P
Preston R.
Guide
GuideSouth of Sand Dunes State Forest
Got multiple spots to stop on the side of the road. Plenty of down wood to have a fire.
Dog-Friendly Camping near Andover, MN
8 campgrounds with availability this weekend
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Rice Creek Chain of Lakes Regional Park and Bunker Hills Regional Park maintain dedicated pet areas within their established camping facilities near Andover. Both parks provide electric hookups, picnic tables, and showers while accommodating tent, RV, and cabin campers traveling with dogs. Ham Lake Resort adds 122 pet-friendly sites with full hookups including water, sewer, and electric service. Minneapolis Northwest KOA features spacious tent sites surrounded by trees on three sides, offering privacy despite the campground's busy atmosphere. South of Sand Dunes State Forest provides free dispersed camping options for pet owners seeking a more primitive experience, though visitors should note the prevalence of poison ivy and limited cell service in this area. Visitors use The Dyrt to find real feedback on camping near Andover, Minnesota.
William O'Brien State Park Campground offers excellent hiking opportunities with miles of well-groomed trails suitable for dogs on leashes. The park maintains clean facilities and multiple hiking paths, making it ideal for families with budding campers and their pets. Baker Park Reserve features dedicated walking and biking trails extending around nearby Lake Katrina, with fall foliage creating beautiful scenery for pet owners. Campers should be prepared for mosquitoes and ticks, particularly at dusk in wooded areas like Sand Dunes State Forest. Several campgrounds enforce strict no-parking-on-grass policies to maintain site integrity. Dog parks are available at multiple locations, including a fenced area across the river from Riverside City Park within easy walking distance, providing additional exercise options for pets between camping adventures.
Best Dog-Friendly Campgrounds near Andover (90)
1. Bunker Hills Regional Park
"I was very happy with the trails and accommodations available to me, during my stay."
"It has a golf course, a restaurant is on the grounds, there is a stable with horses/ponies that you can take guided trail rides on, a water park(it is called The Beach, which was very confusing for us"
Check Availabilityfrom $20 - $32 / night
2. Rice Creek Chain of Lakes Regional Park
"Kelly's Bar nearby has a great fish fry on Friday. The campground is neat and well managed."
"There is a dump station and playground, but I didn’t come across a bathhouse when walking the inner campground loop—it’s likely I just missed it."
Check Availabilityfrom $20 - $75 / night
3. Baker Campground - Baker Park Reserve
"One of our kids & her husband live in Minneapolis, a sister & several nieces & nephews live close by."
"Baker Park near Minneapolis Minnesota was a our camp choice for inexpensive camping on the last leg of our Minnesota vacation in 2017."
207 Sites AvailableAvailable this weekend
from $25 - $120 / night
4. Minneapolis Northwest KOA
"Sites are close to each other, but easy access, clean grounds and facilities, friendly staff, and a K9 fenced area for a pet friendly campground."
"The site was spacious and private-surrounded on 3 sides by trees. The bathrooms were clean. The pool area was clean and without issue."
5. South of Sand Dunes State Forest
"For the proximity to the city and nearby highways, this was a good spot. Didn’t expect to see as many campers as I did, but all seemed to be friendly."
"I love that it's so close to home. I was able to walk in and find an incredible spot to camp and lay in my hammock."
6. Ham Lake Resort
"The map provided was accurate which made locating the cruiser a breeze. There were further instructions inside as well. The RV was immaculate."
Check AvailabilityCampground full this weekend
from $54 - $999 / night
7. Ann Lake Campground — Sand Dunes State Forest
"Lots of close camp sites for larger groups near the entrance. The further back you go on the road, the more spread out sites get. There are a few walk-in sites that I absolutely love."
"We picked this spot as we had dogs with and liked that there was a row of trees where we could tie them away from the fire . Would be a GREAT lot for multiple hammocks. "
Check AvailabilityCampground full this weekend
Get a text when availablefrom $50 / night
8. Country Camping Tent & RV Park on the Rum River
"Nice river nearby canoeing swimming pool fireplaces and little store for treats."
Check Availabilityfrom $40 - $75 / night
9. Rice Creek Campgrounds
"Access to lake is great. Firewood at $7 a bundle doesn't burn, it just smokes. I asked for a refund. Buy firewood elsewhere."
"Beach was closed but we still got some good walks in. Fire ring was a little shallow for my liking so had to get some solid coals going to get dinner on the table."
Check Availabilityfrom $20 - $32 / night
10. William O'Brien State Park Campground
"Easy walking trails surround the park which is nice and convenient. Close proximity to Stillwater which made for a nice day trip. Camp sites were very clean and easy to access."
"We O'Brian has some of the best groomed trails that I have been on."
Check AvailabilityCampground full this weekend
Get a text when availablefrom $25 - $90 / night
Drive Time
- 25 min from Minneapolis, MN
- 51 min from St. Cloud, MN
- 1 hr 31 min from Mankato, MN
- 1 hr 41 min from Eau Claire, WI
Recent Dog-Friendly Camping Photos near Andover, MN
58 Photos of 90 Andover Campgrounds • uploaded by The Dyrt campers
Ham Lake Resort
Minneapolis Northwest KOAE
Country Camping Tent & RV Park on the Rum River
Crow Hassan Park Reserve
South of Sand Dunes State ForestH
Baker Campground - Baker Park ReserveP
Riverside City ParkK
William O'Brien State Park Campground
Lake Maria State Park Campground
Lake Auburn Campground
The Jubilee Homestead
Wildwood RV Park & Campground
Dog-Friendly Camping Reviews near Andover, MN
771 Reviews of 90 Andover Campgrounds
- AAnders H.
ScoutBaker Campground - Baker Park Reserve
First time
We stayed at Baker as a family for our first camping trip, and it was great. Fire pit with swivel grate for cooking, bathrooms, and plenty to explore.
Mindy B.GuideApple River County Park Campground
Peaceful, hidden gem for simple campers, wonderful water
There are surprisingly few campgrounds in this area with overnight camping - most are just giant trailer parks for people who stay the entire season. We were pleased to find this "real" campground close enough for segment hikes on the Ice Age Trail, 12 miles away at the closest. Some sites do have electricity, but pit toilets, no showers. I took advantage of the Apple River instead - it's just a short walk away, wonderful for wading, has some deeper pools for a cool dip. The water from the hand pump is cold and delicious. We noticed several cars, probably local, stop and fill jugs to take home.
- AAmparo G.Scout
Cokato Lake RV Resort
Excellent RV Resort to enjoy the whole summer!
We bought a membership in Cokato Lake RV Resort 5 years ago and it is a plus to spend every summer there along with our grandchildren, family, and friends.
It is a resort with great amenities such as minigolf, swimming pool, beach, docks, ballfield, red barn, boardroom, etc. Also, there is an activities committee in charge of organizing and setting up special events for children and adults. Well-maintained resort! They have great spots for rental and sale. Highly recommended!
- JJose L.Guide
Sandrock Cliffs — Saint Croix National Scenic Riverway
Nice Campsite
Nice campsite. Clean and well maintained. Fire ring picnic table and some tree stumps for processing your firewood. I see several campsites in the area but I'm alone here. A river is several hundred yards away from my site, but you have to hike down a bit.
WhiteBoyChaseScoutSandy Cove on the St. Croix River
Good spot
Back in 2020 I did about 3 months camping along here ! Good spot !
Tori K.
LegendLake Rebecca Park Reserve
Great Trails!
Great trails and close to home! Always a good spot for a last-minute trip for me or a place to test out new gear since it is so close to home!
Brett G.ScoutMinneapolis Southwest KOA
Basic KOA
Nice quiet campground. It's a very basic KOA. Not a whole lot of amenities. Large playground is quite good for children. Our site is right across from the campground.
Campsite is in the middle of nature. Lots of trees cover. Not much of a breeze but well protected.
Water is clean, electrical boxes are in good condition.
Gail G.GuideRiver Terrace Park
love the river views and shade
Needs alot of updates, old facility with no amenities. Shower water, barely warm, sign on mens bathroom says, bring your own toilet paper. For most part the park is quiet, shady, but again could use some improvements. There are 3 long pull-thru sites for overnight stops
Guide to Andover
Dispersed camping near Andover, Minnesota offers secluded options within an hour's drive of the Twin Cities. Located in the northern suburbs at an elevation of 902 feet, Andover sits adjacent to several wildlife management areas and state forests with year-round access. Winter camping temperatures can drop below 0°F while summer highs reach 85°F with high humidity levels, requiring appropriate seasonal gear.
What to do
Tubing adventures on the Rum River: Country Camping Tent & RV Park on the Rum River provides river access with rentals available. "Great tubing and canoeing," notes Rory T., while David G. adds "Key thing is the river is very clean and sandy bottom."
Disc golf outings: Play at Bunker Hills Regional Park's top-rated course. "Close to a top 10 disc golf course if that's your thing (it's ours)," mentions Lynsey M., who appreciated how the park is "close to downtown" yet offers many site options.
Swimming at heated pools: Minneapolis Northwest KOA maintains a pool area for summer swimming. Spencer C. reports the campground "has a heated pool, splash pad area, BIG playground area, indoor game room, HUGE sites! You can either relax in the pool or even take a ride down the rum river."
Hiking through diverse ecosystems: Explore the varied terrain at William O'Brien State Park Campground. As Karla J.B. describes, "We loved the trails. It was easy to takes hikes of varying lengths. There were so many different kinds of birds, and the wildflowers were blooming and ferns were unfurling -so many shades of green!"
What campers like
Private tent sites: Many campgrounds offer secluded spots for tent campers seeking privacy. At Rice Creek Campgrounds, Justin Q. found "nice clean site, community water pump worked great!" Amy G. noted, "In the morning, when I could see everything, I was thoroughly impressed by the space, the maintenance of the property, the size of the campsites."
Wildlife viewing opportunities: The area hosts diverse wildlife, particularly birds. Alison O. describes "briding" as one of her favorite activities at Baker Campground - Baker Park Reserve, where she "spent a lot of my childhood playing and exploring." At Rice Creek Campgrounds, campers report seeing deer, frogs, and various bird species.
Clean facilities: Campgrounds maintain well-kept bathrooms and showers. Bryan S. says Bunker Hills Regional Park has "nice bathrooms/showers," while Doug B. notes it's "surprisingly woodsy, secluded and spacious" despite being in the northern suburbs.
No-reservation needed options: For last-minute trips, South of Sand Dunes State Forest offers dispersed camping. According to Joslyn H., "I love that it's so close to home. I was able to walk in and find an incredible spot to camp and lay in my hammock."
What you should know
Poison ivy prevalence: Sand Dunes State Forest areas have significant poison ivy growth. Johnny H. warns of "TONS of poison ivy" at Ann Lake campground, noting he's "been camping here for 30 years" but still encounters this challenge.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular dog-friendly
campsite near Andover, MN?
Which is the most popular dog-friendly campsite near Andover, MN?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dog-friendly campground near Andover, MN is Bunker Hills Regional Park with a 4.6-star rating from 18 reviews.
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dog-friendly camping near
Andover, MN?
What is the best site to find dog-friendly camping near Andover, MN?
TheDyrt.com has all 90 dog-friendly camping locations near Andover, MN, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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