Best Tent Camping near Little Falls, MN

Recent Tent Reviews near Little Falls, Minnesota

321 Reviews of 32 Little Falls Campgrounds

• 

  Janet R.

  Legend

  

  Oct. 14, 2018

  Two Rivers Campground

  Pleasant family camp

  This is a well kept and well run campground tucked in between the Mississippi River and the outlet of the Platte River. The emphasis is on RV camping, and a large percentage of the sites are for full season May to October rentals. However there are nightly and weekly rates with both full and partial hookups, and some basic tent sites in a nice location right on the river. Daily and weekly campsite rentals are a bit expensive, however the campground offers many resort amenities that arent part of usual campgrounds such as a full service lodge, large beautiful pool as well as a beach on the river, mini golf, canoes and kayaks, and their specialty: river tubing. The pluses at this location include nice river setting, great amenties, secure family-friendly grounds, and a variety of on site services. The monthly RV site rental is about $800 a month for a bluff side site which might be a nice retreat for families or retirees. The minuses are primarily that the nightly rental is not cheap, especially if you want to tent camp, but fir some folks the amenities might be worthwhile. Summer is peak season if course, it is quieter and cheaper in the fall and spring.

• 

  Gunnar C.

  Scout

  

  Jun. 14, 2018

  True North Basecamp

  Always a Good Time

  True North Basecamp is great for those wanting to “camp lite”. You’re enjoying the outdoors & camping in a tent but there’s a bathroom (outhouse style) & fresh cold water near by. Town is close enough you can even skip the cooking if you choose. Heck, the BBQ joint in town (excellent, btw) even delivers to the campground! The heated shower house has modern toilets if needed. The hot shower is nice after riding the trails all day. I wouldn’t call it glamping but it’s definitely not backcountry camping in the least. We go here for Mtb trail riding trips for all these features. Close enough to town to bike in, trail access from the campground, a lake/beach area in camp & clean, quiet campsites makes this a favorite spot.

• 

  Brandon F.

  Traveler

  

  May. 29, 2019

  Mission Beach Resort

  Great hosts

  This campground is small, but everyone is friendly. No tent sites available on the lake as those are reserved for rv, but the tent area is nice and wooded.

• J

  Jake N.

  Traveler

  

  Aug. 14, 2019

  Red Rider Resort

  Red Rider Resort

  We stayed at tent site #1. It was very clean and the layout was nice for 2 tents. The bathroom / shower house were very clean. Everything was new or very well maintained.

• 

  Chris B.

  Traveler

  

  Mar. 8, 2021

  Military Park Camp Ripley DeParcq Woods Campground

  A real nice experience

  Quiet, not quite remote and with access to enough if you need it. You get a large tent site on the Mississippi River across a road from the RV’s highly recommend.

• K

  Kim H.

  Guide

  

  Jul. 3, 2018

  True North Basecamp

  Rustic camping close to miles of single track

  Great rustic campground with trail access to Cuyuna MTB trails. Offers hot showers. No water/electric hookups. A couple sites allow for smaller RVs and pop-ups but mainly tent sites.

• S

  Shell L.

  Traveler

  

  Sep. 21, 2024

  Sauk River City Park

  Lovely, new, accommodations in small town

  Rolled up in the middle of the night. $10 cash in the box for a tent site. Clean bathroom with shower. Felt safe and fell asleep quickly with the sound of the creek next to our site. Would definitely stay again.

• 

  Makayla B.

  Guide

  

  Oct. 7, 2020

  True North Basecamp

  Lake cabins and tent sites

  I've stayed in both the cabins and the camping area. The cabins are my favorite because of the lake views, proximity to the bathhouse, and heat/AC units. Cabin #5 has the best unobstructed views of the lake. Cabins have WiFi. The campground is nice but only has a primitive toilet adjacent to the campsites. There are no electric or sewer hookups, but there are a couple of tent sites than can accommodate small campers. I camped in site #18 and it either isn't very level or I just did a poor job of setting up my tent because we were slanted all night. Great stargazing at both the cabins and the tent sites. 

  Check-in information is shared via email (key codes for the bathhouse and the cabin locks). The emails are very informative and the owners have been prompt to reply when I had questions. They even offer up the option to have firewood delivered to your site (either cabin or tent site) before you arrive.

  This is my favorite place to stay in Crosby because it's so close to both the Rally Center Trailhead and Crosby. My favorite places in town are Red Raven (great coffee shop with good breakfast and lunch food options), Crosby Pub (wide variety of food - burgers, salads, appetizers), Rafferty's Pizza (pizza and beer plus a couple of arcade games in the back), and Iron Range Eatery (a little fancier than Crosby Pub (but not by much) and offers great food as well). All of these restaurants offer outdoor seating.

• 

  Shelby J.

  Traveler

  

  Jul. 15, 2020

  Sinclair Lewis City Campground

  Amazing little find

  I was needing a place to camp for the night and found this gem. The host was very kind and helpful. I stayed at a primitive tent site and easy to find and close to a bathroom. Very well maintained and has alot to do. I honestly have no cons about this campsite!!

• A

  Alicia A.

  Scout

  

  Sep. 11, 2022

  Crow Wing State Park Campground

  Meets camping expectations

  Tent site is an open area with tall trees. It also offered an open view of the night sky & enjoyed watching the full moon! Next to the shower house which makes it a convenient trip to the bathroom. Stayed one night but will stay longer when bringing the kayaks. Price for this spot made my trip super cheap!

• 

  Janet R.

  Legend

  

  Jun. 8, 2019

  Saukinac Campground

  Limited appeal

  Granted, I visited on a gray rainy day when a campground might not appear to be its best. However, having checked it out,  I might hesitate to camp here, although clearly it has its fans as there are seasonal RV site renters, and proximity to lake and woods for hunting and fishing. A dominant feature is the bar,  and there are signs up suggesting  caution and driving slow because of "adults at play."  There is a basic playground, but not a lot of other signs of being kid-friendly.   There are daily tent sites and daily RV sites in addition to seasonal rentals, and the RV sites seem to have the basic hookups RVers would need.  Much of  the campground is  open with few shade trees.    The location is near a lake and lake access, but not actually on the lake though you can see it in the distance. The prices for site rental ($25 a night for tent sites, and $35 a night for RV’s) are probably lower than many area RV campgrounds, so that might appeal to some folks

• 

  Kellen W.

  Traveler

  

  Jul. 19, 2023

  Cuyuna City Campground

  Quiet space, great for MTB riders

  Have stayed at this campground 3x since 2021 and our family loves it. 6 RV sites and a few tent camping sites. Has 30/50 hook up and a water filling station and dump station on site. Pump track is great to warm up on. Shower house with toilets are clean. Trail connector with easy access to Bobsled is right there and you can ride to Cruser's Kettle. Highly recommend.

• 

  Dan R.

  Scout

  

  Jul. 30, 2022

  Birch Lake

  Quick rest on cross country drive.

  I pulled in at like 11pm and went straight to find an open spot, which was pretty easy.

  I had decent privacy but was in eye-shot ( through trees ) of 2 other occupied camps.

  Registration is easy & self service. They have envelopes at the entrance you just fill out, so you can use any payment method including card if you’re comfortable with that.

  I was only solo tent camping and got there way late & had to leave way early, so I can’t speak to much else.

• 

  Tori K.

  Legend

  

  Feb. 9, 2025

  Sunnybrook Park

  Lots to do!

  This park features fishing in Whiskey Creek, (stocked with rainbow trout, crappies, and sunfish), picnic area, children's playground, semi-enclosed shelters, campground area with full hook-up and tent sites, two camping cabins, softball fields, frisbee golf, volleyball area and a children's zoo, which includes buffalo, whitetail deer, peacocks, and golden pheasants. Site had picnic table and fire ring.

  Camping with the whole family so there may be some familiar rigs from other reviews of mine.

• S

  Shone

  Scout

  

  Oct. 4, 2021

  St. Cloud-Clearwater RV Park

  Perfect get-away

  Just stayed for the weekend and we had a wonderful time. Shaded lot, much quieter than other sites I’ve been too. Many lots seem to be seasonal owners, but all were very well kept. Would definitely return in the future and even consider a seasonal spot some day. Restrooms and laundry available on site. Although from a sign posted, they wanted the restrooms to be used by those in pop-ups or tent camping only (just an fyi). Gift shop/office had a pool table and lots of games to borrow/use. Pool & mini golf also available.

• c

  charlie S.

  Traveler

  

  Aug. 18, 2018

  Crosby Memorial City Park

  Kid Friendly Camping

  A very cool place for the kids! Swimming beach on Serpent lake is nice for the whole family. When they’re tired of swimming, the skate park is always a good time. The playground is modern and very nice. And during summer months, there’s music in the park Thursday evening! Sewer, electric, and water are available. There are tent sites too. it’s a nice laid back municipal park. Walking distance to downtown. And if you’re into mountain biking, there are world class trails just a mile away at Cuyuna mountain bike trails. Well worth a stay!

• 

  HollyRose M.

  Ranger

  

  Nov. 22, 2020

  Crow Wing State Park Campground

  Sunset Hike

  Tent camp here once and a while, but finally got around to officially doing the hiking club trail. Love doing a sunset hike, this trail is just over two miles, all along the river, with pretty much continual sunset views if you take the trail East to West. It's a loop, which is always preferred I think. Nice picnic area by the river. Historic signs describing the old town are along the beginning part of the trail near the picnic area. Kinda fun to read about and feel what old settlements were like! 

  Easy and pretty trail, took just half an hour, went with the kids. Just an awesome sunset walk and a bit of moonlight!

• R

  Rene N.

  Scout

  

  Jul. 20, 2020

  Red Rider Resort

  Wonderful campground

  Myself and some friends spent the weekend here in July. There are 10 tent sites and many cabins. We stayed in tents. The sites are rustic but have fire rings and some have charcoal grills in them. The bathrooms are spotless and come with real flush toilets and sinks. There is even showers in both of them. Most people come here to ride the red dirt mtb trails of Cuyuna so the showers are a great amenity! Beautiful views of the lake (mine pit) and swimming off of the private dock. If you want to fish here you must have a trout stamp. We want to come back and rent a cabin next time. Overall 10/10 would recommend and will return!

• 

  Lauren

  Guide

  

  Sep. 15, 2020

  Red Rider Resort

  Campground with charm

  Stopped for a night during our cross country travels. Stayed at RV site 4 which is bordered by trees on one side which was nice for privacy. Overall the tent sites appeared to be pretty private although closer together than I expected from looking at the map. Staff was very friendly and helpful. Firewood is for sale. There is a very nice kitchen with running water and showers were large, private, and clean. Only reason I didn’t give 5 stars is because it is right off highway and you can hear traffic and I was hoping for a bit more space between sites given what I saw on map. Would definitely stay here again!

• 

  Jake N.

  Traveler

  

  Jul. 30, 2019

  Red Rider Resort

  Tent site review

  Have stayed at True North’s tent sites quite a few times and this is another great option in the area. The site here was nice and wooded. Definitely a bit more private than other Cuyuna options. MTB access to the Yawkey section was nice and will be even better after more trail is added to the zone. Was great to have a community kitchen in the main bath house to clean the dirty dishes from camp and the bathrooms/shower were also very nice. My kids had fun fishing for panfish off there dock and although we never made it, they have a swimming beach that as a bit down the MTB access trail.

• 

  HollyRose M.

  Ranger

  

  Dec. 14, 2020

  Overlook Park Canoe Campsite

  Watercraft Site on the Mississippi - Spacious & Maintained!

  This hidden gem is on the Mississippi water trail around mile 996. It is called "Overlook Park" and owned/maintained by the city of Baxter, but is part of the DNR's state water trail. There is even signage for those on the river to inform them about their whereabouts on the trail when they pass this park. 

  So although this is a little private city park, there is a specific spot RIGHT on the river with a picnic table, fire ring, and nice high ground soft space for a tent. But really you could tent it anywhere in the park, but this space is set aside a bit from the rest, as it is a city park although very little traffic. There is garbage and a vaulted toilet. There are three picnic tables throughout including the tent site, and two fire rings. There is a nice canoe landing area with a few stairs to help give access up and down from the river bank. Very pretty spot on the river! The opposite land bordering this city park is part of Crow Wing State Park, so even though it's close to town, it does feel fairly remote. 

  Such a well maintained park! Pretty views and some rugged trails along the river for some hiking as well.

• 

  Allison K.

  Legend

  

  Jul. 2, 2019

  Cuyuna Country State Rec Area

  Stunning yurts and unbelievable clear lakes

  For someone who likes to do it all Cuyuna Country State Recreation Area is the place to be!!!

  From Rv Camping and tent camping to amazing secluded Yurts on a trout pond there are more than enough options to camp and stay.

  The campground itself isn’t anything to rave about, and is mostly open and pretty close together but the yurts, those are a different story!

  The yurts are set on a beautiful only mine pit that is stocked with all kinds of trout. The have a wood burning stove, bunk beds, table, chairs, bear locker, fire ring and picnic table. There is a pergola style shelter with a full roof for outdoor cooking.

  The view of the trout pond is absolutely stunning and fishing isn’t bad either if you know how to fish trout. There is a shop in town that will deliver kayaks and pick them up when you are done for a small fee, like 50$ for the day?

  The old mine pits around and in the park are pristine and literally crystal clear! You can see hundreds of feet down through crystal clear water making it an amazing place to canoe and kayak.

  If you are into mountain biking, this is definitely the park for you! Some of the best mountain biking red dirt trails are located in this recreation area! Shops in town rent bikes too! The views from the trails are breathtaking!

  Overall, one of my favorite places to hike, bike, camp and, paddle!

• 

  Joanna B.

  Legend

  

  Mar. 1, 2020

  Lake Carlos State Park Campground

  Beautiful camper cabin

  Leap Day 2/29/20-3/1/20 Frog Pond

  We headed to Lake Carlos for their candlelight ski, this was our first visit to this state park. Tent camping wasn’t available and we were able to reserve a camper cabin - Frog Pond. It was a nice change and a warmer option, the cabin is gorgeous! Frog Pond sleeps 6 with heat and electricity. There are 4 cabins that share 2 vault toilets.

  It was a beautiful 38 degree Leap Day and we took advantage of it. They offer a large number of ski trails so we xcountry skied before dark. The trails were icy, but still enjoyable. At dark we headed to the candlelight event. It was very busy and a huge turnout. We hiked 1.2 miles and then snowshoed 2.4 miles. There are ponds and bogs that they create snowshoe trails on, so there are even more trails to explore in the winter. It was a beautiful night and we enjoyed the wooded trails and starry skies. We had a fire and enjoyed a normal outdoor cookout before bed.

  We did more skiing on Sunday and checked out the 2 campgrounds as they were on the ski route. One campground is on Lake Carlos and very open. Sites have beautiful lake views. You can apparently drive your boat right into a sandy shore and dock it. They also have a swimming beach. The other campground is a bit more wooded and more suited for tents. This campground is near the camper cabins. The trails are very wooded and pretty. We enjoyed skiing the hiking club trail and ended up hitting almost every trail in our stay. I assume this park would be equally beautiful in the summer. What a beautiful state park!

• 

  Janet R.

  Legend

  

  Jun. 8, 2019

  Sinclair Lewis City Campground

  Family Camping and more

  This is an impeccably maintained city-campground that shows the local are proud of “Our Town” and native son Sinclair Lewis, the hometown American author. Just blocks from the original Main Street, the campground is in the west end of the beautiful lakeside city park. Not only can you camp here in safety and comfort in a family-friendly setting (neighborly camping community, great playgrounds, fishing at your doorstep while but but a close walk to Main Street for unique shops snd cafes) but there are a host of community events that happen in the park, including concerts at a beautiful historic bandstand, art fair and similar events, and an annual 4-day festival in mid-July that celebrates Sauk Centre and all things Sinclair Lewis. Campground rates are extremely reasonable ($15 a night for tent sites, $30 a night for an RV site with full hookups) plus there are weekly, monthly, and seasonal rates. This is a great place for retired local snowbirds to stay in the summer, and a nice regional camping spot for families with kids or folks who would like a home base for day trips in the area including treks on the Lake Woebegone Trail. Check out this local website for activity ideas! http://www.visitsaukcentre.org

  Overall, High marks for great maintainence, convenient location, and family oriented setting; however, though the lakeshore is pretty, the lake does have a problem with zebra musells, and many of the RV sites are located pretty close together.

• 

  Brian C.

  Guide

  

  Jun. 25, 2018

  Crow Wing State Park Campground

  A Very Confused Campground

  The thing about State Parks is that they don't always know what they want to be.

  Are they here to celebrate nature, and provide a moments breath away from the pace of urban life? Are they here for historical facts? Are they for revenue?

  Crow Wing State Park suffers from this dilemma. While the tent sites are nice and spacious, the RV sites are stacked one on top of another, with no illusion of privacy. The weekend we were there, they were pretty full, but noise coming from other campers was acceptable.

  There are plenty of water spigots, and toilet/shower facilities. The facilities are clean, but old.

  There is an almost constant booming, however, coming from Fort Ripley, just down the river. The Fort serves as training for everything from the national guard, to state police, to the DNR. At one point, we could clearly hear live rounds being fired.

  The walks and paths were well maintained, except that some were flooded out due to recent heavy rains. The area dedicated to the Old Crow Wing Village was well done.

  What causes me the most confusion though, is that someone made the call to cover the roads with sand, instead of the traditional crushed stone. So, never mind that the sand made it harder to walk up hill to the water and showers, it got everywhere. When we tore down camp, I emptied enough sand from my tent, that I could have added a fresh layer to a cat's litter box.

  I am very conflicted about this park. It is very pretty, but when you get right down to it, the little quirks that surround it add up. I'm not sure if we will be back. Not that we won't, it's just that we won't be rushing back.

• 

  Teresa T.

  Legend

  

  May. 31, 2024

  Charles A. Lindbergh State Park Campground

  Small state park

  Small, well spaced out camp spots and very quiet. This was a wet spring and under the trees, the bugs were overwhelming so keep that in mind. Few nice trails, several museums right across the street, really nice parks in little falls and neat views of the dam on the river

• 

  Janet R.

  Legend

  

  Sep. 16, 2020

  Charles A. Lindbergh State Park Campground

  Riverside seclusion in an historic location

  This is a review for the walk-in, canoe-in campsite #C1.  It is actually located in a secluded part of the park, more than a mile from the main campground.  It is meant to be a campsite for park campers who want a more private location than the regular campground and dont mind backpacking or carting their gear in, or for paddlers from the Mississippi River who access it as a Water Trail stop by paddling to it up Pike Creek.  The park itself is located near the town of Little Falls, MN and there is easy access from Hwy 10, or from the River. In all honesty, I have driven past Little Falls many times en route to Minneapolis or elsewhere but never stopped; I never realized what a small hidden jewel this park is, and within it what a terrific camping opportunity exists here for secluded walk-in or paddle-in campers.

  The campsite itself is gorgeous, a beautiful setting on the sandy banks of Pike Creek. My friend and I packed in our gear on the short hiking trail to get here, but I do have a friend who paddled in here not long ago and recommended it highly. Pike Creek is a clear, beautiful stream that is peaceful to camp on, and there are several hikes you can make from the site. There is a heavy duty fire ring with sturdy grill, tenting spots for several tents, picnic table, steps down to the water, swimming access nearby, and rack to store your canoe or kayak if you have one. You do need to hike about 2/10 of a mile to get to bathrooms and water source; you have to hike about a mile to the main campground if you want showers. But if you don't mind the trek for any of those, this is one sweet campsite!

  While we were here, we hiked the trail along Pike Creek which was scenic, including rapids; there are many wooded trails, and a longer trail to hike into the location where Charles Lindbergh landed the "Jenny" in 1927 on what was then an open field on the family homestead. We also hiked to the Missisippi River, which is a nice trail in and of itself, but also leads to two history museums and a Living History Site, one operated by the county historicall society (http://morrisoncountyhistory.org/)  , the others by the Minnesota State Historical Society ( https://www.littlefallsmn.com/things-to-do/charles-lindbergh-house-and-museum ) .  The land encompassed by the park is hisotric for 2 reasons: Zebulon Pike spent the winter here with a search party who were going up river to search for the source of the Mississippi River, and probably camped right at the very campsite here on the sores of Pike Creek; and a century later it was the homestead of the Lindbergh family and where aviator Charles grew up. So, camping here is a pleasure if you are interested in history as well as nature, off the beaten path. 

  In addition, you can bike a bike trail to Little Falls which then connects you to  maze of local trails, https://www.littlefallsmn.com/things-to-do/bike-and-hike , or while at the park you can paddle the river (rent gear locally if you didnt bring your own: http://www.shirleymaesoutfitters.com/ )  

  You can also drive bout 5 miles to a terrific National Wildlife Refuge at Crane Meadows, we hiked there and really enjoyed bird watching and the rare oak savannah and tall grass prairie. 

  This campsite is really a hidden jewel. The only reason I didnt give it 5 stars was because there is a train line that runs along the Mississippi River a few miles from the campsite, and the sound of train whistles in the evening really carries. Otherwise it is very secluded and beautiful, and a great choice if wanting to explore the area. if you are a birder, the tremendous variety of birds  (kingfishers, various woodpeckers, warblers, waterfowl, and more)  is great, though be forewarned that a screech owl hangs out near this campsite, and it was a bit unnerving the first time we heard it!