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.

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Best Tent Sites Near Kellogg, Minnesota (13)

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Tent Camping Reviews near Kellogg, MN

416 Reviews of 13 Kellogg Campgrounds


  • 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!

  • 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.

  • R
    Aug. 30, 2019

    Merrick State Park Campground

    Nice Walk-In site but bring your bug spray!

    Very nice walk-in site right on the river. LOTS of bugs to the point it was uncomfortable so make sure to bring bug spray. Tent pad, fire ring and picnic table available. Trees available that are good for those who hammock.

  • GoWhereYouAreDraw N.The Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 14, 2018

    Houston Nature Center

    Great location!

    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. The Nature Center has clean bathrooms and free showers. They recommend donations for the use of the showers.

    $20 per night camping fee. You can pay inside the Nature Center or at the slot between the restroom mirrors. The sites are first come, first serve. Local firewood is available near the restrooms as well; take what you need and leave the center a donation.

    Trail Head Park has a 1 acre natural playground near the campsite. When I visited during the week, I only saw a small group of people using the playground. The playground has a zip line, tree house, small rock wall, and more. Inside the Nature Center, they have interactive and interesting displays. The highlight of this campground is the Root River State Bike Trail and the Owl Center in the town of Houston.

    I'd give the campsite 4/5 review. The location, the bluffs, the bike trail, and center get 5/5 review.

  • J
    Oct. 24, 2017

    Sylvan City Park

    Close to bike trail and downtown

    Stayed here in a tent while on a bicycle camping trip and it was adequate. It is located in a city park within a couple minutes walk of the downtown area. The bike trail crosses the south end of downtown so close to that too. This would not be a good place to camp if you'd like to be out in nature

    Biggest gripe is the slope of the tent sites. The majority of the tent sites are on an incline around a pond. There are also a lot of ducks that aren't very afraid of humans. None got into my gear though. There are fire rings at the tent sites. No picnic tables at the individual sites but there are some nearby in the park and there's also a covered picnic shelter. Hammocks would be difficult to impossible as the tent area is a strip of grass between pond and bluff, which has mostly brush or too whimpy of trees to hang from at the base. There are a couple huge oaks but none in pairs.

    Quarter showers and clean restrooms are available. $20/night/tent which seemed a bit steep to me considering how slanted the sites were and quarter showers. It is cheaper than the other places within immediate biking distance which were $25/night.

  • Lee D.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jan. 14, 2025

    Nelson's Landing RV Park

    Convenient location for our stay

    General: There is a main campground and a bonus sites section; we stayed in the Main campground and this review is based on that. There are approximately 90 sites laid out in typical RV park fashion with the sites close together and no physical privacy between sites. 

    Site Quality: Sites tend to be very long and could accommodate even large-size Class A rigs. The “driveways” are a mix of grass and gravel and were not very well defined. Each site has a picnic table on a concrete pad. Our site had water and electric hookups. Our challenge was that we arrived after dark, and the site numbers were posted at the back end of the sites, necessitating a sleuthing operation with my flashlight to find our site. Only a few sites had fire rings that I could see. 

    Bathhouse: The women’s area had three “all-in-ones” with a toilet, sink, and shower. They were very clean with hooks, soap, and paper towels. The entire bathhouse appeared to be in a state of remodeling, and it wasn’t clear what was going to happen with the remainder of the space (plumbed but not completed when we were there). Did not use the shower so cannot comment on that. 

    We arrived after dark and left the next morning but our stay on a Friday in August was quiet except for the loud trains running along the Mississippi. We heard two around 10 pm and either there were no more until the next morning, or we mercifully slept through them! This RV Park is located in the small town of Nelson and accessed through a residential neighborhood. Although not our preferred camp stay, we chose it since we knew we wanted to eat at Stone Barn Pizza (a must if you are in the area!) which is why we arrived after dark!


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.