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Saint Croix State Forest Boulder Campground provides rustic camping with access to trails used for horseback riding. Located near Hinckley, Minnesota, this primitive campground operates from May to November with no electrical hookups or modern amenities. Vault toilets are available but there are no showers or running water facilities. The campground accommodates both tent and RV camping on a first-come, first-served basis without reservations. Sites include fire rings and picnic tables spaced adequately for privacy. The surrounding forest offers opportunities to observe wildlife including bear, wolf, and coyotes according to visitor reports. Campsites cost $17 per night and often fill quickly on weekends during peak season.
The surrounding Saint Croix State Forest contains multiple trail systems accessible from the campground. Trails wind through forested areas and along the Tamarack River, offering scenic views for trail riding. The campground attracts visitors seeking a more wild, natural camping experience without modern conveniences. For campers requiring more amenities, nearby St. Croix State Park offers additional camping options with electric hookups, showers, and modern restrooms at the Riverview and Old Logging Trail campgrounds. Trails throughout the region vary in difficulty and terrain, making them suitable for different experience levels of horseback riders. Weather conditions can affect trail accessibility, particularly after heavy rainfall. State forest camping regulations apply to all visitors including those with horses, and proper management of horse waste is expected.
"Right on Lake Mille Lacs, one of Minnesota’s largest. Walking distance from the bakery and bar! Newer, updated facilities. Boat access. Lake side sites (if you book early enough)."
"Smaller sites and a little privacy in the lake campground. The ones next to the waters edge have a nice view and are more completely in the shade. The inner sites have more sun."
from $24 - $68 / night
Check Availability"Site 207 was especially tucked in but it's a tight spot, so probably best for a van or tent. The park itself has a lot to offer being right on the St."
"This is Minnesota’s largest state park and has over 200 camp sites. But where we were, we were secluded from most people. Not from the mosquitos. You had to defend against them. But clean park."
from $25 - $35 / night
Check Availability"This is one of my favorite state parks for last minute camping trips due to its proximity to home."
"There is a modern restroom and shower, it is also located near a nature store."
from $25 - $95 / night
Check Availability"The sites are spaced out and although it is a long drive in from the tar and gravel, it's worth the trip. A beautiful lake and lots of trails."
from $17 / night
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GuideThis was my first solo tent camping night in June 5, 2020. There were some horse flies when I parked but they didn't seem to hang out in the shade of my campsite. There was a very loud bird making calls until about 1am... Maybe a whip-poor-will. Otherwise a serene spot tucked back in the walk in site.
Directions to the walk in sites were a bit unclear when driving in but I eventually made it there.
GuideRight on Lake Mille Lacs, one of Minnesota’s largest. Walking distance from the bakery and bar! Newer, updated facilities. Boat access. Lake side sites (if you book early enough). You can hit Mille Lacs State Park if you want to knock them both out on one trip! This park seems to attract a lot of long term campers, as I’m sure it’s pretty reasonable to stay at the lake all summer. We went mid-July I think and the trees were literally raining caterpillars… it was tough to want to hang out in our tree canopy-covered site. Sooo.. we ventured outside of the park more at this one.
There was a festival going on in a town west of here that had a couple rides and a really fun patio bar. If you do decide to venture out at night, ask the bartender for the limo driver’s number; he’s the city’s “uber”!
LegendSmaller sites and a little privacy in the lake campground. The ones next to the waters edge have a nice view and are more completely in the shade. The inner sites have more sun. The beach is long and rocky but ample enough to swim in. It is a busy place because of its location close to the cities and other areas up there. The electric hook ups were well maintained. Bathrooms were nice and clean and vault toilets are scattered throughout the park. Trails are there to hike and walk. Water to swim and plenty of bike paths.
Maple grove is the more primitive site and lots more coverages between camp sites.
GuideA nice surprise We had site #50 in Lakeview Campground, this site is located on the rise and had nice breezes, close to showers, lake and playground.
Town of Isle is very close by along with other small towns dotted around the lake. Casino within 30 minutes.
LegendThis park has a ton of camping available, particularly if you don't need electricity and have a smaller rig because then you can get into more of the campground loops. (There is electricity here, but there are many more sites without.)
The sites in the Old Logging Campground were close together but many had vegetation between them offering some privacy. Site 207 was especially tucked in but it's a tight spot, so probably best for a van or tent.
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. Also, canoe and kayak rentals are available. And this is all within the state park boundary since, at 34,000 acres, the park is the largest in the Minnesota state park system.
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. (If you stay in the upper 200s, sites, you'll have one of these new bathrooms right away, but more are being built.) Cell service was incredibly spotty on Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile. Depending on where you're at, you'll get a low signal, but often it was only enough for texting-- don't think about using the web or social media or getting any work done while you're here.
Overall, we enjoyed our weekend at this park and would come back for another getaway if we had the chance and it wasn't a workday.
GuideThis is Minnesota’s largest state park and has over 200 camp sites. But where we were, we were secluded from most people. Not from the mosquitos. You had to defend against them. But clean park. Would go back for sure.
TravelerOur scout troop camped for a weekend her. Our site was very spacious, and had close access to a well maintained outhouse and walking distance to indoor toilets and showers. The main disadvantage to this site was, no trees.
GuideI stayed here last summer (2025)and am planning on staying here this summer as well.
The park is smaller than it's sister park Mille Lacs Kathio, but it definitely has some things that are better about it!
I stayed in the Maplewood campground, which I recommend if you like quiet and privacy. The sites are further apart and give you a more "in the woods" feel. The other campground (lake view) is more traditional RV style camping where the sites are fairly close. However they have some sites (small and close together) that have views directly of the lake, if that's your thing.
I stayed at site 96 which was verrrrry deep and felt pretty private. It's backed up to the woods so you don't have anyone behind you. It has a nice tent pad, and plenty of space for canopies or other equipment. It's a short walk down to the water too, where there's a fishing pier really close by, and a large beach a little further down. I went in very early June and the mosquitoes honestly weren't terrible yet, but the caterpillars were everywhere! There were caterpillars all over my tent, in my sandals I left outside my tent, on my car, etc. When I found one I just relocated them to a safer area in the woods. Lots of deer, you can hear owls at night, squirrels etc. It is bear country, but I didn't see any bears. I kept my food locked up in my car.
One night it was kind if windy and you could hear the waves on the lake from the tent, so that was kinda cool.
I have t mobile and had decent service here as well.
GuideThis was a nice campground on the lake. Spots are not very private in the lakeside campground. Nice hiking trails and large beach. Cell phone coverage was good.
Saint Croix State Forest Boulder Campground offers rustic equestrian camping near Hillside Terrace Homes, Minnesota in a secluded woodland setting. Located within the 33,000-acre state forest, campsites sit amid mixed hardwood forests and river valleys at approximately 1,000 feet elevation. The campground operates May through November when temperatures range from 40°F to 80°F, creating variable trail conditions for horse riders.
Trail riding access: Multiple trail systems connect directly to Boulder Campground for horseback riding through diverse terrain. "Wonderful forests, pleasantly quiet. Beautiful views along the Tamarack river. We like camping in state forest for the wild life experience. We seen Bear, Wolf, and plenty of Yote's," reports Scot L.
Fishing opportunities: Cast for panfish and bass in nearby lakes within 5 miles of the campground areas. At Father Hennepin State Park Campground, located on Lake Mille Lacs, "This is a great lake for fishing and boating," mentions Kerri N. The park provides shore fishing access for those without boats.
Wildlife observation: Early morning or evening provide optimal wildlife viewing times along forest edges. "We had a great weekend here. There were a few trails that we walked and got to see several deer in the woods," notes one visitor to St. Croix State Park.
Primitive experience: Equestrian campers appreciate the rustic accommodations and natural surroundings at state forest campgrounds. "For $17 a night you can't beat a state forest campgrounds. This is real camping for the kids," writes Daniel H. about Boulder Campground.
Spacious sites: Old Logging Trail — St. Croix State Park offers more separation between campsites than many other options. "The site we had was isolated nicely and the ground was easy for a tent set up," reports Adam, while another camper noted "Clean, fairly private sites. Easy to get in and out."
River access: Several campgrounds feature direct water access for canoeing, fishing, and swimming. "We spent a weekend at the park and had a great time. Lots of trails for hiking. Cool buildings from the CCC era as well as some signs talking about camp life," writes Scott G. about St. Croix State Park.
No reservations required: Saint Croix State Forest Boulder Campground operates on a first-come, first-served basis. "Get there early in the day because there are no reservations and it's first come first served. The campground was clean and in better shape than any state park campgrounds I have been to," advises Daniel H.
Seasonal insects: Bug protection is essential, especially during early summer. "We had a terrible experience last year trying to camp here, BUT it's not the campgrounds fault! Unfortunately we chose the peak of mosquitos season and camping next to slow moving water is a recipe for disaster," warns Lili R. about camping at St. Croix State Park.
Limited amenities: Vault toilets provide the only bathroom facilities at some locations, with no running water or electricity. "Heads up! No hook up's. Vault bathrooms only," notes Scot L. about Boulder Campground, highlighting the rustic nature of equestrian camping facilities.
Kid-friendly activities: Riverview Campground — St. Croix State Park offers accessible recreation for children of various ages. "We fished right off the shore and were catching very small catfish and river chub faster than we could set our reels which was great for the kids!" shares RK M.
Playground access: Several campgrounds feature dedicated play areas when trail riding needs a break. "There is a playground but we didn't use it," mentions one Riverview Campground visitor, while another notes that Father Hennepin has "a nice big sandbox for the kids that has sand toys to play with."
Educational opportunities: "We DID have fun doing some of the activities like hunting for insects/animals in the pond with the ranger, hiking to the ranger tower, playing at the playground, and trying to catch butterflies with the ranger," reports Sara P. about her family's experience at St. Croix State Park.
Site selection: Father Hennepin State Park Campground offers designated RV sites with varying levels of privacy. "We had site #50 in Lakeview Campground, this site is located on the rise and had nice breezes, close to showers, lake and playground," recommends Jeff G.
Hookup availability: Electric sites concentrate in specific campground sections. "The Riverview loop is 1 of 3 at St. Croix State Park. This loop is where 90% of the electric sites are, but it is also a very open campground," explains Amber Z.
Shower facilities: Campgrounds vary in bathroom quality and availability. "Shower facilities are mediocre, but do provide sufficient privacy, and were relatively clean," notes ERolf P. about Riverview Campground, while another camper mentioned, "Their reservation system could not find St. Croix without the period."
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular equestrian campsite near Hillside Terrace Homes, MN?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular equestrian campground near Hillside Terrace Homes, MN is Father Hennepin State Park Campground with a 4.3-star rating from 21 reviews.
What is the best site to find equestrian camping near Hillside Terrace Homes, MN?
TheDyrt.com has all 4 equestrian camping locations near Hillside Terrace Homes, MN, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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