Frontenac State Park Campground

**Campground Design**

I like that it's split into 4 small loops (1-11, 12-28, 29-38 and 39-59). There shouldn't be much traffic in any one loop. It's a very shady campground - lots of trees so it's quite dark at night with no stargazing from your site.

Our site #42 was right next to #40 and there's not much privacy between the 2 sites. There's a lot more distance and privacy between #42 and #44\. In general, sites are fairly close together but there are some trees in between.

I thought we might be closer to the Mississippi River, but the campground is located above the river (called Pepin Lake at this wide point). You can hike down to the river; the steep descent makes the short hike more interesting. There are Lower and Upper Bluff trails as well as other short, connected trails throughout the park. (See photo of trail map.)

**Tent Campers**

There are 6 'cart in' sites, but they are about 1/2 mile away from the main campground and on the other side of the road. Park, put your gear in a cart, and walk about 1/4 mile to your site (C1 through C6). 

Special rule for these sites: You have to pay $2 to use the showers at the main campground! Your camping rate is $15 instead of $23 for a non-electric site. If a cart in site doesn't appeal to you, the regular sites are good for tents; many have tent pads. There are also a couple backpacker sites.

**Amenities**

- Picnic table and fire ring on each site. Some sites have a tent pad. The 'rule of 3' says you can have 3 'units' on a site - 2 tents + vehicle, RV + rent +vehicle,... - One restroom with flush toilets, sinks and showers (old but no temperature control) located near the road in front of the loop with sites 12-28. We were in the last loop on site 42, and there was a pit toilet that smelled okay but had lots of flies.

- Some electric sites ($31) in the first 2 loops; the map (see photo) has an 'e' next to the site number and so does the post at the site.

- Dump station that includes a potable water filling station. There are water spigots in the camping areas.

- Trash dumpsters and recycle bins.

**Extra fees**

- There's a $7 reservation fee for online or phone reservations, and the site posts indicate you need to 'reserve' the site before you set up camp.  You avoid that fee by showing up without a reservation when the office is open, but I wouldn't do that on a Friday or Saturday in the summer. You can always get a sense of whether showing up without a reservation is feasible by checking availability online. It also looks like you avoid the fee if you reserve online on the day you stay.

- $7 entry fee per day is standard in MN parks. A $35 pass is good for 12 months.

Shady, quiet campground in the woods with short hiking opportunities

This is one of the more picturesque MN state parks with incredible views of the Mississippi and Lake Pepin.  We stayed at the cart-in sites that were about 1/4 mile from the parking lot. They have big carts so its easy to get your things to your campsite.  I do have one very big issue with the cart-in sites in that you don't have access to the park's showers at the main campground. I'm sorry but that sucks.  Other than that I'd highly recommend the park.

Awesome Views of Lake Pepin & Bluff Country

We spent a single night here at site 37\. The site was great, the privacy was okay, and the campground itself was slightly above average.

Our site was huge. It could have easily accommodated an RV and a tent. There was a campfire ring and picnic table there like each site, but ours also had a tent pad and a very long parking spot. We were tent camping. This was the first tent pad I have ever been able to stake down without bending or breaking stakes and needing a mallet. The site was also close to a few of the trailheads. See pictures. Would recommend site 37 any day.

The privacy was nonexistent because there were no leaves on the trees yet. In the summer, that might change. There are trees between sites.

The campground itself was okay. The ranger and lady in the office when we stopped in were a little strange, but helpful. They were out of wood, but there is a DNR certified seller not a mile down the road- you can get more wood for cheaper there anyway. In MN, you need to get your firewood from the state park you are at or a certified seller in the same county to prevent the spread of tree pests and disease. The ranger can and will stop at your site and ask to see your seller card from the wood. The rest of the campground was nice. Many water spigots were still frozen, but there isn't much to be done about that. Overall, I would definitely recommend this campground!

Early Season Experience

The walk in sites were really nice - secluded and peaceful. The facilities were well kept up and the views from the bluffs were just incredible - you could see all of Lake Pepin! The trails on the shore were really cool and a nice challenge. Would go back again in a heartbeat!

Great walk-in sites

Camping spots are pretty spread out, try to avoid going on the trails before, during or after all the snow melts otherwise it can get a little messy. Beautiful views and adventurous trails.

Woodsy and Fun

Intimate campsites, good tree coverage for privacy, our sites had easy access to indoor toilets and showers. The highlight of our scout trip was hiking along the river bluffs.

Beautiful river hikes.

This place has truly an amazing view.

Very nice facilities for group camping and picnics.

Average campsites.

We bike toured here from mpls in a day which is a nice trip if you go along the river.

Id recommend this place for any amount of people in any vehicle(s) for a short stay. There’s great views but it’s a pretty small park so don’t plan a 4 day hiking stay or anything. If you’re there a night or two there will be plenty to see and it really is a great park!

Eagle’s Eye View of the Great Mississip 

Loved this campsite and the views. Very friendly staff. 

Beautiful views

Stayed at site 31.  All campsites are pretty close to each other but they are nice.  Bathroom was nice and close to our site, but not too close.   Train traffic overnight was a touch annoying. 

Hiking trails were well maintained and accessible throughout the campgrounds.

Great views of the river and another trail that we drove to get to-  sand point.  Worth the drive and hike, bring big spray for this one though- not terrible but noticed bugs here vs at the campground trails.

Great get away near the cities

Sites were a mix of electric and non-electric in the same loop, with the non-electric on the outside of the loops and some might consider to be better, as they are closer to the bluffs and views of the water. Clean bathrooms and showers and well-marked hiking trails. Sites were a little closer together than in some MN state parks we’ve been in but spacious enough. In our camper van, we had no problem, but if you have a large Class A, it might be a tight squeeze (as evidenced by us watching one struggle to get into the site next to us)! Bring your bug repellent if you are there in the spring - you will need it!! We used our screen room to escape the bugs, not shield us from the sun!

Nice hiking trails along the Mississippi River bluffs

Red Wing is extra quaint, and worthy of at least a day trip if you live in the metro area. Frontenac state park technically isn’t in Red Wing, but you basically drive by the pretty prison(yes!) and you are almost there. Do yourself a favor and enter the park from the entrance closest to the river(if you look at a map you will see it’s the same road that just loops through) or when you are leaving the park take a left to drive through the same area. It is basically our very own Minnesota version of Stars Hollow from Gilmore Girls. There is also an impressive former convent, Villa Maria, that is currently an event center and will soon offer lodging.

A lot of people come to Frontenac as a picnic destination, my mom and stepdad have a tradition of going to Nelson creamery in Wisconsin and bringing cheese curds and having a picnic at the scenic overlook off of the parking lot. From the parking lot you have access to the bluffside trail that goes down to the river. Going down is easy, going back up is a challenge. I would say that if the thought of running a mile seems daunting, then you should consider taking another trail. We started our hike with the hiking club trail in reverse, and it was gorgeous and enjoyable in the fall. We probably would have avoided the bluffside component if we had started the trail going the correct way.

There is a selection of hike-in and drive-in camping. We went the last weekend in October for a last hoorah with the fall colors, and the only bathrooms open were the pit toilets which were ok. The drive-in sites are pretty crammed together, so my site recommendations are based on view of the river and separation from your neighbors. Best sites(photos/videos are provided as well): 5, 20, 36, 42, 50

Food tip: Eat at The Smokin’ Oak on your way into Red Wing. It is a hotel parking lot restaurant, but it is amazing.

Great time if you have the right site

Quiet, pretty hiking trails, nice people, close to home but tucked away enough to be away from everything 

Quiet place to get away close to home

There are a number of spots, but there is decent separation and enough tree cover to provide some privacy. Our tent sites (51 and 52) were as far as you could get from the flush toilets, about a 5 minute walk. There was 2 privies closer, but the closest needed some cleaning.

  

The check-in process was a little confusing, because the sites are a mile up the road from the entrance, and we didn't want to pay until we saw the campground and knew there were spots open. The campground fee can be paid over the phone or online, but we had to go back to the entrance to pay the park entrance fee separately.  

  

The surrounding area was beautiful, and I wish we'd had time to explore a little.

Quiet for a large campground

Went to the cart in sites. Nice walk along the prairie. Nice little site with good privacy compared to drive up sites. Not a long walk and cart is provided. Saw a few cool snakes. Wish there was a place to swim near by because it was HOT. Very nice hikes along the river. Not many mosquitos when we went.

Solid camping close to city.

The campsites are a little close but if you get one that is more secluded... it’s so nice. After our first time here, we’ll definitely be back! I love that it’s an hour drive from the cities. Not bad for a quiet getaway. 

Love this little gem!

Just the views alone are worth every penny and you won’t be disappointed with the rigorous hiking!

Can’t get enough!

Cart-in sites are nice, though a little clustered. You can't see other sites like you would at a drive in site. We biked the nearby Cannon Valley Trail, which was great. 

  

There were a variety of woodpeckers working on the trees, which was very cool. 

  

There are train tracks near the park and they do sound their horn. It didn't bother us though. 

  

4th picture is Eagle Point, which is half a mile from the cart-in sites.

Prairie and bluff overlooking Lake Pepin

Site 20 has an absolutely outstanding view of Lake Pepin and fall colors. The first and second loops have a mix of tent sites and electric sites, but it was quiet and peaceful. The electric sites seem small, so big rigs are deterred from setting up shop(and generators). The third and fourth loops are non-electric and also pretty closely packed in. The sites on the inside of all the loops are TINY and there’s very little privacy between sites. My top sites would be 5, 19e, 20, 22, 42, 46, and 49 in terms of view and privacy. 

  

Site 20 has adequate privacy between sites—but everyone on the trail can see your campsite, and the trail from the campsite to the bluff trail is right next door. All of this is offset by the gorgeous view. Plenty of trees for hammocks if you’re on the outside circle. The site itself was level and had a very spacious gravel tent area. The fire pit was clean and had a grate on top. Restrooms were clean with lots of social distance signage. When the wind died down, you could easily hear trains—there are several that run nearby. 

  

A couple random notes:

*   Firewood is $6/bundle and ice is $3/bag (5 lbs). Both are self-pay with the options of cash, check, or credit card.
*   Cell reception for T-Mobile was good.

You simply cannot beat this view

We stayed at Frontenac the first weekend of May, and lucked out with some really incredible weather! The park offers a number of really nice hiking trails along the bluffs of Lake Pepin, which we took full advantage of. There were a few boats on the water , which looked so appealing on our hot day :). If I was to come here later in the summer, I would for sure find a beach! 

  

We were in site 49, part of the outer ring of the 4th loop. Most of the outer loop sites were pretty large, this site being no exception. Sites 40-49 have a view of Lake Pepin through the trees, which was especially nice at sunset. The only downside of site 49, and a little bit of 48, is the trail to the Bluffside trail and In Yan Teopa lookout was right next to site 49. 48 had a little more privacy with some more trees in between, but it was right next to the driveway of 49 so we had regular traffic. If you're in a tent it wouldn't be a huge deal as your car would add a layer of privacy, but since I parked my trailer there were a lot of "hello's" while I was making breakfast and dinner.

  

The inner ring sites are fairly close together and don't offer a ton of privacy from site to site. Though a couple of families took advantage traveling together. If I was to stay here again, site 42 and 44 would probably be the ones I'd try for in terms of views and privacy. Note for summer of 2021 -- The main restroom/shower building is being torn down and rebuilt. Construction hadn't started while we were there, but the building was closed for the season. A number of vault toilets are available but no flush toilets or showers this year.

Solid campground with views of Lake Pepin

Great spot.  A little tight in some sites, but all good.  Not all sites have electric.

Quiet, wooded, near water (lake, river)

We frequent this park, and experienced something different this time. The park had done a controlled burn through a lot of the grounds right before we arrived. It gave an apocalyptic feel, but didn’t detract too much from the great weekend. The hiking here is awesome! 6 is the best cart-in spot, as well.

Great park - with a strange controlled burn setting

The elevation you get up on the bluffs gives you great views of the river and foliage (awesome in the fall).

Amazing fall colors and views of the Mississippi

Stayed only one night in site 16e. Plenty of space to park a 21 ft trailer. Fire pit very close to road so not much privacy. Campground quiet for the most part. There are limited electric sites, most on the inside of the first two loops. New bathhouse is beautiful with separate shower rooms, BRs and a dishwashing station. Very clean. Both the upper and lower bluffside trails and the hiking club trail are very nice with great views. Would definitely return for a fall visit. 

Nice campground

Nice campground all around. New shower/bathroom building and close proximity to hiking trails. Some of the sites are on the small side. Would recommend our site 11E, don’t be deterred by the proximity to trash and dump station. It’s a large site with a good view of the bluffs and river in the distance.