Several campgrounds near Richfield, Minnesota offer unique outdoor experiences within easy driving distance of the Twin Cities. The region sits at approximately 824 feet above sea level with summer temperatures averaging 70-85°F from June through August. Cell service varies significantly between locations, with some campgrounds reporting moderate connectivity of only 2 bars LTE for popular carriers.
What to Do
Tubing on the Rum River: Country Camping Tent & RV Park offers river tubing with shuttle service. "Tubing! They have a bus that takes you into town float back to the campground, love it," notes Tom D., highlighting the convenient transportation system.
Explore hiking trails: Lebanon Hills Regional Park features extensive trail networks. "Lebanon Hills is a great park and has a lot of trails for hiking and mountain biking. Our family selected this camp ground to test out some gear," writes Blair, who appreciates the secluded feel despite suburban location.
Paddle sports: Cleary Lake Regional Park provides lake access for kayaking. "Cleary Lake is a good size and a kayakers delight!" according to Lili R., who found the campground had unique and pretty sites tucked into the forest.
Family activities: Baker Campground offers swimming beaches and bike trails. "With great fishing, playground, swimming, and biking trails very nearby, the kids were kept as busy as they wanted to be," says Bryan S., who recommends this campground for quick weekend getaways.
What Campers Like
Spacious sites: At Baker Park Reserve, campsites provide ample room. "The sites are good sized, and the bathroom/showers are great," mentions Bryan S., emphasizing the family-friendly amenities throughout the park.
Private tent camping: Lebanon Hills offers secluded tent sites. "Tent camp sites are far enough from each other that neighbors can't be seen, and we didn't hear them either," Blair reports, appreciating the privacy despite proximity to suburban areas.
Waterfront access: Country Camping RV Park has sites directly on the Rum River. "Great variety of things to do for everyone. Group sites, tent sites, covered wagon sites! Floating on the Rum River, swimming pool with splash pad," Carol H. shares from her multi-year experiences at the park.
Clean facilities: Campground bathrooms near Richfield maintain high standards. "The bathroom facility near the ranger station was very well maintained and cleaned several times a day," notes Blair about Lebanon Hills, a sentiment echoed across several campgrounds in the area.
What You Should Know
Reservation requirements: Most campgrounds fill quickly, especially on weekends. "Reserve early online, most weekends were already reserved by mid May," advises Blair about Lebanon Hills Regional Park.
Noise considerations: Highway proximity affects some campgrounds. "The only criticisms we have are that you can hear road noise — and depending on your site you'll hear the alarm of one of the access gates for the Minnesota Zoo," mentions Blair about Lebanon Hills.
Seasonal limitations: Town & Country Campground offers year-round camping but with varying amenities. "It appears to be sold out for the weekend so book ahead," Jennifer H. notes about summer availability.
Fire pit placement: Some campsites have unusual layouts. "The only reason this isn't a full 5-star banger is the fire ring placement. That thing is doing its own thing like 30 feet from the tent pad," Alison O. mentions about Baker Park Reserve.
Tips for Camping with Families
Playground access: Country Camping on the Rum River offers extensive children's activities. "The campground is nice and clean. Good size spaces. The tubing is a plus...Pool was small but nice. Splash pad was even nice for adults," explains David G.
Swimming options: Country Camping Tent & RV Park on the Rum River provides a heated pool and water play area. "It has a heated pool, splash pad area, BIG playground area, indoor game room, HUGE sites!" Spencer C. enthuses about the family amenities.
Short hiking trails: Baker Park Reserve offers family-friendly paths. "There are nice paved trails around a couple of lakes/ponds for biking, and easy access to the shower and bathroom facilities," shares ERolf P., noting the campground still feels secluded despite being busy.
Picnic areas: Multiple parks provide designated eating spaces. "The campground is right next to the hotel/casino and very much within walking distance," Jim M. mentions about Dakotah Meadows, highlighting the convenience of nearby amenities.
Tips from RVers
Hookup reliability: Dakotah Meadows RV Park offers dependable services. "We have also stayed in the pull through sites, but not really a fan of those. Still, I would choose this park over others in the area for the access to 494 and 35W," Tom D. advises about site selection.
Site dimensions: Many RV campgrounds near Richfield have concrete pads. "Each campsite has their own trash receptacle, which was great," notes Michelle A. about Dakotah Meadows, though she recommends choosing sites away from the main casino entrance road.
Connectivity issues: Cell service varies between locations. "Also, 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," Chris F. reports from Dakotah Meadows.
Reservation systems: When booking RV sites, call for clarification on site lengths. "Reservation system is weird and the sites are much bigger than they say. All rv sites are the listed length plus 16' for your tow vehicle, which you need to call to find out," Davis D. mentions about Lebanon Hills Regional Park.
