For those who want to experience Sheldon, but still want the creature comforts of home, consider glamping for your trip. Glamping near Sheldon is a great way to travel off the beaten path. Find the right glamping site for you with our user-submitted photos, reviews, and tips. Glamping offers quick access to one or more of Sheldon's most popular destinations.
$20 - $35 / night
Guide
We camped here in July and had a blast. Buffalo, an old rock quarry, a mulberry tree, prickly pear cacti and more! The view from the ridge goes for miles, you can actually see Iowa. Site #9 is partially shaded and very level with just a slight walk to the restroom facilities. Take a short drive to see the Pipestone National Monument if you have time, you only need about 30 minutes to see the monument itself. This park was definitely worth the 4 hour drive we took to get there. Luverne, MN is a cute little town to visit as well.
Scout
Primitive camping was awesome
Scout
Was picking up my rv from south Dakota after getting repairs from a previous trip. So pulled a 2 and half day 1700 mile trip and ended upon this small gem of a campground that was open with full hookups on October 30th. ( October 31st is their season ending date on website) anyways pulled up about 8 at night and 1 other 5th wheel was there. Very quiet. It was dark the spots seemed alittle unorganized layout. But didn't get to much attention to it as I was stopping for the evening basically to just sleep. I did notice that the power boxes are set up is only few spots with multiple power boxes on the post. So you could need a power cord extention. If all spots by the power boxes are taken up. But it was a great overnight spot. I would like to check it out in season. Couldn't pass it up for full hook ups on October 30th. And the price is only $15.00
GuideSmall town. Mill and farm land
ScoutCheap full hookup when passing through.
GuideWe just needed a place to stay for the night. The playground was rated “amazing” by our kids. The electrical and water are a little spaced out. We took the end spot and count quite reach our two water hoses. There two long-term campers who were hooked up to the water spigot closest to us. The first-come, first-served / self-pay system other great for us. We pulled in at 7:00 pm and left at 8 am.
TravelerGreat place right off of 90. Follow the gps location on the app. Don’t use the address off of the city’s web site. Plus there are signs for camping that will lead you right to it. It’s a first come place with no reservations and you pay on the honor system when you pull in. But full hook ups and easy back in parking. Great place for a over night!
LegendThis is a nice campground in a small farm town. The sites are lined up next to each other. One is not and is nestled in some trees. The rest have the sun into the evening. There’s a restroom with showers by the picnic pavilion. The playground was nice for the kids. I think it’s connected to the school. We walked the length of town and it was about a mile round trip. For $15 this is a great place to stop while driving I90.
TravelerWe stayed at Blue Mounds at the very end of July and it was a great first tent camping experience! We stayed in site 73E which was a little secluded from the rest of the campground but was across from the parking lot. We stayed on a Sunday night so being at the entrance of the park/across from the parking lot wasn't really an issue at all but I could see if it was a Friday/Saturday it might be. We only stayed one night so didn't use the showers but the bathrooms were very nice and clean. We weren't able to hike as much as I would have liked but my kids 5/9 still made it about 3 miles on one of the loops and we found our hiking club password. We didn't have any issues with bugs. Luverne is super close and we hit up Tasty's Drive In for supper and it was great!
ScoutStayed at Blue Mounds on one of the hottest weekends this summer! We booked site 12 initially based off of reviews from the Dyrt suggesting riverside sites. Site 11 and 12 were NOT good. There's a dumpster in the middle of the two sites, absolutely no privacy, and no shade. Thankfully, there is good cell service (and free wifi!), and we looked up what other sites were open. 13 was open! And boy did we luck out with this. Even though it's just adjacent, 13 had a nice little secluded area for our tent, and a *private* riverside walk out to the cliffs overlooking the river! No direct river access- it's about a 15 foot drop to the river. The moonrise from this site was gorgeous. Had a spooky visit from the Starlink satellites. We drove in the morning to the bison area and saw about 12 of them roaming near the fence. Bathrooms were decent. Close by to Luverne for any last minute needs while camping.
TravelerWhat an amazing time! We stayed at site 54E which was pretty secluded our first night there. We got there a little late in the afternoon to do anything but get set up after which we got our grill going and enjoyed a delicious steak dinner. The next morning we went on a couple trails and just enjoyed the beautiful fall colors and we lucked out because the buffalo were close to the ranger station. It was quiet our entire stay and the weather cooperated except for some wind and a little rain. Definitely will be coming back!
GuidePeaceful and serene, great site. Was able to walk around before the sun went down and listen to the Bison, wasn't able to see them but we could hear them. Sites were great and amenities were clean and spacious.
ScoutHonestly, a severe storm and lealy tent ruined tje moght. But the grounds and park are beautiful! Hiking is excellent, challenging, and the views are AMAZING! From flooding a couple of years ago, they are having some water issues. They give you jugs of drinking water on check in, and for now. the showers are swim beach are off line.
TravelerLove the hiking and lack of bugs compared to most Minnesota parks. Great prairie views and it's always great to see Bison. Didn't love the lack of potable water. Would be nice to see more investment here- real gem of a park.
TravelerThis campground is still charging $17 for a camp site, $7 transaction fee and $7/day entrance fee despite the fact they have no running water. The toilets still flush. In the morning our car filled up with flies that bit us for hours before we were able to eliminate all of them. It is a 5 mile drive back to Luverne if you need supplies, and I was unable to locate a grocery store.
Two good things; they have a Free Little Library and at night the lawn was covered with fireflies
The campground was so miserable that the campground host had abandoned their trailer and was never present. We did have several locals drive through the campground to spy on us, presumably to see who was stupid enough to camp there. You are entirely responsible for knowing what site you reserved because there was no attempt to label reserves sites.
There is no privacy between sites. This is just a big lawn with driveways, picnic tables and fire pits. The landscaping is nicely done with blackberries popping out of some hedges and providing eye-level interest at the base of trees.
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LegendLast August we headed to Blue Mounds to investigate out the SW corner of our state for the first time. We swung through New Ulm on the way there to check out the Schell's brewing company and we also stopped at Laura Ingalls Wilder's Plum Creek to break up the drive from the twin cities. The drive itself got pretty boring on the last half- lots of flat fields and cows. As you get closer to Luverne things start to become more interesting and the town of Luverne itself was an unexpected delight.
Yes, the water currently has e.coli in it. There is a huge alert on the park's page explaining how you can go about accessing water and showers nearby. The $17 rate is the discounted price to reflect the e. coli discount. The main campground is pretty open, some sites have shade, it is a prairie after all. The cart-in campsite offers much more privacy with the grove of trees there. The bathroom facility at the drive-in campground is much nicer than the one for the tipis and cart-in sites.
We spent one night in the tipi (cool experience for $30-$35 a night) and two nights at a cart-in site w-09. Some of the paths to the cart-in sites are not flat and rather long, but ours wasn't bad at all. I would definitely consider staying at that campsite again. I don't think I would necessarily stay in a tipi again unless I could book it on short notice if I knew that the weather was going to be dry and cool. The day before we got there it had rained quit a bit and when we arrived it was HOT. This meant that we got to enjoy our tipi experience with the aroma of hot wet tipi. The tipi floor is a platform made out of manufactured deck boards that keep you off the ground. The tipi itself isn't nearly as critter-proof as a tent. We wound up packing up our belongings and putting them in our car between leaving the tipi and moving into our campsite since we wanted to go check out the local area before we could check into our next site and somehow a garter snake got transported out of the tipi in our belongings and into our car- awesome haha.
The park was flooded a few years back which washed out a quite a bit- the lake that used to be there is now gone and just overgrown with plants. Most of the park is dedicated to the bison, so hiking opportunities are kind of limited. There are a ton of bison, but you either get to see them or you don't unless you go on one of their bison tours. They were present by the fence twice while we were there. There is pretty much a large trail loop with another large loop that swings off of that. Bring a wide-brimmed hat and tons of sun screen, not much tree cover on the trails. The one visitor center located in the southern portion of the park appeared to be permanently closed.
Luverne was cool. There are tons of historic houses and next time I'm out there I'll spend some time driving through neighborhoods to check them out. There is a basic grocery store off of Main Street for anything that you may need to pick up. I kind of wish that we had gone out to eat in town more because of how great the food was. Sterling's was delicious and much more upscale than anything I expected to find out there, the local Buffalo Sweat beer was great enough that I tried to find it at the local liquor store before I left. Showers are available at the Luverne aquatic center for free.
Overall I really enjoyed my experience and I look forward to my next trip out there, whenever that may be. If you are coming from the Twin Cities make sure to hit up Schells and Laura Ingalls Wilder's Plum Creek homestead like I mentioned above. Nearby side trips are Pipestone, Touch the Sky prairie, and Jeffers Petroglyphs
GuideThis is a beautful state park campground. The sites are large and wooded without feeling closed in. There is biking and hiking. I believe you can also fish in the river, but we didn’t try it. The only downside is that their water is contaminated. They provide directions to a city site where you can fill your camper tank, and they give out a gallon of drinking/cooking eater when you check in. At Blue Mounds you can experience the prairie and what it must have been like for early settlers.
TravelerBison. Wildflowers. An old quarry.
And that’s about it.
Beautiful park with nice trails... you can hike them all in an afternoon if you’d like.
Highly recommended for a night or two.
ScoutThe place is beautiful. A lot of trails to go on. Lots of sun so bring your sunscreen.
GuideAmazing remnant of Minnesota prairie set among the farm country. With the prairie in Minnesota gone except for a handful of small conservation areas, Blue Mounds State Park is an oasis of prairie in a sea of corn and soybean. Bison roam a small area of a few hundred acres where prairie smoke and other native plants make a last stand in a landscape of Sioux quartzite rock outcroppings, cliffs, streams, rivers and waterfalls. Hike the park or drive over to touch the Sky prairie, there’s plenty to do. The campsites are high and dry with some set overlooking mound creek or nestled amongst the shade trees. In cooler months the park has a stone shelter with a wood burning stove to escape the rain or chill. There are three spacious tipis for rent. $30-35 a night that can sleep 4-6 people. Those sites are set to the side and offer some privacy.
LegendThis was a drive-by site for us and not a destination, so our review is based on only one night. We found the park to be very quiet and only had a few camping neighbors during our stay. It seems like it might be a destination for retired RVers, as everyone seemed to know each other well, which was fun.
Highlights include nice, easy trails through the prairie, lots of wildflowers, and a herd of bison. We only saw the bison from a distance, but apparently, there are tours. We experienced lots of bugs in early July - biting flies and mosquitoes, and there was a constant humming noise from a nearby farm that really detracted from our experience.
Otherwise, the campground was really peaceful and the bathhouse was clean. We arrived around 4:30 pm and the office was closed. We didn't see a single park employee or campground host during our visit.
We checked out the tipis, which looked really fun, but with all the flies, we opted for setting up our tents to keep them out. We'd totally stay here again, but we probably wouldn't go out of the way to visit.
ScoutStayed for 3 nights. Very shady, but does not have sewer or water hookup. 30 amp electric service. Grounds are well maintained and the restroom and shower facilities are very up to date but heavily used. Sites are closer than I like. Park has nice trails and bluffs. Bison are within the park but did not see. Rangers and staff very friendly. Would be great for overnighter. The most irritating thing about the park were the next door neighbors who let their five dogs use our campsite as an area for deification. People with pets need to be respectful of others. I have come to the conclusion that all pets should be banned from public lands.
GuideGgorgeous campground for looking across the grasslands or dunking in the stream. There are two main camping areas. We stayed in the more remote one, which meant further from the bathrooms, but worth it for the beauty and quiet. All the sites are very private. Nestled in trees on winding paths that lead down to a stream we absolutely took a dunk in as it was a very hot day. We didnt see the buffalo herd, but were only there for one night. Good birdwatching and I've never seen so many fireflies!
ScoutBeautiful rock for scenic views and for rock climbing
GuideThe campground is smaller but it is very well maintained. New bath house. They have done a lot to make this park accessible. Grassy sites, some better positioned than others. Very good shade. Some random placement for trash bins but I’d rather have too many than not enough.
There are lots of hiking trails with options for lots of distances. It was cool to see the Bison (from the west loop). The dam is pretty as well.
ScoutBeautiful park. Trails to hike are great with beautiful sweeping views.
Our campsite was not as great. We are a family of five and we are crammed in here. It’s also stuffy with no air flow and wafts of the pit toilet.
There are some other cart in sites that looked a little better. Overall I like the hiking but not the camping.
ScoutCouldn’t ask for any better. The climbing is great too
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular glamping campsite near Sheldon, IA?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular glamping campground near Sheldon, IA is Blue Mounds State Park Campground with a 4.4-star rating from 46 reviews.
What is the best site to find glamping camping near Sheldon, IA?
TheDyrt.com has all 6 glamping camping locations near Sheldon, IA, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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