Best Equestrian Camping near Carlos, MN

I am from a suburb of Twin Cities metro area in Minnesota and we wanted to go camping with my in-laws who have horses. We needed a park that was close and had equestrian camping so we decided to go to Lake Carlos State Park.

Lake Carlos State Park is roughly 2.5hours from the Twin Cities and is a beautiful getaway for a weekend trip. You can leave after work on a Friday and still have time to make it to the park, set up and still be able to cook dinner and enjoy a s’more or two.

We booked site H3 in the equestrian campground which was a VERY open site right off the main loop in the equestrian campground. It was very sunny and barely any shade for the horses. The site were in was electric and there were only three non-electric sites in the equestrian campground. The other sites were awesome for shade but were still super open to everyone.

There were great trails for hiking and horseback riding. They also allowed mountain biking on the trails.

The staff at the office were super friendly and they talked to us for about 15 minutes. Their store in the office was pretty great and they had everything from toys for the kids to s’mores stuff and stickers specific to the park. The firewood was pretty fast burning and cost 6$ a bundle so it was pretty spendy since we cook only over the fire.

The main campground was VERY busy and jammed packed. The sites were too close together and open for my comfort.

The beach was very dirty and there were army worms everywhere crawling on everything.

We took a little bike ride to the group camp which was an amazing area with a very nice shelter with electric.

All in all, this is a good park to go to if you are looking for a park close to the twin cities metro area.

We thoroughly enjoyed the hiking trails here. Plenty of space to socially distance. Equestrian camping area is nice and plenty of horse trails too. The biggest hit for me was the newly remodeled beach area on Lake Andrew. Plenty of space and a nice “fishing” pier to hang out at. They rent kayaks there too!!

Very nice quiet horse camp. Could use more horse trails, only about 12 miles worth of trails for horses.

Excellent hiking trails away from the lake. Lake Carlos itself is fairly developed and busy with motor boats. The campground was nearly full and clean.

Extremely buggy in mid July which is expected. This park has many trails that wind through woods, prairies, and around lakes. The campsite we stayed was a back packing site called "GRASS". It had a pit toilet and a small shelter which the other backpacking sites did not have. Many horse back riders shared the trailers with us which was cool to see except for the horse droppings that remained on the trails.

We were staying in the area so we took a look at the campground. It is very sufficient for what you need if you are staying with your horses. It is a primitive campground with running water out of spigots and vault toilets. Some excess firewood in the middle and plenty of space for your horses. The hitching posts were mostly in the shade but not all were. It is separated in two different parts but for the most part you can find shade unless this gets completely full. 

We walked some trails and went up to lost lake...disappointed to see someone took apart a camper and left it there in a pile. The black flies were bad on our walk, but it did have some nice views along the way. Loads of raspberries along the road so we stopped in the shade and had a couple snacks. Lots of trails to hike and ride in the area and plenty of signs to warn you not to spook the horses which I think is good. 

We did stop in at the local ranch and asked about the programs they offered. We are thinking to come back in the winter when they have sleigh rides.

The lower campground has electric sites and is situated along Lake Carlos but there is little privacy between sites (126 and 127). We camped with another family so it was nice to have the open space between our sites where the kids could play and run. The boat launch was quite busy and there seemed to be a lot of people not staying in the campground who use the park for the day. The hiking trail along the lake was busy but once we got a little farther out the trails were quiet and peaceful. The highway outside the park was loud at night, it sounded like people were drag racing the Friday and Saturday nights we stayed.

Leap Day 2/29/20-3/1/20 Frog Pond

We headed to Lake Carlos for their candlelight ski, this was our first visit to this state park. Tent camping wasn’t available and we were able to reserve a camper cabin - Frog Pond. It was a nice change and a warmer option, the cabin is gorgeous! Frog Pond sleeps 6 with heat and electricity. There are 4 cabins that share 2 vault toilets.

It was a beautiful 38 degree Leap Day and we took advantage of it. They offer a large number of ski trails so we xcountry skied before dark. The trails were icy, but still enjoyable. At dark we headed to the candlelight event. It was very busy and a huge turnout. We hiked 1.2 miles and then snowshoed 2.4 miles. There are ponds and bogs that they create snowshoe trails on, so there are even more trails to explore in the winter. It was a beautiful night and we enjoyed the wooded trails and starry skies. We had a fire and enjoyed a normal outdoor cookout before bed.

We did more skiing on Sunday and checked out the 2 campgrounds as they were on the ski route. One campground is on Lake Carlos and very open. Sites have beautiful lake views. You can apparently drive your boat right into a sandy shore and dock it. They also have a swimming beach. The other campground is a bit more wooded and more suited for tents. This campground is near the camper cabins. The trails are very wooded and pretty. We enjoyed skiing the hiking club trail and ended up hitting almost every trail in our stay. I assume this park would be equally beautiful in the summer. What a beautiful state park!

Several rangers directed us here so we stopped in before we left Minnesota. The ranger was very helpful and set us up with a quiet campsite. The drive in was a few miles but it gave a view of the variety of ecosystems in the park. 

Site 33 is by itself on the access road to a small non-electric loop. This meant no distraction for my dog and let the bird song entertain us. There is a very long walk to a restroom but water is close by. The site is large and has enough room for two cars. This is a great site as long as you don’t mind the walk. 

We tried out hiking along one of the trails. The grass was long and we quickly found ticks crawling up our leg. More trimming of the trails would make hiking more pleasant. There are trails for horses and mountain bikes. Another draw is the lake. Bring your boat or rent one. There is even a place to clean your catch. 

The sites in the main loop have little privacy. That, coupled with the hiking trails, made this a not so high recommendation. It would go over higher with fishermen.

We stayed 7 nights really wish we had booked a few weeks. Our site was #16. We had electric hook up, fill with water near the dump station. Our site was big and private on Grass lake facing west so we saw great sunsets sitting in our site. Our bump out was facing the water when we backed in so sitting at the dinette in the camper we had a great view of the lake. Our table & fire pit were behind the camper with a great view of the water & sunset. The small birds were amazing, the sound of the Loons and an occasional muskrat will swim by.  Every morning we had a Chipmunk warm itself up on a tree behind the camper when the sun hit that spot. The big Maple trees everywhere is nice very lush campground. When the sun set we kicked up a bonfire and took it all in. 

There are several docks on grass lake and a big dock on Beers lake you can fish from. We launched the Kayak at the boat ramp on Beers lake it's a nice ramp and not busy. We didn't get on Lake Lida it's much bigger and lots of go fast boats we prefer no wake. The bigger fish are on Lida.

There are 8 lakes in the park which 3 or 4 have easy water access to launch a canoe or Kayak. Each lake has different fish in it. Our favorite was Beers lake it had some calm coves in it, we caught some Crappies, pan fish & Bass on this lake. They say it also has Walleye and Northern Pike. Lots of beavers & muskrats swimming interesting to watch. There is a hike or boat in site on Beers lake it's nice. 

Grass lake has Pan fish, crappie, Northern Pike & more it's a smaller lake. Bass lake has trout, imagine that!

There is a 5 mile drive in the parks around some lakes that was nice we saw Swans with babies, Loons, and beavers. We loved this park. There are so many trails and so much to do.

There is a fish cleaning station, restrooms, boat ramps, canoe rentals, a swim beach and picnic area tat Lake Lida just a great place. We will go back & spend a few weeks next time were from Florida so it's a ways to go but will do it again. 

The ranger that would drive through in the evenings was very knowledgeable about the wildlife, the area & 2 other parks he works at.  Someone had 2 campers in one site he told them it wasn't allowed (I think we all know that) he made one book a spot & move. It was the only noise we heard was their dogs in that site when no one was there they barked the entire time. Glad he made the one camper move it got quiet again. We did have some people try to walk through our site we asked them not to. They had to walk between the camper & the truck I would think it was common sense. 

There is an Equestrian campground there and trails around the lakes to ride your horses on, a few water access spots for them to wet their hoofs. 

There is a town close by Pelican Rapids, the drive there is nice and it's a small town but a nice grocery store (Larry's), Liquor store, a drug store a few gift shops & good ice cream. 

I'm so happy we found this campground we will return.

Glacial 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.

I have a special love for this park so I maybe a bit biased. I have had great experiences here during every season. From great lakes to kayak and fish on, to trails that are beautiful to hike, snowshoe or cross country ski this park has something for everyone.

There is a main campground for those who want more of a community experience, campgrounds that have sites spaced out to provide more privacy, remote sites you can hike out to and even a horse campground (and trails marked for trail riding). They also have camper cabins and the main campground is open year round.

Ive stayed mostly in the knoll loop and always had a good experience. Trees and shrubs between sites adds a good amount of privacy for campers. There is a vault toilet in the center of the loop for campers to utilize.

Only located an hour from Fargo, ND and Pelican Rapids, MN is just a hop, skip and a jump away if you need to grab any forgotten supplies!

The one thing I will say is properly store your food. There are some overly active raccoon robbers around at this park.

There are plenty of campsite in the lower area that are very close to the water and good for RV people who do not care for privacy (like camping on a golf course).  If you want privacy, go for the upper area which is completely forested with plenty of trees and brush between sites.  I was in site 17 and was totally pleased... With one exception.

I paid full price for this site.  But, the restrooms. showers, and water were shut off.  If I am paying full high season rates, I want full services!!!!!!  I appreciate there is no padlocked gate keeping people out in the off season.  But, if it easy to turn off the water, showers, and bathrooms, it should also be easy to create a reduced rate for reduced services.  Some other County, State, and Federal campgrounds charge nothing for no services off season camping.  What is Minnesota's problem?  Give people what they pay for!!!

This is purely a ripoff.  It left me with a very unpleasant memory of this area and Minnesota.

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

Sibley State Park isn't the most amazing park in Minnesota, however it's still a very nice little campground! We came a little too early in spring so the trees weren't quite green yet, but I'm sure we will be back in the fall to see the beautiful colors from the tower lookout! I would definitely recommend going up the tower, it's pretty easy not allot of stairs and you have quite the view up there! Also nearby is the small town of New London, I would check it out! The Goat Ridge Brewery is fairly new and is definitely worth the stop!! They have a back patio right along the river near the dam with fire pits back there to enjoy your brews! They brew a pretty good root beer too for the kids!

This state park uniquely showcases an ecologic transition zone between hardwood forest, savannah, and prairie. There are also local history connections. As a bird watcher, I was very excited to see birds here that I dont usually see at home in northern Minnesota, and to learn a bit more about glaciation in this area and about prairie and savannah habitats. The park has self guided hikes, educational nature programs, and learning kits for birding and more that you can check out at the ranger station. The lakeshore is pretty, and the lakeside campground is green and leafy with mature trees but the campsites are very close together, and the beachfront and bath house are currently closed for renovation which puts a damper on waterfront activities. Away from the lake is another campground in the oak savanna section of the park, and this campground seems quieter with more spacious sites, although they are more open. The park’s camper cabins are located here and are in a very pretty setting tucked into a little hill, though a bit of a walk to the bathrooms and showerhouse. At both campgrounds there are nice ADA sites which are level, spacious and accessible, and also close to the bathrooms. I was at a conference in nearby Willmar, and this park is a good alternative for lodging if you need to be in the area. If you are really into learning more about prairies and local glacial geology, the nearby Prairie Environmental Learning Center is fantastic to visit, and lots of prairie pothole WMAs are also closeby for waterfowl watching

I camped here during an MEA weekend in October and even though we woke up to snow covering our tent, it was a great experience! The campground itself was located very close to the lake and offered nice amenities and privacy between sites.

Lots of sites with and without electricity. Sites are spacious with close access to the lake from any of the lower campground sites. Large beach area for swimming and pylons to tie up boats. Good trail system and a great swimming area. Nature center is really good and all of the staff are great and friendly. Definitely worth checking out.

Good lake, had a great swimming beach. Our campsite wasn't private but there are some that are surrounded by trees and private. Would love to come back to this state park

Stopped here one night. It was quiet and amenities were clean.

This is a great camp ground with upper and lower sites ! Great bathrooms and nice size camp sites. Enough electric and primitive sites :). Nice trails for hiking :)

One of our families favorite spots! make sure to get the lower campground my the water, it’s magical.. the only downfall is that the rangers take all rules very very very seriously. no hammocks on trees (hurts them), no picking up stray firewood, no clothes lines, on and on. with that said - we still come back year after year, just read all the fine print so you don’t expect one thing and the bust you for that tree killing hammock.

Most spots were shaded by mature shade trees. A nice beach, especially for kids. Technically, no booze it there but if you keep it in concealed and don’t cause a problem, you’re golden.

This is a beautiful campground right on the lake. We stayed in the lower campground and had great views of the lake and was able to beach the boat. The lower campground is less private and is busy.

We had fun setting up our campsite!

We stayed in the lower campground, site 89. Nice tree canopy above although the sites themselves don’t have much privacy. This isn’t a quiet campground during the day but campers were very respectful of quiet hours at night. Direct access to the lake from the campground with a sandy beach and plenty of lakeshore for everyone. Many campers brought their boats and kayaks. Short drive to Lake Brophy County Park to ride the mountain bike trails or jump on the Central Lakes Bike trail.

So much fun in the summer! Some great hiking trails, beautiful lake, easy to get to. Love it :)