The best EQUESTRIAN camping near
Franklin , MINNESOTA

We stayed in the Upper Campground in the site closest to the equestrian campground. The kids loved being able to meet & visit with the horses. 

The sites were a good size, but not much privacy or tree coverage in the area we stayed. There were a lot of trails to hike and a river/stream that they said you could wade/swim in, but we didn't go into it. 

There were a lot of playgrounds, and one really huge one the kids wanted to play on, but with COVID-19 still going strong, we didn't use it.

Nice clean campground very well maintained and free. Near Henderson, MN which is one of a kind small town well worth the visit for all. This is rustic with no hookups except very clean portapotty and hand lever water jack. Pick where to park in nice large grassy areas. A few areas are next to wild and deep ravines. Very nice large new play areas with slides for kids. Popular with a few horse trailers and riders on weekends because of COVID get to gather worries elsewhere. Friday morning before week end is best to get there in case of horse trailers to get nicer spot. Sometimes only a few campers are there. Call ahead to stay overnight so sheriff is aware. Not a lot of people know about it and is at end of long gravel road for peace and quiet. No problem for 5th wheels and tents both, pick your spot. Want to relax, chill out and visit your neighbors. This is worth the visit.

We stayed at site 21 in late August of 2019. It’s obvious that the park had some heavy flooding earlier in the year. A lot of the waterfront sites became sandy. The sites are close together and not very many mature trees between sites. There isn’t any cell phone coverage at the campground but there is service around the historical site. Only restrooms are single stall vault toilets. No showers. However I think the horse campground has upgraded restrooms and showers but I never checked it out because it was so far away. Mosquitoes were bad, everyone came home covered in bites. Kids had a blast playing in the creek. There was also people out on their horses offering rides to kids and educating about horse ownership.

We camped in a tipi here.  All we needed to bring were sleeping bags and sleeping pads. The kids loved being in a tipi and mom & dad loved that we didn't have to set up a tent. The deck kept us off the dirt, and we were warm all night.  What a fun and unforgettable experience.  We hiked the amazing trails throughout the park and even learned about the history of the area.

If you’re looking for some unique camping look no further than the Upper Sioux Agency State Park outside of Granite Falls Minnesota. This park is one of three parks in Minnesota that is home to Tipi camping. Yes I said Tipi!! And not even a Tipi that you need to supply one that’s already set up for you with the wood platform and everything perfect for you to have an amazing experience!

We paid $55 a night and were able to stay at this awesome Tipi campsite. The only downside to the campsite that we stayed in was that it was right on the corner of the main road. Other than that we are absolutely in love with the campsite and the staff at the park. Each day the park rangers would come through and ask if you needed firewood charge you for it and bring it straight to your campsite. This is a pretty good option for buying firewood since the park office was a few miles away from the actual campsite.

It was a really nice shower and bathroom facility along with vault toilets just off the main road. The campground is pretty open but still secluded enough for us to feel like we were there alone. There was a river close to the campsite so that we could fish if we wanted to. And just a short walk or drive or bike ride you could get to the picnic area right off the river and have a really nice day or evening. There were also backpack in camp sites that were really secluded and pretty large. The only problem to those was they were close to the river and the mosquitoes are pretty bad.

This park also has equestrian camping and it’s really nice because it’s completely separate from the main campground.

There wasn’t a whole lot to do around the Park in the nearby towns however there was some cute little antique and thrift shops which was right up our alley.

We would definitely go back and stay in a tipi again!!! What a cool experience!!!

This park is only about 1 1/2 hours from shakopee. It’s a wonderful surprise to find this beautiful wooded river valley on the middle of farm fields. The non electric sites are very wooded and private. The electric sites are very open and offer little privacy. The shower facility is located in the chalet near the main office. Unlike most state parks, there is a $2 fee to shower. The trails are mostly wooded and offer a variety of difficulty. The historical fort site has lots of great information and signage around the excavations. There is a fee to enter the museum.

Upper Sioux agency is a great park for camping. We stayed in the teppees which were amazing. We had two children with beds along with a queen size air-mattress on a raised platform. And another adult in the tepee with plenty of room in the middle.

We went when the fireflys were out and at night the fields looked like they were glittering.

Decided last minute to try a State Park campground I’d never been to and picked Fort Ridgley. Glad I did. Based on the previous reviews I was a little nervous… not really a big RV kind of girl, myself.

But I stayed in the little non-electric loop and couldn’t have been happier with the site. The sites were large enough to fit two tents and had plenty of trees to hook up the hammocks. The sites were clean and well maintained and the staff at the park were really nice!

Unlike other state park campgrounds I have been to, this one does not have a bathroom/shower house. No flush toilets here. But the vault toilets were cleaned daily. But if you are the kind of camper Thant needs a shower or a flush toilet, this isn’t the park for you.

’One day a ranger came around an offered a wildlife edible “class” which I decided to go to - that was interesting! I learned a lot (thanks Scot) and it was fun to meet some of the other campers. I also learned that this is one of the oldest State Parks in MN.

I did venture over to the RV loop and yes, very big sites that accomodate very big RVs, but if that’ is your kind of camping then make sure you get a site along the creek! They looked amazing.

The hiking was easy - which was good for me on this trip. Nothing too high of a climb or rocky. Just a beautiful stroll in the woods.

All in all I say this is a great campground!

While some of the park was closed due to errosion issues, the Minnesota river trail and the Hiking Club trail (terrace trail) made for a great Sunday hike. We will likely make it out that way to hike other trails in the future

Beautiful park with great trails and amenities… showers, dump stations, shelters, playgrounds, pit toilets, and more

Plenty of activities for the family… fishing, hiking n camping, swimming, tubing, disc golf, sledding, playgrounds, plus historic sites to explore