Owatonna is the perfect place for adventurous campers and RVers. Camping, hiking, biking: however you want to spend your days near Owatonna, you'll find great campgrounds with The Dyrt. Find the best campgrounds near Owatonna, plus reviews and photos from other campers like you.
Oakwoods Trails Campground
36 min away
Cleary Lake Regional Park
39 min away
"Great place to camp and get away from the cities without a long drive. Firewood is available at the office and a fire ring is at each site as well as picnic table."
"Simple camping, picnic table, fire ring & grate. It is well maintained."
"Clean level sites, clean restrooms and showers, friendly Rangers, lots of activities for the kids."
"There is a newer shower/bathroom house that is well maintained and stocked! Outside of this the children spent most of the weekend in the pool!"
"We reserved a spot right next to the pool area. It was a tight fit to back the camper it, but I was able to do it. They have cement pads for a patio area and a fire ring."
"So many activities including a water recreation area, petting zoo, shuffleboard, mini golf, pool, toddler water park, multiple playgrounds, basketball and more."
"This is a rustic state park with limited amenities. There are no water or electric hook ups. However clean water is available in the park. The park does have flush toilets and showers."
"Facilities are top notch and private. The nicest showed and restroom you can imagine. Large tent pads and a quiet area. Not busy when we went. There is a small hiking trail as well."
"You have a choice between a grassy walk or walking mainly on tar and gravel as part of the Blazing Star Trail. They are also accessible by boat."
"Tent pad and fire pit were well maintained. Restrooms were well cleaned, if not exactly maintained (soap and Toilet paper ran light over the weekend, and spiders hung out after a cleaning)."
$24 - $34 / night
"falls tumble a few feet & the lower cascades 40–50 ft into a silent, lush gorge  • Bison Drive: Herds of ~20–40 bison grace the 330‑acre enclosure, accessible via a scenic auto‐drive; brings pure"
"chair so I preordered an office chair for curbside pickup at an office store which is on the way home from this park. "
$25 - $30 / night
"In the middle of the pandemic when all of the campsites are booked, there is absolutely no one here. It’s a very well maintained park with clean showers and bathrooms. Very small and quaint."
"Great shower heads in men’s bathroom.
Trails are super nice and well maintained, many different levels of hikes going along the River to hikes up on the prairie tops. Some nice overlooks."
"Very clean shower room and restroom. The porta potty by our site needed extra fluid, the owner was on top of it within 10 minutes."
"There was a vault toilet near by and full bathrooms a short walk away. The showers by the lake could use some updating but the bathrooms by the bigger loop are very nice and clean."
"When we arrived, someone had taken our campsite (site 10) by the lake."
"They did have a $1 Sunday when we got there which was fun Ice Cream and topping for $1. Then that night they had movies which was nice. A great pool and play area for the kids."
"It’s pretty close to the interstate, so just be aware you’ll hear that noise, it might be better once the trees have leaves on them. Would stay again!"
GuideEach cabin has four sleeping spots: 2 bunk beds, and the 2 couches convert to beds. There's a heater inside, but no AC, which makes these the most suitable during the spring and fall.
There is a fire ring outside of each cabin, along with a table. No cooking is allowed inside the cabins, which can make things rough if the weather isn't cooperating.
We enjoy hiking around the trails, but we primarily go to decompress, lounge around, and play games, read, etc. There's WiFi available, but depending on which cabin you reserve signal will be took weak for real usage. Same for mobile data -- don't plan on cell service here.
The bathroom facilities are nice. Outside water is shut off during some parts of the year, so bring your own drinking water if you are camping close to/during winter.
Cabins are accessible for those who need special assistance, which is nice. The only caveat is I don't recall there being an automatic door opener to the cabins.
While the cabins are close together, noise is not a factor once you're inside.
It's difficult to get reservations, so I recommend trying to start booking 120 days in advance, which is the farthest out you can reserve. For example, as of this review (early June), all weekends are booked for all cabins.
LegendSuper simple camping cabins. They each have 4 spots and have contactless entry as you get sent a code to use. There is no cooking inside the cabin so you have to use the fire ring outside. Shower facilities are really nice and match the cabins. Plan ahead as these are hard to come by.
ScoutChester Woods is a county park just east of Rochester, MN. It has a campground and man-made lake (created when Bear Creek was dammed for a flood control project) with hiking trails, a horse trail, picnic shelters, a beach, and a playground. The campsites have nice, soft ground for tents, and electrical outlets are available. It can get noisy on the weekend, but the sites are nice along the edge of the campground.
The lake offers the opportunity to fish for panfish, catfish, and bass. There are a lot of submerged trees from before the Creek was dammed that provide good habitat in deep water, and there is also good shoreline structure and weed beds. There is a fish cleaning house next to the campground which has electric lighting, but no running water.
LegendThe cabins in the woods are great in winter with snow on the pine trees. I would probably prefer the prairie cabins in the summer, especially with mosquitoes. The prairie cabins have significantly less privacy though with trails on either side that have good views into the heavily windowed cabins.
The cabins are well-built and heated. The wooded cabins have what seems like full-sized mattress bunk beds built into the wall. Each bunk has its own reading light. The storage in this place is amazing. Storage under the bed, one counter with ample storage under it, and even the windows are so deep that I was able to store most of my food on the sill.
The biggest downside is the middle-of-the-night trek to the bathroom. The bathroom is heated and open year round. There are two year round showers as well, but don’t plan on a long shower to unwind unless you like cold water. There was maybe 2 minutes of hot water. Basically enough to wash your body quickly, it was easy enough to avoid getting my hair wet. The shower room is also set to a cool 58 degrees in the winter. I do suspect that the floors are slightly heated though. You will need to dart across to the bathroom to blow dry your hair if you’re washing it in the winter.
You can use a slow cooker and a coffee pot in the cabin. Otherwise you can cook over the fire as well. They have potable water in the bathroom for washing your dishes in the cabin with.
Close enough to town if you need something, far enough away for peace and quiet.
GuideThis is a rustic state park with limited amenities. There are no water or electric hook ups. However clean water is available in the park. The park does have flush toilets and showers. We found these to be in good condition and clean. The showers had warm water. The water stream is on a timer and so are the lights. The shower stalls are Individual stalls. The interior roads are dirt roads with a few potholes they are very narrow. The camping sites are nice sized and relatively private. There is a gravel pad on each site and some have a tent pad. Each site had a picnic table and a fire ring. There are plenty of walking and biking trails and there are walk-in tent camp sites. However, you cannot see the lake from the campground and there is no access to the lake from the campground. We were able to drive through the campground with our 40 foot fifth wheel. But just barely, be careful! 
GuideNice park for everyone’s type from tents, cabins and all size RV’s. Electric only at the camp sites but have water and dump station on site. Clean bathrooms and showers. Best value I’ve seen for fire wood. Has many walking trails that you can take your dog on and just a couple that you can’t.
TravelerSites are approximately 2 miles from parking and the hike it relatively easy with minimal elevation change. You have a choice between a grassy walk or walking mainly on tar and gravel as part of the Blazing Star Trail. They are also accessible by boat.
There are 4 backpacking sites and they are well-spaced so you each have privacy. #3 and #4 are close enough that you could be in a group together but #1 and #2 are pretty isolated. Each site has a fire pit, picnic table, wood cabinet/fish cleaning table, at least 1 flat spot for a tent, and a nearby porta potty.
Views of the lake are amazing with a variety of birds making appearances. Harvesting season may bring some farm sounds but otherwise, aside from the occasional train, you'll mainly hear the sounds of nature around you.
If you can make the walk carrying everything, including water, on your back, definitely check out one of these sites.
GuideMinneopa Campground, you’re that poetic hideaway where “water falls twice” and bison roam under the open sky. As a forward‑thinking canine behaviorist and groomer 🌿, I appreciate spaces that embrace nature, community, and a dash of wilderness therapy—for both humans and pups!
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🌲 My Lyrical Dyrt-Style Review
🌟 Overall Mood: 4 / 5 – Rustic charm meets “nature unplugged” luxury ✨ Highlights: • Falls & Forks: A quick half‑mile hike delivers two majestic falls — upper falls tumble a few feet & the lower cascades 40–50 ft into a silent, lush gorge  • Bison Drive: Herds of ~20–40 bison grace the 330‑acre enclosure, accessible via a scenic auto‐drive; brings pure awe from safety of your car  • Camp Setup: 61 wooded campsites (6 with electric hookups), plus 4 group sites and 1 cabin. Non‑electric loops are shaded, rustic, and super private  • Amenities: Drinking water, flush toilets, hot showers (May–Oct), dump station, fire rings & picnic tables  • Wildlife & Trails: Abundant birdlife (213 species!), deer, coyotes, beaver; 4.5 mi of hiking, plus a short falls loop ()
🦟 Minor Caveats: • Mosquitoes and flies can be intense—especially near campground loops after rainfall  • A‑loop sites tucked by a railway cliff; trains rumble at night—not everyone’s quiet retreat ()
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🐾 Humorous & Humble Take • For the pups: Ace and canine clients will love splashing below the falls—just watch for slick rocks and curious beavers joining the party. • Pro tip: Request a B-loop or non-electric site far from the rails—to avoid midnight freight jams and embrace that hammock zen. • Camp vibe: Quirky woodland privacy with rustic charisma—like a corporate retreat, minus the Wi‑Fi.
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🏷️ Hashtags & Emojis
#MinneopaMagic #WaterFallsTwice #BisonBrigade #CampLife #DogFriendly #NatureUnplugged #FallsAndFur #RusticRetreat 🏕️ #TrainTracks 🎧 #BugSprayEssential 🦟
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Final Thoughts: Minneopa is a beautifully raw blend of waterfalls, wildlife, and woodland camp experience—with just the right dash of quirky (trains, bugs, and bison included). It’s a forward‑thinking wilderness escape perfect for unplugging, recharging, and teaching dogs that even nature has its own “social hierarchy.”
Pack the bug spray, grab the pup, and prepare for poetic nights by the fire—this campground is a metaphor in moss.
Final Thoughts: Minneopa is a beautifully raw blend of waterfalls, wildlife, and woodland camp experience—with just the right dash of quirky (trains, bugs, and bison included). It’s a forward‑thinking wilderness escape perfect for unplugging, recharging, and teaching dogs that even nature has its own “social hierarchy.”
Pack the bug spray, grab the pup, and prepare for poetic nights by the fire—this campground is a metaphor in moss.
#MinneopaMagic #WaterFallsTwice #BisonBrigade #CampLife #DogFriendly #NatureUnplugged #FallsAndFur #RusticRetreat 🏕️ #TrainTracks 🎧 #BugSprayEssential 🦟
LegendWe visited Minneopa state park because a) I love hiking b) I’m trying to get as much state park time in before the summer hordes descend and c) my back is dying from working at home out of a dining room chair so I preordered an office chair for curbside pickup at an office store which is on the way home from this park.
Minneopa is a unique state park. A River Runs Through it. So does a train(choo chooo). And a neighborhood(kind of). If you have never visited the park before you need to decide what you are going to prioritize first because all of a sudden there are two different park road signs pointing you to either turn left or right depending on what you want to do.
One direction is the waterfall part. It is a nice waterfall. The parking lot is right by the waterfall- so it is very accessible for people who are unable to hike to a lot of waterfalls. However, because the parking lot is RIGHT THERE it isn’t the most rewarding waterfall that I’ve been to, it’s kind of like a less impressive Minnehaha. On this trip we didn’t visit the waterfall because it’s plague time and I figured that it might be busy. Tip: On the weekends get to state parks as early as possible during social distancing time! Most people don’t roll out of bed at 6 am like we did, so it will be fairly easy to socially distance yourself. We got there at 8 and only encountered 4 other hikers that were just heading out when we were almost back to our car.
The other direction is the BISON DRIVE. Yes, you can actually drive amongst bison if the road is open. It wasn’t on our trip on 4/10/2020 because the road conditions are still gross from the winter thaw. Instead we hiked the entire loop(I think it’s 3.3 miles) because it goes around the entire bison enclosure, and I wanted to guarantee that I would see me some bison.
Other highlights about this section of the park are the views of the magnificent Minnesota river, an old windmill(the blades are gone), and the campground is also situated here. This section isn’t as popular as the waterfall section, as evidenced by the relatively small parking lot. The hike was enjoyable while we were there- if it is a hot hot day you might want to just do the Minnesota River Bluff Trail for the shade- the Seppman Mill trail is exposed and you can drive and park at the mill.
As I mentioned before there is also an access point to drive into the bison enclosure. We were able to see the bison herd once we got to the mill area, unfortunately for my photos the bison were just far enough away that I didn’t get a quality photo.
Now onto the campground. Loop A is superior for tent camping in every which way, unless you happen to want electricity or want to rent the cabin which is in loop B. Loop A has trees, large sites, a bathroom, and several sites have awesome views of the river. One thing to keep in mind is that the sites on the outside of the loop are much more private and have way more trees- the inner loop is relatively open in comparison and would be good sites to choose if you are group camping. I would be prepared with lots of bug spray and a screenhouse if you are camping here in the worst of mosquito season- there was quite a bit of standing water and swampy pond nearby.
Site notes(see pics/videos): A2 is nice and spacious, but next to the swampy water
A4 is the immediate neighbor and is distinctive because it’s up on a hill
A3 is on the inner loop and is visible to the road, but I liked it anyway
A5 is a nice spacious site on the inner loop that is less private, I’m pretty sure A19 butts up behind it if you are looking to get a few sites
A12 is the type of site that I would love to camp at- view of the gulley and of the river
A14 is the site that you need to reserve a year in advance if this campground were more popular- amazing location with a spectacular view of the river
A24 also has a good river view
A26 is large and has some badass oak trees
The B Loop is weird- a lot of the campsites don’t seem to even have space for a 2 person tent unless you are ok with not having a campfire(or burning down your tent). If you have a tiny scamp you might be ok?
Site notes: B3 is a good pull-through site for an RV
The cabin is here! It has a screen porch and a propane tank for heating it in cold weather! Also has a decent view of the river- inside is just some bunk beds and a table. There is a pit toilet next to it that I’m guessing other campsites use too.
B20 is definitely the best site in the loop for tent camping- I actually would camp at this one.
There are also 4 group campsites that could probably fit 2-3 tents on them that are only a short hike-in from the parking area. Nice pit toilets are nearby. Minneopa is definitely either a nice day trip or camping trip from the Twin Cities! I was extra pleased that the drive down 169 is interesting- the terrain is beautiful, there are some really random touristy places and showrooms(giant yellow barn/extended structure that is without a doubt indeed Minnesota’s Largest Candy Store), and driving through Saint Peter is a nice old-timey experience.
Cabin camping near Owatonna, Minnesota offers a perfect blend of nature and comfort, making it an ideal getaway for families and outdoor enthusiasts alike.
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According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular cabin campground near Owatonna, MN is Sakatah Lake State Park Campground with a 4.2-star rating from 24 reviews.
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