Best Tent Camping near Erhard, MN

Tent campsites around Erhard, Minnesota include a mix of established grounds and primitive wilderness sites suited for backpacking and overnight stays. Glendalough State Park Campground, approximately 25 miles southeast of Erhard, offers tent-specific camping with cart-in and hike-in options. Beers Hike-In Site provides a secluded tent camping experience with fishing access, while sites along the North Country Trail offer more primitive backcountry tent camping opportunities.

Most tent campgrounds in this region feature basic amenities with varying levels of development. Glendalough's tent sites are positioned in hardwood groves that provide natural shade, with designated cart paths leading from parking areas to tent pads. Fire rings with cooking grates are standard at established sites like Beers Hike-In, though campers should verify current fire restrictions, especially during dry summer months. Vault toilets are available at many sites but drinking water is limited - particularly at primitive locations. The 400th Ave Camp along the North Country Trail provides a fire ring, tent pad, and latrine within 100 yards of the parking area, making it accessible for families new to backcountry tent camping.

Areas farther from developed campgrounds offer deeper seclusion for tent campers seeking wilderness experiences. Tent-only restrictions at Glendalough create a quieter atmosphere without RV generators or vehicle traffic. The park's position between forest and prairie ecosystems provides diverse hiking opportunities directly from tent sites. The primitive canoe-in sites offer additional solitude for paddlers willing to transport gear across lakes. Water access is a highlight at many locations, with Annie Battle Lake at Glendalough designated as non-motorized, creating ideal conditions for paddling and fishing directly from tent sites. A camper noted that Glendalough's cart-in sites are "perfect for every level of camper" with "campsites filled with families and things were very quiet by 9 pm each night."

Best Tent Sites Near Erhard, Minnesota (18)

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Recent Tent Camping Photos near Erhard, MN

10 Photos of 18 Erhard Campgrounds


Tent Camping Reviews near Erhard, MN

213 Reviews of 18 Erhard Campgrounds


  • Glenda D.
    Mar. 27, 2021

    Delagoon Park Campground

    Small campground with fishing pier

    Delagoon Campground is located within Delagoon Park which is on the outskirts of Fergus Falls, the County seat of Ottertail County. The campground has 22 campsites with 14 being camper/tent sites with water & 20/30 electricity. The campsites are gravel back-in with no separation between sites so privacy is limited. The tent-only sites are against a line of trees but are still open to other campers. There are fire rings but no picnic tables so bring your camping chairs. The fishing pier is large and handicap accessible. There are non-plumbed but modern and clean restrooms within the park. The campground gets used a lot by local residents looking for a quick weekend getaway but there are usually several open spots available that are low in cost ($10 for tent-only & $20 for hookup sites). Registration is first come first serve via a self serve kiosk at the campground entrance. The noise level within the campground can be pretty high on weekends. There are no posted quiet times or on-site staff who manage the campground (it is managed by the Fergus Falls Park & Rec Dept) although the local police drive through frequently when the campground is inhabited.

  • L
    Nov. 2, 2022

    Lake Carlos State Park Campground

    Beautiful and quiet

    End 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.

  • Glenda D.
    Apr. 22, 2021

    Ashby Resort Campground

    Some semi-private sites - full hookups in other sites

    Each site has a picnic table and some sites have a fire ring.  There are tent-only sites that have no hookups and there are semi-private sites for RVs with electric hookup only or sites that are closer together for RVs that have full hookups.

    Call 218-747-2959 to book a site.  The campground has a lot of trees and most campsites are on grass.

    There is also a motel and cabins on-site that you can book.  The motel rooms, cabins and new cabins (these are like smaller mobile homes) are all lakeside giving you nice views.  

    The campground has paddle boards, paddle boats, kayaks and canoes that are available to guests at no extra charge, too.  You can rent a fishing boat or pontoon either by the day or the week.  There is a fish cleaning house on-site as well.  

    This campground is in the heart of Minnesota's lake's country.

  • Joanna B.The Dyrt PRO User
    Mar. 1, 2020

    Lake Carlos State Park Campground

    Beautiful camper cabin

    Leap 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!

  • Glenda D.
    Mar. 26, 2021

    Delagoon Park Campground

    Great campground on the outskirts of town

    Delagoon is the City Park & Camping area on the outskirt of Fergus Falls, the County seat of Ottertail County. The campground is comprised of about 20 campsites with several designated for tent or RV and includes 20/30 amp & water hookups. The other sites on the west side when you enter are tent-only sites with no electricity but there is running water supply outside the bathrooms located within the campground. The sites are spacious but there are no trees separating campsites so privacy is minimal, although the views are beautiful. The bathrooms within the campground and near the playground are modern but not plumbed. Hand sanitizer is refilled often but you may want to bring your own tp in case it has been used or taken. Pebble Lake, the lake adjacent to the campground is accessible by a road to a walking area for shoreline fishing or a road within the camping area leads to a fishing pier, usually installed by May 1. Softball and soccer teams play most days of the week in the summer. There are four softball fields and one soccer field.

  • Tori K.The Dyrt PRO User
    Feb. 9, 2025

    Lake Carlos State Park Campground

    Lakefront (winter edition)

    I 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.

  • Amy G.The Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 19, 2017

    400th Ave Camp

    Ranger Review of 400th Ave Camp

    A glorious little site nested in the trees. So close to the parking area it's a breeze to get to, yet far enough away you'd never guess you were near your car (except for very occasional road noise). Great place to camp with kiddos to get them used to the woods!

    Campsite Review:

    My husband and I are lucky enough to live easy driving distance from one of the longest (yet little talked about) hiking trails in the country. The North Country Trail (NCT) runs from North Dakota to New York and all the states in between. It spans Minnesota, not far from our home, and so we love to take overnights and day trips to the trail, sometimes with the pooches!

    This campsite doesn't really have an official name, but it's literally only about 100 yards, if that, from the parking area at the 400th Ave trailhead in the Laurentian Chapter. Close enough that you can leave non essentials in the car and run back for them if you need to. You could even haul your food back to the car instead of hanging it if you wanted to. Great little stop for thru hikers or section hikers, yet perfect for a quick overnight with the kids, if they were itching to camp somewhere other than your back yard.

    It has a great little fire ring with a grate that swings out of the way. A tent pad that's sort of wonky, but you can find a bit of a flat spot if you move closer to the fire. A two sided latrine is just down the path and there is a great big beautiful bench! It looks very new, and it's carved (whittled?) out of a large log of some sort. Solid and gorgeous! There's a little road noise, but not much because it's a logging road, not a highway.

    I highly recommend this spot to families and hikers alike!

  • Tori K.The Dyrt PRO User
    Apr. 20, 2025

    Lake Carlos State Park Campground

    Lakefront

    Nice 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.

  • Katie L.
    Jul. 15, 2024

    Hankinson Hills Campground

    Beautiful stay in the grasslands

    Well maintained campground, has water and multiple vault toilets. There’s a loop for horse camping and a loop for non horse camping. Each site has a fire ring and a nice table, most spaces have trees to provide shade. Verizon works okay, not great but I had a bar or two. Can hear trains running by every so often. Only downside was the abundance of biting flies and mosquitoes.


Guide to Erhard

Tent campsites near Erhard, Minnesota offer diverse camping experiences across prairie-forest transition zones. The region sits within the lake country of west-central Minnesota, with elevations ranging between 1,300-1,400 feet above sea level. Summer temperatures typically range from 55-85°F with higher humidity levels from June through August, while spring and fall camping seasons experience cooler temperatures with less precipitation.

What to do

Paddling on motor-free lakes: Glendalough State Park Campground provides ideal conditions for paddle sports on Annie Battle Lake, which prohibits motorized boats. "Only Tents Allowed--this is the most serene place! They don't allow motor boats on one of the lakes so there is always calm water to canoe, kayak, swim, or paddleboard in," notes one camper at Glendalough State Park Campground.

Family fishing opportunities: Sites often include direct lake access for anglers seeking panfish and other species. One visitor at Beers Hike-In Site mentioned, "There is a nice fire pit and good area for fishing right at the site." The walk-in nature of this Beers Hike-In Site keeps the fishing pressure lower than at drive-in locations.

Seasonal biking on maintained trails: Paved and natural surface trails connect many camping areas to lakes and recreation points. "The views along the bike path are stunning. There is so much to do here. Biking, hiking, swimming, fishing, canoeing, kayaking, paddle boards, and so much more," reports a camper who stayed in one of the yurts at Glendalough.

What campers like

Short hiking distances from parking: The 400th Ave Camp provides backcountry camping with minimal hiking required. "So close to the parking area it's a breeze to get to, yet far enough away you'd never guess you were near your car (except for very occasional road noise). Great place to camp with kiddos to get them used to the woods!" explains a reviewer of 400th Ave Camp.

Clean facilities at developed sites: Many campers specifically mention the maintenance of shared amenities. At Swan Lake Resort & Campground, a visitor noted, "Wonderful office staff, very kind and helpful. We intended to stay at the tent site but when we arrived we saw a lovely cabin overlooking the lake and decided to give ourselves a treat. It was very clean and comfortable."

Separation from vehicle camping: Swan Lake Resort & Campground offers spacious sites that provide more privacy than typically found at standard campgrounds. As one camper described, "Spaces are wooded and farther apart than most campgrounds. I wish we could have stayed longer than one night."

What you should know

Limited water access at primitive sites: While established campgrounds provide drinking water, many backcountry locations require bringing your own supply. At Brushvale Bridge Primitive Canoe Campsite, conditions are basic: "This campground is really for the folks on the Red River. There is virtually nothing here. Accept some flat ground... No spots, no services," reports one visitor to Brushvale Bridge Primitive Canoe Campsite.

Early season camping considerations: Spring camping from April through early June often means cooler temperatures but fewer insects. However, facilities may be limited during shoulder seasons.

Toilet paper availability varies: Even at primitive sites, basic amenities sometimes surprise campers. At Beers Hike-In Site, one camper noted, "Surprisingly there was toilet paper there!" - showing that planning for basics remains important even when facilities exist.

Tips for camping with families

Gradual introduction to backcountry: Sites with short walk-in distances provide a transition to more remote camping. The 400th Ave Camp offers "A glorious little site nested in the trees... Great place to camp with kiddos to get them used to the woods!"

Look for activity options: When camping with children, having diverse recreation choices keeps everyone engaged. One family at Glendalough State Park Campground found it ideal: "What a wonderful park for families and first time campers. All sites (except one handicapped site) are tent only and cart-in sites. That being said, the trip from the (assigned) parking spot to your site is very short and very flat."

Evening quiet important for families: Parents appreciate campgrounds that observe quiet hours. Many tent-specific sites maintain a peaceful atmosphere after dark, making them suitable for families with early bedtimes.

Tips from RVers

Limited big rig sites in the region: Most tent camping areas near Erhard aren't suitable for large RVs. For those needing full hookups, Swan Lake Resort & Campground receives positive mentions: "We only stayed here overnight but the sites were open and spacious. Hosts were very friendly and helpful. Full hookups. Beautiful cabins. Beautiful lake views. Bathrooms were decent."

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular tent campsite near Erhard, MN?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Erhard, MN is Beers Hike-In Site with a 5-star rating from 1 review.

What is the best site to find tent camping near Erhard, MN?

TheDyrt.com has all 18 tent camping locations near Erhard, MN, with real photos and reviews from campers.