Best Glamping near Carlton, MN

Recent Glamping Reviews near Carlton, Minnesota

158 Reviews of 18 Carlton Campgrounds

• S

  Sara A.

  Guide

  

  Oct. 2, 2022

  Jay Cooke State Park Campground

  Campground for everyone

  This campground has it all: sites for families to reserve by one another, campsites with more privacy, RV specific loops. With newly updated facilities, it can feel like glamping. Good proximity to bridge and nearby hikes. I highly recommend finding the cedar forest near the CCC Trail on the north side of campground.

• 

  Cindy B.

  Ranger

  

  Feb. 9, 2022

  Cloquet-Duluth KOA

  So So

  I fully recognize that my lack of enthusiasm for this campground may be due to circumstances on the particular weekend we were there. Our site was directly across from the playground and the kids playing at the playground were all pre-teens who screamed non-stop. Our neighbor also had a dog on a line that was long enough to come into our campsite. The dog was perfectly friendly, but he did his business right in the middle of our site and until we pointed it out to the dog's owner, it didn't get cleaned up. The sites were also very small and very close together. We won't be returning to this campground. 

  We did, however, love the area. We rode the Gitchi Gami trail up along the north shore of Lake Superior, hiked around in Jay Cooke State Park and explored Duluth a bit. We liked the Streetcare Cafe in Carlton (great food), The Cedar Coffee Co and Castle Danger Brewery.

• C

  Cody L.

  Ranger

  

  Sep. 12, 2021

  Jay Cooke State Park Campground

  Nice Gem

  North east Minnesota has some very beautiful country. Highly recommend this spot. 

• E

  Echo G.

  Scout

  

  May. 30, 2019

  Jay Cooke State Park Campground

  Camping

  This was a last minute camping trip for us. The camp sites are spaced out enough to have privacy. The hiking trails were fun and not far from camp. It was chilly at night a very nice area to go camping. Absolutely love this place. Would comeback again if we’re ever in Minnesota again.

• 

  Justin R.

  Guide

  

  Jul. 12, 2018

  Old Logging Trail — St. Croix State Park

  Large yet private

  This is Minnesota’s largest state park and has over 200 camp sites. But where we were, we were secluded from most people. Not from the mosquitos. You had to defend against them. But clean park. Would go back for sure.

• 

  Joe R.

  Legend

  

  Jul. 25, 2022

  Jay Cooke State Park Campground

  Jay Cooke destination

  Jay Cooke is really a must experience state park within easy driving distance to other parks in Minnesota and Wisconsin.
  Positives:

  • Amazing hiking and water play
  • photogenic
  • Some open site options for camping with other families or friends and many private sites
  • Very clean and large shower/restroom facilities
  • 15 min to small town grocery store
  • Standard fire rings that you can grill on too
  • lots of bird watching Negative:
  • MOSQUITOS!!!! Bring bulk bug spray or extra blood.
• 

  Lesley R.

  Legend

  

  Oct. 29, 2022

  Jay Cooke State Park Campground

  Waterfalls Et Al

  Excellent hiking and camping experiences here. Stayed for a weekend and returned after for many, many day hikes. Plenty of wildlife to see, a newly rebuilt “swing bridge” over the rusty rushing of the Saint Louis River. And the locals are pleasant, heck, it’s Minnesota! Buggy in summer due to all the water, bring excellent hiking shoes for the rocks yer gonna wanna climb around on. Excellent autumn photography options for all occasions. Camping is is a more secluded area where most day-hikers don’t come across ya.

• 

  Bret S.

  Guide

  

  Jul. 18, 2021

  Minnesota National RV Park

  Excellent stay if you’re visiting Big Sandy or Minnewawa area - or if you love golf

  This is a relatively new (2016?) campground built right next to the Minnesota National Golf Course clubhouse, and in the corner surrounded by Savannah holes 8 and 9. It’s literally inside the golf course.

  Gravel pads, some a bit out of level. All 50 amp water and sewer. Some great options in here for group camping as there are several loops you could be placed in the have sites near one another.

  Our site (33) was tucked way back in the woods, had a nice bit of privacy.

  No bath house.

  The golf course is amazing - one of the nicer public courses in the state. I can see a lot of folks choosing this RV park as a golf vacation - we were here because we were spending two weeks with family on Big Sandy Lake, just ten minutes away.

  Don’t miss breakfast at the Palisade Cafe and dinner/beers at the Craft House - both are legit culinary experiences, not Sysco reheaters.

  With 50+ sites, park was full for the three days around July 4, but was under 50% the rest of the time. An under appreciated gem.

• R

  Rose

  Traveler

  

  May. 2, 2023

  Jay Cooke State Park Campground

  Nice state park camping

  We stopped here on our way to north Minnesota. Originally we planned 2 days but really needed to rest so extended it to 4 days. It was a little hairy getting to, the 2 lane winding road with the raging river on one side did slow us down a bit.  The Rangers were friendly and accommodating. The park had taken quite a beating with the winter storm that had been there the previous week, a lot of sites were closed due to trees down and snow.  While we were there they were actively cleaning up, but left in the afternoon so we had no disturbances from saws or equipment noise. The water was not turned on yet for the season, so the bathroom/showers and dump station were not available.  There was a potable water source at the front of our loop to fill our fresh tank and our water storage cubes.  The sites were shaded well, and easy to back into.  We had to work a bit to get our camper level but that may have been due to the snow and water that was on the site so we figured it was par for the course.  We walked to the Welcome Center and the swinging bridge, there were multiple hiking trails accessible by the camping area.  It was relatively busy on the weekend but cleared out during the week.  We had lots of wildlife visitors.  The park is pet friendly.  We found affordable propane and a dump site closer to Duluth.

• 

  MickandKarla W.

  Legend

  

  Sep. 1, 2024

  Minnesota National RV Park

  Golf is the Thing Here

  As this was our second time here at Minnesota National, we had no problem finding the course or RV park. The RV navigation in our new Ford 450 was also spot on. When you turn in at the golf course, drive all the way to the club house/lodge parking lot and there’s a road to the right that takes you into the campground (CG). As you check-in online prior to arrival, you simply proceed to your camp site. As you turn down the short road to the CG, there’s a sign to help you identify your site location. We proceeded to back-in site 25 with full hook ups. The utilities are in the back of pad in this CG, so you may need 20+ feet of electric, sewer, or water cord/hose depending on your rig’s configuration. The sewer grade is a bit up hill. We got 3 bars LTE on Verizon and no CG WiFi. There is only a vault toilet/out house in the CG. We came here to golf for two weeks. The 18 hole course is quite challenging where the 9 hole Savannah is shorter and a little bit easier. The golf course restaurant has decent food and a good deal on draft beer during their Sunday to Thursday Happy Hours.There is not much more to do here except golf. McGregor is about 15 minutes away and is where we did laundry and got our groceries.

• 

  Ari A.

  Legend

  

  Aug. 3, 2021

  Old Logging Trail — St. Croix State Park

  Decent sites; plenty to do

  This park has a ton of camping available, particularly if you don't need electricity and have a smaller rig because then you can get into more of the campground loops. (There is electricity here, but there are many more sites without.) 

  The sites in the Old Logging Campground were close together but many had vegetation between them offering some privacy. Site 207 was especially tucked in but it's a tight spot, so probably best for a van or tent. 

  The park itself has a lot to offer being right on the St. Croix River, plus there are hiking trails, a paved bike path, a fire tower you can climb, an old CCC camp area you can tour, and more. Also, canoe and kayak rentals are available. And this is all within the state park boundary since, at 34,000 acres, the park is the largest in the Minnesota state park system. 

  Some of the loops have old bathhouses that desperately need to be replaced, but they are in the process of doing so, which means some loops have great new bathrooms and showers. (If you stay in the upper 200s, sites, you'll have one of these new bathrooms right away, but more are being built.) Cell service was incredibly spotty on Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile. Depending on where you're at, you'll get a low signal, but often it was only enough for texting-- don't think about using the web or social media or getting any work done while you're here. 

  Overall, we enjoyed our weekend at this park and would come back for another getaway if we had the chance and it wasn't a workday.

• 

  Jason S.

  Guide

  

  Jan. 8, 2015

  Jay Cooke State Park Campground

  One of the better MN state campgrounds

  Jay Cooke is one of the better state park campgrounds with beautiful scenery and is close to Duluth. I would recommend checking out the fire museums in Hinckley and Moose Lake on your way up from the Twin Cities.

• B

  Benjamin C.

  Guide

  

  Jun. 7, 2016

  Jay Cooke State Park Campground

  great stop on the way north

  site: wooded. walk-in sites available. camping cabins available. amenities: very clean. attractions: geocaching. historic sites. nature programs. biking. hiking. I would go camping here again.

• 

  Sara S.

  Legend

  

  Jun. 12, 2016

  Jay Cooke State Park Campground

  family time

  We came with our extended family and while they did tent camping we stayed in a camping cabin. The cabins were great! Our family also was pleased with their tent camping site. This park offered some fun hikes. The views are beautiful- great place to take photos! We came into the stay somewhat unaware of the park, as our family had done the reservations and planning, but we were pleasantly surprised at everything this park offers :)

• 

  Matt S.

  Legend

  

  Sep. 12, 2016

  Jay Cooke State Park Campground

  There are a lot of hikers at Jay Cooke State Park

  This is an average campground. The campsites have good space and trees. The weekend I went there were no vacancies, so it must be a pretty popular place. There is a cool river with a lot of rapids and white water.

  What I noticed most was all of the young people hiking the trails. There were a lot of hikers.

• C

  Candace W.

  Scout

  

  Sep. 30, 2016

  Jay Cooke State Park Campground

  Jaye Cooke Park an Exciting Adventure

  I live on the edge of this park but I love to rent a cabin so I'm in the middle of the fun. My grandkids, friends and daughter have stayed with me. Campfire at night, hiking during the day and lots of fresh air. We usually have a few "visitors" in the evening. While sitting around d the fire we can spot raccoons hoping to steal some marshmallows or in the morning when the chipmunks ate our donuts! It's a great place a d the cabins are wonderful for those who aren't fond of tents.

• 

  Jared S.

  Traveler

  

  May. 9, 2017

  Jay Cooke State Park Campground

  Water, water...

  I spent a day trip with friends at Jay Cook. The water levels were low, so we clambered around on the sculpted granite rocks that line the river and falls, dipping on and out of pools and up slick rock faces.

  There's always a lot of people, but if you get far enough from parking it drops off dramatically.

• 

  Jennifer H.

  Guide

  

  Jul. 6, 2017

  Jay Cooke State Park Campground

  Nice Campground, Beautiful Hiking!

  The campground here is nice, but could use some updates (bathrooms/showers). The hiking is beautiful, especially along the river (although some trails are closed due to wash out repair). And of course the kids love the swinging bridge!

• J

  Jules L.

  Traveler

  

  Jul. 12, 2017

  Jay Cooke State Park Campground

  Gabbro, Shale and Greywacke are wack at Jay Cooke State Park

  Even though it rained almost the entire time, we spent a great couple of days at Jay Cooke State Park in MN last June. We went with friends who also had an 8 year old boy. We both rented camper cabins. Our family was in Gabbro and their family was in Shale. The two cabins were separated by 20 feet of forest connected by a footpath through the trees. The boys had a blast running back and forth between the two cabins. The parents were pretty happy to have the screened in porches for listening to the rain and playing several rounds of Mad Libs.

  We did a couple of short hikes during breaks in the rain. The suspension bridge was cool and all the boys had fun climbing on the rocks in the gorge and scaring us moms. There are some great trails that run through the area (Willard Munger and North Country National Scenic trails and Duluth is only 15 miles away via bike trail) and I hope to return on a drier weekend to do more hiking.

• 

  Steph H.

  Legend

  

  Jul. 17, 2017

  Jay Cooke State Park Campground

  Worth the hike

  The High Landing backpack site is amazing! It's less than a 2 mile hike in unless you take a wrong turn then uh maybe about 4 but I wouldn't know, just guessing... and once you get there you're greeted with a stunning overlook of the St Louis River way below. I loved listening to the constant thunder of the river. We had a nice private trail leading to our spot so no one was ever in eye site or ear shot of us. The pit toilet was pretty far which is great till 2am and the maggots on the open air throne threw me off a bit but hey better than nothing! Late fall left us with a spattering of color and a frosted tent in the morning but hiking was perfect and plentiful in this gorgeous park. The river is a highlight of geologic wonder and the famous swinging bridge does not disappoint.

• 

  Stephanie H.

  Guide

  

  Aug. 1, 2017

  Jay Cooke State Park Campground

  Another favorite

  Awesome campground and state park all around. The campsites are surrounded by trees so they are very private and quiet. Hiking along the St Louis river is very cool, a lot of rocks to climb and places to wade and swim in the river. Hiking here could never get old!

• 

  Charyle C.

  Guide

  

  May. 10, 2018

  Jay Cooke State Park Campground

  Nice quiet wooded campground

  I camped overnight here on a 4 day geocache run from Owatonna, MN to Savannah Portage. I arrived just as dusk was falling. I walked across the bridge and shot a few pictures then decided I had better get a camping spot before it got to dark. Found a site and was able to make the reservation online. I was happy to be set for the night even though cell reception was limited where I camped. I was looking forward to seeing all the great things in the area the next morning. It rained overnight and in the morning I found a beautiful foggy world before me. It made for some very interesting photography. I went back to the bridge and shot more pics, checked out the Pioneer cemetery and continued my dash for the cache!

• 

  Andrea S.

  Guide

  

  May. 19, 2018

  Jay Cooke State Park Campground

  Before the Shore

  This park is right before Duluth and is a perfect getaway spot if you don’t want to travel all the way up the shore! The campground has tent, hook-up, and cabin sites. The facilities, while somewhat dated, have always been in good condition and clean on my visits. This seems more like a family campground and is quiet pretty early. The trails are just across the street and are beautiful in all seasons. The bridge history is pretty cool too; go see it! One thing I would note for this park is that it definitely blends with the nearby city, which isn’t a bad thing as long as you’re aware. The town has some great breakfast spots too!

• S

  Samantha B.

  Traveler

  

  Jun. 4, 2018

  Jay Cooke State Park Campground

  Love the trails!

  Beautiful area and had awesome trails. I highly enjoy exploring the area and climbing on the rocks.

• S

  Samantha B.

  Traveler

  

  Jun. 4, 2018

  Jay Cooke State Park Campground

  Awesome every time

  One of my favorites by far! Beautiful in spring and in fall! Lots of trails to hike on. Boating is a great option too.

• 

  Joshua W.

  Traveler

  

  Jun. 6, 2018

  Jay Cooke State Park Campground

  Bushwack

  Awesome views from the Swingbridge. Make sure you do some climbing on the craggy rocks near the river!

• 

  Erica R.

  Scout

  

  Jun. 7, 2018

  Jay Cooke State Park Campground

  Great campsites

  Every site is divided in plenty of tree cover. I can’t wait to go back and do more hiking!