Looking to get away and reconnect with nature? Glamping near Plainview is the perfect choice. Find all the best glamping sites for your Plainview, Minnesota camping adventure with The Dyrt. You're sure to find glamping for your Minnesota camping adventure.
Schools of trout happily swim through the lazy Whitewater River and various spring fed creeks of Whitewater State Park. And while it’s known for its fantastic fishing opportunities, the park also boasts year-round interpretive programs, a modern Visitor Center, and an especially appreciated lack of mosquitos, unique for the region.
Whitewater is well seasoned, with a number of historical attractions within and nearby. In fact, 2019 marks the 100th anniversary of the park. To commemorate the occasion, local conservationists and naturalists have teamed up to release a special Oral History Project from stories of campers and those native to the region.
Explorers and adventurers will love this park’s diverse selection of attractions and oddities. Home of the park office and interpretive services, the Whitewater Valley Visitor Center should be your first stop. The friendly Park staff are ready to help you plan your visit and load you up on information, and even loaner equipment such as GPS units, fishing kits, discovery kits for kids, and birding kits. Don’t skip the Discovery Room, which showcases nature displays, exhibits and a spotting area to observe the local bluebirds, cardinals, hawks and bald eagles flying about.
The vast expanse of outdoor wilderness is really what you’ll want to check out. If you only have time for a quick visit, check out the Chimney Rock Trail for an awesome view of the Whitewater River. Those searching for a more accessible hike can take the Meadow Trail, which drops off right into a grassy valley, surrounded by dramatic Minnesota bluffs. During the hot and humid summers, go unwind at the beach for a refreshing dip in the cold, spring-fed water. Those more interested in history lovers should visit the famous Elba Fire Tower. Built in 1933, this sturdy tower offers cozy 360 degree views of the entire wetland region below. You’ll be especially grateful for the chance to unwind, thanks to the arduous 500-step climb required to ascend to the top.
Finally, firmly planted atop the land sits Inspiration Point; a beautiful limestone rock outcrop that overlooks the entirety of the Whitewater valley. Known as the most popular attraction within Whitewater State Park, visitors can still discover solace from their troubles. In fact, this is the only overlook in the entire park where there are no signs of civilization anywhere in sight. With just a little imagination, standing atop Inspiration Point on a clear, calm day can make you feel as if you could step down into a deep forested paradise, unspoiled and far from the reach of society.
Whitewater campground here is plentiful, with every site having full electric hookups and full-through capabilities. The campground features a full range of amenities including regularly placed shower houses with laundry facilities, and a number of group camping areas as well. Furthermore, there are 5 cabins available with various sleeping capabilities.
Located just three miles east of Lanesboro, Minnesota, Eagle Cliff Campground & Lodging offers something for everyone. Accommodations include riverfront tent sites, electric-only sites, water-electric sites and full hookup sites and a five-room motel on site. Eagle Cliff offers group camping, a picnic area, private canoe launch and wonderfully-clean central restrooms.
$30 - $46 / night
$35 / night
Kruger Management Unit campground is adjacent to the Zumbro River Water Trail. The campsites are considered primitive, designed to furnish only the basic needs of the camper. Each has a cleared area, fire ring, and table. Vault toilets, garbage cans, and drinking water are available. All sites are on a first-come, first-served basis for a fee. Quiet hours are between 10:00 p.m.–8:00 a.m. (this includes no generator use). Please be considerate of others around you.
$14 / night
Scout
GGreat campground! Awesome hiking, nice swimming beach. Big nature store with lots of great stuff. Lots of spots for great fishing.
Best part: very few mosquitoes!! (The cold, constantly moving water helps keep them away.)
One of my favorite parks in the state of Minnesota.
Traveler
Stopped here on the way up to Minnesota and our campsite was gorgeous! Everyone was very friendly and the sites were very clean. We stayed right on the water. Sites are close together but we reserved a few to have some space.
Guide
I love this area as the bluffs are stunning. It's Minnesota's little Switzerland. The park isn't much to look at and there's only a few look-out point onto the Mississippi but its a nice little campground.
Guide
I loved the campground area which nestled in a small valley. On top of that it has this awesome living history 1800's village managed by the Minnesota Historical Society. There's also a very interesting cave with a museum and all the talactites, stalagmites, and underground pools you can imagine.
Ranger
This campground was really good. It was located right on the Root River Trail System which we liked for biking and running. It has an indoor/outdoor heated pool, a big barn with a restaurant and bar, and clean restroom and shower facilities. The sites weren't huge but they had full hook-ups. The campground is near Lanesboro which is a really cute little town. Beautiful part of Minnesota.
GuideWhitewater is by far one of the top state parks in Minnesota. Their camping facilities are clean with running water and free showers. The campsites are quite spacious but not too wooded. They have a few walk in sites but they go fast.
The best part about whitewater are the trails and views. It is located in a carved glacier valley and is surrounded by limestone. I recommend moderate to experienced hikers due to the intense climb to get to the popular views. It’s worth the visit!
TravelerWhat a beautiful & peaceful gem of a place in south eastern Minnesota! Came here knowing that besides the mini hikes and river/valley overlook views and birdwatching, there weren’t much activity, which we were fine with since we were just looking to relax. The views are breathtaking! The sites are a bit too close to each other, but do offer enough privacy. We saw a cardinal and 3 hummingbirds because they came to hang out right in our campsite! The fireflies at night were an added bonus!
LegendSpent the whole day hiking the Great River Bluffs. The trail system is very well labeled with maps along each trail. The trail system is mostly level and I would label as easy hiking with rolling hills. The park contains two viewing areas King’s and Queen’s Bluff.
The campsites are spacious, completely shaded, and have a fire pit as well as picnic tables. Since the park is in a heavily wooded area you do have to watch out for the Minnesota state bird (the mosquito).
Tips:
LegendMystery Cave State Park is surrounded in in a lush green forest with huge oak and maple trees that hang over the road like a huge living canopy. My new word while we stayed there was “Forresty” due to feeling like we had entered a different world. There are so many activities to do both within the park and surrounding areas, but my most favorite thing to do was walk the endless miles of hiking trails. (Word to the wise, some of the trails are hiking/equestrian so watch your step😂) We didn’t do our homework, but if we would have known, we would have brought our fishing rods as the rivers were full of trout!!
We arrived at 2:00pm on Saturday, after a long 5 hour drive from northern Minnesota. It was amazing to watch the landscape change from iron ore mining pits to countless acres of corn and potatoes!! Check in time is 4:00pm, but our spot was empty when we arrived, so the park rangers let us set up early (Friendly and most helpful!!) We grabbed a bundle of wood for $6.00 for a campfire while we were at the park office. (that is pretty normal rates as you can’t bring in your own wood at State Parks in Minnesota) There are 3 different loops, an additional equestrian loop, and 5 cabins. We stayed in loop “C” with has bigger sites for RV’s and offers electricity. Loops “A” and “B” have smaller sites (still big!!) and both of those loops are non-electric. None of the sites are “full” hook up, but there is a dump station & fresh water fill right off the park office. The restrooms and showers are just off of the “C” loop, as was the amphitheater, and there are garbage/recycling bins every 4-5th site. The park was very noisy, but that all changed when most of the folks left Sunday. It was very peaceful the rest of the week.
There are so many things outside the park to do too!! We were not aware, but the Mystery Cave is a short drive from the state park. We took the scenic tour, and our guide Kip was fantastic!!! Hey let everyone ask all the questions they wanted to, and didn’t rush us at all!! The rate is $15.00 for adults, $10.00 for kids 5-12, and kids under 5 go for free. The pictures just don’t do it justice!! The next day we drove to Masonic Park in Spring Valley and we were amazed by the sheer size of the rock face!! There is no charge to picnic or visit there and there is one spot for camping, but you need to get permission from the city before doing so. We also toured Niagra Cave which is a longer drive, but well worth it!! The underground waterfall was super cool!! They charge $16.00 per adult, kids 4-12 are $10.00, and children under 4 are free.
All in all this was a great get away for our family, and I highly recommend staying at the park:)
LegendAbout the park Whitewater State Park is a much sought-after place to camp for those that know about this region’s#1 feature- MINIMAL MOSQUITOES. I won’t say zero mosquitoes because there might be one or two that wander in there, but we did not encounter a single one on our overnight stay there. We kept on exclaiming how weird to not hear and contribute to the camping soundtrack of bugs getting slapped. Basically what you need to know is that the last set of glaciers missed this region, which left behind limestone that absorbs rainwater quickly- and since mosquitoes breed in warm shallow water they don’t really have a lot of opportunities to do so in this region.
This region also has many more bluffs and valleys than the rest of Minnesota- this is also the result of a lack of glacier activity during the last glacial era that filled the flat parts of our state with“drift” sediment. What this means is that a lot of the hikes have a lot of elevation gain. We hiked to Inspiration Point from the Cedar Hill campground- if you do this I would not recommend taking the staircase that you encounter way before the picnic area parking lot UNLESS you really like having to climb over things.
The trail also comes across Chimney Rock- if you are hiking on a hot day you might as well give yourself a few minutes to cool down by climbing into the rock- it is much cooler and there is often a breeze that is funnelled through it. If you aren’t terribly afraid of heights you should definitely keep going to Inspiration Point! In order to get back down the trail quickly you can go down the staircase that is visible from the last part of the trail to the point- you can also completely bypass all the strenuous hiking if you would rather just take this(relatively strenuous) staircase up to the point, look around, then go back down.
A river runs through the park that plenty of people were wading in and there is a swimming hole that we didn’t participate in. I have Verizon cell service and I did not have reception- I think people who have AT&T did though. The visitor center does have free wifi and a free phone to use outside the building.
About the campground Much of Cedar Hill campground is for both tents and RVs, if you don’t need an electric site then the BEST spots are along the river. I specifically liked 66, 67, and 69. Some of them had foot paths down to the river, some didn’t, but either way you get to hear the water and the sites are quite spacious. We wound up staying in site 37 which has electricity(perk of this is being able to make macaroni and cheese in an instant pot!). One thing I hadn’t considered is that 74 cuts through the park, and we were pretty close to it so at a few times there was definite car noise. It wasn’t nearly as bad as camping along the north shore though when your site is squished between Lake Superior and Hwy 61 and you hear fast traffic all. day. long.
If you are camping on the weekend expect the campground to be quite full- we camped on a Sunday night and while the majority of the neighboring sites were occupied by RVs, the campground wasn’t even halfway occupied. Most of the sites had enough tree cover to be considered private. One weird thing is that a few of the sites are kind of like adjoining suites with tiny clearings between them- it was kind of startling to look up and see two people taking a shortcut(not really though!!) through our clearly occupied site to get to theirs. Weird.
One of the negative aspects about this park is that the bathroom facilities in cedar hill haven't been updated in ages, so they are finally getting updated in 2020 so this campground is closed for the season. The newer campground is open, but I don't like it as well since there isn't much privacy or shade.
TravelerWe had a fabulous experience at BJ's this weekend. Mark, Sheri and the staff are good people who work hard to make sure you have a great time. The food is excellent and comes out SO FAST; bravo to the kitchen staff! Bartenders are very attentive; Tasha took excellent care of us! The campsites are well kept and spacious. There are no picnic tables in the sites, but we got along just fine without. We can't wait to go back!
GuideWe stayed at Minneiska campground since Cedar Hills is under construction this year. It's a newer campground so the vegetation hasn't grown in fully yet - your neighbors are visible but there's good distance between sites so it wasn't a problem at all. The grounds themselves are really well-kept with nice bathroom facilities and hot showers, which was perfect for the cooler fall days. It's a busy park so you'll need to reserve early or plan on visiting during the week.
The hiking itself was awesome. We did the Dakota trail, which was a tough up and down hike with really incredible views of the fall colors. There's also a nice park/picnic area with beach access. I'm hoping to come back next summer to enjoy the swimming. All in all it was a great stay!
GuideWhitewater State Park Campground is amazing. It's very clean, well kept and the sites are all mostly private with trees which is so much nicer than being in a giant field of tents and RVs like most campgrounds. There's toilets all over the place and water available in many spots. There's beautiful hiking trails right next to the campground and a lovely beach for kids. I'll definitely be back.
ScoutNot overly crowded, clean showers and family friendly. Swimming beach about half a mile from campground. Didn’t get to hike, due to heavy rain. TMobile has no service while AT&T has average to poor service. Probably one of the nicest state park camping I’ve done.
RangerStayed here a few years back with a one friends. Had a good time. Nice state campground.
TravelerEnjoyed a difficult but fun hike, went fishing, and camped out in group site 3 which is the one with the most shade. Keep watch on the ground to not accidentally step on a snake. They do have Timber Rattlesnake but they are so rare I didn't see one. Mostly water snakes, one was sleeping in the path and I almost stepped on him! Saw a mink on trout run creek, and a tortoise in the river in the South picnic area from the bridge. Didn't have much luck fishing. Only nibbles but no catches. A doe dropped by our group site and there are golden eagle nests at the top of the Pine trees behind the group sites next to the trail that goes to the beach. Very eventful trip, and a great view at inspiration point if you have the energy to get there!
TravelerOne of the most amazing parks in the state! With its fun but difficult hiking trails and beautiful rivers to fish from you might be lucky to catch a rainbow or brook trout but be ready to go very early or near dusk if you hope to land a bite. For those who enjoy wildlife and nature I highly recommend but warning the wildlife is very friendly and get very close to you especially raccoons at all times of the day . The beach has really soft sand and the water is nice and cool but this time around a lot of people had mix reviews about it saying it had pockets of warm temperatures and pretty buggy. But for sure one of the best features are the restrooms always cleaned everyday and the showers water always hot and enough for multiple family’s so never any waiting time
GuideHad a great long weekend every sight was booked but it rained all weekend which really thinned out the herd and made the more challenging trails slick and muddy but I loved it all the same.
GuideWe had a great cart-in site (Gooseberry glen site 4). There weren’t a lot of signs to get us there, but we were able to figure out where to go with the state park map. The cart-in distance is long; probably about a half mile with lots of tree roots to try and drive your cart over.
Site 4 is right on a rushing creek, which was perfect, and provided a great noise to fall asleep to, and to cancel out the close neighbors (site 3 is pretty much right next to it).
Heads up that we had a lot of raccoon and mice visitors, who didn’t seem afraid of people. The food/wood locker had plenty of access points for mice, so make sure to secure your food at dusk.
Other than animal issues (and a not ideal restroom situation), this was a great spot with awesome hikes (chimney rock, inspiration point) and great access to water.
I’d recommend site 2 or 4 if you want river access.
TravelerWe were in Gooseberry Glen cart-in site 4. As other reviewers have said, it's a fairly long walk in with your gear, and the trail is challenging when pushing a cart. Once at the site, it's beautiful: right on the water, completely shaded, and spacious. However, we could clearly see our neighbors at site 3, which you don't expect at a cart-in site this far in the woods. It rained while we were there, and the site became quite muddy. Our gear and ourselves were filthy when we left. Finally, as another reviewer said, the animals in the area are not shy: mice, raccoon, squirrel, all were scampering around very close and in clear view of us throughout our stay. We kept our food in the car as there was no secure food box at the site.
We enjoyed hiking the challenging Dakota Trail during our stay. It was about a 3.5-4 hour hike with aggressive elevation changes and beautiful scenic overlooks. The majority of the trail is well shaded in the woods.
TravelerWe stayed at Gooseberry Glen Cart In Campground, on Site 1. The trail to the site was bumpy, but manageable. Site seemed a little small, but we managed to fit a 9 & 4 person tent along with two camping hammocks (6 Men; 2 Dogs). We had room to roam and chill while not feeling overly crowded. First night rained from 11p-5a. Site did not get rained out and no puddling. We were on a little cliff overlooking a small creek/stream, so perhaps there was good drainage. I totally expected mosquitoes but THERE WERE NONE!! After getting a total of 38 bites on my ankles from my previous trip it was so nice to not have to stress about it. The hike to Chimney Rock Trail is literally right across the highway with a trail leading to the parking lot once you cross over. I highly recommend getting up those stairs and having a look at the beautiful views. Wildlife didn’t bother us or our food/gear at all and we kept it onsite. There’s a bear locker on the site, but we kept everything in duct tape coolers and had absolutely no problems. Hummingbirds hit up the vegetation daily. Owls and coyotes could be heard at night so that was cool. The toilet is super close to the site and there’s a trail that cuts right into site #1 that other campsites use...At first it was pretty annoying and invasive until we set up our tents to block that path off from the site itself. We had an absolutely amazing time and was definitely a park/campground I would love to go back to!!
GuideIt was a great campground. The fishing was tricky but there were tons of trout and suckers to get if you wanted them. The hiking was amazing. The swimming beach was good for the kids. They caught tadpoles galore. Another huge perk to this place is that phones don’t work. People have to actually talk to each other.
TravelerI spent a day here hiking and had a blast! I hiked up chimney Rock and then looped bacj to tackle park of the Dakota trail! The hiking paths were well taken care of. There were plenty of places to stop and rest if you need to. There are also many places for non-campers to grill out and picnic. The only thing that I would like to see is more trail signs and markings. There were some places where it was hard to tell which way to go.
GuideWe went to a program about raptors. Cooked dinner over a fire. Got up early and hiked one of the bluffs. And the views were amazing. And we loved how diverse the landscape was, who knew that we would find a Praire on top of the bluff.
GuideThis was Camp Stupendous' Opening Ceremonies for the 2017 Summer season. Unfortunately, it rained a lot. Like almost all weekend. But that's not the park's problem.
The office staff were really helpful when we discovered that because of all the rain the bulk of our originally reserved site was a swamp. They let us drive around a pick a new spot and then helped transfer our reservation to the new site. Sites were nice, decently private. The non-electric sites had nice grassy pads. This site in particular didn't have any good spots for hammocking.
This park still hasn't had the update to the restrooms that it seems MN state parks is working on at a snails pace. Regardless, they were clean and kept up.
We took a few hikes. Lots of stairs to get up to Chimney Rock and Coyote Point, but the vantage point offered a nice view of the valley area. Trails seemed quieter probably due to the rainy weather. One of the trails on the campground side was closed due to a bridge washout. I think there was a back way to get to it but we didn't investigate.
There must be at least one farm nearby - there were some persistent cows making noise.
We'd like to come back on a drier weekend and enjoy the park to a greater capacity.
TravelerThis was our first trip with our new to us pop-up trailer and we absolutely loved the beauty and activities in this park! We participated in may naturalist programs including: bird banding, archery in the park, trout fishing, and learning about bats and peregrine falcons. The swim beach was small but my kids liked it and we did a few short hikes including the can't miss fire tower!
GuidePack your hiking shoes and fishing gear! (Don’t forget that trout stamp) we hiked two different trails and had so much fun! Be carful with little ones as it’s very rocky and steep drop offs! We decided to keep our 3 year old in the carrier on dads back (especially hiking the chimney rock hike to insperation peak)
We where campsite 36 with our small camper and it was plenty big! My parents where in 38 with a HUGE camper and also had plenty of room! We visited in October so the campground wasn’t completely full but most sites where occupied and it was still quite. We had a great time!
no phone reception
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According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular glamping campground near Plainview, MN is Minneiska Campground — Whitewater State Park with a 4.5-star rating from 47 reviews.
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