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Enjoy a night under the stars on the prairie at Hankinson Hills Campground, located three miles northwest of Hankinson, North Dakota. Click here for a map of the Hankinson Hills Campground and Trail. Hankinson Hills Campground has two camping loops. One camping loop, with six campsites, allows campers to have horses and the other camping loop, with nine campsites, is designated for campers without horses. There are a total of 15 campsites, each with a picnic table and fire ring. There is a large picnic shelter for day use and group events, as well as a large group fire ring with benches. The large picnic shelter is free-of-charge and open to anyone on a first-come, first-served basis. While at the campground, you can enjoy the area by hiking the eight-mile loop Hankinson Hills Trail, viewing wildlife, identifying wildflowers, and many other activities. One of the trailheads for Hankinson Hills Trail is located in the campground.
$10 / night
Legend
I was lucky enough to get a spot far under the trees. It was quite private and even though it was labor day weekend, it was quiet and peaceful. Good cell service, I was able to work on Friday via my hot spot. The campground is well maintained and the trail had just been mowed. Unfortunately there are stickers and poor tuck found a number of them. We still had fun.
GuideWell maintained campground, has water and multiple vault toilets. There’s a loop for horse camping and a loop for non horse camping. Each site has a fire ring and a nice table, most spaces have trees to provide shade. Verizon works okay, not great but I had a bar or two. Can hear trains running by every so often. Only downside was the abundance of biting flies and mosquitoes.
TravelerThere are gorgeous sites well spaced and lots of shade. Trails to bike ride around. No motorized vehicles allowed so it's quiet. Road in was good gravel. Picnic tables, fire rings and pit toilets. $10 / night. Great find.
Guide
We had a lovely weekend overlooking Lac Qui Parle from our campsite. The lack of mature trees on the upper campground bluffs is a plus. A gentle breeze keeps the bugs down and allows for nice views. We have a 26’ travel trailer and got 2 bars of T-Mobile 5G service.
Legend
The trails in the park have nice rolling hills and offer a unique type of beauty. The campground is small, but offers some electric sites as well as some primitive sites. I do believe there were 2 or 3 cabins that I saw. Unsure if there is a group camp with this campground being so small as it is. Firewood is available at the check in/office building. There is a bathroom/shower building in the loop with the electric sites. The electric loop and primitive loops both have vault toilets. Each loop also has a few water stations to fill containers with potable water and each loop has a dumpster for disposing of waste. Not sure if there is a dump station for RVs as I typically use a tent when camping. Nice state park in Rural central Minnesota
Guide
We were here for a night in pouring rain but it looked very nice.
Guide
GuideGreat family campground. Lots of shade cover. Oak ridge is perfect for larger rigs (<35 feet - anything bigger there are only 2 spots that will fit) (no electric or water). Clean vault toilets. Lots for kids to do. Canoeing, fishing, paddle boards. Great hiking trails. Loop for kids to bike on easily. Easy to get to.
For those using the dump station it’s on a hill and tougher for bigger rigs to use. No flushing station. But water throughout park. Firewood at the station. Small number of electric sites in the first campground but sites are closed together and less privacy/shade. Bathhouse is in first campground.
TravelerThis place is woods meets prairie, awesome trail with a great view
RangerOverlooks the Pomme De Terre River, free to camp, wayside rest and with canoe drop in.
TravelerOur favorite part of this trip was renting stand up paddle boards. The lake water was crystal clear and glass like calm.
The weekend we camped it was scorching hot. Most of the hiking trails in the park were through the prairie grass. The High Peak Trail did have some lovely views though!
RangerWe spent a night there in the fall. It is well off the main road but the dirt road is passable with any rig. The sites are varied, well kept and some will fit larger rigs. It is typical forest service dry camping. There is a hiking trail that circles this small grassland about 5 or 6 miles long.
What is unique about this place is that is an original remnant of the oak/grass prairies that used to cover extensive areas where the forest met the plains. There is grazing in the grassland but it is very quiet and no light pollution. Cell service was actually pretty good.
TravelerPretty nice campground with water and electric. Bathhouse, walking trails, fishing and beautiful lake views. Some sites are a little difficult to get into but not impossible.
TravelerWe booked our stay at the Lower Campground on a whim as it was one of the only campsites available in MN on a two week notice during Covid. It turned out to be a pleasant surprise! The park is perfect for a short weekend trip. Campground was well maintained with easy access to the hiking trails and a nice view of the lake. There was enough exploring to fill a day or two. The sites are close side-to-side, but trees line the outside sites and there is good back-to-back space between the inner sites. Not all sites have hammock trees though. We got very lucky with the August weather as the bugs were completely manageable both at the campground and on the hikes. The Lower Campground is the only one with electric sites, but the Oak Ridge had nice shade and space. Preferred sites in Lower Campground would be 7 for non-electric for privacy and lake views, and 14e, 16e, and 18e for electric. Bathrooms were not open for use when we came. Also, the water fill and dump stations are on the opposite side of most campers which was the only downside. There was not water supply at the dump station to rinse out the tank. But overall, it’s nice trip that’s only two hours from the Twin Cities. We enjoyed the prairie views and the lake. Will be back!
TravelerWe tent camped in the non electric sites in the Lower Campground. They were shady thank goodness, but not very flat or large. Your tent will be on rocks, not grass.
When we were visiting, the shower house was closed due to Covid, so no review of that. The vault toilet was stocked with TP and fairly clean. The portapotty was near full and smelled awful. Didn’t look like it had been emptied all summer! Gross.
The lake was really high when we visited, which led to a useless campground fishing pier and a boat dock that you had to swim to to use. There was no beach, but there may have been if the water level was normal. Watch out for biting sunnies in the swim area and enormous snapping turtles stealing the fish off your hook at the fishing pier near the swim area.
We did go into Starbuck which is 5 miles away. Very impressive beach, groceries and a DQ all an easy drive away.
TravelerShowed up on a Thursday night, and I am the sole camper in the entire place. Nicely set up, and seems well cared for. Only problem: there are cows everywhere. You go though cow pastures to get to the campground and they are just sitting at the fence line mooing. Hopefully they shut up soon so I can get some sleep.
LegendGlacial Lakes is approximately two hours from my home, which makes it an ideal campground to make an impulse day trip if the weather is right. If you are coming from the Twin Cities you pass through a lot of countryside with the occasional house or small town. Despite it being a slightly shorter drive than the trip to Duluth from my house, it felt like eternity in comparison. It also felt very very unlike the Minnesota that I’m familiar with.
It was a relief to get Lake Minnewaska, which is enormous and the little lake community gives you something to gape at. It also means that you are almost there- thank goodness. Glacial Lakes is relatively unknown considering its proximity to the twin cities, and the scale of its facilities definitely reflect that.
The entrance station was closed when we were there, but it looked nice and it is on the newer side. The parking area at the end of the road is not expansive, so come early if you are doing a day trip on amazingly nice days. I didn’t see the the group campsite or the Lower Campground(or the cabins that are in it) because the road was closed off to it, so I can’t speak on the quality of those campsites, but I’m assuming that they are nice because there is actually a restroom/shower building there.
I would not camp at the Oak Ridge Campground. The sites were rarely level and generally on top of each other with minimal privacy. There are also a handful of hike-in sites. Kettle Lake hike-in campsite is the iconic image of camping at this park thanks to the two little lakes that butt up right next to each other right at your campsite. I also wouldn’t camp here because there is no shade and I would cart-in, but NOT hike-in to a shadeless campsite.
Reviews of this park also mention a lot of ticks, so keep that in mind. There is also horse camping! Minimal shade here too, but there were some young trees. The road to the horse camping is NOT wide enough for two vehicles to pass, so if you are coming here with your equine friends cross your fingers that you don’t encounter anyone on that road.
We visited for the very first time on a nice day in March. The main parking area is in a wooded area, so you have to hike through quite a bit of hilly woods to get to the prairie section. This meant that there were a few treacherous icy and/or muddy spots despite the surrounding areas being snow-free. It also meant wading over a boardwalk that was covered in water that got higher on our way back from all the melting ice.
The prairie part was definitely beautiful and I will definitely visit again when the spring flowers are in bloom or on a nice fall day when the grass changes color. I don’t think it will be a park that I frequent often though, mostly because of the never-ending drive. We did the High Peak Trail, which was a nice point with a strong wind that almost ripped my beanie off the day that we visited.
TravelerNice campground. The water in the lake is nice and clear. The swimming area isn’t awesome, but I have seen much worse.
RangerWe stayed on the Pittsburgh side and found the campground amazing! Until it flooded. We were evacuated and moved to higher ground. The spot we had first was 311 and it was great until it flooded. Camping spot was shaded with plenty of room. Nice shower house and plenty of bathrooms. Could have proved to be a nightmare week was actually a blast partially due to the wonderful park staff. All in all a great week!
GuideWe stayed in camper cabins that were really amazing. Fishing Pier and a small lake to canoe and kayak on. I’d definitely come back.
ScoutNo shade or shelter is provided. Right next to water but it will clog up your water filter if you're using one. We saw beavers swimming; They were not fearful of campers. Due to the grass, there were many ticks, pets should be treated for ticks ahead of time. We didn't stay overnight due to the amount of then. Parking was easy, hike in was very easy and clearly defined. It's a good spot for camping in the fall or spring.
Possibly bring your own shade. Note that you CANNOT hammock camp at Kettle Lake. Firewood will also be slightly harder to find here due to lack of trees. It would be smart to carry your own in (if possible).
Horse camping in Minnesota offers a unique way to explore the great outdoors while enjoying the companionship of your equine friends. With a variety of well-reviewed campgrounds, equestrians can find the perfect spot to set up camp and ride the trails.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular equestrian campsite near Barry, MN?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular equestrian campground near Barry, MN is Pomme De Terre Campground with a 4.5-star rating from 4 reviews.
What is the best site to find equestrian camping near Barry, MN?
TheDyrt.com has all 5 equestrian camping locations near Barry, MN, with real photos and reviews from campers.
