Map showing campground location near Granite Falls, Minnesota

Camper submitted image from Yellow Medicine River Campground — Upper Sioux Agency State Park - PERMANENTLY CLOSED

Yellow Medicine River Campground — Upper Sioux Agency State Park - PERMANENTLY CLOSED

SUMMARY PRESENTED BY

Fishing the Yellow Medicine River, hiking over 18 miles of mowed grassland trails, and watching fireflies light up the prairie fields after dark are among the main draws at this Upper Sioux Agency State Park Campground in Granite Falls, Minnesota. The campground sits in open terrain, and shade varies considerably by site. One reviewer found their site had no tree cover at all, while others had full canopy, so it's worth checking the DNR site map before booking.

Sites are spaced out well and electric hookups are available for RVs. The campground runs clean, with mowed paths, stocked outhouses, and potable water on-site. Rangers circulate daily to sell and deliver firewood directly to campsites, which is useful given that the park office sits a few miles from the camping area. One notable feature: Upper Sioux Agency is one of only three Minnesota state parks with pre-erected tipi camping, complete with a wood platform, available at $55 per night when this campground was operating.

The park's trail network follows the Yellow Medicine River through prairie and grassland with minimal elevation change, making it accessible to most fitness levels. Walk-in sites near the river provide more seclusion but come with heavier mosquito pressure. Equestrian camping is kept entirely separate from the main campground. Campers exploring places to camp near Granite Falls will find Skalbekken County Park and Timm County Park among the nearby alternatives worth considering.

Check Availability Suggest an Edit

Map & DirectionsYellow Medicine River Campground is located in Minnesota near Granite Falls

Public Campground

Coordinates

44.734 N
95.436 W

Open in Google Maps

Connectivity

Presented by

T-Mobile is introducing T-Satellite to extend coverage in the outdoorsLearn More

T-Mobile
No Coverage
VerizonLTE
Some Coverage
AT&T5G
Excellent Coverage

Connectivity

Presented by

T-Mobile is introducing T-Satellite to extend coverage in the outdoorsLearn More

T-Mobile
No Coverage
VerizonLTE
Some Coverage
AT&T5G
Excellent Coverage

Access

Drive-In
Park next to your site

Site Types

Tent Sites
RV Sites

Features

For Campers

Picnic Table
Reservable
Electric Hookups
Toilets
Fires

Contact

General Info

Visit Website

Reservations

Make reservation

Drive Time

1 hr 38 min from Mankato, MN
1 hr 41 min from St. Cloud, MN
2 hrs 1 min from Sioux Falls, SD
2 hrs 2 min from Minneapolis, MN

2026 Explorer Giveaway

Review Campgrounds. Win Prizes.

Enter to Win

Enter to Win

Reviews7 Camper Reviews - Yellow Medicine River Campground

Add Review

5 Stars

4 Stars

3 Stars

2 Stars

1 Star

4.5

out of 5

7 Reviews

Campers regularly cited well-maintained sites, clean facilities, and unique tipi camping as highlights. Many mentioned excellent hiking trails and family-friendly features like fireflies. Some noted privacy and shade limitations at certain sites.

SUMMARY PRESENTED BY

Jen A.

Guide

Reviewed Aug. 28, 2019

Fun Camping in a Tipi

We camped in a tipi here. All we needed to bring were sleeping bags and sleeping pads. The kids loved being in a tipi and mom & dad loved that we didn't have to set up a tent. The deck kept us off the dirt, and we were warm all night. What a fun and unforgettable experience. We hiked the amazing trails throughout the park and even learned about the history of the area.

Allison K.

Legend

Reviewed Aug. 1, 2019

Amazing Tipi Camping!!!

If you’re looking for some unique camping look no further than the Upper Sioux Agency State Park outside of Granite Falls Minnesota. This park is one of three parks in Minnesota that is home to Tipi camping. Yes I said Tipi!! And not even a Tipi that you need to supply one that’s already set up for you with the wood platform and everything perfect for you to have an amazing experience!

We paid $55 a night and were able to stay at this awesome Tipi campsite. The only downside to the campsite that we stayed in was that it was right on the corner of the main road. Other than that we are absolutely in love with the campsite and the staff at the park. Each day the park rangers would come through and ask if you needed firewood charge you for it and bring it straight to your campsite. This is a pretty good option for buying firewood since the park office was a few miles away from the actual campsite.

It was a really nice shower and bathroom facility along with vault toilets just off the main road. The campground is pretty open but still secluded enough for us to feel like we were there alone. There was a river close to the campsite so that we could fish if we wanted to. And just a short walk or drive or bike ride you could get to the picnic area right off the river and have a really nice day or evening. There were also backpack in camp sites that were really secluded and pretty large. The only problem to those was they were close to the river and the mosquitoes are pretty bad.

This park also has equestrian camping and it’s really nice because it’s completely separate from the main campground.

There wasn’t a whole lot to do around the Park in the nearby towns however there was some cute little antique and thrift shops which was right up our alley.

We would definitely go back and stay in a tipi again!!! What a cool experience!!!

(34) View All

Nick K.

Guide

Reviewed Jun. 28, 2019

It’s tepee time!

Upper Sioux agency is a great park for camping. We stayed in the teppees which were amazing. We had two children with beds along with a queen size air-mattress on a raised platform. And another adult in the tepee with plenty of room in the middle.

We went when the fireflys were out and at night the fields looked like they were glittering.

(4) View All

Stephanie B.

Guide

Reviewed Jun. 3, 2018

Hiking on Sundays

While some of the park was closed due to errosion issues, the Minnesota river trail and the Hiking Club trail (terrace trail) made for a great Sunday hike. We will likely make it out that way to hike other trails in the future

Sara E.

Scout

Reviewed Sep. 5, 2017

Baby's first camping trip!

My husband and I wanted to try out camping with our five-month-old, so we stayed two nights in Upper Sioux Agency State Park at the Yellow Medicine River Campground. The campground was well-maintained, clean, potable water tasted good, the outhouse had toilet paper and hand sanitizer, and the sites/paths were mowed. Our site (#5) did not have any tree cover, so midday was HOT! It looked like all of the other sites had at least one tree, if not a small forest surrounding the site - so it was just our dumb luck to choose the one site without shade [via the DNR website]. The state park has over 18 miles of trails - - - most are grassy paths mowed along the Yellow Medicine River, through the prairie, or over the grasslands - none with noticeable elevation changes.

Site#5

Month of VisitSeptember

Jillian O.

Scout

Reviewed Jul. 13, 2017

Variety of sites

Sites were spaced out nicely. Several sites were in sunny areas, but there are some with full shade and privacy. The walk-in sites looked really nice if you're willing to carry your stuff in a little ways. We saw a ton of fireflies at night and there were a lot of little frogs hopping around. One even hopped into the tent when I didn't close it all the way. There were very few campers around, even in the middle of summer.

Site9

Month of VisitJuly

Chad L.

Guide

Reviewed Mar. 29, 2016

Nice river-side camping

Nice enough campsites, but no privacy. Good hiking trails.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are fires allowed at Yellow Medicine River Campground — Upper Sioux Agency State Park - PERMANENTLY CLOSED?

Yes, according to campers on TheDyrt.com, fires are allowed at Yellow Medicine River Campground — Upper Sioux Agency State Park - PERMANENTLY CLOSED, although make sure to check current fire restrictions in the area.

Is there cell phone reception at Yellow Medicine River Campground — Upper Sioux Agency State Park - PERMANENTLY CLOSED?

According to campers on TheDyrt.com, there is excellent coverage for AT&T, no coverage for T-Mobile, and some coverage for Verizon.

Keep Exploring

Description

Map & DirectionsYellow Medicine River Campground is located in Minnesota near Granite Falls

Coordinates

Connectivity

Connectivity

Access

Site Types

Features

For Campers

Contact

Drive Time

2026 Explorer Giveaway

Are fires allowed at Yellow Medicine River Campground — Upper Sioux Agency State Park - PERMANENTLY CLOSED?

Is there cell phone reception at Yellow Medicine River Campground — Upper Sioux Agency State Park - PERMANENTLY CLOSED?