Best Dog-Friendly Camping near Maplewood, MN

I never tire walking the dog park circle along the crow river! Great for birding and tons of beautiful trails!

Sites are close to each other, but easy access, clean grounds and facilities, friendly staff, and a K9 fenced area for a pet friendly campground.

This is a state park on the Wisconsin side of the St Croix River, which is mirrored by a comparable but smaller state park in Minnesota on the wrst side of the river, both being part of the wild and scenic St Croix National Waterway. Although the campsites themselves are pretty run of the mill, the setting is spectacular in terms of breathtaking scenery, and myriad outdoor activities from rock climbing in the river gorge, paddling the river, hiking miles of trails, and learning geology at the Ice Age geology visitors center. If you are tenting camping, the south loop is great, and if you pick campsite 65 or 67 you will have direct access to the river which is peaceful and good for paddle opportunities. There are picnic areas with swimming along the river which is nice for group gatherings, and one is designated for folks with pets. Some of the rugged hiking trails along the bluffs and cliffs go right along the edge with minimal guard rails or walls, so keep a close eye on kids and pets because going over the edge is a possibility so utmost caution is advised.

We decided to make a spontaneous camping trip one weekend and found ourselves at Frontenac. The cart-in site we were at was very spacious but wasn't as secluded as we would have hoped. We didn't feel claustrophobic by any means but we could see several other sites from ours. We went early in the year and maybe the summer growth solves that problem. Bathrooms nearby but no water available. It was also windy enough in the evening that we called it an early night but I think that was just a front movingly through and had less to do with the hill we were on.

We went on a hike that showed off the wonderful bluffs along the Mississippi. As far as camping in Minnesota goes we prefer the options on the North Shore, but really enjoyed Frontenac and will be back to continue exploring.

This place is more old school and ma & pop type place!!! Very family friendly, quiet, and plenty to do if you like fishing, kids swimming in the lake, kayaking, paddle boards, bikes you can use for free but must follow his safety rules, also has boat and pontoon to rent. We go a few times a year and love it!!! Not pet friendly unfortunately but nice and clean!! Also has sand volleyball, basketball court/tennis. My kids love the big cleaning the kids get a big baseball game going or kick ball!! Has 7 sites to rent and 3 cabins

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!

This was our first time there & we are so glad we came. One of our kids & her husband live in Minneapolis, a sister & several nieces & nephews live close by. Covid held us back with visiting, but our daughter & husband & our grand puppy came to visit. Parking for visitors (or 2nd vehicle) is the bad part as they are all quite way from some/most of the sites. They are strict and no parking on the grass (understandable when you see the pictures in the office.) The park is very well maintained! It is pet friendly. Office sells firewood for use $7.00 for 12 pieces (split pieces) There are bathrooms thoughout, but the main one has a separate, awesome, private showers. The beaches are stellar, We took out kayaks while some of us sat on the dock. There are dedicated walking trails & bike trails that are really as long as you want to go! From the park, we rode the trail that goes under the road 19 and all the way around Lake Katrina (we took the left way around, less hills to go up for this 62 year old🤣) It is BEAUTIFUL with the leaves turning. We loved our stay. The only thing we may do differently next time is to get a site closer to a parking lot. At night, it is DARK! & visitors would have a hard time finding their way back to their car without being driven. We WILL be back!

We stayed 2 nights in site B5. It was a large back in site with plenty of room for our two very large dogs. The water wasn't turned on yet, but we were able to fill our fresh water tank with a hose from their laundromat. Each campsite has their own trash receptacle, which was great, but I wish the previous occupants had used it. I had to clean up exorbitant amounts of dog poop before I could even put our outdoor rug down. Then I spent the rest of the weekend picking up other dogs' poo all over our campsite so the campground staff didn't blame us for neglecting to clean up after our dogs.  We would be willing to try the campground again, but would probably chose a site further from one of the main roads into Mystic Lake Casino. We heard a lot of traffic coming and going well into the wee hours of the night.

I was traveling Eastward through the upper Midwest and had a really hard time in this area finding a place to camp. I finally came across this place. There was some suggestion that there was some drive in sites that were not reservable, that is. They were first come first serve. But I was unaware or unable to find those. I ended up paying a fair amount of money for a full hookup site. The bathrooms were extremely modern and clean.

There were some really nice wide trails around the lake. I think those were basically designed for cross-country skiing in the winter. But they made a perfect opportunity for me to let the dog run off. Leash. Probably was not within the rules, but it was very quiet there and the dog didn't bother anybody with her running.

I’m going to begin with the biggest problem - I know not everyone is an animal lover but who goes camping and doesn’t expect to take their furry friend and family member? The no dogs allowed is a bit much but you will find many trails for walking/biking/hiking + an amazing swimming pond that is man-made & awesome for all ages!

Memorial Day 2019 with my siblings and our dog. Campsite 202 had plenty of room for an 8 person tent and 2 pickups. The overall campgrounds were spread apart enough to not feel like you were on top of your neighbors. The park was very clean no garbage or debris on the trails. Overall highly recommend. Will be back again!

Great for hiking and mountain biking! Campsites are pretty private except to people walking the trails. The falls are gorgeous!! Great for swimming when the water is not too high. There is also a little park for kids near the day parking area towards the end of the park. Saw a tone of deer while walking the trails- even though my dogs were with me!