Cabin camping near Hopkins, Minnesota occurs across a network of regional parks surrounding the Minneapolis suburbs. Most sites lie within a 25-mile radius in the gently rolling terrain of the St. Croix River Valley and Lake Minnetonka watersheds. The region's glacial topography creates wooded settings with elevation changes between 850-950 feet, producing natural drainage and relatively dry camping conditions.
What to do
Swimming access: William O'Brien State Park Campground offers swimming near the St. Croix River. "This campground is lovely. You can hear frogs all night and we even saw a turtle laying eggs in a different campsite," notes a visitor who stayed at the Savanna Campground section.
Water activities: Bunker Hills Regional Park features a large waterpark adjacent to its camping area. "Huge waterpark, miles of bike trails," reports one camper, making it ideal for families seeking water recreation without lakefront accommodations.
Hiking trails: Rice Creek Chain of Lakes offers extensive trail networks connecting camping areas to natural features. A camper explains, "Beautiful park to walk around. This campground is big with privacy between the camp spots. There were nice trails to help explorer the regional park."
What campers like
Privacy levels: Afton State Park Campground provides walk-in sites with greater seclusion than many nearby options. "The hike to the campground is short and grueling. A few of the sites are in wooded areas, but we stayed in one of the prairie sites. The terrain is just hilly enough - and in August - the grass long enough to give the sites a sense of privacy and seclusion."
Family friendliness: Many campers appreciate Rice Creek Campgrounds for its well-designed family spaces. "Level private sites, lots of trees, showers were clean. Would definitely camp again," notes one visitor, highlighting the balanced approach to comfort and natural settings.
Site spacing: Sites at many parks offer more separation than typical commercial campgrounds. "The sites are fairly large, but very open (which was ok with a group of us, not our style when it's just us though). The bathrooms and showers are nice and clean, some of the best I've seen at a campground!"
What you should know
Reservation timing: Cabin accommodations book quickly, particularly at Baker Campground - Baker Park Reserve. One visitor noted: "Great for the active family, not those wanting privacy." Be prepared to reserve cabins 3-6 months in advance for summer weekends.
Seasonal considerations: Most cabin facilities close between October and April, with limited winter options. "We spent a night in the campground. It was fairly busy, but we still felt secluded despite a full campground. There are nice paved trails around a couple of lakes/ponds for biking."
Additional fees: Beyond cabin rental costs ($50-100/night), most parks require vehicle permits ($7-12 daily). "Your reservation fee does NOT include the daily parks fee of 7 dollars just FYI. Lots of mosquitoes but it's MN so that's to be expected."
Tips for camping with families
Playground access: Many families select cabin locations based on playground proximity. "This place has two group sites the one we stayed at Birch Hollow, hosts up to 20 campers and the other one up to 50. We absolutely loved this place, it was clean and separated from the other campers."
Insect preparation: Minnesota's summer months bring mosquitoes and horseflies, particularly near water features. "We entered the shower and restrooms to bugs, bugs, BUGS!! Nasty. Neither of us showered there. Walked back to set up our tent, horseflies nonstop attacked us."
Beach facilities: St. Croix Bluffs Regional Park offers cabin camping with beach access. "Beach is great. Easy boat launch. Clean facility. The staff is super nice. Great hiking trails, bike trails, nearby horseback riding."
Tips from RVers
Site leveling: At several parks, site leveling can be challenging for larger RVs. "The KOA was nice and clean but your packed in on top of each other like sardines in a can," reports an RVer at Minneapolis Northwest KOA, indicating the value of requesting specific site information when booking cabins.
Hookup differences: Cabin accommodations at Minneapolis Southwest KOA offer varying electrical setups. "Sites are close to each other, but easy access, clean grounds and facilities, friendly staff, and a K9 fenced area for a pet friendly campground."
Road access: Several parks have narrow access roads requiring careful navigation. "The sites a Baker Park Reserve are larger than average. This is a big campground with a lot of paved bike trails and a nice lake a short walk away."
