Best Dog-Friendly Camping near Minneapolis, MN

This campsite was nice. A quick trip from Minneapolis will get you there in a half hour. There are a bunch of hiking trails around the campground.

Site was great. Good shade cover, room for 4 hammocks and a small tent. Closer to other sites than I was hoping but overall a great oasis less than an hour from Minneapolis.

The park has two separate areas, that offer two unique experiences. The riverway campground/area is the more popular part along the St. Croix river. We booked a last-minute site at the Savanna Campground, which is more inland, although hikable to the river. This campground is pretty crowded and we dealt with some rowdy neighbors. The Park Rangers monitored the park frequently, so this is definitely not a peaceful, off-the-grid campground. But it's less than an hour from Minneapolis, and offers lots of great (and well-groomed) hiking trails.

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.

Lebanon Hills is a beautiful county park only a few minutes from Minneapolis / St. Paul. We stayed three nights. Most of the sites are not shady, but there are woods and shade nearby. The park streets and sites are asphalt. The park was quiet except. The campground is part of a very large county park offering many activities and near the zoo.

Stayed in back-in campsite #13 which was not shady but level. It was an asphalt site with grass on either side. There was just than enough parking for my 34 TT and truck. The site included: picnic table on grass and fire ring. Electric and water were located in the rear. 20A/50A electric. Sewer as located in the middle and had another hookup near the front. Neighbors are close.

AT&T had 2 bars of LTE and Verizon 2 bars of LTE service. AT&T Speedtest: 2.29 Mbps down, 0.3 Mbps up. Verizon Speedtest: 180 kbps down, 6.8 Mbps up. Free WiFi: 1.5 Mbps down, 3.6 Mbps up.

Would stay here again.

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.

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!

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!

Brief stay for a scavenger hunt in Minneapolis

Brief visit for a scavenger hunt in Minneapolis

Just a beautiful campground. Lots of privacy, plenty of space. On a trail system that you can ride around the lake (3 miles) or all the way into Minneapolis if you’re adventurous. Fantastic beach.

The camp office was so east and friendly! Well placed sites nestled near lovely walking trails - Very nice water hook ups and electric- well maintained! Loved this Camping Site! Conveniently located between Wisconsin and Minneapolis/St Paul airport .

This is just the best campground that is close to Minneapolis! Peaceful, quiet, with spacious sites that are situated in a staggered way, so you never feel like you’re on top of each other. The lake was a bit reedy and silty but overall a fantastic and easy option.