Interstate State Park, near St. Croix Falls, Minnesota, is a fantastic spot for campers looking to immerse themselves in nature while enjoying some great amenities. With spacious sites that offer stunning views of the St. Croix River, it’s a prime location for both relaxation and adventure.

The campground is well-equipped with clean restrooms and showers, making it easy to freshen up after a day of hiking or exploring. Many visitors have praised the friendly staff at the park office, who can help you plan your day, whether it’s hiking to see glacial potholes or renting a canoe for some fun on the water. One camper noted, “The view of the river was beautiful and just steps away.”

For those who love the outdoors, the park features a variety of trails, including the scenic River Trail, which boasts breathtaking overlooks. While some campers mentioned that the sites can feel a bit close together, the overall atmosphere is welcoming, and the access to nature is unbeatable. As one reviewer put it, “It’s nice being right on the water with beautiful hiking trails.”

Whether you’re here for a weekend or a longer stay, Interstate State Park offers a blend of comfort and adventure that makes it a great choice for families and outdoor lovers alike.

There is so much to do at Interstate State Park along the beautiful St. Croix River. Explore unique geology and stunning cliff-top views, hike trails through diverse habitat, canoe or kayak, or relax on an excursion boat. The park is also a popular destination for rock climbers. Visit in spring for trails lined with wildflowers. Come in fall for picturesque valley views. Experience the park's glacial potholes during any season. These impressive holes were carved into the rock by swirling sand and water thousands of years ago.

Interstate State Park — Interstate State Park

Whether you're a tent camper, an RVer, or just passing through, Taylors Falls, MN has a lot to offer. There's so much to see and do, from exhilarating hikes or bike rides to exploring the local dining and shopping. Discover great camping spots near Taylors Falls, reviewed by campers like you.

Taylors Falls

The Best Camping Near Taylors Falls, Minnesota

Hikers delight!

Not only is this area unique in its rock walls and terrain, but the nearby little towns make a wonderful rainy day trip with plenty of hometown stores to shop. But when the weather is nice you will never find yourself bored with all of the trails and different sights to see.

The campground is quiet but not much space or privacy with clean facilities.

Campground: 6/10

Experience: 10/10

Beautiful views everywhere

When we first arrived to Interstate State Park our very first thought was "that this is awful". We hoped that our campsite that we had reserved was not as equals to those on the lower end of the northside, very open space more field like then camp ground to us. And then we came upon our site.With a waterfall on the back side and saint croix river on the other. I could not asked for a better site.

Living on the edge

Campground was very packed, little privacy, lots of non campers, trails on mn side were pretty bland. Kettles were neat to see, but there were a lot of people! Too domesticated for our taste.

Meh. Mediocre

The campsite was very small, hard to back the camper in to and not very private. The hiking there is by far my favorite within an hour from the twin cities. Lots of cliffs and great views. Checking out the glacial potholes near the end of the trail is cool. Crossing the bridge over to the Wisconsin side is another great hike, more cliffs and great views. It is a good place to hang the hammock​up and rest for a bit!

Favorite hiking near twin cities

A nice spot for families. The campers were very friendly and welcoming to us parents and our toddler. A beautiful spot, right along the river (you can even fish from some of the sites), there are trails for all levels. Even rock climbing and glacial potholes!

Nice spot

What a beautiful park! The river is gorgeous, the waterfalls, the pot holes! There were alot of stairs though but worth the hike!

Beautiful Scenery

Loved the campsite and the park ranger was SOOOO helpful!!

This campground gets 5 stars for it's locale alone. Great trails, beutiful rivers and cliffs, and the wonders of the potholes (not the kind you're thinking of). The 2 campgrounds are polar situations. Non-electric loop is quiet and enclosed. The power loop runs right along a 4-lane highway, which you can't really see but for sure will hear. Facilities are mediocre, but passable.

Great Area!

Some nice hiking and beautiful landscapes of wildflowers, grasses, and the river Typical state campground set up, not a ton of privacy but enough. Stayed 3 nights, tent camping. Biy certified firewood outside the park if you plan on using a lot. A nice weekend getaway close to the metro!

Rolling prairies along the river

Having grown up in Wisconsin I would visit the St Croix Falls side frequently. Swimming and hiking the bluff many an afternoon. Now that I live in Minnesota, I find myself frequenting the Taylors Falls side. Here you have the amazing "Pot Holes" from glacial waters and some pretty spectacular rock climbing. My son does that, I belay and cringe from the bottom! No papers need to be shown when crossing the border and a visit to either side of the beautiful St Croix River is well worth the trip! Not far from the MN side is a lovely sculpture park in Franconia - check it out should you find yourself in this part of the state - both are well worth the visit and the sculpture park is FREE!

A border friendly park!

The campsites at this park were average but all of the hiking trails that are easily accessible from the sites really made this campground worth it! Great facilities spread out all over the park and the rangers were great when I was there. Not too buggy and good cell phone service.

Really cool hiking!

I love to camp and hike at Interstate Park. There are many trails, so different hikers can find the right path to enjoy. There is a playground and bathrooms. The setting is stunning in the fall and not many people are around in late September and October. I often see photographers there.

Great for hikers! 

Awesome for hiking, site seeing, fishing, camping, all around anything for any outdoor person!

Great place

Such a beautiful campground and has anything and everything you could want. Like hiking beautiful trails? It has them. Like birdwatching? There is a specific trail for seeing eagles. Like to swim? Have a picnic at the lake or by the river! Like rock climbing? You can do that here too. Also perfect for camping, kayaking, canoeing, exploring, while being very family-friendly. I also recommend stopping in the visitor center - they have a lot of information about glaciers and how they moved through Wisconsin, as well as interesting information on the area’s logging history.

It’s a gorgeous park; I’ve been there more times than I can count and I never get tired of it.

Has everything!

The beautiful state park is along the St Croix National Scenic River. The expansive property offers walk -in campsites, hiking, canoeing, kayaking, picnicking, a swimming beach at an inland lake, river boat rides, rock climbing and more.

Beautiful Riverside State Park. 

Interstate State Park is unrated due to being so close to Taylor Falls. Interstate is a less busy alternative but close enough to enjoy what Taylor falls has to offer. The sites are open and not too wooded but clean facilities. 

Great view and quiet

This was a last minute camping trip that needed to be near the metro to utilize time.    Our site was right next to the shower building but remarkably quiet and with timer lights it wasn't too bright all night long. The trails nearby were gorgeous and a good workout. Will definitely be back soon!

Gorgeous Trails!

This is a beautiful spot just an hour outside of the cities. I showed up right at four as they were closing, and the staff still assisted me in obtaining my campsite and parking pass. There are trails right next to the campsite and its right along the river. The trails also lead to the glacial potholes. Wonderful getaway, will come back again.

ONLY caveat is there wasn't a good spot to hang my hammock at my site, so make sure if you are hammocking to choose a site with tree coverage.

Beautiful and (helpful!)

This park has very nice hiking trails and the interpretive center has a nice video on glaciers. We camped along the river in a very spacious rv site. The only downfall is that the bathroom facilities were very dirty. I did report this to the office when checking out. We brought a 7 year old grandson and hiked many trails. The swimming area was closed because of E. coli from the many geese that were there.

Absolutely enjoyable

The campground here is small (37 sites) but nicely situated along the St Croix River. It is also near Route 8 so you will hear road noise. Electric sites on inside of the loop; non with river view. Nice clean restrooms but the over the sink mirrors are for giants! (There is a full length one.) Not sure why they were placed so high! River Trail is nice and the potholes area fun to explore. Camp clubhouse with a stone fireplace and stocked with games and books was a nice addition.

Nice state park on the St Croix River

Group campsite one is a lovely open site right on the St Croix River. This is a walk in site but fairly close to the parking area. Plenty of grassy space to play and set up several tents. If the 5 group sites it is probably the farthest from the vault toilets but still not that far away. The sites are all right next to each other so there is no privacy and no guarantees another group won’t disturb your group at night or vice versa. The park is not very large but what it offers is lovely. In the river side you’ll enjoy rocky trails and the famous potholes and in the hill side you’ll enjoy views from way up high. 

Group site with a view

There are several campsites on and off the river but this one, campsite 21, has a lovely location that is directly on the river. Easy to access it even has a little beach to launch a kayak or fish from. This site has a raised tent pad but also space for another tent off the pad or your RV. This park is great for families as it has lots of rocks to climb and explore and the potholes are a wonder all ages enjoy. 

Bring your kayak

This group site #3 has the most beautiful tall pines on it. It has a soft pine floor great for sleeping but you could also hang your hammocks in this majestic site. Nearby are vault toilets or a little bit farther and there are showers. A water spigot is also close by. The river is near and you can see it but another group camp site is in the way. The sites are close so there is no privacy from the other groups. A risk if you’re doing family camp and your neighbors are on a weekend bender...

Bring your hammock

This site 37, is in a great park but really lacks the details that make for a great campsite. It is completely open, has no privacy as it’s between the entrance and the showers. It is great if you like having that closeness to the bathroom but it feels like it’s just a spot of land they needed to make use of. You also have the RV dumpsite on the other side of you and the garbage dumpsters. Smelled fine while we were there but in the heat of Summer, who knows.

Well if you need the bathroom...

Beautiful park

Very cool exploring the rock cliffs along the river, including the glacially created “potholes”, otherworldly! Nice campground close to the water! We camped early in the season before the mosquitoes. 

Interesting Topography

Really enjoyed staying here.  Was our first camping adventure with kids.  Bathrooms were nice along with an indoor area which was a nice diversion in a little rain.

Hiked from the campgrounds to Taylor’s falls area.  

Nice park, close to cities

Just across the border  campsite 30

Interstate has two entrances, and apparently prior to this weekend I’ve missed out on half of the park because I didn’t pay attention to this fact. And I’m kicking myself, because while the glacial potholes ARE cool they don’t offer the best hiking. It is also important to know that this park is extremely popular on the weekends with both locals and tourists, so if you aren’t camping and can’t find a spot in the parking lot then you can park in downtown Taylors Falls and just walk in.

  

There are a lot of ways to interact with the river in this park! You can take a scenic boat tour, fish if you enter by the campground, rent a kayak or canoe for a one way journey down the St. Croix(you will be picked up by the company further down river and driven back- I have never seen anyone paddle upriver on the St. Croix).  

  

The campground had a variety of sites- the sites along the river were definitely the best and most spacious. The inner loop has the sites more on top of eachother, and with COVID only every other site was available so you had more space to distance yourself. Speaking of COVID, I did not see anyone wearing a mask that was on the canoe rental pick up shuttle. 

  

Great sites: 3, 5, 6, 7, 10, 14, 21,

Fun park for a day or camping trip

Great little state park close to Taylor’s falls. The camp park itself is small, but if you can snag a riverside site, it’s the best!! Great hiking trails and river access as well. 

Small but exceptional

I spent many years doing single night stays here for the camp I used to go to (and later work at). Its proximity to Taylors Falls and the St. Croix River is appealing, and it has easy access to water and toilets, but it isn't my favorite place to camp. The interstate is pretty noisy (to be expected from the name), and it personally takes me out of the natural setting.

  

If you're looking for a more casual camping spot with access to amenities and popular hiking areas, this is a good choice. But if you want seclusion from your neighbors and a bit more quiet, maybe look elsewhere.

Called Interstate for a reason!

Excellent camping here and a wonderful state park. The boat launch is a great place to fish or put in your canoe or kayak, and the St Croix is very nice for swimming in the summer. Take caution and check the river conditions before camping to make sure the water levels aren’t going to flood out the camp sites on the water. BRING INSECT REPELLENT. 

Interstate is a Gem

A few nice hikes around the park. The drive up campsites are a little close together but still pretty nice overall! Most site are within 20 yards of the river. Can also rent canoes while you’re there and either paddle around or paddle downstream and can get picked up at the end. 

Nice hiking!

We love this campground and always camp in the south campground. Great access to nature trails and the river. Location is just perfect from twin cities. Just far enough to get away! We've camped with both a tent and our camper and there are sites to suit all forms.

Highly recommend!

Beautiful, Great Trails

It's a nice State Park close to the Twin Cities, right off the interstate (hence the name). We were really happy with our site (23) because it was the only one on the outer ring on that side of the campground, which gave us plenty of space and privacy. It was a big site, too, with a long driveway for our teardrop and a nice tent pad above the firepit/picnic table area.

The hiking itself was really nice with a couple of overlooks of the river. The glacial pothole section is really easy to walk and get to if you take advantage of the parking lot - probably good for families with young kids or those concerned about mobility. We opted for the hike from the campground. The campground is also close to the boat launch and kayak/canoe rentals for some nice water activities.

Note during this Covid season: The park sells firewood from the main office, but the office has limited hours because of Covid without a way to purchase a bundle when it's closed. There was a sign on the door directing you to the nearest gas station, but they were sold out by the time we stopped by. Odd to say since it's against the rules, but it may be worth planning ahead or to call to see when the office is open.

Smaller Park with Tons of Activities

This is a state park on the Wisconsin side of the St Croix River, which is mirrored by a comparable but smaller state park in Minnesota on the wrst side of the river, both being part of the wild and scenic St Croix National Waterway. Although the campsites themselves are pretty run of the mill, the setting is spectacular in terms of breathtaking scenery, and myriad outdoor activities from rock climbing in the river gorge, paddling the river, hiking miles of trails, and learning geology at the Ice Age geology visitors center. If you are tenting camping, the south loop is great, and if you pick campsite 65 or 67 you will have direct access to the river which is peaceful and good for paddle opportunities. There are picnic areas with swimming along the river which is nice for group gatherings, and one is designated for  folks with pets. Some of the rugged hiking trails along the bluffs and cliffs go right along the edge with minimal guard rails or walls, so keep a close eye on kids and pets because going over the edge is a possibility so utmost caution is advised. 

Expeditions at Interstate!

Sites are close together, but so close to hiking and river sports it works out great! Great facilities with running water.

Convenient, fun, close to water

This is a small campground with the St. Croix River on one side (pretty) and Highway 8 on the other (a bit noisy at times but not terrible).

Sites aren't very private and you're rather close to neighbors but it's a relatively quiet place due to the small number of campsites. They have a mix of electric and non-electric sites. The ones directly on the river are non-electric.

Bathhouse is old and showing its age, but seems to work well overall.

Cell service was spotty at times but stayed solid enough for the most part for decent service. Not good or great service without using our cell booster.

The main draw here is either the canoe rentals in the campground for the river or visiting the main park area with the glacial potholes, which are really neat to see. (Definitely go check those out.)

We'd stay again if passing through.

Small campground near cool natural features

Vibe: Busy state park on the weekends, but the campground was calmer. Lots of families and young couples. Not very friendly. Someone stole our firewood while we were away from our site. 

  

Cleanliness: Average. 

  

Facilities: Average. 

  

General spots: Good size, good spacing, some privacy. Good trees and shade. 

  

Our site: 32. Easy walk to bathrooms. Good shade. Nice fire pits. 

  

Noise: Highway noise late into the night and starting about 5 in the morning. Camp itself was quiet after sundown. 

  

Cell signal: Good (Verizon)

  

Other: Taylors Falls and Saint Croix Falls are both cute towns and close. Saint Croix has plenty of options for food and supplies. Canoeing and riverboat options available. Check out the glacier potholes.

Great spot on the river, lots of activity options

Good campsites. Good spacing. Great view of River and close to trails.

Great views

This was our first camping trip of the 2021 fall season and first visit to Interstate State Park. We booked far in advance and were able to secure a river view site (Spot 30 in the North Campground). Our spot was spacious and had a great view. 

Despite the campground being pretty full it was actually very quiet, even in the evenings. 

Spot 30 is near the restrooms and water source (fully flush toilets for the win!) There are showers here but they happened to be closed during our stay.

There’s nearby access to the Ice Age Trail, with incredible hiking and views of the St Croix. All in all, we had a great time and definitely will be visiting again soon.

A Quiet Campground With All the Extras

Absolutely beautiful site! Next to the waterfall, trails and River access with this site= fishing access 24/7 w/great results! Bonfire's allowed... No complaints~ No problem's~ had a great time!

Birthday camping

It's nice being right on the water with beautiful hiking trails. The only down side is that all the campsites are right by each other without much privacy. But if you wanna set up and drop a line it's a pretty good spot!

Love the area

With only 37 campsites, Interstate State Park's Minnesota campground has everything that a beginner or intermediate camper would need. The bathrooms and showers are nice and consistent with other MN state parks, and the riverfront access is a big plus for people looking to boat/canoe. There is a trail (River Trail) that is 1.1 miles long and has around 4 beautiful scenic overlooks. This trail leads to the visitor's center, where you will find ancient glacial potholes (these are insane!). I highly recommend this campground if you are looking for a quieter experience in the spring or fall time.

Small and quiet - with a killer view of the St Croix along the River Trail

Great campground if you’re looking for access to the river, hiking trails, showers and bathrooms. The glacial pothole trail was worth it! There’s a day use area that was relatively empty as well with a lot of space to spread out. Lots of families. Only downside was the noise from the interstate. Would stay again!

Great Campground On St Croix River 

Tent sites line the exterior of this campground while electric, RV sites are close by. While I was at a riverside spot, the amount of RVs across the road can really detract from the experience. People in RVs (this is a generalization made after many'a'night in campgrounds) tend to not recognize their voices penetrate tent walls with incredible ease -- many lack the personal experience that their voices are disruptive at midnight and should speak in hushed voices while their neighbors try to sleep. Not to mention, what's with the bright lights they shine on their exterior? Camp Hosts (who slept in an RV as well) were useless to manage quiet hour expectations. Bathrooms have a shower and while I did not use, seemed in good condition.

Trade Offs

Nice campground with everything you need; however, it is small and the electric sites are quite cramped.  Good experience but we prefer the hiking and campground on the Wisconsin side of the river.

Nice but sites are cramped  

This was a great spot for our first time camping with our kids! We camped in a tent so booked a site on the river side (no hookups) but it was very spacious and was perfect for our group! Bathrooms seemed fairly decent. They weren’t too far away. I would definitely stay here again! 

Great location! 

Interstate State Park is situated along the St Croix River just outside the small town of Taylor Falls, MN. I made a short weekend reservation for July 14th and 15th planning on hiking, and found out that so many more adventures awaited. I reserved site 18, and was amazed by the size of the campsite. The view of the river was beautiful and just steps away (steep steps) The site did not have electricity, but there were plenty of sites in the inner circle that did. It was just a short walk down to the restrooms and shower houses. (They were super clean!!) The friendly folks at the park office helped me plan a fun day of hiking that included seeing glacial potholes and sandstone bluffs. Be prepared to walk a lot of staircases!! The park office also has both ice and firewood for sale. Just down from the office there are canoe and kayak rentals for more adventures on the river.  One thing to note: I didn’t realize that the weekend was the annual Taylor Falls Wannigan Festival, so it was very busy with people and traffic. 

Adventures abound at Interstate State Park

I stayed two nights in the campground and hiked many of the trails in this Minnesota State Park along the St. Croix River. The draw here is the potholes, but we will get to that. 

My site was #24. It was tiny and my neighbors were right on top of me. Even in April the campground was mostly full. Do not pick a site inside the loop (the electrical hookup sites) if you want privacy. A few of the sites along the river have a real nice view and are slightly more secluded. The best site it #25. If there is a next time, I will shoot for that one.

The park is laid out kinda funky, but that is a product of it being on the river. Campground and Park Office are on the south end and the attraction is a 2.7 mile walk towards Taylor’s Falls along the highway to get to some very cool, unique scenery. You can drive it if so inclined. We did.

The draw here is the world’s largest glacial potholes. When the river ran 200’ higher than it does today, tornados of water eroded smooth round, massive holes in the rock. Some are so big that they still to this day have no idea how deep they go. Very cool to take the quick hike through the maze of small trails that show off these crazy formations. 

So, the campground is cramped, it has lots of noise from the highway, sites are the smallest I have seen anywhere, but on balance the coolness of the rock formations and great views of the river still make this a park to consider.

Oh, and the Park Ranger Theresa is the best ranger I have ever met. She is part of a multigenerational heritage of MN Sate Park Rangers, and her family has a year-round residence in the park. She is so friendly, thoughtful, inviting and experienced. Extra star on this review just for Theresa!

Crowded, cramped, but cool.

Interstate State Park has some nice features, but overall it wasn’t my favorite. Many of the exterior loop sites have river access, which was a highlight, and we didn’t have to deal with mosquitoes thanks to being right on the water. The nearby towns are also very charming and worth exploring.

That said, the campground is small and very crowded, likely because it’s so close to the Cities and popular with canoe rentals. Expect a lot of traffic noise, and in the fall, migrating geese can be very loud (which didn’t bother me, but might for some). The ranger office had limited hours, and since firewood is locked up, there’s no self-serve option. Another downside: a riverboat cruises by frequently, blasting music in the evenings and giving tours during the day.

The sites are close together, with RVs and tents mixed on one loop, so generator noise is common. It wasn’t a terrible stay, but just too small and busy for my preference—I don’t think I’d return.

Best sites seemed to be 21 (great river views, less private), 23 (fun detached tent pad), and 18 (most private). Sites 4–5 were also lovely but close to the bathrooms and camp host, so expect more foot traffic.

Photos of Interstate State Park — Interstate State Park

Real photos from real campers