Best Tent Camping near Lent, MN

The St. Croix River Valley provides a variety of tent camping options near Lent, Minnesota, with established sites available at William O'Brien State Park and Trade River Equestrian Camp in Governor Knowles State Forest. William O'Brien offers two distinct tent camping areas—Riverway campground along the St. Croix River and Savanna campground with prairie views. Several sites accommodate tent campers seeking a more natural experience with minimal development and good access to hiking trails.

Tent sites at William O'Brien State Park feature fire rings, picnic tables, and relatively level ground, though privacy between sites varies considerably. The Riverway campground provides river breezes but can be windier and cooler than inland sites. Many tent sites are accessible via short walks from parking areas, with some walk-in options available for those seeking greater seclusion. Potable water and toilet facilities are available at most established campgrounds, though primitive sites in Governor Knowles State Forest offer minimal amenities. During peak summer months, reservations are strongly recommended for weekend stays.

Tent campers at William O'Brien can access miles of hiking trails directly from their campsites, with the Riverside Trail providing scenic views of the St. Croix National Scenic Riverway. Sites in the Savanna campground back up to wetlands, offering unique wildlife viewing opportunities including beaver activity and diverse bird species. The proximity to the St. Croix River provides opportunities for paddling and fishing during warmer months. Weekday camping typically offers more solitude and fewer neighbors. As one camper noted, "The sites at Savanna are pretty cramped with inconsistent vegetation between sites. I wouldn't want to stay here when the loop is fully reserved. On a Sunday evening with only one other site reserved, it felt like I had the place to myself."

Best Tent Sites Near Lent, Minnesota (36)

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Tent Camping Reviews near Lent, MN

663 Reviews of 36 Lent Campgrounds


  • LaMina H.
    May. 13, 2022

    Ann Lake

    My favorite spot in MN!!!

    Lake Ann Campground, located in the Sand Dunes State Forest north of Big Lake, MN is great for a weekend getaway with the family or a solo walk in trip. There are RV sites, tent sites, handicap accessible, walk in sites and group sites. Camping here is primitive with few amenities you get a fire ring and a picnic table, its great camping too be one with nature. There are several water spickets located around the campground along with outhouse type restrooms. There are no hookups or electric. Camping is on a first come first serve basis and you register at the kiosk located at the front of the campground acrid from the camp host site. There are several trails and Amaya something to do.

  • Alison O.
    Jun. 17, 2025

    Lake Maria State Park Campground

    Secluded Bliss at Site B6 – Lake Maria’s Backcountry Beauty at Its Best

    If you’re looking for a peaceful escape where the only sounds are rustling leaves, birdsong, and frogs singing at dusk — Site B6 at Lake Maria State Park is the one.

    This hike-in site is about a half-mile walk from the parking area, and the journey in is half the magic: winding wooded trails, wildflowers, and glimpses of the lake through the trees. Once you arrive, B6 feels like a secret woodland sanctuary — set up on a slight rise, tucked beneath a cathedral of towering oaks and maples.

    The site is private, quiet, and wonderfully shaded, with just enough open sky for stargazing by the fire. The tent pad is level, and there’s a solid fire ring and picnic table. Vault toilets and water access aren’t too far, especially by backcountry standards.

    What makes B6 stand out, though, is the vibe. It’s close enough to Lake Maria’s best hiking trails and just a short walk to the lake itself, where you can sit on a log and watch wood ducks paddle past and listen to the frogs in full chorus at night. We saw pileated woodpeckers, red squirrels, and a chorus of chorus frogs. Nature feels close here — in the best way.

    Pro tip: Pack light and bring permethrin-treated clothes during bug season. And don’t forget a headlamp — the darkness here is wild and beautiful.

    This site is perfect for anyone who wants a little solitude, a lot of nature, and a chance to slow down and breathe. We’ll absolutely be booking B6 again.

  • Katherine T.
    Oct. 11, 2024

    Wild River State Park Campground

    Solid option with star gazing

    This is a solid state park offering. The sites are decently spaced with good tree cover. Noise seemed to travel between sites, I had some loud neighbors during the day but they settled down before quiet hours. The grass was easy to get tent stakes into. Bathrooms were your basic state park situation. Clean with warm showers so no complaints from me. The star gazing area was great! Intermittently had 1-2 bars of T-Mobile with LTE Internet. Wi-Fi is available at the park entrance.

  • Amy G.The Dyrt PRO User
    Aug. 30, 2021

    Rice Creek Campgrounds

    Spaced out nicely and they have a tent only loop!

    I booked this on a whim since we needed an overnight close to the State Fair.  I loved the look of the "TENT ONLY" loop - you don't see this often - so it was a good fit.  Seemed that the whole campground was booked up and I assumed, for a similar reason.  The State Fair.

    Booking was fairly easy through their website, and you can "hover" over the sites to see a photo of it.  I chose the one I wanted and hoped it would be what we wanted it to be.

    You DO need a park pass to stay at the campground.

    We arrived after dark, but in the dark you could still tell it was lovely.  I couldn't see any neighbor on the one side where there was a campsite (the other was a field...which is why I chose it). So we set up a tent, enjoyed the last of the evening and crawled into our bags.

    In the morning, when I could see everything, I was thoroughly impressed by the space, the maintenance of the property, the size of the campsites.  All of them were impressive and big!  A few were only separated by swathes of grass, but most had enough trees you couldn't see your neighbor.  And the fact that this loop (F LOOP) was "tent only" meant no generators! It was very quiet!   There were port-o-potties (cleaned about every 3 days) and a centrally located water source (potable) that was in the middle of everything for easy access by everyone. The spaces seemed fairly level, lots of mature trees, fire rings at all of them (with cooking grates that flipped out of the way) and picnic tables at most (resin tables, not wood).

    I took a quick look at the other loops.  The tent/small trailer loop didn't appear to have electric either.  And the RV loops obviously did.  All were very nice!  And there is a shower house (didn't go in) that was for all to use if you had a site.

    We'd stay here again in a heartbeat.

    **I've seen the other reviews here which seem to be based on the bugs.  I know that bugs are part of camping, so I don't review based on that, but I'll add details, if needed.  This one didn't have many, but it was raining, so I'm sure that factored in.  When I camp, I come prepared and I try to focus on reviewing the campsite itself, not the bugs, which I can not control.  I can, however, come prepared for them**

  • D
    Sep. 19, 2020

    Wild River State Park Campground

    Great spot for first time camping

    This was my first time camping EVER, and I wanted a balance of car camping ease with quiet wilderness. I stayed in the E loop. No electric sites, which cut down the number of big rig RVs, but there were plenty of small campers and trailers. To me, this means louder guests than tent campers. That said, people tended to quiet down by 9-10p. There was occasional noise during the day from crop dusters and motorized boat traffic on the St. Croix.

    Site 87 had nice privacy — less between sites 87 and 89 and much more between 87 and 85 (see photos). Site 89 is a double site, so be prepared for a little more activity if someone books there. If I went again, I'd try to snag site 85. Large trees and vegetation between sites, especially on the outside loop. Plenty of space for hammocks. The site itself was level and very spacious. We had a five person tent and could have put up a bug house easily. The fire pit was clean and had a grate on top. Pit toilets were clean and had plenty of toilet paper, especially for the end of a holiday weekend. Bugs were minimal, but could have been because the weather was on the cooler side (50s-60s).

    A couple random notes:

    • Firewood is $6/bundle. Self-pay available if the ranger station is closed. Bring exact change since you'll be paying by envelope.

    • The ranger station was open for window service, and they sold fire starters, soda, t-shirts, etc. Not sure when hours are exactly. They were open when I went around 3-4p Sunday and Monday to buy wood.

    • Cell reception for T-Mobile was minimal to non-existent.

  • amber  N.
    Sep. 1, 2019

    Wild River State Park Campground

    Secluded, River Front Buck Hill Site

    Backpack site Buck Hill is right on the river, beautiful view to the east. Circled by flowers (goldenrod in the late summer), brush and trees. End of the path so zero foot traffic / passersby. Fine size for us but if you had two tents maybe tight. Fire ring and picnic table of course. No drinking water (we brought a bladder). It’s a great place to star gaze. There’s a teeny somewhat treacherous path to the river- no beach or anything (water was super low when we went) - Just can get your feet wet.

    Down the path a little bit is an unenclosed toilet - not the best. The other direction down the path (only about 20 ft) is a smallish bear box.

    You can harvest your own wood (at this time) and that was really great - bring a backpacking saw!

    Only downside to the site— you can hear cars on both sides (river and opposite side of forest).

    It was a 2.37 mile walk from the parking lot, mostly shaded.

    Side note: we checked out Deer Creek site which is much closer to the car. It is a hike in / canoe site. It’s wayyy more spacious, and even has two separate clearings. Also has cool stairs down the to water, and a much more expansive view of the river. We will be staying there next time! We want to take a few days to canoe the whole length of the park, camping along the different sites. Next year! :)

  • Jennifer H.
    Sep. 21, 2020

    Afton State Park Campground

    New groomed backpack trails

    Site 27. This is a river landscape. Spiders and snakes..oh my. The parking lot is paved and has a dumpster. This is also where the nature center is. There are often music festivals and family events here. It is also next to Afton Ski resort. This park has a lot of beautiful prairie landscape with some temperate forest features. Wildflowers, shrubs, fungi, evergreens, and deciduous trees. Backpacking to the top hill sites has gotten easier as the park has curved the new wide groomed and wood chipped trail to spiral around the hill instead of a straight climb. There is a solar panel generated drinking water pump at the top and a honor system fire wood station. There is a bathroom, but not super close to this site. This site has a fire pit with grate and table but no bear box. This site does have a clear view to the trail and the site next to it, but it is set back a little bit. I can hear the joggers along the trail that wraps around the site. The sites are mapped out on a wide open prairie ground with some sites tucked back in the trees along the trail. There is not a water front view, but there is plenty of wildlife. The dear and flowers are beautiful. There is partial tree covering but we did bring a tarp for the rain.

  • K
    Jul. 12, 2018

    Lake Maria State Park Campground

    Beautiful and Relaxing

    Really enjoyed the short hike to our campsite, BP7. There is a bathroom and water station before you head out which is awesome! The campsite was secluded and absolutely beautiful. Definitely will be going back again!

    Campsite included: 2 tent pads, a few areas to hammock, fire ring w/large grill, small bench, picnic table, bear box and latrine.

    I don’t think I would change a thing about the campsite.

  • Tori K.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jan. 28, 2025

    Lake Maria State Park Campground

    Backpacker's Haven

    Backpack sites only. Love this park as it offers many backpacking sites with some being very short hikes in and some being longer hikes. Some are lake front and some are more woodsy sites. I really enjoy sites 1, 2, and 3 as they are a little more secluded from other sites, however 1 is fairly close to the county road so you will hear some vehicle noise overnight. Site comes with a fire ring, picnic table, and bear locker. Site 1 is my favorite despite the road noise due to the location of the tent pad and being on almost a peninsula offering lots of lake views.


Guide to Lent

Tent camping near Lent, Minnesota centers around the St. Croix River Valley, where elevations range from 700 to 1,100 feet above sea level in a landscape characterized by glacial deposits and river bluffs. The region experiences warm summers with average July temperatures reaching 83°F and winter lows dropping to 4°F, creating a distinct four-season camping experience. Mosquito season typically peaks in June and July, with campers reporting heavy populations particularly in wooded camping areas.

What to do

Paddling on the St. Croix River: Access points near William O'Brien State Park provide launch sites for canoes and kayaks. "The surroundings were stunning, and really unexpected for a park so close to the Twin Cities. There are also miles of walking and hiking trails throughout the park," notes camper Jason S.

Explore secluded hiking trails: The trail system at Lake Maria State Park offers varied terrain through maple-basswood forest. "This hike-in site is about a half-mile from the parking area, and the journey in is half the magic: winding wooded trails, wildflowers, and glimpses of the lake through the trees," shares Alison O.

Wildlife viewing: Dawn and dusk offer prime opportunities for spotting wildlife. "We saw pileated woodpeckers, red squirrels, and a chorus of chorus frogs. Nature feels close here — in the best way," reports a Lake Maria visitor.

Winter activities: The region maintains several trails for cross-country skiing and snowshoeing when snow conditions permit. "I visited William O'Brien in the middle of February with two college roommates. As you can imagine, this meant snow was everywhere in the heart of winter in Minnesota," recounts David K.

What campers like

Weekday solitude: Mid-week camping offers significantly quieter experiences. "We planned this weekend with friends to camp in our matching teardrop trailers. We have never really camped with friends before, so the point was to just go, not to really travel far. We loved the trails," explains Karla J.B. at William O'Brien State Park.

Varied camping options: Afton State Park Campground features walk-in sites with varying levels of privacy. "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," describes Andrew C.

Lake proximity: Some campsites offer water views or access. "Only about a mile from the parking lot. This site was nearly surrounded by a lake which lended to a lot of bugs, but was absolutely gorgeous! We could see one other camper in a different site, but it still felt like you were in the wilderness," reports Lydia N. about Lake Maria State Park.

Forest immersion: Wooded sites provide shade and habitat for birds. "Walking into the White Pine Meadow campsite felt magical. Also buggy. The pines tower over you, and the understory is full of beautiful ferns," notes Krista T.

What you should know

Insect preparation: Bug pressure varies significantly by season and location. "If you love seclusion and don't mind zero amenities, bugs, mud and brush, go for it! It is a survivalist's dream," warns Kim about Trade River Equestrian Camp in Governor Knowles State Forest.

Campsite privacy concerns: Site spacing varies considerably at many area campgrounds. "Compared to Wild River State Park, the sites at Savannah are pretty cramped with inconsistent vegetation between sites. I wouldn't want to stay here when the loop is fully reserved," notes a William O'Brien visitor.

Water access logistics: Potable water access varies by location. "None of the water faucets or water pumps on the trails at Afton State Park are working. The good news is you can fill up on cold drinking water at the visitor center before trekking around the park's beautiful hiking trails!" advises Warren H.

Winter camping preparation: For cold-weather tent camping, prepare for temperatures regularly dropping below freezing. "The cabin we stayed in felt very welcoming. Unknown at the time I booked it, the cabin offered Wi-Fi access that ended up not working for us anyway, so that at least allowed for a bit more of a rustic experience in the end," shares David K.

Tips for camping with families

Shorter hike-in options: Look for beginner-friendly backpacking sites. "Backpack sites only. Love this park as it offers many backpacking sites with some being very short hikes in and some being longer hikes. Some are lake front and some are more woodsy sites," recommends Tori K. at Lake Maria State Park.

Child-friendly wildlife opportunities: Elm Creek Horse Camp offers animal encounters and accessible trails. "Tucked away near the archery range, this campsite offers a solid patch of peace where dogs can sniff, stretch, and settle in by the fire," describes Alison O.

Backup activity plans: Weather changes quickly in the region. "Less than an hour drive from Minneapolis this is a good get away. As expected it has many walk trails. Highlight of this location is beach which is nice for swim and sun bath," notes Alison about Afton State Park.

Cabin alternatives: Several parks offer cabin options for families new to camping or during shoulder seasons. "Camper Cabin (Eastern Bluebird) - Perfect little cabin nestled in the southern half of the park! Screened in porch, heated with electricity, and two double bunk beds!" shares Alison O. about Afton State Park.

Tips from RVers

Electrical hookup availability: Lily Springs Regenerative Farm offers unique settings with some electrical access. "Both the White Pine Meadow and the Lakeside Serenity sites are amazing and large. The fire ring had plentiful stacks of firewood closeby, and there was also an electrical outlet which was an unexpected surprise!" reports Krista T.

Compact RV considerations: Smaller trailers work best at most area campgrounds. "We planned this weekend with friends to camp in our matching teardrop trailers. We loved the trails. It was easy to takes hikes of varying lengths," shares Karla J.B.

Parking logistics: Many sites require equipment transport from parking areas. "The campsite was pretty awesome. Like others said, nice and secluded. If you're new to hiking, I suggest doing some research if you're going to attempt stuff like this. Overpacked, along with not packing the right gear and didn't have a cart," warns cheeming Y. about Lake Maria State Park.

Firewood availability: Policies and availability vary between parks. "Wood was $8 bundle. This was steep in my opinion. They do not all any gathering of firewood," notes Tim about William O'Brien State Park.

Frequently Asked Questions

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

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Lent, MN is William O'Brien State Park Campground with a 4.3-star rating from 39 reviews.

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

TheDyrt.com has all 36 tent camping locations near Lent, MN, with real photos and reviews from campers.