2 campgrounds with availability this weekend
Southern Minnesota's driftless region houses remarkable glamping options within easy reach of Houston. The Old Barn Resort near Preston offers unique glamping accommodations including yurts that combine rustic charm with modern conveniences like electricity and comfortable bedding. Eagle Cliff Campground and Lodging provides upscale canvas tent accommodations with furnished interiors that elevate the outdoor experience. One guest shared, "The views were stunning, trails and picnic areas were well maintained with clean facilities and showers!" These glamping sites feature amenities not found in traditional camping, including proper beds with linens, heating options for cooler nights, and easy access to clean shower facilities. Whitewater State Park and Forestville Mystery Cave State Park also offer eco-friendly glamping options with varying levels of luxury.
Glamping resorts in the region connect visitors with exceptional natural landscapes and outdoor activities. Hiking trails through the dramatic bluffs overlooking the Mississippi River provide spectacular vistas accessible directly from several glamping sites. Canoe and kayak rentals are available at riverside locations including Chimney Rock Campground, which provides glamping accommodations with river access. A recent visitor mentioned, "The hiking in this park is really great, with some amazing lookouts." During summer months, glamping yurt rentals should be booked well in advance, especially at popular locations like Neshonoc Lakeside in nearby Wisconsin, which features waterfront glamping accommodations. Winter offerings are more limited, though several sites including Great River Bluffs provide year-round glamping options with added heating elements and insulated structures.
"The cart in sites all have a fire pit with a grill, picnic table, and are a short walk from the primitive toilets. There is a water spigot in the parking area."
"I enjoy camping away from the hub bub of the family campground and opting for the backpack or cart in sites. Luckily, Great River Bluffs has some of the nicest cart ins I have encountered."
Campground full this weekend
Get a text when availablefrom $24 / night
"Located on the Root River. Cliff View has very clean bath houses. Lots of sites to choose from. 50 amp service, sewer hook up and of course water. If your close enough to the office wifi available."
"Situated right along the Root River next to the bike trail. They offer kayak, canoe and tube rentals and shuttles. They also have bike rentals. This facility is clean and very well kept."
from $30 - $46 / night
"Drinking water had already been turned off for the season, but the bathroom still had running water and flush toilets in mid-October. Easy access to hiking trails."
"Site 53 was close to the showers and water spigot and it was a big enough spot for 2 tents while being private. It was a 10-20 minute walk to anywhere else."
Available this weekend
from $25 - $250 / night
"Our site was very large, which was nice as it gave us more than enough room to set up our tent, leaving space between us and the neighboring sites."
"It was located right on the Root River Trail System which we liked for biking and running."
"It was spacious and very well kept, with a great view of the lake. Wry easy to back in and get set up, almost level and took very little adjustment to get our spot in order."
"We had people offer basketballs for our kids to use while they were away from their site."
"There are so many activities to do both within the park and surrounding areas, but my most favorite thing to do was walk the endless miles of hiking trails."
"It can be a little confusing because the camping and mystery caves are a distance apart. I highly recommend going to the caves."
Campground full this weekend
Get a text when availablefrom $25 - $90 / night
"Water, fishing, tubing, bar, pavilion, kid and animal friendly, showers, toilets, fire pits, water/electric sites, easy booking."
"There is a bar and restaurant within walking distance. A lot of people camp there, the sites are small we still managed to have a good time. We had four campsites next to each other for our group."
from $30 - $40 / night
"Excellent staff. One of the best kept campgrounds I've been to. Between the campground and the nearby towns, there is easily two weeks of activities to do. More depending on the time of year you go."
"We prefer to stay down by the river sans electricity. We have done this for years in a tent and now in our hybrid camper. There are cabins, electric sites, showers and a dump station."
"The camping sites also have large tall trees where a camper should be parked which causes you to park way to close to the fire pit."
"Gorgeous bluffs and river to camp right next to! Can’t wait to go back!"
from $25 / night
RangerThis campground has large private sites, most are shady or partially shaded. Bathrooms are large and well maintained. There’s lots of good hiking trails and the historic town of Forestville was interesting to explore. Absolutely no cell coverage for T-Mobile or AT&T but luckily our site had a good opening in the trees for our Starlink. Would definitely recommend.
TravelerWe tent camped one night, midweek late August. Our site was private, close enough to the shower house but far enough away that we didn't hear any noise from the exhaust fans. Was a lovely quiet night. On a tight schedule so we weren't able to sample any of the hikes. Would stay here again. #33 also looked like a prime tent camp spot.
GuideNice campground sites are smaller & you will need to level. Nice clean flush toilets & showers. Can hear the highway below. Road in is gravel & narrow not for big rigs.
ScoutI was a little skeptical after a negative review about the regular residents, so I watched for that dynamic. We were camping with another family so we had 8 kids between the two of us and I was worried all those kiddos would upset people. Quite the opposite experience from that review and it motivated me to leave this one to help provide a good picture. I have nothing bad to say about our camping experience. We did go a little out of season (September 12) so a lot of the campsites were empty. Most their sites are flat, and clean. The grass was well mowed and maintained. They had activities for the kids (Halloween). People that drove by were friendly and smiling, and waiving. We had people drop off candy for the kids asking parents first. We had people offer basketballs for our kids to use while they were away from their site. Me and my friend were about to haul ice bags and wood up a huge hill on foot and someone stopped their golf cart and emptied it of what they were carrying to give us a ride to our campsite. The kids tootled about on their bikes being kids with no negative experiences. There were a couple of kids on motor scooters whose engines were kind of obnoxious but that’s going to happen more and more at campgrounds, and it wasn’t during quiet hours. We had sites atop the “full Lakeview” and it was honestly surprising how beautiful it was up there. I think it can be difficult to get a view when you’re camping but those sites had it. We knew the full lake view sites were open so we took the cheaper ones across from them, but still saw the same view. There was a great amount of space between the sites we used. The only possible critique I might offer is in that specific row there weren’t many trees for shade, but the weather was cooler so it didn’t affect us, but if we went in the summer it might have been more uncomfortable without that natural shade. The bath houses and showers were great!!! I feel like a good bath house can make or break a campsite and we’ve been to some smaller ones that were quite lacking but this one was great. Very clean, not many bugs, spacious, real doors on the shower stalls. We did not arrive in season to utilize the pool area but it looked great from the other side of the gate ;) - the parks were well maintained and the kids loved them. there was a set of stairs that went from up the hill down to the office that looked a little sketchy but they were closed off for use. If you didn’t have a golf cart or couldn’t ride a bike, the trek from where we stayed to the office might be a challenge. Overall we loved it and would definitely consider going again. The sites were a little pricey but had on site sewer hookup which is fantastic.
TravelerIt's hard to find using my car GPS. It doesn't work well here. But it's a very good place.
RangerTraveling along the road from Ontario to Wildcat gave a little Appalachia feel. The park is situated above the Kickapoo River valley and is a great base for trout fishing.
If you are in the driftless region looking for camping, this is the spot.
LegendThis campground is on the opposite side of the road as the park office… but on the same side as the beach. Nice new shower building and nice roads. Some sites are a bit on the smaller side, but there are some drive through sites as well. There are also group sites and cabins.
LegendThis is in a rural area and has many seasonal sites. Transitional sites too. There is a restaurant/bar on site. The river is behind the property.
LegendThis is a county campground near Rochester. It is in a county park that has a swimming beach, boat docks, fishing piers, hiking trails, playground, biking trail. There are showers available. Pretty park-like setting.
The driftless region near Houston, Minnesota sits on unique terrain formed by ancient glacial activity, creating deep valleys and dramatic limestone formations. Winter temperatures often drop below 10°F while summers average 80°F with higher humidity. The Root River runs through much of this area, providing water recreation options at several campgrounds from April through October.
Explore underground cave systems: Forestville Mystery Cave State Park offers guided cave tours with knowledgeable staff. "The cave tours are well done and the sites are scenic and tucked into the woods. There is also a winery (Four Daughter) not far away that's more than worth stopping at," explains a visitor to Forestville Mystery Cave State Park.
Bike the Root River Trail: This paved trail connects multiple towns and campgrounds in the area. "It's Minnesota's little Switzerland. The park isn't much to look at and there's only a few look-out point onto the Mississippi but its a nice little campground," notes a camper from Great River Bluffs State Park.
Paddle the Upper Iowa River: The limestone bluffs create stunning backdrops for canoeing and kayaking. "Located on the Root River. Cliff View has very clean bath houses. Lots of sites to choose from. 50 amp service, sewer hook up and of course water," reports a visitor to Eagle Cliff Campground.
Waterfront camping spots: Several campgrounds offer sites directly alongside rivers. "We stayed right on the water. Sites are close together but we reserved a few to have some space," writes a camper about their experience at Eagle Cliff Campground.
Yurt accommodations: The Old Barn Resort near Preston offers yurt camping options with heat for cooler Houston, Minnesota nights. "This campground was really good. It was located right on the Root River Trail System which we liked for biking and running. It has an indoor/outdoor heated pool, a big barn with a restaurant and bar," shares a visitor to The Old Barn Resort.
Low mosquito populations: Unlike many Minnesota camping destinations. "Great campground! Awesome hiking, nice swimming beach. Big nature store with lots of great stuff. Lots of spots for great fishing. Best part: very few mosquitoes!! (The cold, constantly moving water helps keep them away)," notes a camper from Minneiska Campground — Whitewater State Park.
Limited cell service: Many campgrounds have spotty or no coverage. "We had no cell service at our site, but 2 bars plus WIFI outside the visitor center," reports a visitor to Forestville Mystery Cave State Park.
Noise factors: Some campgrounds experience road and train noise. "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," warns a camper from Great River Bluffs State Park.
Winter camping limitations: While some yurt camping near Houston, Minnesota remains available in winter, services are reduced. "As with State Parks in MN, it's best to make the reservation online, especially with office staff being spotty these days. Price is $35 for the space/night with electric, and this time of year, there are no other options besides electric spaces."
Indoor options for rainy days: "Despite the rain we had a great time! Because of the rain we went to the eagle center near Wisconsin. A must see if your looking for something indoors!" suggests a family that stayed at Whitewater State Park.
Campgrounds with dedicated kid activities: Some locations offer organized events. "From golf to tubing to an indoor swimming pool and restaurant. This place has a lot to offer," notes a visitor to The Old Barn Resort, which offers yurt camping options near Houston, Minnesota.
Swimming areas with varying depths: "There's a nice covered pool, but we didn't use it because the most shallow point was 4'6", which is great for bigger kids, but with little ones, it's a bit more difficult," advises a family that visited Bluffton Resort.
Site positioning considerations: Many campgrounds have varied terrain. "Some sites are tight for large motor homes, 5th wheelers and travel trailer. If your close enough to the office wifi available," notes an RVer who stayed at Eagle Cliff Campground.
Dump station availability: Not all campgrounds offer full hookups. "We were in a teardrop trailer. Plenty of space for the car and the teardrop in space #202, but all spaces that were plowed had plenty of room to pull in. Some were even 'pull through' which would be extra nice if you wanted it."
Electric hookup specifications: Different campgrounds offer various power options. "Overall great experience! Located on the Root River. Cliff View has very clean bath houses. Lots of sites to choose from. 50 amp service, sewer hook up and of course water," explains a camper at Eagle Cliff Campground.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular glamping campsite near Houston, MN?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular glamping campground near Houston, MN is Great River Bluffs State Park Campground with a 4.1-star rating from 29 reviews.
What is the best site to find glamping camping near Houston, MN?
TheDyrt.com has all 24 glamping camping locations near Houston, MN, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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