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Best Tent Camping near Marine on St. Croix, MN

645 Reviews

Tent campsites in the St. Croix River Valley near Marine on St. Croix, Minnesota offer a mix of established campgrounds and more secluded backcountry options. William O'Brien State Park provides tent camping with two distinct campground areas—Riverway and Savanna—each offering different experiences for tent campers. Afton State Park, located about 30 minutes from Marine on St. Croix, features backpack-in tent sites approximately one mile from the parking area, making it a popular choice for those seeking more primitive camping experiences without venturing far from the Twin Cities.

Most tent-only sites at William O'Brien's Savanna campground are positioned along the outer loops, providing better privacy and distance from RV areas. The ground at these sites is generally level with a mix of grass and dirt surfaces. Fire rings, picnic tables, and access to drinking water are standard amenities at established campgrounds. The hike-in sites at Afton State Park require more preparation as campers must carry all gear uphill for the final quarter-mile. Vault toilets are available at most locations, though facilities vary significantly between state park campgrounds and more primitive areas. Reservations are strongly recommended for weekend camping during summer months when sites fill quickly.

Areas farther from the main campground loops typically offer the most peaceful tent camping experiences. The backpack sites at Afton State Park are spread out across wooded areas and open prairie, providing excellent privacy between sites. Several campers mention the quality of hiking trails that connect directly to tent camping areas, particularly those along the St. Croix River. The terrain varies from riverside flats to bluff-top sites with seasonal views of the river valley. Based on reviews from The Dyrt, "Sites are nicely spaced and diverse. Some are more wooded and others in the open prairie," making the area suitable for different camping preferences. Winter camping is also available at some locations, though with more limited amenities and access.

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Best Tent Sites Near Marine on St. Croix, Minnesota (30)

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Tent Camping Reviews near Marine on St. Croix, MN

645 Reviews of 30 Marine on St. Croix 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.

  • 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**

  • 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!

  • 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! :)

  • Tessa Z.
    Jan. 27, 2021

    William O'Brien State Park Campground

    Fun weekend trip

    We traveled to this state park for our annual girls weekend camping trip. We stayed @ campsite 113 in the Savana campground.

    The park was absolutely gorgeous and we truly had a wonderful time! Location wise the park itself was super convenient - it was close to the cities, we got there in under an hour from where we live (near Chaska).

    There were plenty of trails to explore and our campsite had plenty of room. Although there were a lot of people staying at the park when we went, we didn’t feel very cramped for space.

    We stayed in the Savana campground which was really nice. However, if we were to come back I think we’d opt to stay in the Riverway campground. It was really gorgeous down by the river. We walked the riverside loop trail and really enjoyed it!

    It was also really fun being close to Stillwater and Marine on St. Croix. The weekend that we camped, the weather was less than par- cold and rainy for most of it! So we spent a couple hours at the winery in Stillwater to warm up :)

  • 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.

  • D
    Sep. 25, 2020

    William O'Brien State Park Campground

    Good location for peace and quiet if you avoid the weekends

    My first time solo camping was at William O'Brien State Park on a Sunday evening. Weekends have been packed and reservations scarce for months at state parks in Minnesota. Arriving on a Sunday afternoon was a dream—very few people in the campground loop (especially the non-electric ones), but still able to take advantage of a weekend day.

    Per others' advice, I stayed at Savannah campground because the sites are slightly bigger and more private than Riverway. 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. On a Sunday evening with only one other site reserved, it felt like I had the place to myself.

    Site 117 was level, had decent privacy, and was more spacious than some of the other sites (could have put up a 3-5 person tent and a bug house). The fire pit was clean and had a grate on top. There were trees to hang a hammock. The hiking trail was about 500' away, and you could hear the occasional hiker. When the wind died down, you could also occasionally hear the loud motorcycles on the highway. Water was easy to access, but the pit toilet is in the next loop over. If I stayed again, I might try site 121 or 123 since they have more privacy.

    Sites 98, 110, 111, 112, 113, and 114 are right on the road into the campground with some tree coverage and prairie behind. These do not feel very private at all.

    A couple random notes: 

    • Firewood is $6/bundle. Self-pay available at site 74e if the ranger station is closed. Bring exact change since you'll be paying by envelope.
    • Cell reception for T-Mobile was minimal to non-existent. Wifi is available in the visitor center parking lot.
    • Do yourself a favor and arrive in Marine on St. Croix via Broadway Street / Maple Street. The tree canopy, winding roads, and tunnel are worth it.

Guide to Marine on St. Croix

Tent camping near Marine on St. Croix, Minnesota offers access to prairie, woodland, and riverfront landscapes within the St. Croix Valley. The region features varied elevations with riverside flats at approximately 675 feet and bluff-top sites rising to over 800 feet above sea level. Summer temperatures typically range from 60°F nights to 85°F days with higher humidity from June through August, while spring and fall camping provide cooler temperatures with less crowded conditions.

What to do

Biking from cities to campgrounds: William O'Brien State Park serves as a destination for cyclists looking for an outdoor getaway. According to Bryan W., "We bike from St. Paul to William O. It is a nice 40 mile ride mostly on paved or limestone trails."

Hiking varied terrain: The area features multiple trail systems with significant elevation changes. At Straight Lake State Park Campground, visitors can access the Ice Age Trail. One camper notes, "There are small number of hike in camp sites with nearby water (Straight Lake). The park offered carts to help pack in camping supplies."

Wildlife viewing: Spring and early summer provide opportunities to observe diverse wildlife. Laura E. mentioned her experience at William O'Brien: "This campground is lovely. You can hear frogs all night and we even saw a turtle laying eggs in a different campsite."

Fishing access: Multiple water bodies offer fishing opportunities in the region. At Apple River County Park Campground, Janet R. notes it's "a good spot for fishing, and canoeing or kayaking" with "basic facilities such as water and vault toilets."

What campers like

Secluded camping options: For those seeking more isolated tent camping in Marine on St. Croix, several parks offer backpacking sites. Adam P. describes Afton State Park Campground: "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."

Proximity to Twin Cities: Many campers appreciate the reasonable driving distance from urban areas. Karla J. B. shared about William O'Brien State Park Campground: "I have long overlooked William O'Brien because I thought you had to drive a long way to get away. I was wrong!... We loved the trails. It was easy to takes hikes of varying lengths."

Natural soundscape: The area's wildlife creates a memorable auditory experience. According to Dani K., arriving at William O'Brien on a Sunday evening "was a dream—very few people in the campground loop (especially the non-electric ones), but still able to take advantage of a weekend day."

Diverse landscapes: The region offers multiple ecosystem types within short distances. Jason S. describes camping at William O'Brien: "This is a great place to see all the various landscapes of the St. Croix River Valley. The surroundings were stunning, and really unexpected for a park so close to the Twin Cities."

What you should know

Hike-in logistics: Backpacking sites require careful planning. At Afton State Park, Adam P. advises: "These sites do require a hike from parking. Would strongly discourage big coolers or lots of weight... They do have firewood available however it is long slab wood, so you do need to cut it yourself."

Seasonal challenges: Bugs can be significant during warmer months. At Lily Springs Regenerative Farm, Krista T. reports, "The mosquito situation was very good, we never even went into our screen house that we had set up just in case it was mosquito misery."

Campsite privacy varies: Site layout and vegetation affect privacy between sites. Dani K. notes at William O'Brien: "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."

Water availability: Water sources may be limited at certain locations. At Afton State Park, Warren H. warns, "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!"

Tips for camping with families

Midweek reservations: Weekend sites fill quickly throughout summer. Dani K. shares this strategy for William O'Brien: "My first time solo camping was at William O'Brien State Park on a Sunday evening. Weekends have been packed and reservations scarce for months at state parks in Minnesota."

Playground access: Some campgrounds offer play areas for children. At Apple River County Park Campground, Janet mentions "adjacent day use areas including a group picnic shelter and playground" making it family-friendly for day use.

Wildlife education opportunities: Animal encounters provide learning experiences for children. At Trade River Equestrian Camp, Karl R. notes it's "just a nice quiet campground and the sites are fairly private. Lots of hiking and close to the river for some kayaking etc."

Beach accessibility: Swimming areas may require planning for families with young children. A reviewer at Afton State Park notes: "Highlight of this location is beach which is nice for swim and sun bath. But beach isn't motor vehicle accessible so expect 5-10 min walk."

Tips from RVers

Site selection for small trailers: Several campgrounds accommodate compact RVs despite limited amenities. At William O'Brien State Park, Tim observed, "Although we did not stay in the main campground the sites are very close in there and were small."

Electric site availability: Some parks offer limited electric hookups. According to Janet R., Apple River County Park has "15 simple campsites geared towards tent camping, though 5 of the sites are equipped with electricity so folks with vans or small trailers might be comfortable here."

Off-season camping: Winter camping offers a different experience with fewer crowds. David K. notes about William O'Brien: "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."

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular tent campsite near Marine on St. Croix, MN?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Marine on St. Croix, 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 Marine on St. Croix, MN?

TheDyrt.com has all 30 tent camping locations near Marine on St. Croix, MN, with real photos and reviews from campers.

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