Campgrounds near Mound, Minnesota range from rustic tent sites to RV-friendly parks located throughout Carver and Hennepin counties. The terrain features rolling hills with numerous lakes and wetlands, creating diverse camping environments within a 20-mile radius of Mound. Most campgrounds in this region sit at elevations between 900-1,000 feet above sea level, with summer temperatures typically ranging from 65-85°F and frequent evening thunderstorms from June through August.
What to do
Mountain biking on single-track trails: Lake Rebecca Park Reserve offers 13.25 miles of mountain biking trails with varying difficulty levels. "This has an amazing beach. Great Trails. Sweet single track for mountain biking. The best kids park at any campground I've been to," notes a visitor to Lake Rebecca Park Reserve.
Kayaking and paddling: The calm waters of Lake Auburn provide excellent opportunities for water activities. "The lake is nice, smaller with not many motor boats so good for kayaking or canoeing, the beach is pretty clean, some weeds floating in the water and very shallow for kids," according to a camper at Carver Park Reserve.
Nature programs: Educational programs run regularly at several parks. "The playground is good for kids and they have programs every Saturday night, some of the ones we've been to were about bugs, raptors, bees, and snakes, there are usually programs during the day at the nature center as well," explains a visitor to Carver Park Reserve.
What campers like
Clean facilities: The bathroom facilities receive high marks at several campgrounds. "The bathrooms and showers are nice and clean. The campground is a gem so very close to the Twin Cities. The sites are good sized, and the bathroom/showers are great," shares a camper at Baker Campground.
Spacious sites: Several campgrounds offer larger-than-average sites. "The sites a Baker Park Reserve are larger than average. This is a big campground with a lot of paved bike trails and a nice lake a short walk away," notes a reviewer who stayed early in the camping season.
Beach access: Swimming areas are consistently mentioned as highlights. "The beach area looks nice" and "The swim area was cool after a hot day and the beach was gently sloping and smooth," reports a visitor to Lake Auburn Campground.
What you should know
Site privacy varies significantly: Some campgrounds offer more secluded sites than others. "While some sites are a little uneven and better suited to RVs than to tents, all sites are spacious and clean," explains a Lake Auburn Campground visitor.
Reservation timing matters: Popular weekends book quickly, especially at county parks. "Reserve early online, most weekends were already reserved by mid May," advises a camper at Lebanon Hills Regional Park.
Seasonal operation: Most campgrounds close by late October. Lake Auburn Campground typically closes in mid-October, as one visitor noted: "They're closing soon, but I caught this campground in their last 2 weeks open for the season! Feels lucky."
Bug activity: Insects can be prevalent, particularly in wooded areas. "Watch out for stinging nettles! Campsite 100!" warns a Lake Auburn camper, while others mention mosquitoes being more active in certain campgrounds.
Tips for camping with families
Playground facilities: Many campgrounds feature well-equipped play areas. "There are nice paved trails around a couple of lakes/ponds for biking, and easy access to the shower and bathroom facilities (which were very nice)," shares a Baker Park camper.
Distance from home: Consider proximity for first-time campers. "We bought new camping gear and this campground, given its proximity to our house, made for an easy weekend getaway to give the gear a trial run," explains a visitor to Lake Auburn Campground.
Entertainment options: Several campgrounds offer recreational amenities beyond camping. "Game room small pool unfortunately all closed due to COVID but super cute little park," notes a visitor to Town & Country Campground.
Beach safety: Most swimming areas lack lifeguards and have varying depths. "The beach is actually on Lake Auburn but is all a part of the Carver County Reserve... Nice and quiet too and not very often is it crowded, which is a bonus," reports a Carver Park Reserve visitor.
Tips from RVers
Full hookup availability: For extended stays, select sites with complete services. "We stayed in the East Loop which is for smaller RVs and tents. It has electricity but no water hookups, however there are water pumps," explains a Lebanon Hills Regional Park camper.
Pad types: Several campgrounds feature concrete or gravel pads. "The sites are paved and have well-maintained grass. We were located near the casino road, which has an occasional loud car, even at night," reports a visitor to Dakotah Meadows RV Park.
Satellite reception: Tree cover can affect connectivity. "Wifi is not great, less than 1MB download speeds from our site, and our Verizon service was pretty poor in our spot, max 2 bars," notes a Dakotah Meadows camper.
Campground amenities: Some RV parks provide additional services like fuel stations. "There is a RV wash bay available for a fee and the campground even has gasoline available 24 hours a day using a credit card," explains a Dakotah Meadows visitor.
