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Best Tent Camping near Wadena, MN

325 Reviews

The Crow Wing River watershed surrounding Wadena, Minnesota offers several tent-only camping options along water trails and in state parks. Knob Hill in Staples provides walk-in tent sites with river views, fire rings, and basic amenities. Frames Landing Campsite near Sebeka offers tent campsites with drinking water, picnic tables, and toilet facilities. For backcountry tent camping experiences, Glendalough State Park (about 45 miles west of Wadena) features cart-in and hike-in tent sites in a no-RV environment. Beers Hike-In Site provides a secluded tent camping option with vault toilets and fire pits, accessible via a short walk from limited parking.

Most tent campgrounds in the region feature natural surfaces ranging from pine needle forest floors to grassy clearings. Fire rings and picnic tables are standard at established sites, while vault toilets are available at most locations. Drinking water access varies significantly, with some sites offering pumps while others require filtering from nearby lakes or rivers. Campers should prepare for mosquitoes, especially in early summer when they can be particularly intense. Black bears occasionally visit campsites in the region, so proper food storage is essential. The Crow Wing River Water Trail connects multiple primitive tent camping locations, allowing for multi-day paddling trips between sites.

In early spring, tent campers often enjoy clearer views of lakes and rivers before foliage fills in. According to reviews, Glendalough State Park provides an exceptional tent-only camping experience. One visitor noted, "The tent sites are all cart-in, making the scenery the main focus without vehicles in view." At Beers Hike-In Site, a camper reported, "The walk is easy with a nice fire pit and good fishing area right at the site." Tent pads at most sites accommodate standard tents, though some backcountry locations have limited space. The North Country Trail passes through the region, offering additional primitive tent camping opportunities for hikers seeking solitude. Wildlife sightings, including deer, eagles, and waterfowl, are common at lakeside tent campsites.

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Best Tent Sites Near Wadena, Minnesota (34)

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Recent Tent Camping Photos near Wadena, MN

14 Photos of 34 Wadena Campgrounds

Tent Camping Reviews near Wadena, MN

325 Reviews of 34 Wadena Campgrounds

  • Glenda D.
    Mar. 27, 2021

    Delagoon Park Campground

    Small campground with fishing pier

    Delagoon Campground is located within Delagoon Park which is on the outskirts of Fergus Falls, the County seat of Ottertail County. The campground has 22 campsites with 14 being camper/tent sites with water & 20/30 electricity. The campsites are gravel back-in with no separation between sites so privacy is limited. The tent-only sites are against a line of trees but are still open to other campers. There are fire rings but no picnic tables so bring your camping chairs. The fishing pier is large and handicap accessible. There are non-plumbed but modern and clean restrooms within the park. The campground gets used a lot by local residents looking for a quick weekend getaway but there are usually several open spots available that are low in cost ($10 for tent-only & $20 for hookup sites). Registration is first come first serve via a self serve kiosk at the campground entrance. The noise level within the campground can be pretty high on weekends. There are no posted quiet times or on-site staff who manage the campground (it is managed by the Fergus Falls Park & Rec Dept) although the local police drive through frequently when the campground is inhabited.

  • L
    Nov. 2, 2022

    Lake Carlos State Park Campground

    Beautiful and quiet

    End of October, Stopped for just one night, probably about a 20ish minute drive from 94. Was able to purchase firewood after closing, and the campsite were easy to find after (7$)entry to the park. Campsites are reserved through an online system. We found the top campsite completely empty and plenty of sites had good tree coverage for privacy/ way no protection. Nice level sites with soft ground. Each site had a fire ring and picnic table. The only bathroom in walking distance to the upper campsites was a vault toilet located amongst the cabins. Seems like a great place to stay any season.

  • Amy G.The Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 27, 2020

    Mantrap Lake Campground and Day-Use Area

    Right price, easy access, off the road

    This is a State Forest Campground, and for the price of only $14 a night, you can't go wrong. Although you may get some noise from RVs with generators, we visited in late september, and there were enough sites to choose from that we could be away from that noise. Almost every site had a fair amount of space, and some privacy from neighboring sites with brush and foliage. There seemed to be pathways back to little vault toilet houses, and when we visited, they were very clean! They must have been recently cleaned, and there was no smell at all. Perhaps the cooler weather had something to do with that as well.

    We had a fire ring that was tall, and deep. With a grate so you could grill. A picnic table, and again, plenty of space for our teardrop trailer. The property had a few small, short trails through the woods, and also boat access.

    It's far enough off the main road that you won't hear road noise. You will, however, see and hear deer, and possibly black bear.

    There's no electricity, because it's a State Forest campground, but if the price of $14, it's exactly what we wanted for this time of year.

    One more bonus is that motorized two-wheel vehicles and off-road vehicles are not allowed past the entrance. That doesn't mean they can't be carried on the back of a truck, but you will not find them riding around this campground. Made things a little bit quieter!

  • Tori K.The Dyrt PRO User
    Feb. 9, 2025

    Dower Lake Recreation Area

    Swimming!

    offers sites with no hookups and sites with electric (no water, but potable water station is provided to fill up prior to parking) bathrooms and showers in the campground. Fire ring and picnic table provide for each site. Firewood and sewage dump station also provided for free to registered campers. There is a dock, sand swimming beach, horseshoe pits, disc golf, basketball court, and softball field.

  • Glenda D.
    Apr. 22, 2021

    Ashby Resort Campground

    Some semi-private sites - full hookups in other sites

    Each site has a picnic table and some sites have a fire ring.  There are tent-only sites that have no hookups and there are semi-private sites for RVs with electric hookup only or sites that are closer together for RVs that have full hookups.

    Call 218-747-2959 to book a site.  The campground has a lot of trees and most campsites are on grass.

    There is also a motel and cabins on-site that you can book.  The motel rooms, cabins and new cabins (these are like smaller mobile homes) are all lakeside giving you nice views.  

    The campground has paddle boards, paddle boats, kayaks and canoes that are available to guests at no extra charge, too.  You can rent a fishing boat or pontoon either by the day or the week.  There is a fish cleaning house on-site as well.  

    This campground is in the heart of Minnesota's lake's country.

  • B
    May. 2, 2021

    DeSoto Lake Backpacking Sites — Itasca State Park

    Backpack camping site 10

    Stayed at backpack site 10. It’s about 250 ft from main trail and about a 40 min hike in/30 min hike out from parking lot. The main trail is wide and well maintained with ambling hills, but overall pretty flat. It is about 1/3 mile away from nearest campsite.

    The site is lakeside. You can easily access the water and there are some great views (at least in early spring before the leaves come in). There is a pit toilet on the other side of the trail and is clearly signed and clearly visible from the trail (best hope no one hiking by walks in on ya).

    There is only level ground enough for one tent—maybe two two-person tents if you cram them next to each other.

    You can forage for firewood on the forest floor, do bring a saw. I was lucky and there were plenty of downed branches nearby. But I suspect later in the season it’ll be harder.

    Also, getting water to filter from the lake was difficult without getting wet—the reeds inhibit easy access.

    I read in another review that you are always aware of people around. While I think that is more true of the non-dispersed sites, I could clearly see hikers from this site. More annoying—at about 8 am there was a very loud mechanical noise that radiated over the landscape for about an hour before stopping. No idea what it was.

    Unfortunately the people who had this site before me didn’t clean up after themselves—beer cans everywhere (that I ended up packing out) and a dirty diaper thrown in the woods near the tent pad. I did let the park know.

  • ERolf P.
    Sep. 23, 2016

    Charles A. Lindbergh State Park Campground

    Canoe Camp

    This is one of the most beautiful campsites we have stayed at in the midwest. The canoe campsite (also accessible through cart-in) is located on a small creek just off of the Mississippi river. There is a fire ring, picnic table, and ample tent space. There is about a 500yd walk to the restrooms, and you have to go another 500yds to the main campground to find the showers. We camped in mid-September, and the water to the main campground had already been turned off for the winter, so no shower review. The bathrooms near the cart-in sites were well maintained and clean, flush toilets. There was drinking water access near the old WPA water tower (but the water came from the city, not the well and water tower). We had some rain, but the sandy soil mean things drained quickly and were nearly dry in the morning. Lots of neat hiking trails within this small park, and a Minnesota Historical Society Site across the road at the Charles A. Lindbergh historic site (his boyhood home).

  • HollyRose M.
    Dec. 14, 2020

    Overlook Park Canoe Campsite

    Watercraft Site on the Mississippi - Spacious & Maintained!

    This hidden gem is on the Mississippi water trail around mile 996. It is called "Overlook Park" and owned/maintained by the city of Baxter, but is part of the DNR's state water trail. There is even signage for those on the river to inform them about their whereabouts on the trail when they pass this park. 

    So although this is a little private city park, there is a specific spot RIGHT on the river with a picnic table, fire ring, and nice high ground soft space for a tent. But really you could tent it anywhere in the park, but this space is set aside a bit from the rest, as it is a city park although very little traffic. There is garbage and a vaulted toilet. There are three picnic tables throughout including the tent site, and two fire rings. There is a nice canoe landing area with a few stairs to help give access up and down from the river bank. Very pretty spot on the river! The opposite land bordering this city park is part of Crow Wing State Park, so even though it's close to town, it does feel fairly remote. 

    Such a well maintained park! Pretty views and some rugged trails along the river for some hiking as well.

  • Joanna B.The Dyrt PRO User
    Mar. 1, 2020

    Lake Carlos State Park Campground

    Beautiful camper cabin

    Leap Day 2/29/20-3/1/20 Frog Pond

    We headed to Lake Carlos for their candlelight ski, this was our first visit to this state park. Tent camping wasn’t available and we were able to reserve a camper cabin - Frog Pond. It was a nice change and a warmer option, the cabin is gorgeous! Frog Pond sleeps 6 with heat and electricity. There are 4 cabins that share 2 vault toilets.

    It was a beautiful 38 degree Leap Day and we took advantage of it. They offer a large number of ski trails so we xcountry skied before dark. The trails were icy, but still enjoyable. At dark we headed to the candlelight event. It was very busy and a huge turnout. We hiked 1.2 miles and then snowshoed 2.4 miles. There are ponds and bogs that they create snowshoe trails on, so there are even more trails to explore in the winter. It was a beautiful night and we enjoyed the wooded trails and starry skies. We had a fire and enjoyed a normal outdoor cookout before bed.

    We did more skiing on Sunday and checked out the 2 campgrounds as they were on the ski route. One campground is on Lake Carlos and very open. Sites have beautiful lake views. You can apparently drive your boat right into a sandy shore and dock it. They also have a swimming beach. The other campground is a bit more wooded and more suited for tents. This campground is near the camper cabins. The trails are very wooded and pretty. We enjoyed skiing the hiking club trail and ended up hitting almost every trail in our stay. I assume this park would be equally beautiful in the summer. What a beautiful state park!

Guide to Wadena

Tent camping near Wadena, Minnesota offers a chance to immerse yourself in nature while enjoying a variety of outdoor activities. With several campgrounds in the area, you can find the perfect spot to pitch your tent and unwind.

Tent campers like these nearby activities

  • Enjoy canoeing along the Crow Wing River at Andersons Crossing, which is a great spot for families and groups.
  • Experience the beauty of the river at Knob Hill, where you can hike and explore the surrounding woods.
  • Take advantage of the scenic views and fishing opportunities at Bullard Bluff Campsite, perfect for a relaxing weekend getaway.

Tips for tent camping near Wadena

  • Bring bug spray when camping at Knob Hill as the area is surrounded by trees, which can attract insects.
  • If you're planning to canoe, consider stopping at Frames Landing Campsite for a rustic experience and easy access to the water.
  • Make sure to pack your own restroom supplies when visiting Bullard Bluff Campsite, as facilities may be limited.

Some prices for tent camping range from $15 to $30

  • Camping at Andersons Crossing typically costs around $20 per night, offering a great value for families.
  • Expect to pay about $15 for a night at Knob Hill, making it an affordable option for solo adventurers or small groups.
  • Rates at Frames Landing Campsite are approximately $25 per night, which includes access to firewood and scenic views.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular tent campsite near Wadena, MN?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Wadena, MN is Knob Hill with a 4-star rating from 2 reviews.

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TheDyrt.com has all 34 tent camping locations near Wadena, MN, with real photos and reviews from campers.

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