Best Campgrounds near Mendota Heights, MN

Recent Reviews near Mendota Heights, MN

842 Reviews of 118 Mendota Heights Campgrounds

• J

  Jon E.

  Guide

  Apr. 21, 2026

  South of Sand Dunes State Forest

  Tents or small truck camper only

  Small pullout area on state forest land. Can walk trail back to tent.

• 

  Jay W.

  Legend

  Apr. 12, 2026

  Interstate Park — Saint Croix National Scenic Riverway

  Great park, plenty around the area...BUT THE NOISE!!!

  Interstate Park in Wisconsin is just south of HWY 8 on HWY 35.  The entrance is located on the west side of HWY 35 in the town of St. Croix Falls.  St Croix Falls is a small town with a nice downtown on the river with plenty of restaurants (Dalles House Restaurant and Lounge is a favorite) and places for necessities. There are coffee shops, hotels and even a Wal-Mart nearby.  There is also a casino in the town of Turtle Lake about 30 mins away.

  The park is home to the western terminus of the Ice Age National Scenic Trail that covers 1200 miles through Wisconsin.  The park also offers a Ice Age Interpretive Center which boasts interactive activities and displays of the last Ice Age.  The park is also home to several other trails worth discovering.

  There are two campgrounds in the park, a North and South campground as well as two group campsites.  The South is a bit more rustic.  The showers are located at the North campground.

  For amenities there are flush toilets and showers.  There is a sandy swimming area available as well as boat launch and other water activities. 

  This park is beautiful especially being on the cliffs of the St. Croix River offering spectacular views through out the park and the area.  You can even take the bridge over to Taylor Falls Park Minnesota for more spectacular views as well as other shopping options.  If you take this trip, Taylor Falls Park will be on the South and your shopping options will be to your North.

  Even being in such a wonderful location with plenty of activities and amenities, I find the camping hard to enjoy at this park for all the noise that generates from the  hwy crossing over the river.  The sound especially of the semi trucks and their brakes that go all night long. This is the big reason for the average rating for this campground.

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• 

  T S.

  Guide

  Apr. 1, 2026

  South of Sand Dunes State Forest

  Loved it!

  Nice spot right on the lake. Lots of animal noises! Pretty sunrise/sunset.

• 

  Greg M.

  Guide

  Mar. 31, 2026

  South of Sand Dunes State Forest

  Good spot for a night

  Got in late on a Sunday night and there was plenty of space. Most sites are right along the gravel road so not super private. Wouldn’t recommend for large trailers/RVs as sites are small. Found a couple sets of deer bones right next to my site, not sure if it’s from hunters dumping their waste or coyotes but keep an eye out either way.

• 

  DIANNE T.

  Guide

  Mar. 28, 2026

  South of Sand Dunes State Forest

  Girl on first car camping trip

  Kind of confusing for first time. Was not sure where I could camp. But then found out it's the spots right along road. Beautiful. Some good spots. Ended up in a pull thru around w view.

• 

  Blake K.

  Scout

  Mar. 25, 2026

  Frontenac State Park Campground

  Beautiful Views

  You have clear views of the River and Valley from the campgrounds.

• 

  Cindy

  Traveler

  Feb. 17, 2026

  Avatan Family Nudist Campground

  "Family-Friendly" in Name Only: A Cautionary Tale from a Disillusioned Par

  We visited Avatan Nudist Campground last July with our two kids (ages 8 and 11) for what was supposed to be a wholesome, body-positive family getaway. The website and brochures paint a perfect picture: serene woods, a sparkling pool, family activities, and a "welcoming community" vibe. And on the surface? Yeah, the grounds are stunning—pristine trails, a well-maintained pool. The facilities are clean, the staff (mostly) polite, and the natural setting is genuinely relaxing. If you're just looking for a quiet spot to shed your clothes and unwind in nature, it checks those boxes.

  But dig a little deeper, and Avatan reveals itself as something else entirely—a place that's quietly optimized for adult fun, with kids as an inconvenient footnote they have to tolerate to keep the "family" label. From the moment we arrived, it was clear the real energy was elsewhere. Evenings around the fire pits and at the "Squirrel's" (code for the bar area) had this unmistakable swinger-party undercurrent. Lots of lingering glances, couples disappearing into the woods or private cabins, and a vibe that felt more like a discreet resort for the lifestyle crowd than a spot for building sandcastles with the little ones. Our kids picked up on it fast—whispers about "grown-up games" and awkward questions we had to deflect. The camp "tolerates" families, sure, but it's obvious the core membership would prefer a child-free zone. Activities for kids are minimal: a basic playground and the occasional nature hike, while the adults get themed nights, "sensual yoga," and late-night mixers that go until dawn.

  What really soured the experience was the toxic underbelly of the community itself. This place is a powder keg of power struggles, with a small cadre of long-time board members and "elders" locked in a perpetual cold war. Gossip flows like the creek itself—endless whispers about who's sleeping with whom, who's "stealing" prime cabin spots, or who's cozying up to the President for favors. We overheard more drama in one week than in a season of reality TV. Cliques form fast: the "party crew" vs. the "purists," the swingers vs. the swingers-who-pretend-they're-not. As newcomers (and parents, no less), we felt like outsiders crashing a private club. Smiles were surface-level; the second you stepped away, the backstabbing started.

  And then there's the elephant in the (clothing-optional) room: the camp's ugly history with sexual predators. We didn't know it going in, but after a few days, the stories trickled out from sympathetic members—multiple incidents over the years involving members who turned out to be registered offenders or worse, preying on the vulnerable in this "trust-based" environment. The rules around anonymity are ironclad: no photos, no last names, "what happens at Avatan stays at Avatan." It's sold as protecting privacy in a nudist space, which sounds noble until you realize it shields the creeps. Anyone who dares speak up—whether it's a parent noticing a sketchy guy lingering too long near the kids' area or a survivor sharing a red flag—is immediately branded a "troublemaker," "paranoid," or "anti-community." We've heard of families getting shamed in group meetings, then quietly asked to leave for "disrupting the harmony." Evictions happen fast if you rock the boat, all in the name of keeping the peace and the paying members happy.

  Look, we're no prudes. Nudism can be liberating, and we've been to other resorts where it felt truly inclusive and safe. But Avatan? It's a divided house built on denial. The adult-party atmosphere thrives because the kids are an afterthought, and the predator problem festers because calling it out gets you exiled. If you're a child-free couple into the full swinger scene, this might be your paradise—plenty of like-minded folks and zero judgment. But if you're a family hoping for that advertised "safe, empowering space"? Steer clear. Your kids deserve better than being tolerated in a place where silence is golden and the wrong questions get you blacklisted. We won't be back, and I hope this review saves someone else the regret.

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• 

  Erik R.

  Ranger

  Nov. 24, 2025

  Afton State Park Campground

  A true year-round backpack camping experience

  So, I think you know what you are signing up for here when you stay camp at the backpacking site at Afton, but let me fill in some of the blanks. #1 yes, the hill climb is as big of an effort as other people have said. You will feel like you earned your dinner. I may have found a hack for this, but more in that later. #2 the site are mostly private. I stayed on site #12. I could see (and they could have seen me) site #9, but thankfully no one was there. That would have been a bummer to have other looking into my site. There is even a semi-worn path between 12 and 9. They would make a good combo if you have a group. Other than that, totally secluded. As far space at #12, you could build as big of a tent structure there as you would need, easily room for a massive 16’x24’ palace (if you would dare to carry it) or anything smaller. An Eagle Scout project built hammock posts at this site, so it is ideal for that set up. #3 the campground amenities are very nice. The solar powered water works great year round, the two pits toilets (if you can even call them that) are very new and nice. And the coolest campground feature is the cut your own firewood station. I went a little overboard since it was so nice and had a way bigger fire than I needed. Bring your own saw and you will love it too. #4 After walking around the park, I discovered a possible hack. There is an unmarked entrance to the park on the north side. Instead of walking all my gear back to the parking lot, I walked the .5 miles to the service entrance, dropped my pack, and then walked the 1.8 miles back to the parking lot. I tend to carry too much. The flat short walk to drop my gear was worth it. Then I drop around the park and picked up my stuff. Probably not MN DNR endorsed way to do it, but I was proud of my discovery. All in, this is a unique and wonderful camping experience. Highly recommend.

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• 

  Maria D.

  Guide

  Nov. 22, 2025

  Nerstrand Big Woods State Park Campground

  Site 4

  Nerstrand is so lovely in October. We reserved sites 2 and 4. Though they were right next to each other, they felt very secluded. Site 4 felt a bit more private from the main road because the campsite slightly slopes downward. There is also a log bench positioned close to the fire which some may think is nice but was a bit inconveniently placed for our bigger group to gather around the fire. Plenty of trees to set up multiple hammocks at site 4.

  The bathrooms were updated and clean. Unfortunately on our last day, the campground lost running water so only the vault toilets were usable. As someone who doesn’t prefer this option, the vault toilet near the ranger station was actually pretty clean and updated too.

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