Howell Station Campground
Lake Red Rock · Iowa · 135 sites
Photos: US Army Corps of Engineers via Recreation.gov
Overview
Howell Station Campground is a US Army Corps of Engineers campground in Lake Red Rock, Iowa, with 135 sites in 3 loops. Very shady: nearly every site is under trees. Verizon and AT&T report coverage at every site; T-Mobile at 107 of 135.
119 of 135 sites shaded
4 of 135 sites in full sun
16 of 135 sites with clear sky
Map of the campground
Every site from the Recreation.gov listing. Choose a layer to see it across the campground; tap a site to open it in Roam.
Layers
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Questions
Which sites at Howell Station Campground are the shadiest?
Nearly all of them. 119 of 135 sites at Howell Station Campground have good shade from the trees, including from the hot afternoon sun.
See the tree canopy in RoamWhich sites at Howell Station Campground get the most sun?
Only a few. 4 of 135 sites are truly sunny and 12 more get some sun; the rest are shaded.
See the tree canopy in RoamWill Starlink work at Howell Station Campground?
Only at a few. About 16 of 135 sites have a clear gap in the trees for Starlink and 24 a partial one; most sit under tall trees. Satellite texting on a phone needs less open sky, but still works best from the most open spot you can find. This is our estimate from tree heights — check with the Starlink app's obstruction check when you arrive.
See the tree canopy in RoamWhich sites at Howell Station Campground are the most level?
77 of 135 sites are flat, and 41 more have a gentle slope most RVs can level with blocks; 17 are steeper, better for tents. Sites that take RVs or trailers fit rigs up to 80 ft.
See the slope at each site in RoamDoes Howell Station Campground have cell service?
Mostly. Verizon and AT&T report coverage at every site; T-Mobile at 107 of 135. That's the coverage each carrier reports to the FCC, not a measured signal, so under trees or below a ridge it can be weaker.
See the coverage map in RoamWhen is the best time to see fall color at Howell Station Campground?
October. In a typical year the leaves around Howell Station Campground are at their best in early to mid October, though any one fall can run a week or two early or late. Much of the forest here stays green, so expect color in patches. Roam’s fall foliage map shows how far the color has come this week, free every September through November.
See this week’s fall color in RoamWhat’s the weather like at Howell Station Campground in October?
In October, expect highs around 64°F and lows around 42°F, with about 2.7 inches of rain over the month. Every month’s averages are in Roam Premium.
Open Howell Station in RoamCampground facts
- Sites
- 135 in 3 loops
- Kinds
- 135 for RVs or trailers
- Hookups
- 135 with electric
- Longest rig
- 80 ft
- Accessible
- 2 sites
- Elevation
- 703–709 ft
- Every site
- Pets allowed · Check-in 3 PM, check-out 2 PM
- Managed by
- US Army Corps of Engineers
- Booking
- Reserve on Recreation.gov
How we know Sources and limits
Shade, sun and Starlink are our estimates from Meta and the World Resources Institute’s canopy-height model (about 2 m pixels, from satellite imagery calibrated with space lidar; CC BY 4.0). From 2 m above each site we trace 72 lines out to 60 m and note the tallest tree in each direction. Shade counts trees overhead, the canopy within 30 m and how much of the afternoon sky is blocked. Sun counts how open the southern sky is. Starlink needs open sky above 35°, with the northern half counted twice because US dishes tilt north, and we keep the best spot within 8 m of the site’s post. The model sees tree heights only, not trunks, buildings or hills, so check with the Starlink app when you arrive.
Slope is the ground at each site’s post over about 4 m, from USGS 3DEP 1 m lidar: level under 2%, gentle to 4% (most rigs level on blocks), sloped to 8% (fine for a tent), steep beyond.
Cell coverage is from the FCC Broadband Data Collection (carrier filings as downloaded May 2026): each site is tested against each carrier’s modelled outdoor 4G/5G coverage. It is what the carriers report, not a measured signal.
Fall color is the typical peak from NASA’s MODIS satellite record of when leaves change (2001–2023), limited to deciduous and mixed forest with USGS land cover (NLCD), calibrated to the USA National Phenology Network’s ground reports of colored leaves (CC BY 4.0). It is an average of many autumns, so the page gives a window, not a date.
Weather is NOAA’s 1991–2020 climate normals for the campground. Sites and facts are from Recreation.gov’s open data (July 2026). Map imagery: USGS The National Map. Photos: Recreation.gov.
From the campground’s Recreation.gov listing: “Howell Station offers 143 campsites with 50-amp electric hookups. Amenities include flush and pit toilets, showers, drinking water and two dump stations. Younger campers love the park's playgrounds, while anglers enjoy the great river fishing access. Hardwood forests cover the riverbanks at Howell Station, offering shade and scenic views. Wildlife is abundant around the lake. A wide variety of waterfowl, including the American White Pelican, migrate through the area in spring and fall. Bald eagles can be observed from November through March. White-tailed deer, turkeys and other small animals are commonly viewed around the lake.”
Page data as of October 15, 2026. Full source notes are in each layer’s info in the app.