Whether you're an RVer or tent camper, Elrosa, MN is a great place to post up for the weekend—or longer. There's so much to see and do, from exhilarating hikes or bike rides to exploring the local dining and shopping. Discover great camping spots near Elrosa, reviewed by campers like you.
Green Lake County Park
32 min away
Sunnybrook Park
1 hr 14 min away
"Very clean lake, peaceful"
"Located on long lake on the horseshoe chain if you like to fish!"
"Amenities I remember when we had a seasonal spot here: cabins with beautiful lake view, boathouse lodge and game room, sunbathing dock on the water, large picnic grounds, sand-filled playground, paddleboard"
$50 - $75 / night
"There is no charge but reservations are required.
Canoe campsite: The canoe campsite is accessible from the river."
TravelerEnd of October, Stopped for just one night, probably about a 20ish minute drive from 94. Was able to purchase firewood after closing, and the campsite were easy to find after (7$)entry to the park. Campsites are reserved through an online system. We found the top campsite completely empty and plenty of sites had good tree coverage for privacy/ way no protection. Nice level sites with soft ground. Each site had a fire ring and picnic table. The only bathroom in walking distance to the upper campsites was a vault toilet located amongst the cabins. Seems like a great place to stay any season.
GuideThis is one of the most beautiful campsites we have stayed at in the midwest. The canoe campsite (also accessible through cart-in) is located on a small creek just off of the Mississippi river. There is a fire ring, picnic table, and ample tent space. There is about a 500yd walk to the restrooms, and you have to go another 500yds to the main campground to find the showers. We camped in mid-September, and the water to the main campground had already been turned off for the winter, so no shower review. The bathrooms near the cart-in sites were well maintained and clean, flush toilets. There was drinking water access near the old WPA water tower (but the water came from the city, not the well and water tower). We had some rain, but the sandy soil mean things drained quickly and were nearly dry in the morning. Lots of neat hiking trails within this small park, and a Minnesota Historical Society Site across the road at the Charles A. Lindbergh historic site (his boyhood home).
LegendLeap 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!
GuideGreat family campground. Lots of shade cover. Oak ridge is perfect for larger rigs (<35 feet - anything bigger there are only 2 spots that will fit) (no electric or water). Clean vault toilets. Lots for kids to do. Canoeing, fishing, paddle boards. Great hiking trails. Loop for kids to bike on easily. Easy to get to.
For those using the dump station it’s on a hill and tougher for bigger rigs to use. No flushing station. But water throughout park. Firewood at the station. Small number of electric sites in the first campground but sites are closed together and less privacy/shade. Bathhouse is in first campground.
TravelerIf you like quiet/off the beaten path sites, this one is awesome. Walk in sites as well as drive in. Great (but small) swimming beach, large lake with great fishing available. No hook ups and no dump station. Sites are spaced far enough apart to give you some privacy.
LegendThis 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.
LegendI stayed here with a few friends in the winter when the park was doing their lantern-lit snowshoe trail. They have 1 site (electric) available in the winter. We had room for a truck bed camper and a pop-up clam ice fishing tent. A couple and their 2 dogs stayed in the truck camper and me and another friend stayed in the clam with an electric space heater going in addition to our 0 degree bags. It stayed pretty cozy! Fire ring and picnic table at the site. I believe the bathrooms and showers were closed for the season but cannot recall. Firewood is available at the office.
LegendNice large campground. There is a lower portion and upper portion with the lower campground being lakefront. There are primitive and electric sites available. Firewood at the office and there are restrooms, showers, and vault toilets as well.
Close to downtown Alexandria where there are a variety of things to do: breweries and restaurants, shopping, other parks and trails.
LegendAt the end of a long day, even if it was full of fun, but especially if it wasn't, all you want to do if find a campsite, set it up and chill out. That would have been kind of hard to do at Lindbergh State Park, at least coming to the canoe sites off the river. But once we were there, it was very quiet and easy to get to. But at least I had my Matador Droplet XL Dry Bag, just in case we tipped over in our quest to find it.
CAMPSITE REVIEW:
We decided that this campsite was going to be our last stop on our river trip. Charles Lindbergh State Park has many campsites, but there are a few they call "cart in". They are also referred to as "canoe in", depending on which way you approach and arrive. It's a good thing we had a map, because we wouldn't have found it off the Mississippi by ourselves. In fact, even with the map, it wasn't the easiest to find. The last thing you want to do at the end of a long day is wonder if you took a wrong turn.
Yes, it's at the park. So we eventually would have found the campsite, but coming at it off the river, it seemed to be hidden. Until we saw a tiny sign, over a bridge, off to the right that said the name of the park (and no STATE PARK signs anywhere like you usually see along the river). So we took a right turn, and it led us to a swampy bog. And the bog kinda took a right turn through a weird little twist and turn of weeds and trees and abandoned buildings. I swear I heard banjos. And just when we thought we might be in the wrong spot, bingo! A campsite.
As hard as it was to find, it was incredibly easy to get into. A few little steps out of the water and that was it. We were there! This little offshoot of the Mississippi was called Pike Creek, and apparently was the place where Lindbergh used to come and play and swim. So, although difficult to find via watercraft, a little piece of history to enjoy.
The campsite was fairly small, but served it's purpose. We were at site C1 (Cart in #1? Canoe in #1? Can't find it #1?) A very flat tent pad was a great find. Fire ring, picnic table, plenty of trees and shade. Bathroom was a bit of a haul, up a hill and to the left about 1/4 mile. There was a shower house, but due to the confusing nature of the park/trail sign nearby, we ended up walking the wrong direction and spent about 20 min walking about a 1/2 mile. If we'd walked the other direction, it would have taken half the time. And the showers were so-so. They worked, they were hot, and they were private, but I'd advise to take your water shoes with you before you step into the stall.
There was a second site as well, right next to the first. And in fact, the second is right on the trail to the bathroom, so if you were staying in that site, anyone at campsite #1 would have to walk through campsite #2 to hit the trail to the toilet. Hmmm…. At least that site was empty for the night.
I rated this as three stars for the lack of signage, the close proximity of the 2 sights that are supposed to be more secluded, the confusing trail signs and the fire pit that was so deep that unless you had a raging blaze, you couldn't see the flames once the initial logs burned down if you were sitting in camp chairs. But it was pretty, it was quiet, and there wasn't anything wrong with the campsite itself. It served it's purpose well and gave us a a place to crash for the night.
Note: As usual, because it's a state park, there is a reservation fee, even though you can canoe in. Most canoe sites on the river are free, unless they are in a state park. We reserved this "the day of" and paid $15. If you reserve in advance, there is an additional reservation fee.
Oh, and one last thing…beware of the deadly falling acorns if you go in late summer. Almost all the trees are oak, and the lightest bit of breeze (or the shimmy of a playful squirrel collecting his winter stash) sends them showering down. Onto your head. Or hitting your extremities. Or plinking into your coffee.
GEAR REVIEW:
As a Ranger for The Dyrt, I have the awesome opportunity to get incredible gear in exchange for an honest review of it. This time, I had the pleasure of trying out the Matador Droplet XL Dry Bag Wow…love this thing!.
Now, I'll first admit that I didn't have my bag bobbing in the Mississippi River. I didn't take it that far, but I know what a dry bag is supposed to do, and how it needs to be constructed to do that. This thing packs a huge punch for it's size! Here's the specs:
It comes stuffed in this little silicone "droplet" (hence the name). The droplet has a clip on it for your backpack or whatever. Honestly, if I need the dry bag, I'm probably not taking the silicone droplet with me since it's got some weight on it, and if I'm using the bag, I don't need the storage pod, but it's a great way to package it and keep it stored when not in use. The fabric is pretty slick and slippery, so it's kind of hard to fold and keep folded without the pod to do so. So the droplet serves it's purpose well when you need it.
The real reason I wanted to try this thing out was for my backpack, because I absolutely hate pack liners and I wanted a dry bag large enough for my sleeping bag and pad. This fits them perfectly, with a little room to spare. So even though I didn't have my pack with me, this held those items and went in our canoe bag (which isn't waterproof) and kept my things nice and dry every day I packed them.
It's durable construction and lightweight fabric make it ideal for adventures on the water, near the water, or simply when water falls from the sky and all you want it to do is go away. No worries…your gear will be nice and dry!
Tent camping near Elrosa, Minnesota offers a fantastic opportunity to immerse yourself in nature while enjoying various amenities and activities. With several well-reviewed campgrounds in the area, you'll find the perfect spot to set up your tent and unwind.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular tent campsite near Elrosa, MN?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Elrosa, MN is Old Wagon Camp Ground with a 4-star rating from 1 review.
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