Storm Lake Launches Online Reservation System for Parks and Campgrounds

Booking a Fourth of July campsite at Sunrise Pointe used to mean calling City Hall before 5 p.m. on a weekday and hoping the date was still available. Storm Lake's recreation department changed that with the launch of an online reservation portal that lets residents and visitors secure campsites and park shelters at any hour, any day of the week.

The new platform, accessible at stormlake.org/reservations or sunrisecampgrounds.com, covers all bookings for Sunrise Pointe Campground at 1001 Sunrise Park Road as well as shelters at Chautauqua, Awaysis, Sunrise, and Frank Starr parks. Reservations are first-come, first-served and can be made up to one year in advance.

To book, create an account on either portal, select available dates and facilities, review applicable fees and park rules, and complete payment online. Automated confirmations replace the previous requirement of a signed rental agreement and full deposit payment no later than two weeks before the event date, a process that required a phone call or in-person visit to City Hall at 620 Erie Street, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Sunrise Pointe Campground, on the eastern shore of Storm Lake, offers between 101 and 103 campsites, including 36 full hookup sites equipped with water, sewer, electric, cable TV, fire pits, picnic tables, and concrete pads. Five reservation packages are available for the 2025 season, ranging from $12 to $30 per night, with rates unchanged from the prior season. Primitive tent sites remain available on a first-come, first-served basis and fall outside the online system. Onsite attendants staff the campground from mid-April to mid-September, and amenities include WiFi, restrooms, showers, laundry facilities, and wood and ice for purchase. A boat ramp sits directly across the street, and a fish cleaning station at the north end of the campground underscores its draw for walleye anglers on Storm Lake, the state's fourth largest glacial lake and widely considered one of Iowa's finest fishing destinations.

The campground sits adjacent to King's Pointe Waterpark Resort, which includes a 20,000-square-foot indoor waterpark, anchoring the eastern lakeshore as a family summer destination. Memorial Day, the Fourth of July, and Labor Day weekends are expected to fill quickly, and early booking is strongly encouraged.

Park shelters throughout the city are also now bookable through the same portal. The enclosed shelter with kitchen facilities at Chautauqua Park, open shelters at Awaysis, Sunrise, and Frank Starr parks, and the Great Lawn at Awaysis Park are all included. The Great Lawn, suited for larger gatherings, rents for $50 per time slot in two windows: dawn to 3 p.m., or 3 p.m. to dusk.

Residents who lack internet access or need assistance with the booking process can reach City Hall at 712-732-8000. Standard park rules covering noise curfews, cleanup requirements, and reservation time windows remain in effect.