a beer. We first visited Bellevue in April of 2021. At that time River Ridge was in the process of building out its new location on the Mississippi River. When we came back in October, the tasting room was closed. This time, we carefully planned our trip so that we would be in town during tasting room hours.

The foundation of the original building  is literally in the water. 

Rear of River Ridge Brewing

I wasn’t sure what to expect when we finally made our way inside on Thursday, but I can happily report that it is currently my favorite Iowa brewery.

It isn’t just the beer, although my nitro-tapped oatmeal stout was full-bodied and creamy. 

The views from inside and outside of the tasting room are amazing. We saw bald eagles, white pelicans, and egrets on the river.

On the day of our visit, the young woman who was bartending told me that our beers were each $1 off because it was National Beer Day. Four dollars for a pint of good local stout? I love Iowa.

Bellevue State Park

While Spruce Creek was our first camping choice, we knew that Bellevue State Park was open year-round, so Plan B was pretty solid.

The campsite was not quite as picturesque.

Last year, when we camped here, the bathrooms and showers were open which makes for a happy wife, happy life situation. 

Nope, the doors were locked. A couple of hours after setting up, a DNR truck pulled up and unlocked the doors. Life was immediately a little better.

She wasn’t sure about the showers. Warm water would be a bit of an overstatement.

Plan B

Our plans to camp on the banks of the Mississippi fell apart when we arrived at Spruce Creek County Park north of Bellevue, Iowa. The gates were locked and barricaded, despite the park’s web page declaring an opening date of April 1st. 

Bellevue is a beautiful little river town.

We stopped for Mexican food and walked up and down the sidewalks above the river.  We then drove south in search of an open campground.