Baker Park Reserve and neighboring campgrounds offer pet-friendly camping options within 30 minutes of Golden Valley. The parks feature varied terrain with elevations between 900-1,100 feet, providing camping opportunities across wooded areas, lakeshores, and prairie landscapes. Winter temperatures often drop below freezing while summer camping typically ranges between 65°F and 85°F.
What to do
Hiking and biking trails: Lebanon Hills Regional Park provides extensive trail networks for all skill levels. One camper notes, "We love Lebanon Hills! Close to home and an oasis in the middle of the Twin Cities... Great hiking."
Swimming and beach access: Rice Creek Chain of Lakes Regional Park offers clean swimming areas with designated beach space. "The beach area looks nice" and provides a "great way to destress," according to campers who visited the park.
Explore waterparks: Bunker Hills Regional Park features a waterpark adjacent to camping areas. "Huge waterpark, miles of bike trails," notes one reviewer, making it ideal for families seeking water recreation beyond natural lakes.
Disc golf: Town & Country Campground is "Close to a top 10 disc golf course if that's your thing," providing access to championship-level courses nearby.
What campers like
Clean facilities: Dakotah Meadows RV Park maintains high cleanliness standards throughout the campground. "Grounds are mostly well groomed and the roads are maintained. There is some pride reflected in the ownership."
Spacious campsites: Lake Auburn Campground offers "Lots of space between campsites," though some note they "aren't very private." The campground balances openness with accessibility.
Natural seclusion: Lebanon Hills Regional Park provides sites that feel removed from urban areas despite their proximity. "Our spot was spacious, and close to the bathrooms and play area... We liked that we weren't super close to any campers unlike most RV spots are nowadays."
Kid-friendly playgrounds: Many campgrounds feature recently upgraded play areas. At Rice Creek Chain of Lakes, "The play area was really nice and looked brand new. Our girls loved making new friends to play with."
What you should know
Site differences: At Baker Park Reserve, "The sites are about as private as the typical state park, so not very, but that is offset by all the other positives this campground has to offer."
Reservation timing: Popular campgrounds fill quickly, especially during summer months. "Reserve early online, most weekends were already reserved by mid May," advises one Lebanon Hills camper.
Mosquito conditions: Wooded sites throughout the area can have significant mosquito activity. Town & Country campground visitors note: "Bugs were terrible though. Wood bugs and ants!"
Park fees: Most campgrounds charge entrance fees separate from camping costs. At Bunker Hills, "Your reservation fee does NOT include the daily parks fee of 7 dollars just FYI."
Tips for camping with families
Playground access: Rice Creek Chain of Lakes provides "decent amenities" with playgrounds situated near camping loops. The campground offers "a nice place to walk your pets" alongside child-friendly areas.
Beach amenities: Lake Auburn Campground features "a nice beach" with "green space for the kids." A camper notes, "The beach is very nice. Bathrooms are clean."
Activity options: Baker Park Reserve combines outdoor recreation with structured activities. "With great fishing, playground, swimming, and biking trails very nearby, the kids were kept as busy as they wanted to be."
Proximity considerations: For families needing nearby services, Bunker Hills offers convenience. "Check this place out if you want to get out of the house for some outdoor pandemic family fun" with "several playgrounds" within the park boundaries.
Tips from RVers
Site surface types: Minneapolis Northwest KOA offers varied site types with different surfaces. "The sites are well maintained" though some prefer the end sites which "provide more space and privacy."
Hookup availability: Dakotah Meadows provides full hookup options with concrete pads. "Beautiful campground with cement parking pads with full hookups. The grass around the lots is very green, lush and well maintained."
Pull-through accessibility: Town & Country Campground has pull-through sites but space can be tight. "Very tight quarters on roads and sites. Everyone is squeezed in like sardines."
Internet access: Several dog friendly campgrounds near Golden Valley offer varying internet quality. At Dakotah Meadows, one RVer reported, "Wifi is not great, less than 1MB download speeds from our site, and our Verizon service was pretty poor in our spot, max 2 bars."
