Cabin camping accommodations near Dassel, Minnesota are spread across Stearns, Wright, and Kandiyohi counties. Winters reach below 0°F while summer temperatures average in the mid-70s. The region features numerous lakes formed by glacial activity, with most camping cabins built on higher ground to avoid seasonal flooding. Most cabins require reservations at least 1-2 months in advance during peak summer season.
What to do
Hiking at Lake Maria State Park: The park offers backpacking trails through hardwood forests with several secluded hike-in campsites. "Backpack sites only. Love this park as it offers many backpacking sites with some being very short hikes in and some being longer hikes. Some are lake front and some are more woodsy sites," notes reviewer Tori K. at Lake Maria State Park Campground.
Swimming at Games Lake: County parks provide dedicated swimming areas with maintained beaches. "Beautiful clear lake, nice sites, friendly people, affordable rentals, and so much to do!" says Jason H. about Games Lake County Park. The park also offers boating access with trailer parking available.
Mini golf and recreation: Several cabin campgrounds feature on-site recreational activities. At St. Cloud-Clearwater RV Park, "It has a 9 hole mini golf, shuffleboard, salt water pool, and a lobby/gift shop. They also offer a nice seating area for those hot or raining days with free arcade," according to reviewer S L.
What campers like
Private cabin settings: Many cabins offer secluded locations away from busier campground areas. "Appreciated the camper cabin and the clean sites. Most if not all sites are in the woods from what I could tell so there is a lot of leaves. Good trails and a fun experience," writes Brian K. about his cabin stay at Lake Maria State Park.
Lake access: Cabins near lakes provide water recreation opportunities. At Green Lake County Park, "Right in the lake, quiet and family friendly. Clean bathrooms, mostly RV's," says reviewer Adelia. Most lakeside cabin areas also maintain boat launches and fishing piers.
Off-season availability: Several cabin locations remain open year-round. "I would like to come back to this park in late fall and try out a camper cabin. There are three of them all on lakes so if you can get past buggy season it has the potential to be a great experience," notes Steph H. about Lake Maria State Park cabins.
What you should know
Mosquito and bug considerations: Summer months bring significant insect activity. "We went in the middle of Summer. High bug season... First step onto the grassy trail exploded in a cloud of mosquitos... Even though we'd sprayed everyone down the bugs must have felt safety in numbers because we were covered in welts in no time flat," warns Steph H. about Lake Maria State Park.
Pack-in requirements: Some cabin locations require hiking to reach. "BP7 didn't have much dead wood around so we had to reserve the firewood we purchased. Carrying firewood, food, water, gear, on a hilly trail through the woods can become real tough real fast for anyone that isn't physically active," explains reviewer Cheeming Y. about Lake Maria State Park.
Bathroom facilities vary: Some cabins share centralized bathroom facilities. Oak Ridge Campground at Sibley State Park offers "Bathrooms clean but dated. Beautiful swimming beach short walk from campground," according to reviewer Karl.
Tips for camping with families
Playground access: Several campgrounds feature dedicated play areas for children. "There is a nearby boat launch with parking. As well as a playground and beach area with a slide," mentions Tori K. about Games Lake County Park.
Family-friendly cabin options: Baker Campground provides several cabin layouts suitable for families. "I spent two nights in the campground. It was fairly busy, but we still felt secluded despite a full campground. There are nice paved trails around a couple of lakes/ponds for biking, and easy access to the shower and bathroom facilities (which were very nice)," notes ERolf P. about Baker Campground.
Multiple activities in one location: Look for campgrounds with diverse recreation options. "This place had awesome trails and so many deer! It's like they were camping with us," writes Christopher C. about Bertram Chain of Lakes Regional Park Campground.
Tips from RVers
Weekly rental options: Some county parks offer weekly cabin rentals rather than nightly stays. "This is a nicely forested family-oriented campground on the shores of Games Lake. Though not quite as nice as the nearby Sibley State Park, it has easy access to it as well as the Glacial Lakes bike trail, plus is set on a nice lake with fishing, boating, and swimming available," explains Janet R. about Games Lake County Park.
Cabin amenities: RV campers note cabin amenities vary widely. "The cabin is very private, quiet, and wonderfully shaded, with just enough open sky for stargazing by the fire. The tent pad is level, and there's a solid fire ring and picnic table," notes a reviewer about Lake Maria State Park's backcountry sites.
