The 24 Best Campgrounds in Minnesota – Top-Rated & Hidden Gems
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Trent Jonas
Author
With so many natural wonders in Minnesota, it only makes sense that we are blessed with many wonderful places to camp. Whether you’re looking for solitude, beautiful views, or all the amenities when seeking a camping spot, you’re sure to find a Minnesota camping experience that will meet your specifications. But to help make that decision a little easier for you, we’ve compiled this list of our picks for the best campgrounds in Minnesota across several categories. We hope you’ll see a place among these that makes you want to get out and go camping!
Best State Park Campgrounds in Minnesota
Our Minnesota State Parks are simply incredible – and we think you’ll find some of the best campsites in Minnesota in the parks’ campgrounds. Here are a few of our favorites.
1. Itasca State Park
Itasca State Park, 36750 Main Pk Dr, Park Rapids, MN 56470, USA
- Location: Park Rapids, Minnesota
- Popularity: This is a very popular park.
- Park Info: You will need a Minnesota State Park permit, as well as a camping reservation to camp here.
- Price: Campsites are $20 to $25 per night plus a reservation fee. Electrical ($10) and water/sewer ($8) hookups (where available) require additional fees per night.
Itasca State Park was Minnesota’s first state park; it’s also the second largest (after St. Croix State Park) in the system. Here, you’ll find old-growth red and white pine forests, pristine peatlands, and Lake Itasca, which is famous as the headwaters of the Mississippi River. The Bear Paw campground puts you right on the shores of Lake Itasca. Combined with the Pine Ridge camping area - which is open year-round - you’ll find more than 200 campsites at Itasca, including 223 drive-in sites. All the sites in the developed campgrounds offer easy access, and more than 160 of the sites offer electric hookups. In addition to the Mississippi River headwaters, this park is popular for its many hiking trails, including snowshoeing in the winter. It’s also a destination for bird watching and fishing. In the summer, visitors will find kayak rentals for paddling Lake Itasca.
2. Gooseberry Falls State Park
Gooseberry Falls State Park, 3206 MN-61, Two Harbors, MN 55616, USA
- Location: Two Harbors, Minnesota
- Popularity: This is a very popular park.
- Park Info: You will need a Minnesota State Park permit, as well as a camping reservation to camp here.
- Price: Campsites are $20 to $25 per night plus a reservation fee.
The iconic and usually-crowded Gooseberry Falls State Park is easily one of the most popular parks in the system, thanks to its close proximity to Duluth and Two Harbors on the North Shore of Lake Superior. It’s also home to several stunning and relatively easy-access waterfalls that are some of the most visited and photographed cascades in the state. Getting a camping reservation in the park is compounded by the fact that its campground is relatively small (only 69 sites). There are only 3 pull-through sites, and electricity is not available. But the stunning views of Lake Superior and its shoreline more than make up for it - if you can score a site.
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3. Blue Mounds State Park
Blue Mounds State Park, 1410 161st St, Luverne, MN 56156, USA
- Location: Luverne, Minnesota
- Popularity: This a popular park, but summer reservations are available more often here than in other crowded parks in the system.
- Park Info: You will need a Minnesota State Park permit, as well as a camping reservation to camp here.
- Price: Campsites are $20 to $25 per night plus a reservation fee. Electrical ($10) and water/sewer ($8) hookups (where available) require additional fees per night.
Blue Mounds State Park is noteworthy for the long spine of Sioux quartzite that gave the park its name (the outcropping looked blue in the distance, across the tallgrass prairie) and as home to one-third of Minnesota’s state bison herd. This southern Minnesota park offers several camping options, including traditional drive-in sites, as well as several walk-in sites, and three cart-in tipis that can also be reserved. You’ll find plenty to do at this park, including hiking and cycling, rock climbing, and observing the bison herd in a native, tallgrass prairie habitat.
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4. Whitewater State Park
Whitewater State Park, 19041 MN-74, Altura, MN 55910, USA
- Location: Altura, Minnesota
- Popularity: This is a popular park.
- Park Info: You will need a Minnesota State Park permit, as well as a camping reservation to camp here.
- Price: Campsites are $20 to $25 per night plus a reservation fee. Electrical ($10) and water/sewer ($8) hookups (where available) require additional fees per night.
Whitewater State Park is located about 30 minutes east of Rochester in the heart of Minnesota’s Bluff Country. Its deep valleys, limestone bluffs, rushing streams, and hardwood forests are part of what makes this park wonderful. Hiking, cross-country skiing and snowshoeing, trout angling, and swimming are popular activities in the park. You’ll find two good-sized campgrounds with 110 traditional sites between them. There are four camper cabins and eight cart-in campsites, as well.
5. Jay Cooke State Park
Jay Cooke State Park, 780 E Hwy 210, Carlton, MN 55718, USA
- Location: Carlton, Minnesota
- Popularity: This is a very popular park.
- Park Info: You will need a Minnesota State Park permit, as well as a camping reservation to camp here.
- Price: Campsites are $20 to $25 per night plus a reservation fee. Electrical ($10) and water/sewer ($8) hookups (where available) require additional fees per night.
Located less than 30 minutes south of Duluth, just outside of Carlton, Jay Cooke State Park is a Northwoods paradise. Hikers and snowshoeing enthusiasts will appreciate the major trails that pass through the park, including a section of the Superior Hiking Trail and the North Country National Scenic Trail, which cross the St. Louis River at the park’s iconic swinging bridge. Summer cycling on the Munger Trail and year-round fat biking in the park also make this park popular with cyclists. When river levels are right, the rapids in this section of the St. Louis River attract whitewater paddlers. As far as camping, there’s one campground with 79 sites, a dozen of which are open year-round. There are also four walk-in sites, four backpack sites, and five year-round camper cabins.
6. Mille Lacs Kathio State Park
Mille Lacs Kathio State Park, 15066 Kathio State Park Rd, Onamia, MN 56359, USA
- Location: Onamia, Minnesota
- Popularity: Although this park is popular, particularly on weekends, it does tend to have more available reservations than other, more popular park campgrounds.
- Park Info: You will need a Minnesota State Park permit, as well as a camping reservation to camp here.
- Price: Campsites are $20 to $25 per night plus a reservation fee. Electrical ($10) and water/sewer ($8) hookups (where available) require additional fees per night.
At more than 9,700 acres along the Rum River outflow from the southwest shore of Mille Lacs Lake, Mille Lacs Kathio State Park is the fourth largest unit in the state park system, and it’s one of the most fascinating. For one, it preserves several archaeologically significant sites, including mound groups and habitation sites dating back as far as 9,000 years. The entire park is a National Historic Landmark, and several individual sites are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Both Dakota and Ojibwe people traditionally inhabited this area, which is now located on Ojibwe land. In addition to exploring the rich history preserved by this park, you can enjoy hiking, snowshoeing, and cross-country skiing, as well as a swimming beach, boat and canoe rentals, year-round interpretive programs, fishing, and a 100-foot fire tower that affords panoramic views across the wooded park to Mille Lacs Lake. The park is home to two campgrounds with 70 traditional, drive-in sites, as well as three walk-in sites, four backpack sites, 10 equestrian sites, and five year-round camper cabins.
Best Beach Camping in Minnesota
With as many lakes as we have in The Bold North, it only follows that folks enjoy camping on or near beaches. These Minnesota campgrounds, we think, offer some of the best beach camping in the entire state.
7. Lake Carlos State Park
Lake Carlos State Park, 2601 County Rd 38 NE, Carlos, MN 56319, USA
- Location: Carlos, Minnesota
- Popularity: Although popular, Carlos does not always see the same crowds as other parks.
- Park Info: You will need a Minnesota State Park permit, as well as a camping reservation to camp here.
- Price: Campsites are $20 to $25 per night plus a reservation fee. Electrical ($10) and water/sewer ($8) hookups (where available) require additional fees per night.
The Lower Campground at Lake Carlos State Park sits right on the lake, adjacent to the swimming beach. It’s shaded, and the sites are all well-located for enjoying the park’s activities and amenities, including the beach, boating, fishing, and hiking. It also happens to be just minutes away from the award-winning Carlos Creek Winery, should you wish to pop over for an aprés beach glass of wine.
8. Temperance River State Park
Temperance River State Park, 7620 West MN-61, Schroeder, MN 55613, USA
- Location: Schroeder, Minnesota
- Popularity: This is a very popular park.
- Park Info: You will need a Minnesota State Park permit, as well as a camping reservation to camp here.
- Price: Campsites are $20 to $25 per night plus a reservation fee. Electrical ($10) and water/sewer ($8) hookups (where available) require additional fees per night.
While the beach at the Lower Campground at Temperance River State Park is not your typical sandy beach, it’s the classic pebble beach that you’ll find on the North Shore of Lake Superior and that we Minnesotans love. And this particular campground at this particular park is probably the closest you’re going to get to on-the-beach camping on the North Shore. Not to mention, Temperance River State Park is stunning, with its narrow gorges, rushing cataracts and waterfalls, and connector footpaths that lead all the way up to the Superior Hiking Trail. Plus, it's super close to both Schroeder and Tofte in case you need any last-minute supplies or a nice dinner out.
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9. McCarthy Beach State Park
McCarthy Beach State Park, 7622 McCarthy Beach Rd, Side Lake, MN 55781, USA
- Location: Side Lake, Minnesota
- Popularity: This is a very popular park.
- Park Info: You will need a Minnesota State Park permit, as well as a camping reservation to camp here.
- Price: Campsites are $20 to $25 per night plus a reservation fee. Electrical ($10) and water/sewer ($8) hookups (where available) require additional fees per night.
The namesake beach at McCarthy Beach State Park has been called one of the best in North America. A long stretch of Sturgeon Lake shoreline, this sandy beach is shallow for hundreds of feet out into the lake, making it perfect for swimming and splashing, and a popular day trip destination for folks from across northern Minnesota looking for a beach day. The Side Lake Campground is just across the isthmus from the beach, on the shores of Side Lake and is the ideal spot to set up your basecamp for a weekend of on-the-beach fun.
10. St. Croix National Scenic Riverway
Saint Croix Islands State Recreation Area, Stillwater, MN 55082, USA
- Location: Danbury, WI to Stillwater, MN
- Popularity: These campsites can be popular on summer weekends.
- Park Info: The Middle St. Croix District requires no permit; however, you will need an annual camping permit to camp in the Lower St. Croix District.
- Price: Campsites are free and available on a first-come, first-served basis.
The Minnesota portion of St. Croix National Scenic Riverway starts around Danbury, Wisconsin (on the other side, of course), and runs to the St. Croix Boom Site just north of Stillwater. Along this route, best accessed by canoe or kayak, you’ll find several designated tent camping sites along the banks of the river and at St. Croix Islands State Recreation Area. These sites are free and available on a first-come, first-served basis. In the Lower St. Croix District, below Taylors Falls, you’ll need an annual pass to camp, but otherwise, this is some of the best beach camping you’ll find in Minnesota. The sandy banks of the St. Croix, particularly in its shallow, languid parts, are perfect places to spend a warm summer weekend.
Top Glamping in Minnesota
For those who enjoy getting out in nature but don’t enjoy all that’s involved in setting up a campsite, there are plenty of luxury yurt camping spots in Minnesota (or should we say “glamping spots?”) for you, as well. Here are a few of our favorite places for glamping in the Land of 10,000 Lakes.
11. North Shore Camping Co.
North Shore Camping Co., 4595 MN-61, Beaver Bay, MN 55601, USA
- Location: Beaver Bay
- Popularity: Summer and fall weekends can be busy.
- Park Info: Located near Split Rock Lighthouse State Park and Tettegouche State Park, this glampground has a spur of the Superior Hiking Trail running through it.
- Price: From $150 per night with a two-night minimum stay.
North Shore Camping Co. is located on the Lake Superior bluffs just outside of Beaver Bay. This collection of luxury wall tents is perfect for those who want to enjoy all the rugged beauty of the North Shore and the Northwoods but who don’t want to set up camp. These year-round tents are equipped with fire rings and cozy beds for warming up after a day of hiking or snowshoeing on the Superior Hiking Trail or biking on the Gitchi Gami State Trail - both of which are trail-connected to this little tent community in the woods.
12. Afton State Park
Afton State Park, 6959 Peller Ave S, Hastings, MN 55033, USA
- Location: Hastings, Minnesota
- Popularity: Afton State Park is a very popular year-round destination.
- Park Info: You will need a Minnesota State Park permit, as well as a camping reservation to camp here.
- Price: Yurts are $80 per night plus a reservation fee.
Afton State Park may be the most popular spot for yurt camping in Minnesota - most likely due to its location on the stunning St. Croix River Bluffs, just east of Minneapolis-St. Paul. The park’s two yurts are reservable year-round, and weekends at any time of year tend to be hard to come by. One of the yurts is accessible, and both have wood stoves to keep the shelter cozy in the winter and at night. The park is awesome for hiking, snowshoeing, and cross-country skiing. There’s even a swimming beach along the river, when river levels are appropriate. In the winter, the yurts are a great place to stay after a day at nearby Afton Alps ski area, as well.
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13. True North Basecamp
True North Basecamp, 825 1st St SW, Crosby, MN 56441, USA
- Location: Crosby, Minnesota
- Popularity: Due to its limited number of accommodations, reservations at True North Base Camp can be hard to come by, particularly in the summer.
- Park Info: True North is connected by trail to Cuyuna Country State Recreation Area, which does require a Minnesota State Park permit for entry.
- Price: Prices range from $99 per night (cabin tents) to $255 per night (2 BR cabin) depending on the type of accommodation you choose.
Located just outside Cuyuna Country State Recreation Area, True North Basecamp is, as its name implies, a perfect home base for all of the opportunities for outdoor activities in this area. True North is connected to the adjacent Cuyuna Country by bike trail, as well as multi-use trails. Your glamping options range from cabin tents to modular cabins, all with picnic areas and fire rings.
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14. Glacial Lakes State Park
Glacial Lakes State Park, 25022 Co Rd 41, Starbuck, MN 56381, USA
- Location: Starbuck, Minnesota
- Popularity: Although popular, Glacial Lakes does not always see the same crowds as other parks.
- Park Info: You will need a Minnesota State Park permit, as well as a camping reservation to camp here.
- Price: Camper cabins at Glacial Lakes are $85 per night.
Like a landscape out of an Andrew Wyeth Painting, Glacial Lakes State Park is characterized by its rolling prairies and pothole lakes. It’s also home to a half-dozen state park camper cabins. Two of the cabins are accessible, and four of them are reservable year-round. Camper cabin rentals are some of our favorite ways to enjoy Minnesota state parks without having to pitch a tent.
Bonus Glamping Destination: Minnesota’s newest state park, Lake Vermilion-Soudan Underground Mine State Park, is home to eight, year-round camper cabins, two of which are accessible. Located between Ely and Tower, the park is located right on Lake Vermilion, one of the state’s biggest lakes and a favorite destination for walleye anglers.
Best RV Camping Sites in Minnesota
Most of the campgrounds on this list have RV sites and can accommodate recreation vehicles of certain lengths, but not all of the best campgrounds in Minnesota can be described as particularly “RV friendly.” Fortunately, you’ll find plenty of awesome campgrounds in Minnesota that not only welcome RVers but cater to them with amenities like water parks, golf courses, and wifi. Have a look at some of the campgrounds that we think do the best job of blending nature with creature comfort.
15. Kamp Dels
Kamp Dels, 14842 Sakatah Lake Rd, Waterville, MN 56096, USA
- Location: Watertown, Minnesota
- Popularity: This seasonal resort is extremely popular in the summer.
- Park Info: Located near Sakatah Lake State Park; full amenities, including water park.
- Price: From $82.50 per night.
Kamp Dels is one of Minnesota's best-known family RV resorts. With amenities ranging from a swimming pool to a water park and arcade, this seasonal campground is located right on Sakatah Lake - just a stone's through from the state park bearing its name. This is the perfect place to set up for a weekend (or week) of exciting summer fun for the whole family.
16. Stony Point Resort
Stony Point Resort & Campground, 5510 US-2, Cass Lake, MN 56633, USA
- Location: Cass Lake, Minnesota
- Popularity: Stony Point Resort is a busy seasonal destination.
- Park Info: The resort is located directly on Cass Lake, adjacent to the Chippewa National Forest.
- Price: $45 to $50 per night.
Those looking for a more laid-back, Northwoods experience need look no further than Stony Point Resort. This resort is right on Cass Lake, a premier Up North lake, and is adjacent to the western section of the Chippewa National Forest. Those who enjoy boating, fishing, and exploring northern Minnesota will be quite content at Stony Point, which even has an on-site restaurant and lounge.
17. Old Barn Resort
Old Barn Resort, 24461 Heron Rd, Preston, MN 55965, USA
- Location: Preston, Minnesota
- Popularity: Old Barn Resort is a popular seasonal resort in southern Minnesota.
- Park Info: Old Barn Resort is located near the charming town of Preston, as well as Forestville/Mystery Cave State Park, which does require a Minnesota State Park permit for entry.
- Price: Prices range from $45 to $65 per night.
In southeastern Minnesota’s Bluff Country, the seasonal Old Barn Resort may be the best RV resort around. Adjacent to the Root River State Trail - a premier multi-use and bike trail - and the river, itself, this massive 300-site facility boasts a swimming pool, and onsite, 18-hole golf course, and a beloved restaurant. The resort is open seasonally from late spring (weather dependent) through October.
18. Myre-Big Island State Park
Myre-Big Island State Park, 19499 780th Ave, Albert Lea, MN 56007, USA
- Location: Albert Lea, Minnesota
- Popularity: Myre-Big Island is a popular campground with year-round and winter camping options.
- Park Info: You will need a Minnesota State Park permit, as well as a camping reservation to camp here.
- Price: Campsites are $20 to $25 per night plus a reservation fee. Electrical ($10) hookups (where available) require additional fees per night.
We like Myre-Big Island State Park as an RV campground because it combines a beautiful natural, state-park setting on Albert Lea Lake with sites that can accommodate RVs and RV-tow vehicle combos up to 60 feet in length. Unfortunately, the park does not offer full hook-ups, but 32 of the 92 drive-in sites have electric facilities. This park is great for those who love a mellow camping experience, along with fishing, hiking, boating, and/or canoeing and paddling. The campground’s facilities are seasonal.
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19. Crow Wing Lake Campground
Crow Wing Lake Campground, 2393 Crow Wing Camp Rd, Brainerd, MN 56401, USA
- Location: Brainerd, Minnesota
- Popularity: Busy in the summer, this Brainerd Lakes Area resort is seasonally popular.
- Park Info: This resort is located directly on Crow Wing Lake in the heart of the popular Brainerd Lakes Area.
- Price: Prices range from $57 to $73 per night.
Crow Wing Lake Campground is the perfect RV getaway in the Brainerd Lakes Area. With tons of activities, including a playground, boat rentals, a heated swimming pool, a frisbee golf course, and many other activities, you will find plenty to keep you occupied at this seasonal resort. Or you can just kick back and enjoy the views out over Crow Wing Lake.
Best Primitive Tent Camping in Minnesota
If you’re willing to forsake restrooms with plumbing for nothing more than a fire ring and a tent pad (and sometimes not even that), you can find solitude while you soak up some of the state’s most stunning natural settings. We think these are some of the best places to camp in Minnesota.
20. Lake Maria State Park
Lake Maria State Park, 11411 Clementa Ave NW, Monticello, MN 55362, USA
- Location: Monticello, Minnesota
- Popularity: This park is popular particularly in the summer and fall on weekends. Weekdays tend to be easier to reserve.
- Park Info: You will need a Minnesota State Park permit, as well as a camping reservation to camp here.
- Price: Backpack campsites are $20 to $25 per night plus a reservation fee.
A designated wilderness park west of Monticello in central Minnesota, Lake Maria State Park is home to one of the last remaining stands of “Big Woods” in this part of the state. This is no developed campground in this park. Rather, its 17 campsites and three camper cabins are all hike-in facilities designed for backpackers. There are also two, hike-in group sites that can accommodate multiple tents. This park is popular for year-round hiking, snowshoeing, and cross-country skiing. Fishing and paddling on the park’s lakes are also frequently-enjoyed activities.
21. Cascade River State Park
Cascade River State Park, West, 3481 MN-61, Lutsen, MN 55612, USA
- Location: Lutsen, Minnesota
- Popularity: This park is popular particularly in the summer and fall on weekends. Weekdays tend to be easier to reserve.
- Park Info: You will need a Minnesota State Park permit, as well as a camping reservation to camp here.
- Price: Backpack campsites are $20 to $23 per night plus a reservation fee.
The campground at Cascade River State Park, named the river that tumbles through the park on its descent to Lake Superior, has 40 campsites, six of which are open year-round. But for those interested in primitive tent camping, the five backpack sites here are the real draw. Four of the sites are located in the park’s highlands, affording spectacular views of the Cascade River valley and the Northwoods setting, as well as access to the Superior Hiking Trail. One very special site is located on the craggy shoreline of Lake Superior - a spot you’ll have all to yourself. The park is popular in all seasons, perfect for hiking, snowshoeing, and cross-country skiing.
22. Iron Lake Campground, Superior National Forest
Iron Lake Campground, Old Gunflint Trail, Grand Marais, MN 55604, USA
- Location: Grand Marais, Minnesota
- Popularity: This campground is popular, particularly in the summer and fall on weekends. Weekdays tend to be easier to reserve.
- Park Info: This rustic campground sits directly on Iron Lake, which offers access to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness.
- Price: Campsites are $22 per night plus a reservation fee, if made online. Some sites are available on a first-come, first-served basis and must be paid for on-site with cash or check.
Located just off the Gunflint Trail in the Superior National Forest, Iron Lake Campground offers the same terrain and wilderness you’d find in the adjacent Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness or Voyageurs National Park, but you can get to it without any type of watercraft. This small campground does permit RVs, but the sites are only equipped with fire rings and picnic tables. Vault toilets and a canoe launch are the only other amenities in the campground. But the solitude and stunning views of the northern Minnesota wilderness, as well as night time stargazing, make this a superlative camping spot.
23. Richard J. Dorer Memorial Hardwood State Forest
Reno Recreational Area, Minnesota 26, Brownsville, MN, USA
- Location: Brownsville, Minnesota
- Popularity: Hidden gem.
- Park Info: This state forest comprises more than 1 million acres in the Bluff Country of southeastern Minnesota, including six recreation areas and 10 campgrounds.
- Price: Campsites are $17 on a first-come, first-served basis in developed campgrounds; dispersed camping in state forests is free.
The million-acre Richard J. Dorer Memorial Hardwood State Forest covers parts of seven counties in southeast Minnesota’s Driftless Area. Recreational opportunities that range from hiking, paddling, and trout angling to offroading, cycling, and cross-country skiing abound here. There are 10 first-come, first-served campgrounds in the forest, all of which offer rustic - i.e., no plumbing, no electricity - sites. However, this state forest also offers something you won’t find in state parks: dispersed camping. As long as you abide by the state’s dispersed camping regulations, you can select your own campsite in the forest and camp free of charge. Camping doesn’t get more primitive than this. Just be sure to adhere to Leave No Trace principles when setting up and taking down your site.
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24. George Crosby Manitou State Park
George Crosby Manitou State Park, 7616 Co Hwy 7, Finland, MN 55603, USA
- Location: Finland, Minnesota
- Popularity: While this is a less-trafficked park, there are relatively few campsites, so reserving one may be difficult on certain summer weekends.
- Park Info: You will need a Minnesota State Park permit, as well as a camping reservation to camp here.
- Price: Backpack campsites are $20 to $23 per night plus a reservation fee.
Another of Minnesota’s designated wilderness parks, George Crosby Manitou State Park only offers camping at 21 designated backpacking sites scattered throughout this rugged Northwoods park. The parking lot is near the canoe/kayak launch on Benson Lake, so paddling and angling are popular activities here, as well as hiking, snowshoeing, and cross-country skiing. The park is home to several waterfalls on the Manitou River as it descends to Lake Superior, and the Superior Hiking Trail crosses through the park. This is another place that offers true serenity and immersion in nature with a primitive camping experience.
These two dozen places exemplify how wonderful it is to enjoy camping in Minnesota. This list is far from exhaustive, but we’re pretty sure some of the best camping spots in the Land of 10,000 Lakes are included. We hope you think so, too!
Don’t forget to take a look at our ultimate hiking essentials packing list if you plan on hitting the trails during your camping adventures.
Looking for more? Check out this beautiful footage of an iconic scenic byway in Minnesota:
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Camping In Minnesota
What are the most popular state parks in Minnesota?
Some of the most popular state parks in Minnesota include:
- Afton State Park
- Interstate State Park
- William O'Brien State Park
- Wild River State Park
A few state parks in Minnesota are very popular simply by virtue of their proximity to larger cities. Afton State Park, Interstate State Park, William O’Brien State Park, and Wild River State Park are all located on the St. Croix River across from Wisconsin and less than an hour from the Twin Cities. This makes it very difficult to find campsites at these parks on weekends. Afton State Park, in particular, is a busy year-round camping park. Similarly, Whitewater State Park is close to Rochester and Jay Cooke State Park is just outside of Duluth. It can be hard to score campsites at these parks, as well.
Other state parks are popular as destinations unto themselves, and you can find yourself battling crowds of other campers on weekends and during the summer. These include Itasca State Park, the oldest in the system and home to the headwaters of the Mississippi River. Other places where you may find a scarcity of camping spots are Gooseberry Falls State Park, which is also less than an hour from Duluth, and Split Rock Lighthouse State Park - two of the most-visited parks on the North Shore of Lake Superior. Split Rock Lighthouse State Park has recently added an additional campground with RV sites, but its lakeside cart-in campground books up early and fast.
What time of year is best for camping in Minnesota?
Summer is the most popular time of year for camping in Minnesota.
Any time of year is great for camping in Minnesota, but depending on your preferences, some may be better. No matter what season, though, when planning a camping trip in Minnesota, especially at one of the state parks, it’s crucial to make reservations well in advance - especially for a trip on a summer weekend. The thing about camping in the summer, though, is the temperatures can get pretty warm, and worse, the bugs (mosquitos, ticks, black flies) are at their worst. In my opinion, then, the shoulder seasons - late spring and early fall - are the best times of year to go camping in Minnesota. You’ll encounter far fewer bugs and some of the best camping weather at these times of year. Bear in mind, though, that the farther into northern Minnesota you camp in the shoulder seasons, the more likely you are to encounter colder temperatures, particularly overnight,
Where can I find secluded campgrounds in Minnesota?
The best places to find secluded campgrounds in Minnesota are the rustic campgrounds in the state and national forests, farther from Minneapolis and St. Paul. For example, you may be unable to get into the wonderful - but very crowded - Split Rock Lighthouse State Park campground, but you could camp at one of the several campgrounds in the nearby Cloquet Valley State Forest. There are also several camping options in the Finland State Forest near Tettegouche State Park.
Similarly, you won’t find any “campgrounds,” per se, in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, but there are several campgrounds - with varying degrees of amenities - in the adjacent Superior National Forest. East Bearskin Lake and Trails End Campgrounds, for example, are campgrounds off the Gunflint Trail that can accommodate some RVs and happen to be adjacent to BWCAW entry points.