Tent camping near Mound, Minnesota offers diverse terrain options spanning oak forests, restored prairies, and river bluffs. The camping season generally runs April through October, with mosquito activity peaking in June and July. Many campgrounds require advance reservations during summer weekends, with walk-in sites often booked 1-3 months ahead during peak season.
What to do
Birding excursions: Crow Hassan Park Reserve provides excellent bird watching opportunities along its river trails. "Great for birding and walking trails! One of my favorite places to go near home," notes a regular visitor who gives the park high ratings for its natural setting.
Mountain biking: Lake Rebecca Park Reserve features extensive single-track trails for riders of various skill levels. "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," explains a visitor at Lake Rebecca Park Reserve.
Family beach activities: Several campgrounds offer swimming beaches with rental options. "This has an amazing beach. Great Trails. Sweet single track for mountain biking. The best kids park at any campground I've been to," shares a camper at Lake Rebecca Park Reserve.
Waterfall hikes: Nerstrand Big Woods State Park features accessible hiking to scenic falls. "The trails were great and at the end of the trails there were beautiful falls. The falls weren't huge but they were pretty. A lot of things to photograph," notes a day visitor at Nerstrand Big Woods State Park Campground.
What campers like
Private walk-in sites: Most campers appreciate the more secluded walk-in tent sites available near Mound. "The hike to the campground is short and grueling. A few of the sites are in wooded areas, but we stayed in one of the prairie sites. The terrain is just hilly enough - and in August - the grass long enough to give the sites a sense of privacy and seclusion," explains a camper at Afton State Park Campground.
Horse-friendly camping: Several parks cater specifically to equestrian campers. "This is my all-time favorite park to bring my horse to, and it's her favorite trail too. Seriously, when we head back to our trailer she will stop and refuse to proceed," shares an equestrian camper at Crow Hassan Park Reserve.
Fall foliage viewing: Several campgrounds offer spectacular autumn camping experiences. "This is a great campground for Fall camping. The colors are amazing. Nice hiking trails," notes a seasonal visitor at Nerstrand Big Woods State Park.
Abundant wildlife: William O'Brien State Park offers frequent wildlife encounters near campsites. "You can hear frogs all night and we even saw a turtle laying eggs in a different campsite," notes a visitor staying at the Savanna Campground area of William O'Brien State Park Campground.
What you should know
Seasonal bug patterns: Mosquitoes and black flies can be intense during summer months. "The black flies were dive bombing the car like a scene from Armageddon. We prepared the kiddos for a quick grab and run and jumped out of the car. First step onto the grassy trail exploded in a cloud of mosquitos," warns a summer camper at Lake Maria State Park Campground.
Trail water access: Not all water sources are reliable during peak summer months. "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," notes a July visitor.
Site spacing varies: Campsite privacy differs significantly between parks and camping areas. "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," observes a William O'Brien State Park camper.
Mid-week advantages: Sunday through Thursday camping offers significantly better site availability and privacy. "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," reports a solo camper.
Tips for camping with families
Accessible beginner sites: Camp Sacajawea offers easier camping experiences for first-time families. "Great place to take kids, good 1st camping experience for bonfires and single night camping," recommends a family camper at Camp Sacajawea Retreat Center.
Shower facilities: Many families prefer campgrounds with shower access during longer stays. "The shower house needed a cleaning as well. There is no adjusting the shower temperature. Push the button and you get what you get," notes a William O'Brien visitor, highlighting practical shower considerations.
Wildlife encounters: Prepare for nocturnal visitors, especially at more developed campgrounds. "Raccoons will visit your site at night. We had everything secured but they still tried and plenty of racket until we chased them away," warns a William O'Brien group site camper.
Reservation timing: Family-friendly sites book quickly during summer months. "We have never really camped with friends before, so the point was to just go, not to really travel far. The Savanna Campground was quite full. Several people seemed to be there in groups, but we had no issues with noise," notes a visitor during spring camping at William O'Brien.
Tips from RVers
Campsite access: Several campgrounds have challenging site approaches for trailers. "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," notes an RV camper at Nerstrand Big Woods State Park.
Cell connectivity: Service varies widely between campgrounds. "Cell reception for T-Mobile was minimal to non-existent. Wifi is available in the visitor center parking lot," reports a camper at William O'Brien State Park, providing practical information for those needing to stay connected.
Dump station availability: Not all campgrounds offer this essential RV service. "Sites are good and some can handle bigger RV's. Some Electric sites. Nice dump station," notes a camper at Nerstrand Big Woods, highlighting important facilities for RVers.
