St. Croix State Park offers diverse glamping near Harris, Minnesota throughout its 34,000-acre landscape. Temperatures range from winter lows near 10°F to summer highs in the 90s, requiring appropriate camping gear. With several campground loops and numerous trails, visitors can explore Minnesota's largest state park during any season.
What to do
Stargazing opportunities: Wild River State Park features a designated stargazing area perfect for nighttime viewing. Katherine T. notes, "The star gazing area was great! Intermittently had 1-2 bars of T-Mobile with LTE Internet. Wi-Fi is available at the park entrance."
Winter exploration: Wild River State Park maintains year-round operations with winter activities like snowshoeing and skiing. One visitor shared, "2/8/20-2/9/20. We planned on attending their candlelight ski and decided to camp. We snowshoed and skied. The candlelight ski was great and the routes were marked with different colored luminaries - for hiking and skiing."
Water activities: Country Camping on the Rum River provides tubing, canoeing, and swimming options. According to David G., "The tubing is a plus. The pool was small but nice. Splash pad was even nice for adults. Key thing is the river is very clean and sandy bottom."
Petting zoo access: Ham Lake Resort offers animal encounters for glamping visitors. One reviewer mentioned, "There is a petting arena with goats, ponies, and a llama who gave my partner the stink eye, but fell in love with me rubbing the fence and giving me all googly eyes!"
What campers like
Private camping spaces: Kozy Oaks Kamp provides spacious sites with natural separation. A camper explained, "The park isn't fancy it has a decent pool and an ok playground for the kids. What this place lacks in amenities it makes up for in open space and quality management. Great for a quick weekend getaway."
Modern facilities: Rice Creek Chain of Lakes Regional Park maintains updated bathroom buildings. A visitor noted, "Some of the loops have old bathhouses that desperately need to be replaced, but they are in the process of doing so, which means some loops have great new bathrooms and showers."
Hiking diversity: St. Croix State Park offers multiple trail types. A reviewer stated, "The park itself has a lot to offer being right on the St. Croix River, plus there are hiking trails, a paved bike path, a fire tower you can climb, an old CCC camp area you can tour, and more."
Family-friendly amenities: Country Camping Tent & RV Park on the Rum River provides facilities for children. Beasty B. shared, "I stayed here 3 weeks ago with my wife and 2 young children and it was fantastic great playground and heated pool the spaces were well kept and spaced apart 10-10 would most definitely go again! A ton for the kids to do!"
What you should know
Bug preparation needed: Multiple parks report high mosquito populations, especially in June. A camper at St. Croix warned, "Unfortunately we chose the peak of mosquitos season and camping next to slow moving water is a recipe for disaster. It was also a very hot weekend."
Cell service limitations: Bunker Hills Regional Park offers connectivity while other parks have limited service. Paint Rock Springs Campground visitors noted, "Felt nice to spend a weekend without cell service about an hour away from home."
Site privacy varies: Wild River State Park offers secluded options. Jeff L. shared, "Love the scenic trails and all the park has to offer. Hiking, biking, kayaking, fishing, exploring, informational programs, and the wooded campsites."
Weather considerations: Seasonal extremes affect camping experiences. One visitor reported camping in "late March, 2025. This is a big park with a diversity of hiking, equestrian, and canoeing options. It snowed... in late March. It was cold, rainy, and that turned into 5" of snow."
Tips for camping with families
Water activities: Rice Creek Chain of Lakes Regional Park provides beach access. A visitor noted, "Wonderful site! Feels very secluded in spite of being so close to the cities. Great beach & sunrise. Highly recommend!"
Waterpark access: Paint Rock Springs Campground at St. Croix State Park connects to recreational facilities. A visitor mentioned, "There is a flat, brand new 5 mile paved bicycle path that goes from the campground to the beach. Many hiking trails!"
Family-specific sites: Bunker Hills offers family-friendly glamping options. A camper explained, "We camped here while our friends used a camper cabin and they loved it too. The waterpark is a blast and we were able to find discount passes online."
Wildlife viewing: Wild River State Park features abundant wildlife. Kate H. shared, "We saw sooooo many deer some even walking right through campsites! You can hear coyotes, raccoons and very loud owls."
Tips from RVers
Hookup availability: Most campgrounds offer electric hookups with varying amp services. Spencer C. at Country Camping Tent & RV Park explained, "This place does have 30amp and 50amp hook ups and has pull through spots and sewer sites. Max trailer length that I've seen here is 70'. Anyone can fit in here!"
Site selection: Bunker Hills Regional Park accommodates various RV sizes. Doug B. noted, "For being in the middle of the northern suburbs of Minneapolis, this park and campground is surprisingly woodsy, secluded and spacious. There are both primitive (tent) non-electric sites, and sites with electricity, even some 50 amp."
Registration process: Wild River State Park requires advance registration. Casie C. advised, "The place was wonderful and we enjoyed staying! Registration was a hassle but we managed to figure it out!"
