Established Camping
Afton State Park Campground
About
State Park
Located on the St. Croix River, just 20 miles east of Saint Paul, Afton State Park is great for those looking for camping near Minneapolis and is 1600 acres of rolling prairies, oak woodlands, and limestone river canyons amid an ancient glacial landscape. The land for the park was acquired in 1967, but it took almost 15 years of planning revisions and compromises with local residents before the park finally opened in 1982. Little development has gone into Afton State Park in an effort to maintain its natural characteristics, and former farmland atop the bluffs are continuously being restored to their original state. This makes Afton an ideal destination for campers looking to experience the outdoors in a wilder setting.
Load up your backpack with all you’ll need for your stay, as camping at Afton State Park requires a hearty, 0.75-mile hike in from the parking area. The year-round campground offers 27 rustic sites with picnic tables and fire pits, with options for pitching your tent in either open or wooded areas. There is drinking water, a vault toilet and firewood is supplied within the camp area. There is also three boat-in campsites, and two group campsites that can accommodate up to 60 people each. If you’d rather not rough it, the park also offers four camping cabins and two yurts, some of which are wheelchair accessible. There are also several picnic areas and restrooms within the park. Campsite rates range from $15–$23/night; cabins range from $55–$70/night, and yurts $50–$65/night.
When you’re ready to explore, start at the park’s Nature Store where you can pick up information about the park’s flora and fauna, or join a nature walk. Then choose from more than 20 miles of hiking, biking, and equestrian trails, as well as a short barrier-free path. If you’re visiting in winter, many of these trails are open for snowshoeing and cross-country skiing. Bring your GPS and go on a geocaching treasure hunt, or bring your binoculars and go on safari for a variety of migratory birds, waterfowl, and wildlife, including deer, foxes and badgers. And little ones will love becoming Junior Park Naturalists and learning about bugs, birds, plants and other critters. If you’re looking for a real outdoor adventure, Afton State Park has what you’re looking for.
Access
- Drive-InPark next to your site
- Hike-InBackcountry sites.
- Boat-InSites accessible by watercraft.
Stay Connected
- WiFiUnknown
- VerizonAvailable
- AT&TUnknown
- T-MobileUnknown
Site Types
- Tent Sites
- Group
- Cabins
- Tent Cabin
- Yurts
Features
For Campers
- Market
- ADA Access
- Trash
- Picnic Table
- Firewood Available
- Phone Service
- Reservable
- Drinking Water
- Electric Hookups
- Toilets
- Pets
- Fires
For Vehicles
- Sanitary Dump
- Water Hookups
Great First Backpacking Trip
This summer we took our 7 year-old here as a trial of backpacking camping with him.
This is a little more than a mile, and so it was super approachable for all of us to hike-in with all of our things. There was a good amount of hiking, some hills up and down and such, but a good length for a little guy.
Back in the campsites, there is A LOT of space. Everyone is super spread out, so we could feel like we had very good privacy. We heard a bit from other campsites, but with the space, we weren't bothered by others' noise nor did we feel like we needed to silence the kiddo to avoid bothering others.
All time favorite
The eagles soar as you swim in the sandy, shallow warm river stream. What more could you want?
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Terrific Semi-secluded carry-in sites
First, terrific park. Lots of trails with a wide variety of landscapes. Prairie, forest, river, it’s got it all.
My campsite was perfect. The woods made it very secluded. It was close enough to water and bathrooms so it wasn’t bad if you planned. They do have firewood available however it is long slab wood, so you do need to cut it yourself. Hand hacksaws are provided, but we’re not great quality which made cutting the wood difficult.
These sites do require a hike from parking. Would strongly discourage big coolers or lots of weight.
Location
Afton State Park Campground is located in Minnesota
Address
6959 Peller Ave South
Hastings, MN 55033
Coordinates
44.84800024 N
92.79100028 W