Join the fun near Red Wing. With tons of outdoor activities and scenic camping, this is an excellent vacation spot for all kinds of travelers. There's so much to see and do, from exhilarating hikes or bike rides to exploring the local dining and shopping. At The Dyrt, campers like you share their favorite spots, plus tips and photos. No matter where you're headed in Red Wing, you'll find the best spot for you and your camping crew.
"Backpacking to the top hill sites has gotten easier as the park has curved the new wide groomed and wood chipped trail to spiral around the hill instead of a straight climb."
"We did the backpack site so you hike in almost a mile and you go up on the ridge that's open in the middle but each site is heavily forested and some overlook the river."
$22 - $132 / night
"The campground was very full that weekend but the group sites are spacious and well spaced out, (if you can I would recommend G4 or G5 right on the lake for group sites) you definitely don't feel like"
"This is one of my favorite campgrounds in Southern Minnesota! It is only 1 1/2 hours away from the TwinCities which makes it an ideal getaway."
"It's just a bit of a walk from the main campground and opposite of some very beautiful walk-in sites. The group campground has an open space to play games as well as wooded areas all around."
"There are four “walk in” sites, and you can see one another from all of them. Sites 1 and 3 require a walk about three car lengths to the tent pad, and 4 is not much farther."
$16 - $250 / night
"I camped here in April and got a camping spot on the edge of the River Campground facing the woods. I loved this spot and it was plenty big for parking two cars, tent, hammock, chairs, you name it!"
"Our site was a non-electric site on the outside ring, with just a thin slip of woods and a hiking trail between us and the St. Croix river."
$50 / night
$45 - $60 / night
"Tony's Backyard is new to the Dyrt and looking to share a camping spot with others. Check them out and share your experience on the Dyrt!"
LegendI booked this on a whim since we needed an overnight close to the State Fair. I loved the look of the "TENT ONLY" loop - you don't see this often - so it was a good fit. Seemed that the whole campground was booked up and I assumed, for a similar reason. The State Fair.
Booking was fairly easy through their website, and you can "hover" over the sites to see a photo of it. I chose the one I wanted and hoped it would be what we wanted it to be.
You DO need a park pass to stay at the campground.
We arrived after dark, but in the dark you could still tell it was lovely. I couldn't see any neighbor on the one side where there was a campsite (the other was a field...which is why I chose it). So we set up a tent, enjoyed the last of the evening and crawled into our bags.
In the morning, when I could see everything, I was thoroughly impressed by the space, the maintenance of the property, the size of the campsites. All of them were impressive and big! A few were only separated by swathes of grass, but most had enough trees you couldn't see your neighbor. And the fact that this loop (F LOOP) was "tent only" meant no generators! It was very quiet! There were port-o-potties (cleaned about every 3 days) and a centrally located water source (potable) that was in the middle of everything for easy access by everyone. The spaces seemed fairly level, lots of mature trees, fire rings at all of them (with cooking grates that flipped out of the way) and picnic tables at most (resin tables, not wood).
I took a quick look at the other loops. The tent/small trailer loop didn't appear to have electric either. And the RV loops obviously did. All were very nice! And there is a shower house (didn't go in) that was for all to use if you had a site.
We'd stay here again in a heartbeat.
**I've seen the other reviews here which seem to be based on the bugs. I know that bugs are part of camping, so I don't review based on that, but I'll add details, if needed. This one didn't have many, but it was raining, so I'm sure that factored in. When I camp, I come prepared and I try to focus on reviewing the campsite itself, not the bugs, which I can not control. I can, however, come prepared for them**
LegendGeneral: Smallish (38 sites plus four walk-in sites) Army Corps of Engineers campground. Some (see below) have electric hookups but no water or sewer hookups, however, there is a dump station.
Site Quality: All sites are gravel/dirt (except for the ADA-accessible site), and most are very generous in size. Our site (7) sloped down but leveled out with plenty of room for our campervan at the bottom. All sites are wooded with trees providing separation/privacy between sites. Completing the site are a metal picnic table, fire ring, and lantern hook.
Bath/Shower House: Sites 28-38 only have vault toilets (but you could trek to the other campground loop). Sites 1—27 have flush toilets and showers. They were very clean, and I especially appreciated the fact that they were cleaned daily before 6 am, a shout out to the camp host! The shower was great– warm water and great flow, although our friends (who arrived two days before we did) had cold showers when the campground was full.
Activities: Several short hiking trails. I give this campground 4 stars instead of 5 because Eau Galle Reservoir (Lake George) is about a 10-minute drive from the campground. Most Corps of Engineers campgrounds are located right on the water. There are no amenities (rentals, etc.) offered at the lake but it is small and beautiful, and we enjoyed a peaceful paddle. We saw a couple of people fishing on the lake and there is a small swimming area. At the campground, there was an interpretive center, but it was locked when we were there. There is also a nice, modern playground.
Aside from the plentiful bugs (in August), we enjoyed our two-night stay at this campground!
LegendStayed here for a couple nights on a mini state park road trip. Nice place, like most of the MN state parks. Spotty cell service. Hiked a trail with lots of steps. Fire ring and picnic table are provided at each site. Restroom with showers also available in campground. Site was large and easy to back into and offered some tree cover for shade during certain times of the day. Was unable to hang hammock in specific site we stayed at, but some of the sites looked like they would be suitable.
GuideSite 27. This is a river landscape. Spiders and snakes..oh my. The parking lot is paved and has a dumpster. This is also where the nature center is. There are often music festivals and family events here. It is also next to Afton Ski resort. This park has a lot of beautiful prairie landscape with some temperate forest features. Wildflowers, shrubs, fungi, evergreens, and deciduous trees. Backpacking to the top hill sites has gotten easier as the park has curved the new wide groomed and wood chipped trail to spiral around the hill instead of a straight climb. There is a solar panel generated drinking water pump at the top and a honor system fire wood station. There is a bathroom, but not super close to this site. This site has a fire pit with grate and table but no bear box. This site does have a clear view to the trail and the site next to it, but it is set back a little bit. I can hear the joggers along the trail that wraps around the site. The sites are mapped out on a wide open prairie ground with some sites tucked back in the trees along the trail. There is not a water front view, but there is plenty of wildlife. The dear and flowers are beautiful. There is partial tree covering but we did bring a tarp for the rain.
TravelerThis is very convenient if you have Mayo Clinic appointments. The campground was nice with grassy sites along with electric and water hook ups, there was a dump station also. Portable toilets spaced around and a centralized bath house by the office. There are seasonal guests and everyone was friendly. We saw deer by the primitive camp areas and had nightly campfires in our fire ring. We will return the next time we are up in MN.
LegendLove love love this park! We did the backpack site so you hike in almost a mile and you go up on the ridge that's open in the middle but each site is heavily forested and some overlook the river. During the late spring, summer and early fall months you can't really see the river but if you do it after the leaves drop or before they come in then you'll have a great view of the river. Our site is off of the main trail so you have a nice little hike in and it feels very secluded and you have a nice even gravel tent pad that's raised up as well as a fire pit and picnic table. There is not a lot of room to play at your campsite but if you just take your trail up to the main trail then it opens up. Off the main trail you will also find vault toilets and firewood that you just have to saw yourself with the saw that is provided. You are surrounded by excellent hiking trails including some great single track as well as a great beach on the St. Croix River that is also very clean. The raccoons are not messing around so make sure to secure your food inside your tent or in a well fortified cooler otherwise you'll be listening to them ravage your site as you try to sleep at night.
ScoutOur site was rather odd as the electric and water post was on the opposite side of our camper. Our standard water hose and electrical cord wouldn’t reach so we ended up backing up the hill to get next to the water and filled our tank for the weekend. Thankfully a neighbor had a 30’ extension that we borrowed. The fire pits were located in very odd spots too - basically unusable unless you wanted to light your rig on fire. We really enjoyed the bike trail that was so close, paved and had lots of tree cover to keep us cool. Very nice ride to Red Wing right from our site! Would probably stay here again but would definitely ask for a different site. Great for biking!
LegendGreat location, near Red Wing Minnesota. However, it's your typical Mississippi river camping -- you're there for river access and not much more. If noise bothers you then this is not the place for you. It is situated directly under the highway 63 bridge.
Full hookups and tent camping available. Bathrooms are pretty clean. There are also train tracks along the MN side of the river with several trains running during the day and at night. The perks for the campground are the water access and you can walk to the Harbor Bar for some good food.
LegendThis campground is one of two in the Regional Dakota County Park system. At Lebanon they have two 3 campgrounds rolled into one. East look within the trees has electrical, North Loop in the trees has no electrical, and West look has full hook ups with water, waste, and electrical. It was really a great set up here. The check in was super smooth...they even give you specific bags for recycling and garbage so that is awesome they are doing their part. There are a ton of hiking trails and little ponds near by. This is the ideal place to come to get away from the city even though you can hear the cars a little. Lots of trails, great playgrounds, and perfect paths for kids to ride bikes.
The campsites themselves range from simple out in the open to shaded lots. I chose site 78 in the east loop and I could not see my neighbors when back by the fire ring so it was perfect. Other sites in the east loop are similar. There is one shower/bathhouse per loop and each contain 2 showers and 2 stalls with 2 sinks.
This was a great stopover on the way up north.
Tent camping near Red Wing, Minnesota offers a variety of scenic locations and outdoor activities, perfect for nature enthusiasts and families alike.
Frequently Asked Questions
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According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Red Wing, MN is Afton State Park Campground with a 4.6-star rating from 36 reviews.
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