Best Tent Camping near Kellogg, MN

Tent campers visiting the Kellogg, Minnesota area can find several established campgrounds with walk-in tent sites. Whitewater State Park offers the Gooseberry Glen Cart-in Campground, providing secluded tent sites with a short walk from the parking area. Aefintyr, located about 35 minutes from Rochester, features hike-in tent sites with fire pits and firewood provided at each location. Houston Nature Center Campground, situated at the trailhead for the Root River State Bike Trail, offers additional tent camping options.

Most tent campgrounds in the region provide basic amenities including fire rings, picnic tables, and access to toilets. The cart-in sites at Whitewater State Park feature a convenient system where push carts are available at the parking area for transporting gear along the short trail to campsites. At Houston Nature Center, campers have access to clean bathrooms and free showers, though donations are recommended. Aefintyr requires a steeper hike to reach the tent sites, but many campers find the effort worthwhile for the privacy and natural setting. Most locations require reservations, with fees typically ranging from $10-20 per night.

The walk-in tent sites throughout the area offer a more secluded camping experience compared to standard drive-in campgrounds. A camper noted that at Gooseberry Glen, "The sites were quiet, woodsy and secluded... We could see site 4 from our site, but all we could hear was the stream." Many tent-only areas provide greater privacy between sites and reduced vehicle noise. At Houston Nature Center, campers enjoy a peaceful atmosphere with "singing toads at night" and sites that are "spread out" according to visitor feedback. The region's tent campgrounds serve as excellent basecamps for exploring nearby hiking trails, with Whitewater State Park offering a 4-mile loop trail featuring scenic views and varied terrain. Fall camping is particularly popular for viewing colorful foliage, while summer provides opportunities for swimming at locations like Hok-Si-La City Park.

Best Tent Sites Near Kellogg, Minnesota (13)

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Tent Camping Reviews near Kellogg, MN

466 Reviews of 13 Kellogg Campgrounds


  • Crystal B.The Dyrt PRO User
    Oct. 29, 2025

    Kruger Unit - RJD Memorial Hardwood State Forest

    Great area with a lot of activities in the area.

    This is a nice basic campground near Wabasha/Kellogg area. Mississippi is within a few miles. Lark Toys nearby also. The Zumbro River is at the bottom of the campground on opposite side of the road where you can put kayaks/canoes in. (Or swim or fish). Sites are nice size with some having more privacy than others. Campground is on top of/up the hill. Vault toilets. No showers. Fire rings and picnic tables present.

  • Kelly S.
    May. 2, 2018

    Frontenac State Park Campground

    Early Season Experience

    We spent a single night here at site 37. The site was great, the privacy was okay, and the campground itself was slightly above average.

    Our site was huge. It could have easily accommodated an RV and a tent. There was a campfire ring and picnic table there like each site, but ours also had a tent pad and a very long parking spot. We were tent camping. This was the first tent pad I have ever been able to stake down without bending or breaking stakes and needing a mallet. The site was also close to a few of the trailheads. See pictures. Would recommend site 37 any day.

    The privacy was nonexistent because there were no leaves on the trees yet. In the summer, that might change. There are trees between sites.

    The campground itself was okay. The ranger and lady in the office when we stopped in were a little strange, but helpful. They were out of wood, but there is a DNR certified seller not a mile down the road- you can get more wood for cheaper there anyway. In MN, you need to get your firewood from the state park you are at or a certified seller in the same county to prevent the spread of tree pests and disease. The ranger can and will stop at your site and ask to see your seller card from the wood. The rest of the campground was nice. Many water spigots were still frozen, but there isn't much to be done about that. Overall, I would definitely recommend this campground!

  • Lee D.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jan. 12, 2025

    Highland Ridge

    Beautiful but buggy!

    General: Smallish (38 sites plus four walk-in sites) Army Corps of Engineers campground. Some (see below) have electric hookups but no water or sewer hookups, however, there is a dump station. 

    Site Quality: All sites are gravel/dirt (except for the ADA-accessible site), and most are very generous in size. Our site (7) sloped down but leveled out with plenty of room for our campervan at the bottom. All sites are wooded with trees providing separation/privacy between sites. Completing the site are a metal picnic table, fire ring, and lantern hook. 

    Bath/Shower House: Sites 28-38 only have vault toilets (but you could trek to the other campground loop). Sites 1—27 have flush toilets and showers. They were very clean, and I especially appreciated the fact that they were cleaned daily before 6 am, a shout out to the camp host! The shower was great– warm water and great flow, although our friends (who arrived two days before we did) had cold showers when the campground was full.

    Activities: Several short hiking trails. I give this campground 4 stars instead of 5 because Eau Galle Reservoir (Lake George) is about a 10-minute drive from the campground. Most Corps of Engineers campgrounds are located right on the water. There are no amenities (rentals, etc.) offered at the lake but it is small and beautiful, and we enjoyed a peaceful paddle. We saw a couple of people fishing on the lake and there is a small swimming area. At the campground, there was an interpretive center, but it was locked when we were there. There is also a nice, modern playground. 

    Aside from the plentiful bugs (in August), we enjoyed our two-night stay at this campground!

  • Crystal B.The Dyrt PRO User
    Oct. 29, 2025

    Zumbro Bottoms Central — R.J.D. Memorial Hardwood State Forest

    Nice small horse camping

    The campground is down a minimum maintenance road, but the road is pretty good though. Just one circle with 17 sites. There are many miles of horse and hiking trails in the area. 2 Vault toilets. No showers. Some picnic tables/fire rings/tie outs for horses.

  • Mary S.
    Aug. 16, 2018

    Frontenac State Park Campground

    Shady, quiet campground in the woods with short hiking opportunities

    Campground Design

    I like that it's split into 4 small loops (1-11, 12-28, 29-38 and 39-59). There shouldn't be much traffic in any one loop. It's a very shady campground - lots of trees so it's quite dark at night with no stargazing from your site.

    Our site #42 was right next to #40 and there's not much privacy between the 2 sites. There's a lot more distance and privacy between #42 and #44. In general, sites are fairly close together but there are some trees in between.

    I thought we might be closer to the Mississippi River, but the campground is located above the river (called Pepin Lake at this wide point). You can hike down to the river; the steep descent makes the short hike more interesting. There are Lower and Upper Bluff trails as well as other short, connected trails throughout the park. (See photo of trail map.)

    Tent Campers

    There are 6 'cart in' sites, but they are about 1/2 mile away from the main campground and on the other side of the road. Park, put your gear in a cart, and walk about 1/4 mile to your site (C1 through C6). 

    Special rule for these sites: You have to pay $2 to use the showers at the main campground! Your camping rate is $15 instead of $23 for a non-electric site. If a cart in site doesn't appeal to you, the regular sites are good for tents; many have tent pads. There are also a couple backpacker sites.

    Amenities

    • Picnic table and fire ring on each site. Some sites have a tent pad. The 'rule of 3' says you can have 3 'units' on a site - 2 tents + vehicle, RV + rent +vehicle,... - One restroom with flush toilets, sinks and showers (old but no temperature control) located near the road in front of the loop with sites 12-28. We were in the last loop on site 42, and there was a pit toilet that smelled okay but had lots of flies.

    • Some electric sites ($31) in the first 2 loops; the map (see photo) has an 'e' next to the site number and so does the post at the site.

    • Dump station that includes a potable water filling station. There are water spigots in the camping areas.

    • Trash dumpsters and recycle bins.

    Extra fees

    • There's a $7 reservation fee for online or phone reservations, and the site posts indicate you need to 'reserve' the site before you set up camp.  You avoid that fee by showing up without a reservation when the office is open, but I wouldn't do that on a Friday or Saturday in the summer. You can always get a sense of whether showing up without a reservation is feasible by checking availability online. It also looks like you avoid the fee if you reserve online on the day you stay.

    • $7 entry fee per day is standard in MN parks. A $35 pass is good for 12 months.

  • Tori K.The Dyrt PRO User
    Mar. 31, 2024

    Minneiska Campground — Whitewater State Park

    Nice state park

    Stayed here for a couple nights on a mini state park road trip. Nice place, like most of the MN state parks. Spotty cell service. Hiked a trail with lots of steps. Fire ring and picnic table are provided at each site. Restroom with showers also available in campground. Site was large and easy to back into and offered some tree cover for shade during certain times of the day. Was unable to hang hammock in specific site we stayed at, but some of the sites looked like they would be suitable.

  • GoWhereYouAreDraw N.The Dyrt PRO User
    May. 23, 2019

    Prairie Island City Campground

    Great introductory campground

    Prairie Island has all of you basic amenities without being too far from town. This campground isn’t for everybody -- if you’re looking for extreme adventure and wilderness, this is not the place for you. If you’re interested in getting into camping and not investing the money into all the gear or having direct river access, this is the place for you! They seriously rent it all. Paddleboards, kayaks, canoes, tents, sleeping bags, sleeping pads, and dutch ovens. The camp store sells all of the basics and fishing supplies. The shower house has flush toilets and pit toilets are located throughout the campground.

    Personally, this campground is not the type that I like to stay at but it is really great for the type that wants to get into camping or the camper trailer type. Unfortunately, not enough activities to do besides boating on the river.

  • ERolf P.
    Aug. 29, 2016

    Perrot State Park Campground

    Group Camping, Hiking, and Water Sports

    Wonderful time in Perrot State Park. Camped in the group campground, site A. Plenty of room for many tents, and nice level ground to pitch tents on. Huge fire ring for large group fires, and both a large grill on the fire ring, and freestanding charcoal grill. Lots of options for hiking and walking in the park with more than 13 miles of trails. We did a 5 mile hike up and over two of the more popular bluffs. We also did a two-three hour canoe/kayak trip and had a blast.

    There is not a swimming beach at the park, so if you're into that, you'll have to leave the park, but there is more than enough to do at Perrot State Park.

  • K
    Sep. 5, 2020

    Hidden Meadows RV Park

    Hidden Gem

    This is very convenient if you have Mayo Clinic appointments. The campground was nice with grassy sites along with electric and water hook ups, there was a dump station also. Portable toilets spaced around and a centralized bath house by the office. There are seasonal guests and everyone was friendly. We saw deer by the primitive camp areas and had nightly campfires in our fire ring. We will return the next time we are up in MN.


Guide to Kellogg

Kellogg, Minnesota, offers a variety of tent camping options surrounded by stunning natural beauty and outdoor activities. Whether you're looking for a serene lakeside experience or a family-friendly atmosphere, there's something for everyone.

Explore the Scenic Beauty of Lake Pepin

Family-Friendly Activities and Amenities

  • Hok-Si-La City Park & Campground is known for its family-friendly environment, featuring spacious group sites and a swimming beach for fun-filled days.
  • At Aefintyr, families can enjoy cozy cabins or tent camping while participating in games around the fire pit, making it a great spot for bonding.
  • Pool 4, Riecks Lake Park provides a simple camping experience with access to fishing and swimming, perfect for families looking to unwind together.

Tent Campers Should Check Out Unique Features

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular tent campsite near Kellogg, MN?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Kellogg, MN is Aefintyr with a 5-star rating from 4 reviews.

What is the best site to find tent camping near Kellogg, MN?

TheDyrt.com has all 13 tent camping locations near Kellogg, MN, with real photos and reviews from campers.