Tent camping near Minnetonka, Minnesota offers diverse terrain across wetlands, oak savannas, and prairie landscapes. Most sites sit between 900-950 feet above sea level, experiencing warm summer nights with temperatures typically ranging from 60-70°F. Several parks maintain rustic tent-focused areas with minimal development, preserving natural features while providing basic amenities.
What to Do
Bird watching opportunities: Lake Maria State Park features extensive woodland habitats where campers regularly spot pileated woodpeckers and wood ducks. A recent visitor noted, "We saw pileated woodpeckers, red squirrels, and a chorus of chorus frogs. Nature feels close here — in the best way."
Mountain biking trails: Lake Rebecca Park Reserve maintains a 13.25-mile single track trail system with varying difficulty levels. According to one reviewer, "This newly developed trail is 13.25 miles long, so a nice option close to the city for those who are inclined to adventurous biking. Different loops are available for varying skill levels."
Beach access: William O'Brien State Park provides river beach facilities for summer swimming, though note that construction has affected some access. A camper mentioned, "The east part of the park was all closed for construction. Everything on the east side of the highway was closed so we could not hike a lot of the trails or use the beach which was a challenge with kids."
Wildlife viewing: Nerstrand Big Woods State Park Campground preserves old-growth forest with abundant wildlife viewing along its trail system. A visitor commented, "The hikes were beautiful and the variety of old growth trees was spectacular."
What Campers Like
Privacy between tent sites: Campsites at Crow Hassan Park Reserve feature mature trees that create natural boundaries. A camper observed, "This campground is nicely maintained and has nice mature trees that a lot of people set up hammocks in."
Water features: Several parks offer lakeside tent camping with water access. A Lake Maria visitor reported, "Site B6 feels like a secret woodland sanctuary. It's close enough to Lake Maria's best hiking trails and just a short walk to the lake itself, where you can sit on a log and watch wood ducks paddle past."
Modern bathroom facilities: Despite the rustic camping experience, some parks maintain updated facilities. At Nerstrand Big Woods, a camper noted, "The bathroom/shower building was new and clean, the camp host was friendly and helpful, and the hike to the hidden falls did not disappoint."
Proximity to Twin Cities: William O'Brien State Park Campground offers tent sites within a short drive of Minneapolis. A reviewer said, "I have long overlooked William O'Brien because I thought you had to drive a long way to get away. I was wrong! It's so close to the Twin Cities that it's very convenient for a weekend."
What You Should Know
Seasonal bug considerations: Mosquitoes and black flies can be intense during summer months. A camper at Lake Maria State Park shared, "When we pulled up to the parking lot we knew we were in trouble. The black flies were dive bombing the car like a scene from Armageddon."
Hilly terrain at some locations: Carrying gear can be challenging at parks with significant elevation changes. One visitor at Lake Maria State Park Campground advised, "I camped here back in 2020 of November. Overpacked, along with not packing the right gear and didn't have a cart. Buddy and I parked at the southeast parking lot so the hike was about a mile and also hilly."
Firewood availability: Some parks require purchasing wood on-site rather than bringing your own. A Lake Maria camper noted, "BP7 didn't have much dead wood around so we had to reserve the firewood we purchased."
Reservation requirements: Tent sites often require advance booking, particularly for weekends. One William O'Brien visitor shared, "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."
Tips for Camping with Families
Playground access: Elm Creek Horse Camp provides standard campsites with proximity to park amenities suitable for children. The camp is located "near the archery range" with "trails close by, fire ring ready, and enough space for a tent, a camp chair, and a dog."
Swimming options: Lake Rebecca Park Reserve maintains a beach area popular with families. As one visitor shared, "This has an amazing beach. Great Trails. Sweet single track for mountain biking. The best kids park at any campground I've been to."
Wildlife education: Several parks offer opportunities to observe wildlife safely. A visitor to William O'Brien noted, "This campground is lovely. You can hear frogs all night and we even saw a turtle laying eggs in a different campsite."
Best loops for families: At William O'Brien, certain camping areas offer better family experiences. A camper suggested, "We stayed in a group site but there was no way 35 people could have camped in W3," indicating the need to research specific group site capacities when traveling with multiple families.
Tips from RVers
Site leveling considerations: Many campgrounds have variable terrain. At Nerstrand Big Woods, a camper warned, "There's some sites that are tricky to back a trailer into, which would have been helped by some maintenance - there were LOTS of branches that needed to be trimmed back."
Cell service limitations: Connectivity varies significantly across camping areas. A visitor to Nerstrand advised, "And, through no fault of the park, cell service (both AT&T and TMobile) was terrible. There's WiFi at the office, which is just a short hike from the campground."
Site spacing concerns: RV sites often provide less privacy than tent-specific areas. One William O'Brien camper mentioned, "The sites on the C loop back up almost into the sites on the right side of the B loop, so we basically had the back of our neighbor's trailer hanging almost into our site."
