Stillwater, Minnesota offers a range of camping opportunities within a short drive of town. Several established campgrounds provide options for overnight stays, including William O'Brien State Park Campground located 22 miles north along the St. Croix River and Lake Elmo County Park Reserve just 7 miles southwest. The area accommodates various camping styles with tent sites, RV hookups, and cabin rentals available at multiple locations. Nearby options like Afton State Park Campground and St. Croix Bluffs Regional Park expand the selection with glamping facilities and yurts in addition to traditional camping.
Seasonal considerations shape the camping experience around Stillwater, with most campgrounds operating from April through October, though some remain open year-round. Advance reservations are strongly recommended during summer weekends and holidays when sites fill quickly. "It was our first time ever. I have an old pop up but it was fun and the staff and the host are very helpful," noted one visitor to Lake Elmo County Park Reserve. While many campgrounds offer electric hookups and drinking water, amenities vary significantly between locations. The area experiences typical Midwest seasonal patterns with humid summers, colorful falls, and cold winters that limit camping opportunities during the colder months.
Campers consistently mention the region's natural beauty and recreational opportunities as standout features. The proximity to the St. Croix River provides water-based activities at several locations, while extensive trail systems support hiking and wildlife viewing. Families particularly appreciate the campground playgrounds and swimming facilities, with one camper describing Lake Elmo as having "a home made lake that has a sand bottom but has chlorine like a pool so no weeds. Great for swimming." The mixed-use campgrounds typically feature good spacing between sites, offering a balance of privacy and community. Sites in more developed areas provide convenient access to amenities while maintaining a natural setting, with most campgrounds situated close enough to town for quick supply runs while still providing a genuine outdoor experience.
"Fun to play in the water, go behind the waterfall and a good hike up 200 steps to view the falls from above!"
"Located 5 miles outside of Hudson, Willow Creek State Park is large park with hiking, camp sites, fishing, canoeing, and the waterfall."
$23 - $80 / night
"For a County Park, Lake Elmo has an impressive list of amenities. Before we even get to the campsite let's mention the filtered swimming pond."
"Lake Elmo County Park in Washington County Minnesota is a great park for families."
$25 - $90 / night
"Easy walking trails surround the park which is nice and convenient. Close proximity to Stillwater which made for a nice day trip. Camp sites were very clean and easy to access."
"Location wise the park itself was super convenient - it was close to the cities, we got there in under an hour from where we live (near Chaska)."
$22 - $85 / night
"Minnesota State Parks have just started to build Yurts for 3 campgrounds around the state; Afton, Cuyuna and Glendalough State Parks."
"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."
$20 - $75 / night
"Kelly's Bar nearby has a great fish fry on Friday. The campground is neat and well managed."
"We have lived in the Twin Cities for two decades and have never visited Rice Creek Chain of Lakes before. We will again!"
$24 - $50 / night
"This is a state park on the Wisconsin side of the St Croix River, which is mirrored by a comparable but smaller state park in Minnesota on the wrst side of the river, both being part of the wild and scenic"
"Now that I live in Minnesota, I find myself frequenting the Taylors Falls side. Here you have the amazing "Pot Holes" from glacial waters and some pretty spectacular rock climbing."
"Minnesota is beautiful and there is so much to do here. The bathrooms are spotless and everything is new here."
"Washington County, which manages campgrounds at both the Lake Elmo Park Reserve and St Croix Bluffs Regional Park, does a great job of maintaining campgrounds, trails, and bathroom facilities at both parks"
$30 - $150 / night
"This this is an amazing Campground with two heated pools one up top and one down below they're also campsites located right alongside the river the campground offers tubing disc golf and many other activities"
$24 - $42 / night
"Professional built mtn bike trails for adventure. Camping in Minnesota suburbs. Miles of hiking, horseback riding, cross country ski trails. . perfect for my family's weekend Stay-cation"
"We live about 15 mins. away from this campground. We stayed in the East Loop which is for smaller RVs and tents. it has electricity but no water hookups, however there are water pumps."
$20 - $32 / night
"Access to lake is great. Firewood at $7 a bundle doesn't burn, it just smokes. I asked for a refund. Buy firewood elsewhere."
"When Rice Creek Campground opens up again in April I'd highly recommend going there if all you want is a simple camping experience to get away from the city grind."
TravelerWe stayed here with a group of hot tent campers in early January. The site is large and had a couple of fire pits. Includes a few picnic tables, and a pit toilet. It's a beautiful open area not far from the parking lot with a gorgeous view of the St. Croix River.
ScoutWe visited Avatan Nudist Campground last July with our two kids (ages 8 and 11) for what was supposed to be a wholesome, body-positive family getaway. The website and brochures paint a perfect picture: serene woods, a sparkling pool, family activities, and a "welcoming community" vibe. And on the surface? Yeah, the grounds are stunning—pristine trails, a well-maintained pool. The facilities are clean, the staff (mostly) polite, and the natural setting is genuinely relaxing. If you're just looking for a quiet spot to shed your clothes and unwind in nature, it checks those boxes.
But dig a little deeper, and Avatan reveals itself as something else entirely—a place that's quietly optimized for adult fun, with kids as an inconvenient footnote they have to tolerate to keep the "family" label. From the moment we arrived, it was clear the real energy was elsewhere. Evenings around the fire pits and at the "Squirrel's" (code for the bar area) had this unmistakable swinger-party undercurrent. Lots of lingering glances, couples disappearing into the woods or private cabins, and a vibe that felt more like a discreet resort for the lifestyle crowd than a spot for building sandcastles with the little ones. Our kids picked up on it fast—whispers about "grown-up games" and awkward questions we had to deflect. The camp "tolerates" families, sure, but it's obvious the core membership would prefer a child-free zone. Activities for kids are minimal: a basic playground and the occasional nature hike, while the adults get themed nights, "sensual yoga," and late-night mixers that go until dawn.
What really soured the experience was the toxic underbelly of the community itself. This place is a powder keg of power struggles, with a small cadre of long-time board members and "elders" locked in a perpetual cold war. Gossip flows like the creek itself—endless whispers about who's sleeping with whom, who's "stealing" prime cabin spots, or who's cozying up to the President for favors. We overheard more drama in one week than in a season of reality TV. Cliques form fast: the "party crew" vs. the "purists," the swingers vs. the swingers-who-pretend-they're-not. As newcomers (and parents, no less), we felt like outsiders crashing a private club. Smiles were surface-level; the second you stepped away, the backstabbing started.
And then there's the elephant in the (clothing-optional) room: the camp's ugly history with sexual predators. We didn't know it going in, but after a few days, the stories trickled out from sympathetic members—multiple incidents over the years involving members who turned out to be registered offenders or worse, preying on the vulnerable in this "trust-based" environment. The rules around anonymity are ironclad: no photos, no last names, "what happens at Avatan stays at Avatan." It's sold as protecting privacy in a nudist space, which sounds noble until you realize it shields the creeps. Anyone who dares speak up—whether it's a parent noticing a sketchy guy lingering too long near the kids' area or a survivor sharing a red flag—is immediately branded a "troublemaker," "paranoid," or "anti-community." We've heard of families getting shamed in group meetings, then quietly asked to leave for "disrupting the harmony." Evictions happen fast if you rock the boat, all in the name of keeping the peace and the paying members happy.
Look, we're no prudes. Nudism can be liberating, and we've been to other resorts where it felt truly inclusive and safe. But Avatan? It's a divided house built on denial. The adult-party atmosphere thrives because the kids are an afterthought, and the predator problem festers because calling it out gets you exiled. If you're a child-free couple into the full swinger scene, this might be your paradise—plenty of like-minded folks and zero judgment. But if you're a family hoping for that advertised "safe, empowering space"? Steer clear. Your kids deserve better than being tolerated in a place where silence is golden and the wrong questions get you blacklisted. We won't be back, and I hope this review saves someone else the regret.
RangerSo, I think you know what you are signing up for here when you stay camp at the backpacking site at Afton, but let me fill in some of the blanks. #1 yes, the hill climb is as big of an effort as other people have said. You will feel like you earned your dinner. I may have found a hack for this, but more in that later. #2 the site are mostly private. I stayed on site #12. I could see (and they could have seen me) site #9, but thankfully no one was there. That would have been a bummer to have other looking into my site. There is even a semi-worn path between 12 and 9. They would make a good combo if you have a group. Other than that, totally secluded. As far space at #12, you could build as big of a tent structure there as you would need, easily room for a massive 16’x24’ palace (if you would dare to carry it) or anything smaller. An Eagle Scout project built hammock posts at this site, so it is ideal for that set up. #3 the campground amenities are very nice. The solar powered water works great year round, the two pits toilets (if you can even call them that) are very new and nice. And the coolest campground feature is the cut your own firewood station. I went a little overboard since it was so nice and had a way bigger fire than I needed. Bring your own saw and you will love it too. #4 After walking around the park, I discovered a possible hack. There is an unmarked entrance to the park on the north side. Instead of walking all my gear back to the parking lot, I walked the .5 miles to the service entrance, dropped my pack, and then walked the 1.8 miles back to the parking lot. I tend to carry too much. The flat short walk to drop my gear was worth it. Then I drop around the park and picked up my stuff. Probably not MN DNR endorsed way to do it, but I was proud of my discovery. All in, this is a unique and wonderful camping experience. Highly recommend.
GuideNice spot with plenty of space between sites, which gives you some privacy. It’s right off a busy road, so you’ll hear some traffic noise. The hunters were out during my stay, so there were gunshots throughout the day, but that’s to be expected this time of year. Overall, a good spot for a quick overnight stay and it’s conveniently close to the cities.
RangerI was looking for a secluded backpack in site where I could have a peaceful 48 hours of prayer and solitude, and this site was perfect! I also wanted one that wasn't too far remote, since I hadn't been on a proper backpacking trip since the pandemic hit. And as a solo female camper, I wanted a reserved site so that there would be a record of my location for safety reasons. I'm so glad I chose the Deer Creek site, and will almost definitely stay here again at some point!
This site is accessible by either hiking or canoe. It took me about 30 minutes to hike in from the visitor center parking lot. There is easy access to river water to boil or filter from the canoe landing.
This site was incredibly spacious. It includes a fire ring and picnic table overlooking the creek and river. It also includes 2 large tent pads (look out for widow makers, one of the tent pads is under a dead tree!). It also has a spot nestled in some pine trees that could fit a smaller tent, canoe storage, or I found it to be the perfect spot to hang my hammock! (This would be a great site for hammock camping.) So if you're camping with a small group of people this would be a great site. It also includes a trail to a fairly private latrine, and a bear box (the park ranger warned me that there are bears in the park although I did not see any.) I also found plenty of dead down and dry wood and birch bark on the ground for building fires.
This site is great for a one nigjt stay on a longer backpacking or canoeing trip, but also great for camping out at for a couple of nights. I stayed for two, and it connects to all the major trails in the park, so I was able to use it as a great base for hiking and seeing the beautiful changing leaves. In the morning I hiked North to do the Riverside trail and looped back through the woods. Then in the afternoon I did the Deer Creek loop, which is a shared horse and hiking trail. It was so nice to he able to hike out to some of the best trails in the park directly from my site.
This site felt remarkably remote for being only an hour from the twin cities and a mile from the parking lot! I stayed there Thursday -Saturday, and after leaving the parking lot on Thursday did not see another human being for the rest of the day, and Friday not until I hit the main trails! There was no one else staying within at least a mile of me. I was even able to see fantastic stars Friday night. There was amazing wildlife - a blue heron frequented the site, and I heard all types of owls. Two bald eagles had a nest across the river so I got to see and hear them the whole trip, too- it was absolutely magical!
This site has a great view of both sunrise and sunset. Thursday night there was a gorgeous sunset over the woods reflected in deer Creek. Both mornings I woke up to watch the sunrise while drinking my coffee next to the fire (it was freezing!!!). Watching the sun rise over the river and fog roll over th water and evaporate while eagles soared was truly magical. Having an easy backpack in site surrounded by water on two sides and with views of the sunrise and sunset like this was so incredible!!!
RangerWe did a one night camping trip for my birthday at Cart-In Site 1 the second to last weekend of September.
We loved the hiking at Frontenac State Park - walking along the lake and then walking along the bluffs at sunset was magical! Fantastic views. I imagine if we had gone two weeks later, we would have had a fantastic display of fall color. We went a little too early to catch the changing leaves.
We loved how easy Frontenac was for a casual weekend getaway. It was an easy, scenic one hour drive from St. Paul that was very enjoyable. The park was also nice with great bathrooms at the main campsite, nice trails, and they even had board games to check out at the front office for a rainy day- a great idea!
We stayed at Cart-In Site 1. I would rate the site itself a 3. It was very secluded and spacious, which was fantastic! We could not see any other campsites from our site, which was fantastic. We only occasionally saw some hikers on a nearby trail. We could hear some other noisy campers, but it wasn't too much of a disturbance. Very wooded, nice, spacious site. There is not water at the Cart-In parking lot, so be aware that you will have to fill up prior to parking and heading to your site (easiest place to do so is the main office/ visitor center).
I also slept poorly because of a nearby train that kept going past and honking at least until midnight. So if you're a light sleeper, be aware of persistent train noise at these sites!
Overall good site and an easy, fun, and relaxing weekend getaway from the twin cities.
GuideThey have two lots for RV and travel trailer use although the first lot only has two spaces and the second one has a total of five. The five space spot has no water or electric hook up but was a great place for me to test out my new solar set up. Word to the wise, gates ACTUALLY close at 10pm, there's no way to contact anyone and I had to walk about a mile in parked outside the gate 😅. The White Pine lot (5 spaces) has a central bathroom/shower building. The park was jam packed Friday/Saturday but a ghosts town the remains sun/mon/tue I stayed.
RangerThe campground is well maintained, all of the sites are clean and laid out nicely. Some sites are kinda close but there is brush growing between sites.
There are a LOT of NICE TRAILS at this park. Many nice prairie trails and some fun trails in the bluffs along the Mississippi River too. One trail down along the River can be challenging because of MANY STAIRS.
Large drive in picnic areas away from the campground that many people drive in to us and had a nice overlook on the Mississippi River. There are 2 nice overlooks that are great to walk to in the dark and watch the calmness and peaceful nature of the river and forest.
The men’s bathroom and showers are GREAT! There is also very nice large full handicap bathrooms. The SHOWER WATER IS VERY HOT so be careful!
Dump station is sloped so it makes it easy to drive in either direction to help dump waste water easily. Also fresh water at the dumping station.
Always Plenty of firewood in the shed next to the office.
GuideThis is a good campground. Very well kept. Fishing from shore and there is a boat launch. Nice playground for kids. Sites are fairly close. Many have no privacy from others, but some do. No water at the sites and pit toilets are the biggest weaknesses. Nice paths for walking and biking.
Camping near Stillwater, Minnesota ranges across diverse terrains where the St. Croix River Valley meets eastern Minnesota's hardwood forests. The area sits at elevations between 682 and 1,050 feet, experiencing significant seasonal temperature variations from summer highs in the 80s to winter lows well below freezing. Winter camping options remain limited to a handful of year-round facilities where snow accumulation can reach 45-50 inches annually.
Hiking to waterfalls: At Willow River State Park Campground, trails lead to impressive cascades just 12 miles east of Stillwater. "Willow River falls is definitely a beautiful site to see. Definitely a place to camp if you like to be active and explore the trails. Winter, summer or fall!" notes Jessica B.
Kayaking and canoeing: Rice Creek Chain of Lakes Regional Park offers rentals during summer months with easy water access. A camper shared, "This is a beautiful park and the campsites for the most part all seem spacious, and the loop we were in (whichever one site 52 is in) all had decent tree cover."
Swimming in unique facilities: Several parks offer swimming beyond natural lakes. At Rice Creek, "Level private sites, lots of trees, showers were clean," reports Corey P. The campground provides access to swimming beaches from late May through early September, weather permitting.
Privacy between sites: Afton State Park Campground features prairie camping with natural barriers. "The terrain is just hilly enough - and in August - the grass long enough to give the sites a sense of privacy and seclusion," explains Andrew C.
Natural diversity: William O'Brien State Park Campground showcases varied ecosystems. "This campground is lovely. You can hear frogs all night and we even saw a turtle laying eggs in a different campsite," writes Laura E. about the Savanna Campground section.
Urban accessibility: Most campgrounds sit within 30 miles of Stillwater, making supply runs practical. "We booked this on a whim since we needed an overnight close to the State Fair," one camper said about Rice Creek Campgrounds, highlighting its convenience to city attractions while maintaining a natural setting.
Reservation requirements: The best places to camp near Stillwater, Minnesota fill quickly, especially on weekends. For St. Croix Bluffs Regional Park, advance planning is essential. "Spacious sites and very clean restrooms!" notes Daryl L., but the park's popularity means last-minute availability is rare.
Seasonal facilities: Most campground water systems operate from April through October. At Interstate State Park, "Winter camping is available, but with limited facilities," according to park materials.
Terrain challenges: Many campgrounds feature significant elevation changes. At Afton State Park, "The hike to the campground is short and grueling," explains a reviewer, important information for those with mobility issues or heavy equipment.
Wildlife encounters: Prepare for wildlife interactions beyond standard mosquitoes. "Raccoons will visit your site at night. We had everything secured but they still tried and plenty of racket until we chased them away," reports one camper at William O'Brien State Park.
Playgrounds and kid-friendly features: Lake Elmo County Park Reserve offers extensive recreation. "Great campground, sites are spacious and spread out, electric hookups at all sites, swim pond is great for kids, and other amenities like an archery range and hiking trails are fantastic for kids," shares John H.
Educational opportunities: Several campgrounds offer ranger programs during summer. "On Saturday nights they have a campground program for the kids and families to watch," mentions a visitor to Lake Elmo.
Swimming options: Water features vary significantly between parks. "They have a home made lake that has a sand bottom but it has chlorine like a pool so no weeds," explains Timothy S. about Lake Elmo's unique swimming facility.
Site selection for families: Choose sites with natural play areas. At William O'Brien, "Site 117 was level, had decent privacy, and was more spacious than some of the other sites (could have put up a 3-5 person tent and a bug house)," notes Dani K.
Hookup availability: Lebanon Hills Regional Park offers full-service sites. "Sites with full hookups or more remote sites with electric that are more tucked away in the pines," mentions Katie C.
Site length accuracy: Verify actual dimensions when booking. "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," warns Davis D. about Lebanon Hills.
Level sites: Most campgrounds around Stillwater feature relatively level pads. "The sites are nice and level, with plenty of space between each one. This feels very much like a nice state park," confirms a reviewer at Lebanon Hills.
Road conditions: Access roads vary in quality. At Willow River State Park, "The road to get to our water view site (69) was narrow and tricky with the camper but it was worth it for that peaceful view!" reports Amber C., highlighting the tradeoff between prime locations and accessibility.
Frequently Asked Questions
What camping is available near Stillwater, MN?
According to TheDyrt.com, Stillwater, MN offers a wide range of camping options, with 124 campgrounds and RV parks near Stillwater, MN and 4 free dispersed camping spots.
Which is the most popular campground near Stillwater, MN?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular campground near Stillwater, MN is Willow River State Park Campground with a 4.5-star rating from 62 reviews.
Where can I find free dispersed camping near Stillwater, MN?
According to TheDyrt.com, there are 4 free dispersed camping spots near Stillwater, MN.
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