Best Cabin Camping near Zimmerman, MN

We camped at William O’Brien State Park November 1-4, 2022. We were taking advantage of some unseasonably warm days, and we are so glad we did. This park is beautiful! The trails are well kept and cover woodlands, grasslands, and wetlands. There is a huge beaver lodge that can be seen from one of the trails, and we saw a smaller one from a different trail. We saw an abundance birds while we were there.

We stayed in a camper cabin (‘Vasa’) and enjoyed it. The cabins are one room plus an enclosed porch. Furnishings are bunk beds and a table with benches. The cabin was heated and had electricity. You cannot cook indoors. There is a fire pit and picnic table outside. There are three cabins on a little cul de sac by the Savanna campground. There are two vault toilets near the cabins. The water source was off for the season, but water was available at the park office.

My partner and I scheduled a 3 day / 2 night stay in a new Vintage Cruiser RV for $39.99, in exchange for attending a presentation on private membership.

We checked in Wednesday evening, and the nicest staff I've ever met helped us acclimate to RV living. We are new to this game. They patiently described how to utilize the grey and black water tanks, as well as encouraged us to check-out the canoes, row boats, bikes, horseshoes, ladder golf and many other entertainment items - for FREE!

The map provided was accurate which made locating the cruiser a breeze. There were further instructions inside as well. The RV was immaculate. Provided for our use were all linens (a public very clean bath and shower was just across the road), dish soap, dish towels, paper towels, flat wear, plates, bowls, mugs and pans.

The campground has a couple of ponds, as well as access to Ham Lake where the watercraft is launched. There is a petting arena with goats, ponies, and a llama who gave my partner the stink eye, but fell in love with me rubbing the fence and giving me all googly eyes!

The clubhouse sells bundled wood, ice, snacks, cold drinks, ice cream and provides 24-hour fresh coffee. There is also a small resupply area, and gift shop.

There are pull-through sites, back ups, 50 and 30 amp hook ups, and tent sites, covered pavilions, picnic tables and fire pits.

The campground itself seems remote, secluded and peaceful, however, you are conveniently located to two well-stocked convenience stores, as well as Wal-Mart about 15 minutes away. It's also only about 45 minutes from the Minnesota Twin Cities.

One note: We visited in August and needed gallons of bug spray.

We very much enjoyed our get away!

Clean gravel sites with electric hook up surrounded by well maintained grass, picnic table, and fire pit. Central water spigot and dump station. Great signage throughout. Showers and restrooms available. A couple disc golf baskets, sand volleyball court and well maintained grass fields were available for play. Lake independence is a 5-10 minute walk along a newly paved trail. Lake offers two swimming beaches, a water equipment rental area, new restroom facilities, and a playground that was under construction at this time. Simple online reservation process at $26/night our one night total cost $36.03 all fees included. Morning of our reservation, camp staff called to communicate a change of site due to our reserved site having issues with its electrical. All amenities functioned appropriately. My wife, two young boys, and I had a great first time experience with our Bambi 19CB Airstream!

What a privilege it was to spend a night here! I had been out of town and away from home the previous week, and decided I would stop here on the long drive home in order to break up my trip. It wasnt just goid stopover, but a great retreat to restore body, mind and spirit. This listing for the Creekwood Cabin is a new listing on the“Hipcamp” website, which is like Airbnb for campgrounds, campsites, camper cabins, etc, that are located on private properties like farms and vineyards. The Theisens, Todd and Sarah, are the stewards of a beautiful farm focused on organic, sustainable and restorative land practices on acreage that is a mix of prairie, forest, wetlands, and rolling hills. They have free range cows, pigs and chickens who roam the farm freely and who are pretty happy campers themselves, it seems! The Theisens also have a traditional woodcraft and wood products business using sustainable harvest of hardwoods on their land, turning downed trees into planks for hardwood floors, wall panelling, countertops and other home woodwork for area homes. Currently in production when I was there were several outhouses to be uses at the campsites they are setting up in various wooded groves on their farm, and in the works are the production if several tiny homes that will serve as camper cabins on their farm. Any tree wood not used in their products is chipped and used as woods for the miles of walking trails they are setting up over hill and dale on the property, and for sawdust for their composting toilets for their guest facilities. As of yet, the tent campsites and tiny house camper cabins are still being constructed and are a“work in progress”, but given what I saw will be really wonderful when finished. I had the opportunity to stay in their recently opened Creek Wood Cabin, which is an amazing showcase of both their hospitality and their best woodwork artisanry. This cabin is set in a shady grove of mature trees on a hill overlooking a peaceful pond and marsh. I was serenaded all night by frogs and owls and more. The cabin is constructed with all local materials, including of course woodwork from their own trees. The cabin has a full working kitchen including microwave, stove, fridge and sink, so you can bring all you need for your own meal prep. There is one open bedroom with a comfy double bed on the main floor, and two more double beds in the sunny loft above. The sitting area is complete with two rocking chairs and a library of amazing books related to sustainable living, simplicity, camping, and various topics to restore the spirit. There are large sunny windows on all walls which makes the cabin sunny and cheerful and makes the interior woodwork glow with warmth. There is a wood stove and a well stocked wood box, but there is also electric baseboard heat. There is running water with an on-demand water heater, but the toilet is an efficient low impact composting toilet so be prepared to flush with sawdust instead if water when using the facilities! Next to the cabin is a heavenly sauna that is set up for either dry or steam saunas. I loved having a sauna before bedtime and sleeping soundly til the rooster crowed at sunrise. When I had arrived the night before, Todd took me out in his RTV to tour the whole farm to see all the animals and the farming and woodworking operations, and also showed me all the trails I could go on. So, when the rooster called me forth the next morning I knew just where to go for my morning walk. When I returned, I reD for a while and journaled for a while til Sarah showed up at the cabin door with a basket containing my piping hot breakfast complete with fresh scrambled eggs from their henhouse. After breakfast, I visited the cows and their calves in their peaceful meadow, including one calf who was pals with the Bernese mountain dogs of the farm and preferred to frolick with the dogs rather than the other calves! Then more resting, writing and relaxing in the cozy cabin before continuing in my way. I would have to recommend this cabin stay as one if the loveliest I have experienced, and I know I will be back for more! In summer, guests would enjoy being in the farm itself and learning all the Theisens can share able simple low impact living and sustainable farming and restorative land management. If staying here you could also visit like-minded facilities like the organic gardens or art studios of the nearby College of St Benedict, or the solar farm or Arboretum and restored prairie at nearby St Johns University. St Johns and St Bens also have myriad hiking trails and places for meditation both indoors and out. Guests of the cabin can easily access both campuses just minutes away by car or bike, with additional biking further afield on the nearby Lake Woebegone state bike trail. During the school year there are myriad cultural activities on both campuses that cabin guests could take advantage of, and a winter time stay would also be lovely with the chance for snowshoeing or cross country skiing on the farm itself or in the area, as well as the chance to just rest, read, write and restore in the peace and quiet and coziness if the cabin. It would be the kind of retreat that Thoreau himself would heartily recommend, but Thoreau never had it this good in his own cabin! Come check it out for yourself, or come for the tent camping or tiny house experience as soon as those options are ready!