Best Glamping near Lilydale, MN

Afton is a gorgeous park. There's beautiful trails that take you through dense woods and prairie, and then you take a pretty decline to get to the St Croix River. It was foggy when we were there but still gorgeous. We also managed to get a yurt and it was so much fun. Comfy beds, room for 7 and it was clean and well built. This is a great park!

My partner and I scheduled a 3 day / 2 night stay in a new Vintage Cruiser RV for $39.99, in exchange for attending a presentation on private membership.

We checked in Wednesday evening, and the nicest staff I've ever met helped us acclimate to RV living. We are new to this game. They patiently described how to utilize the grey and black water tanks, as well as encouraged us to check-out the canoes, row boats, bikes, horseshoes, ladder golf and many other entertainment items - for FREE!

The map provided was accurate which made locating the cruiser a breeze. There were further instructions inside as well. The RV was immaculate. Provided for our use were all linens (a public very clean bath and shower was just across the road), dish soap, dish towels, paper towels, flat wear, plates, bowls, mugs and pans.

The campground has a couple of ponds, as well as access to Ham Lake where the watercraft is launched. There is a petting arena with goats, ponies, and a llama who gave my partner the stink eye, but fell in love with me rubbing the fence and giving me all googly eyes!

The clubhouse sells bundled wood, ice, snacks, cold drinks, ice cream and provides 24-hour fresh coffee. There is also a small resupply area, and gift shop.

There are pull-through sites, back ups, 50 and 30 amp hook ups, and tent sites, covered pavilions, picnic tables and fire pits.

The campground itself seems remote, secluded and peaceful, however, you are conveniently located to two well-stocked convenience stores, as well as Wal-Mart about 15 minutes away. It's also only about 45 minutes from the Minnesota Twin Cities.

One note: We visited in August and needed gallons of bug spray.

We very much enjoyed our get away!

Each cabin has four sleeping spots: 2 bunk beds, and the 2 couches convert to beds. There's a heater inside, but no AC, which makes these the most suitable during the spring and fall.

There is a fire ring outside of each cabin, along with a table. No cooking is allowed inside the cabins, which can make things rough if the weather isn't cooperating. 

We enjoy hiking around the trails, but we primarily go to decompress, lounge around, and play games, read, etc. There's WiFi available, but depending on which cabin you reserve signal will be took weak for real usage. Same for mobile data -- don't plan on cell service here.

The bathroom facilities are nice. Outside water is shut off during some parts of the year, so bring your own drinking water if you are camping close to/during winter.

Cabins are accessible for those who need special assistance, which is nice. The only caveat is I don't recall there being an automatic door opener to the cabins.

While the cabins are close together, noise is not a factor once you're inside. 

It's difficult to get reservations, so I recommend trying to start booking 120 days in advance, which is the farthest out you can reserve. For example, as of this review (early June), all weekends are booked for all cabins.

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!

First, terrific park. Lots of trails with a wide variety of landscapes. Prairie, forest, river, it’s got it all.

My campsite was perfect. The woods made it very secluded. It was close enough to water and bathrooms so it wasn’t bad if you planned. They do have firewood available however it is long slab wood, so you do need to cut it yourself. Hand hacksaws are provided, but we’re not great quality which made cutting the wood difficult.

These sites do require a hike from parking. Would strongly discourage big coolers or lots of weight.

Love love love this park! We did the backpack site so you hike in almost a mile and you go up on the ridge that's open in the middle but each site is heavily forested and some overlook the river. During the late spring, summer and early fall months you can't really see the river but if you do it after the leaves drop or before they come in then you'll have a great view of the river. Our site is off of the main trail so you have a nice little hike in and it feels very secluded and you have a nice even gravel tent pad that's raised up as well as a fire pit and picnic table. There is not a lot of room to play at your campsite but if you just take your trail up to the main trail then it opens up. Off the main trail you will also find vault toilets and firewood that you just have to saw yourself with the saw that is provided. You are surrounded by excellent hiking trails including some great single track as well as a great beach on the St. Croix River that is also very clean. The raccoons are not messing around so make sure to secure your food inside your tent or in a well fortified cooler otherwise you'll be listening to them ravage your site as you try to sleep at night.

I love Afton. It's a mere 40 minutes or so from Minneapolis-St. Paul and it's a great beginner campground for backpackers. The campground is only a 1-mile hike in, but the last 1/4 mile or so is up a steep hill that has really taught me a lot about pack weight. There is firewood available and a water pump with some of the best tasting well water I have ever drank.

The first time I stayed, there were loud people awake until the wee hours of morning, but I have camped here 2-3 times since then with no issues. This is my go-to hike-in spot when looking for a place closer to the Twin Cities.

This park offers a number of hiking trails on mountainous (well, river valley) terrain and is nestled along the St. Croix River. There is a beach, picnic area, interpretive center and trail, cross-country ski trails, and more.

I was pleasantly suprised by this campground. Its a nice 1 mile hike out with a steeper incline at the end. It was a great way to test our pack weight for a longer upcoming backpacking trip at a campsite that was close to Minneapolis. The campsite has a vault toilet, firewood (you have to saw yourself - but it adds to the experience), and clean drinking water available. There are a number of sites but they sit far enough apart you are still able to have privacy and enjoy the peace and quiet.

The park has good trails, beautiful views and provides a sense of solitude without having to travel too far from the city. Would definetly recommend this park and campsite!