Sugar Bottom Recreation Area

This park would be amazing, but the DNR completely ruined it for us. It was my 27^th birthday, I had 10 people camping with me in 2 side by side campsites. Quiet time is 10:30, at 9:00 the DNR came over and told us we were giggling too loud. We asked if someone complained and she said,
«Um, uh, no.» She had also hassled us earlier for hiking with towels. Accusing us of the possibility of getting in te water. This lady was looking for any little opportunity for us to break the rules. Trudy, (Reno 911) get a life.

This place has some amazing single track bike trails. Hard to believe one of the 50 best mountain bike trails is in the middle of Iowa!
It’s only a three hour drive from Chicago so my boyfriend and I have driven out just for the weekend as he adores these trails. There is a huge lake for boating, a nice campground, frisbee golf course, and I’ve taken the beach cruiser out for a spin on the paved roads. We watched a hot air balloon take off from the beach last time we were here.
Take I-​80 to I-​380 N. Take I-​380 to Exit 4, turn E onto Penn Street; follow Penn St to N Front St. Front St turns into Mehaffey Bridge Road. After crossing Mehaffey Bridge, turn S. Follow the entrance road to Sugar Bottom Campground. To get to the bike trails turn south before the Bridge.