Green Valley campgrounds to remain open in 2022

After reviewing a plan presented by the Iowa Department of Natural Resources’ engineering bureau, Park Ranger Jason Hyde and his staff decided to take a different approach to improving the campground and amenities at Green Valley State Park.

Prior to the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, the IDNR’s engineers were interested in a full renovation with campsite improvements including more full hookups for water, sewer and electric. But after seeing the plan, which showed a 25% reduction in sites, those working the campground decided against it.

“We were going to be down to like 75 sites,” said Hyde. “That’s really not something we’d like to do, to remove sites.”

The campground at Green Valley State Park, which is open April through mid-October, had a record year for campers in 2020, as most activities were on hold.

“We had 32,000 guest stays in the park last year. So basically 32,000 nights were stayed in here,” said Hyde. “So to reduce that by 25%, we just didn’t feel like that was a good use of taxpayer dollars.”

Hyde said the original plans included widening the roads.

“Historically they had been one way roads, now they are two-ways and they are just little narrow roads, but we never have any issues with that,” he said.

Hyde said the new goal is to focus on preservation instead of renovation. With this plan, the park will remain open during improvements.

“We can fix the road inside the campground that has some bad areas inside the campground,” said Hyde. “We have some erosion issues along the roadside from water rushing off the side and creating ditches off the side we don’t want. We have some wet areas in the campground. Whenever it rains it just maintains water. They are still going to do all that, do site improvements and some shoreline improvements in the campground.”

The shoreline in the Green Valley campground will get new riprap to help protect against erosion caused not only from water and ice, but activity that takes place on the lake.

“Green Valley is a special place because it’s a manmade lake with a ski zone,” said Hyde. “It’s the only lake area that has a manmade lake with a ski zone.”

Funding for projects at Green Valley primarily come from Marine Fuel Tax.

“MFT pays for a lot of things; boat ramps, shoreline armoring, fishing access like docks,” said Hyde.

Part of the upgrades at Green Valley will be an Americans with Disabilities Act accessible pier inside the campground. Hyde said the park already has two ADA accessible piers – one at the main boat ramp near the beach and one on the south side of the lake off 140th Street.

The Green Valley shoreline armoring project is currently out for bid at programs.iowadnr.gov/engreal/projectlist.asp. To reserve a site at Green Valley State Park, visit iowastateparks.reserveamerica.com.