Looking for the best tent campgrounds near Taylors Falls? The Dyrt helps you find campsites with tent camping near Taylors Falls. You're sure to find the perfect campsite for your Minnesota tent camping excursion.
Located on the St. Croix River, just 20 miles east of Saint Paul, Afton State Park is great for those looking for camping near Minneapolis and is 1600 acres of rolling prairies, oak woodlands, and limestone river canyons amid an ancient glacial landscape. The land for the park was acquired in 1967, but it took almost 15 years of planning revisions and compromises with local residents before the park finally opened in 1982. Little development has gone into Afton State Park in an effort to maintain its natural characteristics, and former farmland atop the bluffs are continuously being restored to their original state. This makes Afton an ideal destination for campers looking to experience the outdoors in a wilder setting.
Load up your backpack with all you’ll need for your stay, as camping at Afton State Park requires a hearty, 0.75-mile hike in from the parking area. The year-round campground offers 27 rustic sites with picnic tables and fire pits, with options for pitching your tent in either open or wooded areas. There is drinking water, a vault toilet and firewood is supplied within the camp area. There is also three boat-in campsites, and two group campsites that can accommodate up to 60 people each. If you’d rather not rough it, the park also offers four camping cabins and two yurts, some of which are wheelchair accessible. There are also several picnic areas and restrooms within the park. Campsite rates range from $15–$23/night; cabins range from $55–$70/night, and yurts $50–$65/night.
When you’re ready to explore, start at the park’s Nature Store where you can pick up information about the park’s flora and fauna, or join a nature walk. Then choose from more than 20 miles of hiking, biking, and equestrian trails, as well as a short barrier-free path. If you’re visiting in winter, many of these trails are open for snowshoeing and cross-country skiing. Bring your GPS and go on a geocaching treasure hunt, or bring your binoculars and go on safari for a variety of migratory birds, waterfowl, and wildlife, including deer, foxes and badgers. And little ones will love becoming Junior Park Naturalists and learning about bugs, birds, plants and other critters. If you’re looking for a real outdoor adventure, Afton State Park has what you’re looking for.
For the adventurers spending the weekend climbing at Interstate State Park, the cyclists on a bike tour, or anyone wanting to spend the night amidst the stars and owls, rent a campsite at Lily Springs Farm and pitch your tent on the lakeshore! Bring your tent or your hammock and set up a cozy nest on the lakeshore. Campsites have easy swimming access.
$70 / night
Camping is available at Straight Lake State Park. There are 10 hike-in campsites at the park, with the distance to the sites ranging from a few hundred feet to 0.3 miles.
Campers need to practice carry-in/carry-out and should bring their own water. Glass containers are prohibited at Straight Lake. Supplies are available in the village of Luck.
A unique peninsula with over 1 mile lake frontage. Our vacation homes and campsites are well-spaced, red cedar trees give the resort its name.
On the Water Pets Welcome/Inquire WI-FI
$15 / night
$30 - $45 / night
Legend
Felt nice to spend a weekend without cell service about an hour away from home. Forgot to take my usual photos and video of the site all set up but had a few random to share. Nice campground. Each site has a picnic table and fire ring. There are flush toilets and showers and the office has a store for any last minute needs.
Legend
Lots of tall evergreen trees here that you are nestled in. Have to know a seasonal site holder to camp here. Sites can be a little tricky backing into because of the trees, but ultimately they have enough space even for large rigs(there were three of us there: 2 5th wheels and one longer travel trailer). A picnic table and fire ring was provided at each site. Nice easy road to navigate getting into the campground. Close to Hinckley if you're looking for things to do!
Traveler
Plenty of spots. Fairly small spots. This road is pretty busy for a dirt forest road and people FLY down it. Almost got hit a few times walking. Even through a Wednesday night cars are flying down the road.
Scout
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Scout
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TravelerThis is a smaller Corps of Engineers park, lots of primitive sites and lots electric sites too. A smaller lake but no gas motors. Cell service with Verizon was ok.
RangerThe park is VERY LARGE, 33,000 acres! The prairie was beautiful this fall with all the native grasses and plants.
There is a flat, brand new 5 mile paved bicycle path that goes from the campground to the beach. Many hiking trails! The trails along the river are beautiful in October.
The campgrounds, trails, and bathrooms are all well maintained. The men’s bathroom/showers were designed and built well and is very clean. Bath building has a large “family/handicap” bathroom shower room.
MANY BLACK Squirrels in the park!
Guide
This is a solid state park offering. The sites are decently spaced with good tree cover. Noise seemed to travel between sites, I had some loud neighbors during the day but they settled down before quiet hours. The grass was easy to get tent stakes into. Bathrooms were your basic state park situation. Clean with warm showers so no complaints from me. The star gazing area was great! Intermittently had 1-2 bars of T-Mobile with LTE Internet. Wi-Fi is available at the park entrance.
Scout
Very nice clean well kept grounds. Always things going at the fairgrounds,we missed the flea market by 1 day. Great places to eat in the area. We were visiting family nearby and they could come visit us for picnics with no problems and no extra cost. Very friendly grounds keepers. Will be back again when in the area. We had a nice view of the little lake.
Scout
Nice river nearby canoeing swimming pool fireplaces and little store for treats.
ScoutThis campground is closed permanently
Scout
We are excited to go back to the Farm! Wonderful atmosphere and if there are any hiccups the hosts are super reasonable and kind, great communication. They gave a warm welcoming and tour right away then left us to our peace. All animals who were out and about were friendly. The grounds were kept very tidy and well put together by any farm standard! I felt very safe letting my 5yr old run around with the other campers and be around the animals.
Guide
Lovely trails, the beach is a large area with a nice park and picnic area. The water itself is ok, lots of geese and algae. The falls are wonderful though. The bathrooms are fine. I could not find a garbage bin to save my life, not near the bathrooms or anywhere in campground 200 or by the park ranger post. If there were garbage cans dispersed throughout the campground, I would have given 5 stars. Especially along the trail to the waterfalls because there was garbage all along the trail unfortunately. Not the camps fault, but maybe people would be more responsible if garbage bins were placed along the route.
Guide
The east part of the park was all closed for construction. Everything on the east side of the highway was closed so we could not hike a lot of the trails or use the beach which was a challenge with kids. Constructing is scheduled to the end of 2025.
We stayed in a group site but there was no way 35 people could have camped in W3. Vaulted toilets need help and a good cleaning.
The shower house needed a cleaning as well. There is no adjusting the shower temperature. Push the button and you get what you get.
Wood was $8 bundle. This was steep in my opinion. They do not all any gathering of firewood.
If your vehicle permit is not properly displayed, you will receive a notice on your windshield and have to talk with the office.
The dumpster was overflowing the whole time we were there.
Raccoons will visit your site at night. We had everything secured but they still tried and plenty of racket until we chased them away.
Lastly we had a battle with mosquitoes. We went through a lot of bug spray and coils. Deer flies were thick around the water filling station.
Although we did not stay in the main campground the sites are very close in there and were small.
ScoutIf you do NOT stay the entire amount of time you have paid for, you may lose the right to return to your site, even if your lease says the lot is still yours.
My husband and I camped at MRRV Park from July 5 to August 5th,2023, because my husband had a job in the area. We signed a lease that went through October 15th. We agreed that the lot’s owner could find another renter after we left with the condition that some of our money would be refunded. Shortly after we left, my husband found out he had a second job in the twin cities. We tried to contact the owner many times to see if any other renters were lined up. Only by contacting the park board did we find that the lot had been rented out 2 days after we left. The lot’s owner refuses to return any money for the 9 extra weeks we paid for! My husband had to rent a hotel room☹
The RV Park board refuses to help so we are going to court.
GuideI love that it's so close to home. I was able to walk in and find an incredible spot to camp and lay in my hammock.
TravelerThe campground is nice and clean. Good size spaces. The tubing is a plus. Had one issue with power dropping so we had to pull the surge protector off the. It was fine. Also very hot and humid so everyone was running AC to the max. Pool was small but nice. Splash pad was even nice for adults I recommend this campground. Key thing is the river is very clean and sandy bottom.
Scout
This was a great experience overall. The sites are spacious and far enough away from others to feel like there was enough privacy.
The one negative thing was that some neighbors watched a movie each night — starting just after quiet hours. We could hear their movie from across a road and through some trees (and tents).
But overall it was great. Good hiking and geocaching.
We would go back to this campground.
TravelerLots of RV campers, but none were obnoxious. T-mobile service is almost non-existent depending on location. The showers and bathrooms were spotless. Firewood is available at several roadside stands just outside the entrance.
RangerFor the proximity to the city and nearby highways, this was a good spot. Didn’t expect to see as many campers as I did, but all seemed to be friendly. I stayed here for one night and roads were totally fine for any vehicle. Most spots are like the pictures shown. There are a few spots that have great views or pull-through areas, and there are limited spots that are big-rig friendly. Saw lots of dogs, and mine had a blast, even had what seemed to be a stray husky quickly roll through camp around dusk. Something to keep on your mind. The road goes for a long ways, I parked near the front and closer to numbers, always like to be safer. Overall there was some shouting and yelling but for the location I was happy.
TravelerThere’s lots of little spots off the main gravel road. Nothing allowed further into the forest. One pull through area that I found. Couple vehicles pass a day. Stand storks are very protective. Stay away from them. They attack. 🤣
TravelerPlenty of sites and hiking to do. Very cool area. The falls are awesome!
Scoutthis is a nice quiet area. Some younger people coming through sporadically playing with their trucks but nothing serious and not often. Be aware if you have an rv though. I had a county sheriff person tell me it's not lawful to park a trailer and they kicked me out. I called the dnr and they said that wasn't right but I decided to leave anyway. County sheriff's not pleasent around here.
GuideI have been coming to Wild River since I was a kid. Nice park, scenic trails, horses on the way in.
Guide
I have stayed at Bunker a few times in site 33 and one of the walk in sites. Site 33 is very large and also very wide open. The walk in sites are a lot more secluded but not totally private. Really enjoy camping here, just wish it wasn't so expensive. It costs more than staying at a state park.
Traveler
In June 2024 we had a one day primitive spot on sperry lane you can drive over a tight steel bridge “crossing a small creek. There’s only 3 sites here but are spacious and separated from the rest of the campground but still having walking distance to exceptional bathroom and showers which you can enter into a bar for a cocktail. We enjoyed our spot #3 but bring mosquito spray there were terrible but we had a screened tent which helped. Will definitely return again.
Scout
Through a short weekend trip the camp site was a great size for us. Everyone was nice and friendly especially camp staff. The kayaking/ canoeing was an amazing adventure that everyone should try. It was even great for kids 3 and 6.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular tent campsite near Taylors Falls, MN?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Taylors Falls, MN is Afton State Park Campground with a 4.6-star rating from 36 reviews.
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TheDyrt.com has all 30 tent camping locations near Taylors Falls, MN, with real photos and reviews from campers.
