Dispersed camping near Hokah, Minnesota includes options beyond established campgrounds at select areas within the Richard J. Dorer Memorial Hardwood State Forest. Camping elevation ranges from 650-1200 feet throughout the region with seasonal temperature swings from below freezing winters to humid 80°F summers. Most primitive sites lack facilities but offer increased privacy compared to developed campgrounds during peak season from May through September.
What to do
Hiking trails with river views: Great River Bluffs State Park offers multiple overlooks of the Mississippi Valley. "What a beautiful & peaceful gem of a place in south eastern Minnesota! The views are breathtaking! We saw a cardinal and 3 hummingbirds because they came to hang out right in our campsite! The fireflies at night were an added bonus," notes one visitor to Great River Bluffs State Park Campground.
Kayaking and canoeing: Paddle the backwaters and inlets throughout the region. A visitor to Perrot State Park Campground shared: "You can rent canoes and kayaks. Unfortunately, when I went the current was too strong. We could still rent one but they warned us that if we weren't able to make it through the current, that we wouldn't be able to get our money refunded."
Biking access: Connect to regional trail systems from several campgrounds. At Houston Nature Center, "The Nature Center campsite is located at the trail head for the Root River State Bike Trail. Trail Head Park is a nice tent only campground with walk-in sites. A majority of the sites have picnic tables and fire pits."
Fishing opportunities: Multiple species available across various waterways. "Lake Sturgeon, Bass, Muskie, Pike, Walleye, and Bluegill can be caught at this location," mentions a reviewer about fishing at Lake Neshonoc.
What campers like
Natural stream sounds: Falling asleep to water sounds ranks high with campers. At Beaver Creek Valley State Park Campground, one visitor noted, "Beaver Creek Valley is a great getaway to escape from the city. Located not too far from Caledonia, the small town has many camping essentials to offer if you forget anything."
Wildlife viewing: The river corridor attracts diverse species. A camper at Great River Bluffs mentioned: "We spent the whole day hiking the Great River Bluffs. Bring binoculars; the river valley is a great viewing area for waterfowl, eagles, and hawks."
Clean facilities: Many campgrounds maintain better-than-expected bathrooms. "The bathrooms are also very nice with updated showers compared to most campgrounds, and there is a little store with a pool table and WiFi if needed," notes a visitor to Neshonoc Lakeside.
Farm stays: Unique camping experiences at working farms. A guest at Frickson Family Farms LLC reported: "Neat to see baby pigs and also grill some tasty steaks from the cool farm store!!"
What you should know
Seasonal flooding impacts: Water levels can change site availability quickly. A visitor to Goose Island noted: "This place is a pretty great campground, and would be even better if it wasn't all under water this summer. Our site on the river was under water, so we got moved to another."
Varying site sizes: Campsite dimensions vary significantly between parks. One Beaver Creek Valley visitor observed: "Site #30 was very long and narrow with a good jaunt to get to the restroom facilities. We had to line up our campsite like a line of trains - truck, picnic table, tent - as the site was basically just the shoulder of the road."
Cell service limitations: Connectivity varies by location and carrier. A camper at Beaver Creek Valley warned: "The only thing to know is there is no cell reception because of the valley. This great if you want to get away from it all, but if you're staying a while and need to work, this isn't the place to do it."
Noise factors: Some campgrounds experience traffic sounds. One Great River Bluffs visitor explained: "Highway noise from the highway running along the river and from I-90 (while not really noticeable during the day) is ridiculously loud at night. Added to this were the half dozen trains that ran through the night (horns going off too) AND the light aircraft flying into Lacrosse airport."
Tips for camping with families
Nature play areas: Some campgrounds feature specialized playgrounds. At Houston Nature Center, "Trail Head Park has a 1 acre natural playground near the campsite. The playground has a zip line, tree house, small rock wall, and more."
Swimming options: Beaches and pools offer cooling off spots. A visitor to Veterans Memorial Park & Campground shared: "Large campground with many amenities. Playground for kids and a very nice dog park. Right off the river. Will definitely be back!"
Animal encounters: Farm settings provide educational opportunities. At Frickson Family Farms, a visitor mentioned: "We were greeted by our host. She was very friendly and explained where the site was. In the morning we went to her small store, there are a lot of good stuff."
Bug preparation: Insect protection is essential for comfort. A camper at Perrot State Park advised: "The bugs and mosquitos were almost unbearable. We fogged the site daily, had thermacells, and coated ourselves in bug spray - still came home completely bit up."
Tips from RVers
Site spacing considerations: RV sites vary in privacy levels. A visitor to Pettibone Resort observed: "Stayed in pull-through campsite #308 which was shady. It was a grass site with two concrete strips for my TT tires. There was more than enough parking for my TT and truck and grass on either side. The site included: picnic table on a concrete pad."
Water crossings: Access to some sites requires driving through water. At Beaver Creek Valley, campers reported: "Be warned that in order to get to sites #27 through #37 you have to drive through some water. In September it was only about 8 inches."
Connectivity ratings: Cell service and WiFi performance varies. At Pettibone Resort, an RVer tested: "AT&T had 2-3 bars of LTE and Verizon 1 bars of LTE service. AT&T Speedtest: 146 Mbps down, 4.8 Mbps up. Verizon Speedtest: 16 Mbps down, 0.14 Mbps up. Free WiFi."
Hookup details: Electric service varies between campgrounds. At Neshonoc Lakeside, campers mentioned: "We stayed over Memorial Day Weekend at site 183. It was spacious and very well kept, with a great view of the lake. Very easy to back in and get set up, almost level and took very little adjustment to get our spot in order."
