Best Tent Camping near Baxter, MN

Recent Tent Reviews near Baxter, Minnesota

266 Reviews of 28 Baxter Campgrounds

• 

  Janet R.

  Legend

  

  Oct. 14, 2018

  Two Rivers Campground

  Pleasant family camp

  This is a well kept and well run campground tucked in between the Mississippi River and the outlet of the Platte River. The emphasis is on RV camping, and a large percentage of the sites are for full season May to October rentals. However there are nightly and weekly rates with both full and partial hookups, and some basic tent sites in a nice location right on the river. Daily and weekly campsite rentals are a bit expensive, however the campground offers many resort amenities that arent part of usual campgrounds such as a full service lodge, large beautiful pool as well as a beach on the river, mini golf, canoes and kayaks, and their specialty: river tubing. The pluses at this location include nice river setting, great amenties, secure family-friendly grounds, and a variety of on site services. The monthly RV site rental is about $800 a month for a bluff side site which might be a nice retreat for families or retirees. The minuses are primarily that the nightly rental is not cheap, especially if you want to tent camp, but fir some folks the amenities might be worthwhile. Summer is peak season if course, it is quieter and cheaper in the fall and spring.

• 

  Gunnar C.

  Scout

  

  Jun. 14, 2018

  True North Basecamp

  Always a Good Time

  True North Basecamp is great for those wanting to “camp lite”. You’re enjoying the outdoors & camping in a tent but there’s a bathroom (outhouse style) & fresh cold water near by. Town is close enough you can even skip the cooking if you choose. Heck, the BBQ joint in town (excellent, btw) even delivers to the campground! The heated shower house has modern toilets if needed. The hot shower is nice after riding the trails all day. I wouldn’t call it glamping but it’s definitely not backcountry camping in the least. We go here for Mtb trail riding trips for all these features. Close enough to town to bike in, trail access from the campground, a lake/beach area in camp & clean, quiet campsites makes this a favorite spot.

• 

  Brandon F.

  Traveler

  

  May. 29, 2019

  Mission Beach Resort

  Great hosts

  This campground is small, but everyone is friendly. No tent sites available on the lake as those are reserved for rv, but the tent area is nice and wooded.

• J

  Jake N.

  Traveler

  

  Aug. 14, 2019

  Red Rider Resort

  Red Rider Resort

  We stayed at tent site #1. It was very clean and the layout was nice for 2 tents. The bathroom / shower house were very clean. Everything was new or very well maintained.

• 

  Rich B.

  Scout

  

  Jun. 2, 2022

  Diamond Crest Resort

  Family loved it!

  Beautiful place. Non expensive. Not many tent sites but we had one down the hill and it was perfect. Very peaceful and owners are respectful and kind.

• K

  Kim H.

  Guide

  

  Jul. 3, 2018

  True North Basecamp

  Rustic camping close to miles of single track

  Great rustic campground with trail access to Cuyuna MTB trails. Offers hot showers. No water/electric hookups. A couple sites allow for smaller RVs and pop-ups but mainly tent sites.

• 

  Chris B.

  Traveler

  

  Mar. 8, 2021

  Military Park Camp Ripley DeParcq Woods Campground

  A real nice experience

  Quiet, not quite remote and with access to enough if you need it. You get a large tent site on the Mississippi River across a road from the RV’s highly recommend.

• 

  Makayla B.

  Guide

  

  Oct. 7, 2020

  True North Basecamp

  Lake cabins and tent sites

  I've stayed in both the cabins and the camping area. The cabins are my favorite because of the lake views, proximity to the bathhouse, and heat/AC units. Cabin #5 has the best unobstructed views of the lake. Cabins have WiFi. The campground is nice but only has a primitive toilet adjacent to the campsites. There are no electric or sewer hookups, but there are a couple of tent sites than can accommodate small campers. I camped in site #18 and it either isn't very level or I just did a poor job of setting up my tent because we were slanted all night. Great stargazing at both the cabins and the tent sites. 

  Check-in information is shared via email (key codes for the bathhouse and the cabin locks). The emails are very informative and the owners have been prompt to reply when I had questions. They even offer up the option to have firewood delivered to your site (either cabin or tent site) before you arrive.

  This is my favorite place to stay in Crosby because it's so close to both the Rally Center Trailhead and Crosby. My favorite places in town are Red Raven (great coffee shop with good breakfast and lunch food options), Crosby Pub (wide variety of food - burgers, salads, appetizers), Rafferty's Pizza (pizza and beer plus a couple of arcade games in the back), and Iron Range Eatery (a little fancier than Crosby Pub (but not by much) and offers great food as well). All of these restaurants offer outdoor seating.

• 

  Kellen W.

  Traveler

  

  Jul. 19, 2023

  Cuyuna City Campground

  Quiet space, great for MTB riders

  Have stayed at this campground 3x since 2021 and our family loves it. 6 RV sites and a few tent camping sites. Has 30/50 hook up and a water filling station and dump station on site. Pump track is great to warm up on. Shower house with toilets are clean. Trail connector with easy access to Bobsled is right there and you can ride to Cruser's Kettle. Highly recommend.

• A

  Alicia A.

  Scout

  

  Sep. 11, 2022

  Crow Wing State Park Campground

  Meets camping expectations

  Tent site is an open area with tall trees. It also offered an open view of the night sky & enjoyed watching the full moon! Next to the shower house which makes it a convenient trip to the bathroom. Stayed one night but will stay longer when bringing the kayaks. Price for this spot made my trip super cheap!

• 

  Janet R.

  Legend

  

  Jun. 8, 2019

  Saukinac Campground

  Limited appeal

  Granted, I visited on a gray rainy day when a campground might not appear to be its best. However, having checked it out,  I might hesitate to camp here, although clearly it has its fans as there are seasonal RV site renters, and proximity to lake and woods for hunting and fishing. A dominant feature is the bar,  and there are signs up suggesting  caution and driving slow because of "adults at play."  There is a basic playground, but not a lot of other signs of being kid-friendly.   There are daily tent sites and daily RV sites in addition to seasonal rentals, and the RV sites seem to have the basic hookups RVers would need.  Much of  the campground is  open with few shade trees.    The location is near a lake and lake access, but not actually on the lake though you can see it in the distance. The prices for site rental ($25 a night for tent sites, and $35 a night for RV’s) are probably lower than many area RV campgrounds, so that might appeal to some folks

• 

  HollyRose M.

  Ranger

  

  Dec. 14, 2020

  Overlook Park Canoe Campsite

  Watercraft Site on the Mississippi - Spacious & Maintained!

  This hidden gem is on the Mississippi water trail around mile 996. It is called "Overlook Park" and owned/maintained by the city of Baxter, but is part of the DNR's state water trail. There is even signage for those on the river to inform them about their whereabouts on the trail when they pass this park. 

  So although this is a little private city park, there is a specific spot RIGHT on the river with a picnic table, fire ring, and nice high ground soft space for a tent. But really you could tent it anywhere in the park, but this space is set aside a bit from the rest, as it is a city park although very little traffic. There is garbage and a vaulted toilet. There are three picnic tables throughout including the tent site, and two fire rings. There is a nice canoe landing area with a few stairs to help give access up and down from the river bank. Very pretty spot on the river! The opposite land bordering this city park is part of Crow Wing State Park, so even though it's close to town, it does feel fairly remote. 

  Such a well maintained park! Pretty views and some rugged trails along the river for some hiking as well.

• B

  Brylee

  Traveler

  

  Jul. 10, 2021

  Sebeka Public Park and Campground

  Confused Tenter

  This was a cute place and it was clean and nice. There are no designated tent spaces or directions as to where to set up your tent. That was confusing. I just ended up parking it by one of the shelters. Overall it was a great day and it was mostly quiet. The other RVr’s were quiet, you could only hear a little bit of rumbling from the nearby highway. The bathrooms were nice with all things considered. There were two bathrooms and one shower stall. The price is no longer $10 for tent camping, it is now $15. Full hook ups was $30 now.

• 

  Dan R.

  Scout

  

  Jul. 30, 2022

  Birch Lake

  Quick rest on cross country drive.

  I pulled in at like 11pm and went straight to find an open spot, which was pretty easy.

  I had decent privacy but was in eye-shot ( through trees ) of 2 other occupied camps.

  Registration is easy & self service. They have envelopes at the entrance you just fill out, so you can use any payment method including card if you’re comfortable with that.

  I was only solo tent camping and got there way late & had to leave way early, so I can’t speak to much else.

• 

  Tori K.

  Legend

  

  Feb. 9, 2025

  Sunnybrook Park

  Lots to do!

  This park features fishing in Whiskey Creek, (stocked with rainbow trout, crappies, and sunfish), picnic area, children's playground, semi-enclosed shelters, campground area with full hook-up and tent sites, two camping cabins, softball fields, frisbee golf, volleyball area and a children's zoo, which includes buffalo, whitetail deer, peacocks, and golden pheasants. Site had picnic table and fire ring.

  Camping with the whole family so there may be some familiar rigs from other reviews of mine.

• c

  charlie S.

  Traveler

  

  Aug. 18, 2018

  Crosby Memorial City Park

  Kid Friendly Camping

  A very cool place for the kids! Swimming beach on Serpent lake is nice for the whole family. When they’re tired of swimming, the skate park is always a good time. The playground is modern and very nice. And during summer months, there’s music in the park Thursday evening! Sewer, electric, and water are available. There are tent sites too. it’s a nice laid back municipal park. Walking distance to downtown. And if you’re into mountain biking, there are world class trails just a mile away at Cuyuna mountain bike trails. Well worth a stay!

• 

  HollyRose M.

  Ranger

  

  Nov. 22, 2020

  Crow Wing State Park Campground

  Sunset Hike

  Tent camp here once and a while, but finally got around to officially doing the hiking club trail. Love doing a sunset hike, this trail is just over two miles, all along the river, with pretty much continual sunset views if you take the trail East to West. It's a loop, which is always preferred I think. Nice picnic area by the river. Historic signs describing the old town are along the beginning part of the trail near the picnic area. Kinda fun to read about and feel what old settlements were like! 

  Easy and pretty trail, took just half an hour, went with the kids. Just an awesome sunset walk and a bit of moonlight!

• R

  Rene N.

  Scout

  

  Jul. 20, 2020

  Red Rider Resort

  Wonderful campground

  Myself and some friends spent the weekend here in July. There are 10 tent sites and many cabins. We stayed in tents. The sites are rustic but have fire rings and some have charcoal grills in them. The bathrooms are spotless and come with real flush toilets and sinks. There is even showers in both of them. Most people come here to ride the red dirt mtb trails of Cuyuna so the showers are a great amenity! Beautiful views of the lake (mine pit) and swimming off of the private dock. If you want to fish here you must have a trout stamp. We want to come back and rent a cabin next time. Overall 10/10 would recommend and will return!

• 

  Lauren

  Guide

  

  Sep. 15, 2020

  Red Rider Resort

  Campground with charm

  Stopped for a night during our cross country travels. Stayed at RV site 4 which is bordered by trees on one side which was nice for privacy. Overall the tent sites appeared to be pretty private although closer together than I expected from looking at the map. Staff was very friendly and helpful. Firewood is for sale. There is a very nice kitchen with running water and showers were large, private, and clean. Only reason I didn’t give 5 stars is because it is right off highway and you can hear traffic and I was hoping for a bit more space between sites given what I saw on map. Would definitely stay here again!

• 

  Jake N.

  Traveler

  

  Jul. 30, 2019

  Red Rider Resort

  Tent site review

  Have stayed at True North’s tent sites quite a few times and this is another great option in the area. The site here was nice and wooded. Definitely a bit more private than other Cuyuna options. MTB access to the Yawkey section was nice and will be even better after more trail is added to the zone. Was great to have a community kitchen in the main bath house to clean the dirty dishes from camp and the bathrooms/shower were also very nice. My kids had fun fishing for panfish off there dock and although we never made it, they have a swimming beach that as a bit down the MTB access trail.

• 

  Allison K.

  Legend

  

  Jul. 2, 2019

  Cuyuna Country State Rec Area

  Stunning yurts and unbelievable clear lakes

  For someone who likes to do it all Cuyuna Country State Recreation Area is the place to be!!!

  From Rv Camping and tent camping to amazing secluded Yurts on a trout pond there are more than enough options to camp and stay.

  The campground itself isn’t anything to rave about, and is mostly open and pretty close together but the yurts, those are a different story!

  The yurts are set on a beautiful only mine pit that is stocked with all kinds of trout. The have a wood burning stove, bunk beds, table, chairs, bear locker, fire ring and picnic table. There is a pergola style shelter with a full roof for outdoor cooking.

  The view of the trout pond is absolutely stunning and fishing isn’t bad either if you know how to fish trout. There is a shop in town that will deliver kayaks and pick them up when you are done for a small fee, like 50$ for the day?

  The old mine pits around and in the park are pristine and literally crystal clear! You can see hundreds of feet down through crystal clear water making it an amazing place to canoe and kayak.

  If you are into mountain biking, this is definitely the park for you! Some of the best mountain biking red dirt trails are located in this recreation area! Shops in town rent bikes too! The views from the trails are breathtaking!

  Overall, one of my favorite places to hike, bike, camp and, paddle!

• 

  Brian C.

  Guide

  

  Jun. 25, 2018

  Crow Wing State Park Campground

  A Very Confused Campground

  The thing about State Parks is that they don't always know what they want to be.

  Are they here to celebrate nature, and provide a moments breath away from the pace of urban life? Are they here for historical facts? Are they for revenue?

  Crow Wing State Park suffers from this dilemma. While the tent sites are nice and spacious, the RV sites are stacked one on top of another, with no illusion of privacy. The weekend we were there, they were pretty full, but noise coming from other campers was acceptable.

  There are plenty of water spigots, and toilet/shower facilities. The facilities are clean, but old.

  There is an almost constant booming, however, coming from Fort Ripley, just down the river. The Fort serves as training for everything from the national guard, to state police, to the DNR. At one point, we could clearly hear live rounds being fired.

  The walks and paths were well maintained, except that some were flooded out due to recent heavy rains. The area dedicated to the Old Crow Wing Village was well done.

  What causes me the most confusion though, is that someone made the call to cover the roads with sand, instead of the traditional crushed stone. So, never mind that the sand made it harder to walk up hill to the water and showers, it got everywhere. When we tore down camp, I emptied enough sand from my tent, that I could have added a fresh layer to a cat's litter box.

  I am very conflicted about this park. It is very pretty, but when you get right down to it, the little quirks that surround it add up. I'm not sure if we will be back. Not that we won't, it's just that we won't be rushing back.

• 

  Amy G.

  Legend

  

  Nov. 16, 2018

  Shell City Landing

  Sits right on the river with a gorgeous view and wind in the trees

  Shell City Campground is in the Huntersville State Forest. If you want to camp in the woods, you want to be in the woods. Even if you are in a city. This camp is off the beaten path, without being "out of the way". Making your way there in any season without snow is certainly going to be easier, but even if there is a little snow, you'll be fine as long as you have all wheel drive. And it was really quiet! Such a pretty view!n I didn't get a chance to stay here (it's winter right now), but with only a small amount of snow on the ground, it made it easy to get a really good feel for how it might be.

  Only a short distance off the main road, this isn't hard to find as long as you follow the signs. And don't get distracted by the "horse camp" sign like I did. Yes, there is a horse camp there, but if you drive just past the horse camp, you'll find a very clearly marked path to the regular tent camping sites. They are only a hop, skip and a jump apart, though, so they are easy to get to one from another.

  This campground is accessible from the road if you are driving and the river if you are canoeing (and I suppose if you happen to be hiking in the area, it's easy to get to as well). If you came off the river, it's a very easy "in" from the water. Two entrances are available. One is a dirt landing that you ease into (boat landing style with a little, tiny lot for a car to pull into) and...you're there! The other comes up to about 6 wooden stairs, but nothing hard about it at all. If by car, the road winds down a tiny path and into the campsites. Easy breezy.

  There is room for RVs, the sign says, and they are the same price as tents.

  Tents are $14 (or you can put a camper on the site for the same price, but no hookups), or you can rent it as a "group site" for $28 (20 people max). Now I'm not sure what that means, but $28 seems awfully cheap to rent the entire place. It's not a giant campground, but there's plenty of room. All pads are within view of the river and there are plenty of trees (mainly pine) for hammocks. And the wind in the trees is divine! Ever so often you can hear a bit of road noise, but it's incredibly minimal. Especially if the wind is blowing.

  There were several pit toilets. Very unusual to have more than one in a camp of this size, but nice, nonetheless! There was also a water pump for drinking water that was very easy to pump. The sites have picnic tables and fire pits too. The view of the river was my absolute favorite because it's at a bend in the river, so you can see both ways. This time of year, the ice was forming, but the water was still moving. It made for very pretty photos!

  I can't wait to pitch a tent here in the spring!

• 

  Amy G.

  Legend

  

  May. 18, 2019

  Father Hennepin State Park Campground

  Ranger Review of OOFOS shoes at Father Hennepin State Park in MN

  While I have seen parks and campsites with more privacy, there are so many trees (and many sites with a lake view) that it's worth a stay at Father Hennepin State Park in MN. Especially if you are rocking out with a pair of OOFOS flipflops!

  CAMPGROUND REVIEW:

  We've stayed at this campground a few times before, and it should seem obvious that since we keep coming back, it's not too shabby. Yes, I've seen campgrounds that have more privacy between spaces, but I don't think this place is every terribly crowded (at least not when we visit, in May). The leaves are just beginning to bud on the trees, so there is less coverage from your neighbors than in the heat of the summer, but since there are less campers, you can spread out a little bit. My only complaint, and this is the same of previous years here, is that the electric sites are so close to the tent sites that you can generally hear the generators and/or those that think that the wilderness is for loud music dance parties. Fortunately, this time, we were in our new teardrop camper and could shut out the tunes!

  We were at site 7, which was the last one in this campground that sits and faces the lake. And while we've been to this site before, it's the first time we've been in our Teardrop Trailer at this park. Lucky for us, the ice was gone and the wind was pretty calm, so the icy chill wasn't too bad. Each site has a fire ring with a grate that swings back and forth, depending on if you want to chill by the flames, or grill off some burgers. The site we had was fairly level. and provided ample space to park our teardrop and our car without hanging out into the road. A picnic table rounded out the scene to provide a full on camping experience. And lovely night sounds of frogs that sang us to sleep!

  There are well over a hundred sites, about 100 of them tent pads (no electric), and about 50 with electric. A few group campsites as well as 4 handicapped sites.There are 2 shower houses, 2 flush toilet buildings, vault toilets scattered around and water (in season, when it's turned on).

  In Minnesota, reservations are required. We've found that if you make them in advance, and then decide to cancel the day of the reservation, there are cancellation fees and first night fees and blah blah blah. If, however, you decide to take your chances and book it the "day of", there are no online reservation fees and you can cancel without penalty if you decide to go elsewhere.

  Drive in sites are approximately $23/night. Electric are about $34/night.

  PRODUCT REVIEW:

  Now, I have to admit, I'm an OOFOS junkie. Ever since I won a pair in my very firsts campground contest. That said, I'll never pass up the chance to review another pair! This time, I had the OOFOS Women's OOriginal Sandal. The last pair I had was a light color, and I loved the shoes, but they got dirty so quickly. Since these shoes are a type of foam, they scuff and dirty a little easier than other shoes, but the comfiness of them is off the chart, so they are totally worth having in other colors! This time, I chose black, to combat and dirt issues I might have while camping. If you can't see the dirt, it's not there, right?

  OOFOS are recovery shoes, and I didn't know what that meant at first, but just wait until you put them on at the end of a hard day on your feet (long work day, long hike, etc). They literally massage the sole of your foot. I'm not joking. I can't believe how my feet feel when I change shoes. If I listen veeeeeery carefully, I can hear my feet smiling! They are sort of spongy and squishy, but not in a strange way. Like walking on marshmallows! (but not sticky). Seriously, they cushioning, higher arch and wide fashion of the shoe (yes, it's a little chunkier, not a huge fashion statement) make it stable and comfy. They hug your feet and don't slip off the way some other "slippy" flipflops can. And so lightweight! The price is a little more than I normally pay for shoes, but I'd absolutely invest in another pair if this one wears out. The bottom has some fun grippy texture that looks as if it might channel away water if you stepped in a puddle.

  Quite frankly, as long as I have my OOFOS, I don't care what campground I'm staying at, but this one is good enough that I enjoy staying a little while, to look at the lake and enjoy the singing frogs!

• 

  Amy G.

  Legend

  

  May. 8, 2018

  Father Hennepin State Park Campground

  Ranger Review of Alki Twilight Thermal Mattress Topper at Father Hennepin State Park, MN

  I've been to campgrounds in MN and other places that were nicer, but there isn't anything wrong with this campground at all. And at this time of year, the ice on the lake was breaking up, so it made for a beautiful sunset! Since it is still that time of year when it's warm during the day and cool at night, it was the perfect chance to test out the Twilight Thermal Mattress Topper by Alki while staying at Father Hennepin State Park in MN.

  CAMPGROUND REVIEW:

  We've been to this campground before, but not during this season or time of year. The campground is nice, but not terribly fancy. What it does have going for it is that it's a decent bit off the road, so there isn't much road noise. And although all the sites are fairly close together, there are tons of trees that (if it were summer) offer a buffer between them. It's possible to car camp at these sites or tent camp. They also have RV sites. Unfortunately, the RV sites are pretty close to the others, so if there are parties going on or radios playing, everyone can hear them, but that is to be expected at a campground where sites are close together. It wasn't terribly bothersome, though, and the scenery outweighed the mild disturbance.

  They do have showers and flush toilets (during warmer seasons) and vault toilets the rest of the time. There is also a dump station for RVs.

  Many of the sites are lakeside, for no additional cost. Benches dot the lakeside, and you get a gorgeous site of the sunset from here. There is also a paved path that runs near the water, so it's a pretty stroll late in the eve. This leads to a floating dock (not floating this time of year, though, because of the ice). Pretty space to chill and take in the breeze.

  PRODUCT REVIEW:

  As a Ranger for They Dyrt, I have the amazing opportunity to review incredible products in exchange for an honest review. This time, I received a Twilight Thermal Mattress Topper by Alki in a queen size. This is the first time I've ever tried something like this, so when I found it on Kickstarter, I was intrigued. The idea of a thermal layer built into a quilt-like blanket (think about the silver reflective stuff that everyone who camps talks about). But this isn't your typical mylar-type foil sheet. It's quiet. It's soft. It makes absolutely no noise at all. Now, this isn't something you are going to put in a backpack because it's big and it's not going to fit the bill of the ultralight hiker, but that's not what it's meant for. I emailed with the owners of the company and they intended it to be an addition to a car camping excursion or used on a bed as extra insurance from the night air. So I was intrigued. We are getting a teardrop trailer soon and I thought it might be a great way to stay warm without adding a heater to the mix.

  The owners, Saul and Carolyn, have created this super soft blanket-type mattress topper that can be used several ways. You can put it on the mattress directly and sleep on top of it. You can use it as a blanket, you could wrap up in it and make a mock sleeping bag. It's a microsuede type of fabric on top and feels amazing, but has a brushed polyester bottom that helps to keep it from slipping off your pad. I'm a cold sleeper, so I really wanted to give it a good test. Normally, I use a sleeping pad with an R Value of 4.4 or better so that I don't chill out in the night. This time, I decided to use a pad with an R Value of 1.9 (thank you to my husband for sacrificing his pad). Normally, I'd be frozen from the backside, even in temps that are in the 40's. So I put down my pad in the van, laid the topper over the pad, and then my bag on top of that. And then I was off to la-la land.

  The verdict…a toasty back side. It was truly wonderful to sleep in cooler weather without the typical CBS (cold butt syndrome) that campers talk about. Normally, with a pad that was only 1.9, I'd be frozen from the pad side. And that means tossing and turning all night to figure out how to stay warm. But I didn't have any cold spots from the pad side while sleeping on this topper. I just wish I'd thought to wrap it over my bag as well to insulate from the top as well. Then, I would have had the perfect night of sleep! It reflects back your own body heat to help keep you toasty.

  PROS:

  1. Super soft fabric! It has a great feel against your skin.
  2. No noise! Even though it has similar thermal properties as the crinkly mylar-type blankets, this is absolutely not the same. It feels just like a blanket.
  3. It works! Coming from me (a cold sleeper), I feel like this would be a great addition to your camping arsenal so that you can have a better night of sleep without needing a ton of expensive gear to stay warm.
  4. Machine washable!

  There really isn't anything negative to say about this blanket. Now, it does weigh more than a regular thermal blanket (queen is 4.5 pounds, and twin is 3 pounds), but they don't advertise it as ultra light or for backpacking. Carolyn said that it was designed with car camping in mind, as mentioned before. That said, it works beautifully for that purpose! It would be lovely if they'd consider making a skinny version that would fit in a hammock or under a sleeping bag/pad. As a cold sleeper, I'd seriously consider adding it to my cold weather backpack supplies, even if it meant an extra pound of weight.

  Bottom line, if you want to enjoy a good night sleep in the chilly night air while car camping with your family or friends, take this topper for a spin. It's perfect under a sleeping bag, over a sleeping bag or to snuggle while watching the autumn sunset.

• 

  Amy G.

  Legend

  

  Sep. 9, 2018

  Baxter Canoe Camp

  Wake up to babbling water with a view of the Mississippi River

  Hands down, one of the all time best campsites I've ever been to. Not many places you can camp and wake up to the sound of water babbling on the Mississippi River. This site was not only easy to get in and out of, but had more amenities that most campgrounds I've paid to stay in.

  Baxter Canoe Camp is certainly accessible by canoe, and possibly by foot/car, but I'm not certain about the latter. There is a trail for maintenance workers to drive in (they come by regularly to empty the trash cans!), but I don't know if it's for drive in traffic as well. We were on a canoe trip down the Mississippi, which led us to this gem on the water.

  note: this camp is not located exactly where it shows on the map. I'm not certain if the camp was moved after the map was printed, or if it was just printed in the wrong spot on the map, but it was about a 1/2 mile to a mile farther south of Brainerd than we were expecting

  There are two spots off the water where you can get out of a canoe and hit dry land. The first has some stairs, but they are VERY steep. Not easy to ascend when you have heavy bags and sea legs (hey…that rhymed!). After trying that once or twice, I discovered a landing (better for canoes anyhow) about 20 yards farther down shore that was a better spot for docking as well as entering the campsite we chose. Although it was a steep step up a nook in the hillside, it was still easier that teetering on the wooden steps previously mentioned.

  Immediately, we were stunned at the size, cleanliness and location of everything this site had to offer. There were trashcans. There was an outhouse style building with a pit toilet and…guys are going to love this…a urinal! (my husband said he has NEVER seen this before in any pit toilet style set up). And…drumroll…there was a giant, huge, monstrous sized pile of firewood. The DNR had left it there. All you had to do was chop it and you were toasty for the night! We had a huge picnic table, and the tent pad was level! No joke…flat as a pancake and right on the river. There was another official site with a fire ring and picnic table, and there were also plenty of unofficial spaces (open area) to drop a tent or hang a hammock. There were tons of hammock trees! Not to mention that some larger rocks just off shore made the water sing a bit when the water sloshed over them, so we had some lovely nighttime tunes.

  We did have a nighttime visitor in the form of something big and black and furry. We didn't see him (her?), but heard the sounds of a bear. There was a trail behind the tent that led into the woods, and I think it belonged to this creature of habit. It never approached the tent, we never had to yell, and it never threatened. Simply grunted and "barked" a few times, and then wandered away. Fortunately, we had properly hung our food in a tree and left all the Snickers in the bear bag.

  Bottom line, if you have a canoe and don't mind paddling a few miles, this is absolutely worth a day trip. Quiet, peaceful and serene. Except for the bear. But that's just part of the fun, right?

• 

  Allison K.

  Legend

  

  Aug. 1, 2019

  Crow Wing State Park Campground

  Nice smaller State Park

  Crow Wing State Park is a good choice if you are looking for something close to the Twin Cities metro area in Minnesota. with this park being just under two hours away from the Twin Cities metro area it’s an easy choice for a nice weekend getaway. If you’re looking to stay for a long extended time it’s also a good choice as it offers electric and water. The electric sites are pretty open and close together so if you like to be secluded and not see other campers from your campsite I wouldn’t use this park. The electric sites are really on top of each other and don't feel like you are camping to me. The non-electric sites are pretty nice and secluded from each other which would make this park a park I would bring my tent to instead of my travel trailer. There is also a group camp That is separate from the main camping area.

  The park office offers ice and firewood for sale. Firewood is 6$ a bundle at the park office. The only firewood you can use is the approved firewood in the local area or scrap lumber. See the Minnesota Firewood law.  Canoe rentals are offered at the park office for $15 for a half-day and $25 for a full day. There is also a water fill station and a dump station for your travel trailer or RV. This is a good park for hiking and exploring. 

  If you wanna stay close to the Twin Cities metro area this is a good park for you!