RV camping near Carlton, Minnesota provides options for travelers within a 30-mile radius. The area sits at the western edge of the Lake Superior basin, with elevations ranging from 1,100 to 1,300 feet above sea level. Summer temperatures typically reach 70-80°F, while spring and fall camping seasons experience frequent rainfall that can affect unpaved campground roads.
What to do
Hiking at Banning State Park: Located just 30 miles from Carlton, the park offers excellent hiking trails along the Kettle River. "We enjoyed a great day of hiking around this state park and enjoying the water and ruins of old buildings," noted one camper at Banning RV Park and Campground.
Golfing excursions: Some campgrounds integrate with recreational facilities. At Minnesota National RV Park, visitors can access an 18-hole course. "The 18 hole course is quite challenging where the 9 hole Savannah is shorter and a little bit easier," according to one review.
Boating and fishing: Several campgrounds provide lake access. "We caught a few little fish in the lake. Paddle boats and kayaks for use," shared a camper at Red Pine Campground. For those with boats, Spirit Lake RV and Marina offers convenient water access with campsites positioned near boat slips.
What campers like
Clean facilities: Campground cleanliness varies across the region. "The bathhouse was clean. Did not use laundry but bathhouse also contained small laundry area as well as library and puzzle/game area," noted one visitor to Red Pine Campground.
Urban proximity: DECC/Amsoil Arena RV Parking provides city camping options. "I love when cities offer a place like this to park overnight, even if it's at an outrageous price. RVs can park at the event center parking lot for $50/night (or$65 if you want electricity)," wrote one reviewer who appreciated the urban location.
Pet amenities: Some parks offer specialized pet facilities. "We absolutely loved the dog park. It was not just some small dog area it was top of the line dog park," shared a visitor at Banning RV Park and Campground, which includes a complete dog agility course.
What you should know
Seasonal operation limits: Most campgrounds close completely between late October and April. Red Pine Campground operates May through October, while others like Northland Camping & RV Park runs May 15 to October 15.
Varied site quality: Campsite conditions can differ significantly. "Sites seemed to vary a lot. We had picked a specific site but when we got there were told that we were in another spot. It was difficult to see where we should actually park on the site," reported one camper at Banning RV Park and Campground.
Noise considerations: Campgrounds near highways or railroads experience substantial noise. "Noisy highway and train nearby," noted a reviewer at Northland Camping & RV Park, while another mentioned city environments mean "you'll definitely have road noise, train noise, and drunken fools on weekend nights."
Tips for camping with families
Playground options: Several campgrounds maintain play areas for children. "There are a couple of ponds at which people fish and a couple of small playground areas," reported a visitor to Red Pine Campground, making it suitable for family camping.
Swimming access: Oak Lake Campground offers water recreation options. "This campground provides boat rental and a swimming beach. Sites are a little small but have a nice view of the lake. Playground for the kids was decent. The beach was ok," noted a reviewer.
Group site availability: Some parks have arrangements for multi-family camping. Minnesota National RV Park offers layout options for groups, with one visitor noting: "Some great options in here for group camping as there are several loops you could be placed in that have sites near one another."
Tips from RVers
Hookup positioning: Utility connections vary across campgrounds. "Water, electric, and sewer. Level well packed stone sites," noted one RVer about Red Pine Campground, while another mentioned water hookups are sometimes shared between sites: "Water hookups were shared with other sites and required 'y' connections at the spigots."
Leveling challenges: Site conditions impact setup ease. "Our sites were grass that was a little long and rutted from what seemed from previous tenants. This made getting leveling a little difficult," reported a visitor to Banning RV Park and Campground.
Dump station accessibility: Some parks have difficult dumping facilities. "Dump station was a challenge with RV and a blue boy. To dump RV you most likely need to turn around and back in. Watched several RV'ers had some trouble getting their rigs in a good position to dump," shared a camper at Spirit Lake RV and Marina.
