Empire is the perfect place for adventurous campers and RVers. There's so much to see and do, from exhilarating hikes or bike rides to exploring the local dining and shopping. Get the dirt on all the best camping near Empire. Browse campgrounds by amenities, site types, and more.
Tony’s Backyard
22 min away
Cleary Lake Regional Park
27 min away
"Camper Cabin (Eastern Bluebird)🏡🐦
Perfect little cabin nestled in the southern half of the park! Screened in porch, heated with electricity, and two double bunk beds!"
"It was a shaded site perfect for our hammocks, it was quiet and very secluded. The Yurt was very cool! Very comfortable beds and plenty of space for the 6 of us to stay and sleep."
"Nice trails, clean restrooms, level sites. No alcohol allowed and no pets! Fire rings, sturdy picnic table. Electric and water."
"Our site has a large picnic shelter with 6 picnic tables two grills and it’s own volleyball place. We also had a portable toilet included which was amazingly clean!"
$85 / night
"Each cabin has four sleeping spots: 2 bunk beds, and the 2 couches convert to beds. There's a heater inside, but no AC, which makes these the most suitable during the spring and fall."
"Super simple camping cabins. They each have 4 spots and have contactless entry as you get sent a code to use. There is no cooking inside the cabin so you have to use the fire ring outside."
$21 - $29 / night
"Clean gravel sites with electric hook up surrounded by well maintained grass, picnic table, and fire pit. Central water spigot and dump station. Great signage throughout."
"Super peaceful vibes, nice tree cover, flat tent pad, and plenty of space to spread out. 🌳⛺️ It’s tucked just enough off the path to feel private, but not so far that you feel isolated."
$16 - $250 / night
"We camped at William O’Brien State Park November 1-4, 2022. We were taking advantage of some unseasonably warm days, and we are so glad we did. This park is beautiful!"
"The picnic table and fire ring was great. We had an electrical hookup and the bathrooms were really clean. Great trails in the park too."
"I used to be against KOA’s and swore I would never camp at one but a couple of friends booked it and I went with. It was actually pretty nice."
"A couple weeks ago we spent some time at the Northwest koa...that one had private tent sites surrounded on 3 sides by trees, quiet spaces etc."
$20 - $75 / night
"We took a 30 minute drive north of the cities for a quick get away, and were rewarded with a very nice campground!
The check in staff was friendly, helpful and efficient."
"It was very easy to find, close to the twin cities, and clean. There was good access to kindling for a fire in the nice fire pit that has a grill."
"Great place to camp and get away from the cities without a long drive. Firewood is available at the office and a fire ring is at each site as well as picnic table."
"Simple camping, picnic table, fire ring & grate. It is well maintained."
$20 - $32 / night
"If you simply look at the list of amenities this park has, nature lovers would be quick to turn their nose up at it as an overly-commercialized playground."
"This is a nice, quiet campground with activities nearby. The sites are decently private and there is nice bathrooms/showers."
GuideEach cabin has four sleeping spots: 2 bunk beds, and the 2 couches convert to beds. There's a heater inside, but no AC, which makes these the most suitable during the spring and fall.
There is a fire ring outside of each cabin, along with a table. No cooking is allowed inside the cabins, which can make things rough if the weather isn't cooperating.
We enjoy hiking around the trails, but we primarily go to decompress, lounge around, and play games, read, etc. There's WiFi available, but depending on which cabin you reserve signal will be took weak for real usage. Same for mobile data -- don't plan on cell service here.
The bathroom facilities are nice. Outside water is shut off during some parts of the year, so bring your own drinking water if you are camping close to/during winter.
Cabins are accessible for those who need special assistance, which is nice. The only caveat is I don't recall there being an automatic door opener to the cabins.
While the cabins are close together, noise is not a factor once you're inside.
It's difficult to get reservations, so I recommend trying to start booking 120 days in advance, which is the farthest out you can reserve. For example, as of this review (early June), all weekends are booked for all cabins.
GuideWe camped at William O’Brien State Park November 1-4, 2022. We were taking advantage of some unseasonably warm days, and we are so glad we did. This park is beautiful! The trails are well kept and cover woodlands, grasslands, and wetlands. There is a huge beaver lodge that can be seen from one of the trails, and we saw a smaller one from a different trail. We saw an abundance birds while we were there.
We stayed in a camper cabin (‘Vasa’) and enjoyed it. The cabins are one room plus an enclosed porch. Furnishings are bunk beds and a table with benches. The cabin was heated and had electricity. You cannot cook indoors. There is a fire pit and picnic table outside. There are three cabins on a little cul de sac by the Savanna campground. There are two vault toilets near the cabins. The water source was off for the season, but water was available at the park office.
LegendSuper simple camping cabins. They each have 4 spots and have contactless entry as you get sent a code to use. There is no cooking inside the cabin so you have to use the fire ring outside. Shower facilities are really nice and match the cabins. Plan ahead as these are hard to come by.
GuideCamper Cabin (Eastern Bluebird)🏡🐦
Perfect little cabin nestled in the southern half of the park! Screened in porch, heated with electricity, and two double bunk beds!
GuideBeautiful, spacious, trees but open. Nice trails, clean restrooms, level sites. No alcohol allowed and no pets! Fire rings, sturdy picnic table. Electric and water.
I made reservations online and when we arrived they said I had reserved a place at Elmo Lake which was 20 miles away. Same 2 county facilities but different campgrounds. Oops my bad. Different addresses!
GuideThis is a really nice campground. The camper cabins are really nice. They have two rooms, a sleeping room and a front room. The sleeping room has 2 bunk beds (4 beds.) The front room has a mini fridge, coffeemaker, toaster, microwave, and a futon. The firepits are well taken care of. It is usually empty when you arrive. There is no.swim beach. The trails and playgrounds are really nice. The bathrooms are heated. The showers are pay showers.
GuideMy partner and I scheduled a 3 day / 2 night stay in a new Vintage Cruiser RV for $39.99, in exchange for attending a presentation on private membership.
We checked in Wednesday evening, and the nicest staff I've ever met helped us acclimate to RV living. We are new to this game. They patiently described how to utilize the grey and black water tanks, as well as encouraged us to check-out the canoes, row boats, bikes, horseshoes, ladder golf and many other entertainment items - for FREE!
The map provided was accurate which made locating the cruiser a breeze. There were further instructions inside as well. The RV was immaculate. Provided for our use were all linens (a public very clean bath and shower was just across the road), dish soap, dish towels, paper towels, flat wear, plates, bowls, mugs and pans.
The campground has a couple of ponds, as well as access to Ham Lake where the watercraft is launched. There is a petting arena with goats, ponies, and a llama who gave my partner the stink eye, but fell in love with me rubbing the fence and giving me all googly eyes!
The clubhouse sells bundled wood, ice, snacks, cold drinks, ice cream and provides 24-hour fresh coffee. There is also a small resupply area, and gift shop.
There are pull-through sites, back ups, 50 and 30 amp hook ups, and tent sites, covered pavilions, picnic tables and fire pits.
The campground itself seems remote, secluded and peaceful, however, you are conveniently located to two well-stocked convenience stores, as well as Wal-Mart about 15 minutes away. It's also only about 45 minutes from the Minnesota Twin Cities.
One note: We visited in August and needed gallons of bug spray.
We very much enjoyed our get away!
ScoutClean gravel sites with electric hook up surrounded by well maintained grass, picnic table, and fire pit. Central water spigot and dump station. Great signage throughout. Showers and restrooms available. A couple disc golf baskets, sand volleyball court and well maintained grass fields were available for play. Lake independence is a 5-10 minute walk along a newly paved trail. Lake offers two swimming beaches, a water equipment rental area, new restroom facilities, and a playground that was under construction at this time. Simple online reservation process at $26/night our one night total cost $36.03 all fees included. Morning of our reservation, camp staff called to communicate a change of site due to our reserved site having issues with its electrical. All amenities functioned appropriately. My wife, two young boys, and I had a great first time experience with our Bambi 19CB Airstream!
ScoutI have stayed multiple times in the hike in camp sites and also in the yurt! The hike in sites were beautiful with a view looking over the St. Croix River. It was a shaded site perfect for our hammocks, it was quiet and very secluded. The Yurt was very cool! Very comfortable beds and plenty of space for the 6 of us to stay and sleep. The fire pit and picnic table wasn't far from the yurt which made it nice to not have to walk too far since we camped in the winter. I highly suggest the expeeience of the yurt!
Cabin camping near Empire, Minnesota offers a perfect blend of nature and comfort, making it an ideal getaway for families and outdoor enthusiasts alike.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular cabin campsite near Empire, MN?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular cabin campground near Empire, MN is Afton State Park Campground with a 4.6-star rating from 36 reviews.
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TheDyrt.com has all 29 cabin camping locations near Empire, MN, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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