Best Glamping near Holdingford, MN

We stayed in a tent for 2 nights at non-electric site 34. Maybe it was the weekend crowd, but it was incredibly noisy - both from people and mechanical noises. The quiet hours were not enforced, and there was a mechanical thumping audible around the clock.

There was only 1 shower/toilet building and 7 water spigots for 48 camp sites - most of which were for tents. Of the 2 women‘s shower stalls, only one worked properly. Fortunately, the facility was very clean.

On the plus side, the trails were well marked, the roads well maintained, and (our site at least) was visually secluded. The historical significance of the park warrants a day visit, but there are lots of other campgrounds in the area that I would stay at instead.

We stayed here for a weekend in May. The campsites are a little bit on top of each other. There aren't many campsites that you're able to reserve. The majority of the campsites are seasonal campsites. There are a lot of mature trees that help with the shade! The beach area is nice, but the only problem is that boaters and kayaks are in the same general area so you have to be careful so you don't get hit. There is a dock for fishing as well. You can also rent boats, kayaks and paddleboards for a small fee. If you want to walk the whole campground having a golf cart would be nice. Also there is NO petting zoo as stated on the website or on the campground maps. There hasn't been one for a few years but they have yet to edit the website or the campground maps. We went there partly because there was a petting zoo for the little kids. Seems lazy to me that they can't update the website or the campground maps.

To be fair I'd like to preface this review with a word of caution. We went in the middle of Summer. High bug season. Take a look at other reviews as they come in and see what time of year they visited. Maybe they'll have a similar experience, maybe not. The fun thing about this state park is that all the sites are hike in. No drive up camping. It has a couple camper cabins as well. But everyone is spread out along a few trails so it's a little quieter than your typical campground.

When we pulled up to the parking lot we knew we were in trouble. The black flies were dive bombing the car like a scene from Armageddon. We prepared the kiddos for a quick grab and run and jumped out of the car. Our campsite was about a mile from the car so we started at a quick walk onto the trail. First step onto the grassy trail exploded in a cloud of mosquitos. Walking along the kids all looked like Pig-Pen from Peanuts. Even though we'd sprayed everyone down the bugs must have felt safety in numbers because we were covered in welts in no time flat. That's when the jogging began. Soon we were running and also planning out how to set up camp the quickest. Little tent first, throw the kids in, big tent second and then everyone in there while dinner was being made. Luckily at our actual campsite the bugs weren't quite as horrendous so we were able to get out a bit after applying a few more layers of repellant. Our site was on a short private trail off the main loop and opened up to a decent space. We had a picnic table and fire pit and plenty of space for our two tents and an area to play. We were all entertained by the plethora of mushroom varieties that surrounded the camp. We spent a bit of time outside and then played in the tent the rest of the night. Unfortunately the bugs were bad enough that the next morning we just packed up and headed back to the car. I would like to come back to this park in late fall and try out a camper cabin. There are three of them all on lakes so if you can get past buggy season it has the potential to be a great experience. Have you ever been to Lake Maria? Stayed in one of their camper cabins? Let me know, I'd love to hear how it went!

Baker Park Reserve — A Peaceful Lakeside Retreat Just Outside the Cities

If you’re looking for a clean, quiet, and well-maintained campground near the Twin Cities, Baker Park Reserve is it! We recently camped at sites G1, C1, and C10, and each one had something special to offer. • G1 is a spacious group-friendly site with great tree cover and privacy. It’s flat and perfect for multiple tents, with a solid fire pit and picnic table. Bathrooms and water access were super close but still discreetly tucked away. • C1 is right near a lovely trail that leads to the lake. It’s peaceful and just far enough from the main loops to feel secluded without being isolated. Perfect for early risers who want to stroll to the water and watch the sunrise. • C10 was our sunniest site — ideal for those who want to catch some rays but still have a little shade from the mature trees. It’s centrally located, close to the store, beach, and bike trails.

The whole park is packed with amenities: great beaches, boat access, miles of trails, and clean facilities. Bonus points for the friendly staff and how well the sites are cared for. Wildlife was abundant — we saw deer, owls, songbirds, and even a cheeky raccoon that tried to sneak a marshmallow!

Pro tip: Sites in loops G and C offer a nice mix of wooded seclusion and convenience. Definitely worth checking out during peak season — just book early, they go fast!

We’ll absolutely be returning to Baker Park. Can’t beat the proximity to the Cities with the feel of being hours away.

I am from a suburb of Twin Cities metro area in Minnesota and we wanted to go camping with my in-laws who have horses. We needed a park that was close and had equestrian camping so we decided to go to Lake Carlos State Park.

Lake Carlos State Park is roughly 2.5hours from the Twin Cities and is a beautiful getaway for a weekend trip. You can leave after work on a Friday and still have time to make it to the park, set up and still be able to cook dinner and enjoy a s’more or two.

We booked site H3 in the equestrian campground which was a VERY open site right off the main loop in the equestrian campground. It was very sunny and barely any shade for the horses. The site were in was electric and there were only three non-electric sites in the equestrian campground. The other sites were awesome for shade but were still super open to everyone.

There were great trails for hiking and horseback riding. They also allowed mountain biking on the trails.

The staff at the office were super friendly and they talked to us for about 15 minutes. Their store in the office was pretty great and they had everything from toys for the kids to s’mores stuff and stickers specific to the park. The firewood was pretty fast burning and cost 6$ a bundle so it was pretty spendy since we cook only over the fire.

The main campground was VERY busy and jammed packed. The sites were too close together and open for my comfort.

The beach was very dirty and there were army worms everywhere crawling on everything.

We took a little bike ride to the group camp which was an amazing area with a very nice shelter with electric.

All in all, this is a good park to go to if you are looking for a park close to the twin cities metro area.

Impressed with the distance to/from the metro (less than an hour on Highway 12 heading west to Cokato). Inground, heated swimming pool; mini golf; pickleball; tennis; arcade room attached to the office.  Ice cream shop has 8 flavors of hand-dipped yum! Freezer pizzas can be cooked at the store or bring one home for later. All the incidentals and condiments you might need.  Plenty of fun clothing for sale to bring home and make memories with.  And memories:  here's the place to start your family fun and lifetime memories! Head on out to the Cokato Lake Experience!