Best Campgrounds near Garfield, MN
The lakes region surrounding Garfield, Minnesota features a blend of established campgrounds and lakeside retreats within a 30-minute drive. Oak Park Kampground, located directly in Garfield, provides full-hookup sites for both tent and RV camping with modern amenities. Nearby Lake Carlos State Park Campground in Alexandria offers year-round camping with electric sites, cabins, and boat-in access. The area's camping landscape reflects Minnesota's transition zone between prairie and woodland ecosystems, with several facilities providing fishing piers, swimming beaches, and boat launches for accessing the region's numerous lakes.
Most campgrounds in the Garfield area operate seasonally from May through October, with a few facilities like Lake Carlos State Park remaining open year-round with reduced winter services. Reservations are strongly recommended during summer weekends and holidays when lakefront sites fill quickly. Campers should prepare for ticks in grassy areas, particularly in spring and early summer. As one visitor noted, "The sites in the main loop have little privacy," which is common at many of the region's developed campgrounds. Sites with more seclusion can be found in wooded sections of larger parks, though these may lack lake views that attract many visitors to the area.
Fishing opportunities consistently rank among the top experiences mentioned by campers visiting the Garfield area. Many campgrounds provide fish cleaning stations, fishing piers, and boat rentals. According to one camper at nearby Maplewood State Park, "We caught Crappies, pan fish and Bass on this lake. They say it also has Walleye and Northern Pike." Privacy varies significantly between campgrounds and even within the same facility. Lake Carlos State Park visitors frequently mention that "the lower campground offers no privacy, but a newer shower house and views and access to the lake. Upper campground has a handful of sites that are tucked into the woods and are really quite lovely." Wildlife viewing opportunities include loons, beavers, muskrats, and various bird species across the region's lakes.
