Best Tent Camping near Hanover, MN
Several established tent campgrounds encircle Hanover, Minnesota, with Lake Maria State Park offering primitive tent camping opportunities just 15 miles northwest of town. Crow Hassan Park Reserve and Lake Rebecca Park Reserve provide additional tent campsites within a short drive, each maintaining walk-in tent sites with varying levels of seclusion. The backpacking sites at Lake Maria State Park are particularly noted for their privacy, situated between a quarter-mile to three miles from parking areas.
Tent campsites at Lake Maria State Park feature level pads surrounded by wooded areas, with each site equipped with a fire ring and picnic table. Many sites include a private latrine nearby. Crow Hassan Park Reserve offers more open terrain with both wooded and prairie trail access for tent campers. Water access points are limited throughout these areas, requiring campers to carry sufficient supplies when setting up at primitive tent locations. During summer months, mosquitoes can be abundant, particularly in the low-lying backpacking sites near marshlands and ponds.
The backcountry tent sites at Lake Maria State Park provide exceptional seclusion, with sites spaced far enough apart that campers often report feeling completely alone in the woods. The tent-only sites overlooking ponds or marshes offer opportunities to observe wildlife including frogs, turtles, and birds. A visitor commented that "for being so close to the twin cities, this park boasts some really great camp sites." Trail networks throughout the area allow tent campers to explore extensively from their base camps, with Lake Maria offering several miles of hiking paths through dense woodland. Winter tent camping is also available at several sites, with snowshoe access providing a unique cold-weather primitive camping experience when snow covers the ground.
