Grafton, ND is a great camping destination for adventurers of all types. Discover secluded campsites where you can reconnect with nature. Or maybe you like to bring your family and friends along. Either way, there are Grafton campgrounds just for you. At The Dyrt, campers like you share their favorite spots, plus tips and photos. No matter where you're headed in Grafton, you'll find the best spot for you and your camping crew.
$17 - $25 / night
Lovely hiking, somewhat close campsites but good amount of tree/brush coverage separating them. Fantastic services (bath house, visitor center, etc).
Of everywhere I have been this is by far the cleanest, most comfortable campground my wife and I have been too. We will definitely be back.
If you're like me and hate camping 10 feet from a million campers in a crowded campground, then this island site is for YOU! The campsite itself is a double occupancy. We had 4 adults and 5 kids and had plenty of space for two big tents and all our stuff. The canoeing is a quick 15 minute paddle from the lakeside campground on the far east side of the lake. (I wanna respect everyone's ability to paddle a canoe, but this is a level 1/easy peazy/if my 9 year old can do it then so can you kind of paddle.)
The island is filled with tons of old oak trees and has plenty of space to string up a hammock or two in the shade. The tent pads aren't the most level, but they aren't the worst I've pitched on either. The dock is nice and low so getting in and out with your gear is a breeze. We camped over the 4th of July and even with the busy holiday boat traffic still felt pretty secluded, especially at night. The vaulted toilet was nice to have on the island too. We had to canoe in our water in portable jugs, but that's how we usually camp.
It would have been nice to have a food locker of some sort in the campsite as both nights we stayed we had a big old fat raccoon in the campsite trying to get into our food. We ended up putting our totes with all the food/garbage wedged under the bench of the picnic tables in order to keep them out. Still didn't stop them from dragging a cooler of ours into the woods one night. (Darn trash pandas.)
The only reason this didn't get 5 stars is because the area around the island is all weeds and muck. You'll have to paddle west into the big part of the lake (10 minutes) and dock your canoe next to the swimming beach if you want a muck and weed-free swimming experience.
The campground is tiny but there are showers, bathrooms and water readily available and I think it is a lightly used park. Good trails, nice exhibits and a surprising amount of wildlife. The river was very high and overall very wet summer so far but green.
I spent a week here working and exploring the area. There's just so much to see and do both within the park and in the surrounding area. There's the museum across the street The hikes in the park the beach the boating the lake. If you play golf that's right around the corner and has a paved trail that takes you there and down into cavalier. And if you can drive a little bit there's the Pembina River gorge, the state forest and those hikes and those lookouts, Walhalla with its historical sites. There really is a little bit for anyone who might be interested and close to the area. By the way I was here the week before Memorial Day week and for most nights I was the only person in the park it was quite nice.
We spent 3 nights here and it was very cold and snowy but the bathroom was open and warm and clean and the campground has a ton of short but very nice hikes. Lots of deer and squirrels and I'm guessing really busy in the summer but was delightful to share all the trails with just wildlife.
Camped at Lake Bronson the first weekend of June at site 47 beside the lake. Our site had nice shade (beware - quite a few lake side sites are full sun), a necessity on the unusually warm June weekend. All amenities were very well maintained and close to our campsite. Unsure of how close sites were at the Two Rivers campground but Lake side were very close and multiple people were up until late into the evening. Not an issue for us, but if you're looking to get away in a more secluded location this would not be for you.
With temps in the mid 90s we enjoyed plenty of time in the lake, hiked to the top of the WPA observation tower, listened to trumpeter swans & watched the sun set over the lake .
One thing of note - our campsite was CRAWLING with ticks. Upon waking we had over a dozen hanging onto the outside of our tent, and picked more than we could count off of ourselves during our 24 hour stay. Unsure if it was a banner year for the buggers or if the location of the camping sites in grass next to a tree line was a perfect breeding ground but it was truly remarkable.
Site 42 is on the lake and is a long, breezy spot. However, there is little shade during the morning and afternoon. •Picnic table •Fire ring with grate •Flat site •No hammock trees •Across the campground from the bathroom/shower and privy •Close to playground •Boat/motor/canoe rental •Helpful and nice staff •Well maintained
This park and campground are both pretty small but still a great stay! I was here early in the season...a lot of the trails had flooding. The hiking club trail was particularly bad as a good portion was at least ankle deep. My dog had to be carried so I wasn't able to get pictures of that 🤣
This campground has a lot of shady spots, a nice dog park and access to great hiking trails. The museum across the highway is also worth a visit. During the week everything was pretty quiet. They clean the bathrooms like three times a day.
I did not see a dog off leash unless at the dog park.
They don’t seem to have enough staff though. If you want to rent a kayak or if the rental bikes aren’t working, there isn’t anyone to help. The kayaks were all just sitting on the beach however, so you could help yourself.
First time camping for the wife and I. We were very impressed with how clean the bathrooms were. Just wish there was more to do during the visit.
Very quaint old campground with clean facilities. Boating and hiking facilities, with a small snack bar/concession stand at the boat launch area. Lots and lots of groups of campers family camping with their travel trailers and large dogs. This is a hunting area with a labrador retriever breeding farm next door, so many labs off leash kept us on guard of our 2 small dogs on leash. We had a level pull thru half circle site, just stayed overnight on the way to cross into Canada. Would stay 1 night again. Paid 25.00 plus 5.80 online booking fee.
We originally planned this as a stopover for one night and ended up liking it so much that we stayed a second night and considered a third! We were in the west loop campground. The sites were shady and mostly level. Each site had electrical as well as its own water pump, which was luxurious! Lots of trees for shade and hammocks, and hands down the nicest bathrooms I've seen in a campground. (I know I said that about a different park recently, but this was even better!) There were even family restrooms with ADA accessible showers that were separate from the smaller ones in the men's and women's rooms.
Campground was set up a little funny but not hard to locate site once driving around about 3 minutes. Pretty wooded area in hell hole North Dakota. Will never be back here but did enjoy my stay at the hidden gem in a very very boring state.
Nice sites large and level. Some good lake views.
Nice little campground with a shower and toilet very clean quick walk to a great lake to swim and enjoy not crowded nice people.
Beautiful beach! Alot of nice hiking paths.
Great campground with large, mostly shady sites. Very large (150+ sites) but doesn’t feel that big. Some sites are quite uneven so be sure to have lots leveling equipment if you aren’t familiar with your site. I did notice poison ivy in the wooded area surrounding our spot, so be aware for yourselves and any children. Bathrooms were recently remodeled and are super nice! The beach is large and very nice with soft sand and shady picnic areas. Rental kayaks and paddle boards for great prices and a concession stand as well. Lots of trees perfectly spaced for hammocks and to hang clotheslines!
Clean and quiet some sites are very uneven so check closely before reserving all in all nice.
Lots of poison ivy. Campground should have a caution note on it for individuals with severe reaction. Overall it is a nice campground with a lot of trails and playground. Bathroom and shower facility is new and clean. A lot of drive through lots that are level with easy hook ups WiFi is only available at entrance station.
We always enjoy our trips to Icelandic, even though we tend to attract thunderstorms. Nice hiking trails at the park and nearby at the Pembina Gorge. The bike trail into Cavalier has been repaved as well as over to the golf course. You can get a beverage at the clubhouse overlooking the lake if you need a break from sitting around the campfire.
Nice lil campground in a pretty, wooded forest but holy cow there's poison ivy everywhere! We have it popping up in the mowed area of our camp site even. Not a great area for little kids because of that, though they do have a nice little playground area and plenty of short walking trails. It'd be a good overnight rest stop on the way to or from Grand Forks, but not a destination in itself. A great note is that the camp hosts and rangers are plentiful, friendly, and helpful!
This campground has it all. Lots of trails (relatively easy), pristine bathrooms, deer wandering through the sites, a murder mystery game, electric and water hookups, easy access.
Very nice campground. Stayed on the lake side of the park. Very many campsites. Stayed in site 8, which had an electric option. Was tucked in the corner so the wind out of the west wasn’t much of an issue. The beach was nearby as was the boat rentals. The bathrooms and showers were clean and maintained daily. The bathroom and shower house at the beach was exceptionally well maintained.
A very beautiful park for a day trip or weekend camping. The trails aren't exhastingly long but are very dynamic and have an abundance of wildlife. The historic area is well kept and very cool so check it out!!
I needed to scout what Turtle River looked like before I pull my travel trailer there in Spring. Here is what I found.
Nice flat pull through campgrounds. Easy electrical outlets with breakers. Water outlets are off for winter. Plenty of bathrooms Septic is drive through may be tricky to get in with large trailer. Gas stations are about 5 miles east of park. With Subway and Dairy Queen. Lots of big trees, cleared enough for campers, but watch for widow makers. Nice and playful dog park. Cabins are basic and look warn. Park Manager going to fix up next year. As all state parks, under staffed. 2020 was record high for campers in park. Beautiful however the lake in entrance will not be seen in campgrounds. Nice flat spaces for tent camping. Very clean. Well groomed. Fire pits BBQs everywhere. Plenty of places to explore. Lots of trails. Friendly staff. Dogs aloud in park as long as on lease except in the dog park of course. Lots of wildlife during certain times of year. No dangerous wildlife or reptiles. Fishing aloud certain time of year. No hunting = good Firewood at main entrance. No snack machines seen?
Very nice place all in all to visit for a week or weekend.
How would you like to camp on your own private island? Reserve the single canoe-in site and make your dreams come true! We had such an excellent time hanging out on our little island and using it as a home base for combined canoeing and hiking day trips. You should be comfortable in a canoe before you commit to this, as it's a decent distance to paddle from the dock to the site, and you'll be loaded with gear. The paddling can also get pretty tough when the wind picks up, especially on the open stretches of the lake.
The park is beautiful and large, and the canoe-in site is spacious and very pleasant. There's some noise from speedboats and fishing boats during the day, but you get the lake to yourself once the sun sets and everyone else goes home. The mosquitoes were not bad on the island, though there were some annoying flies in the afternoons.
Our only disappointment was that there were no good swimming options from the island itself. Too many reeds, and the boat dock is in a shallow mucky area. We had better luck paddling to other spots to swim.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular glamping campsite near Grafton, ND?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular glamping campground near Grafton, ND is Turtle River State Park Campground with a 4.4-star rating from 20 reviews.
What is the best site to find glamping camping near Grafton, ND?
TheDyrt.com has all 4 glamping camping locations near Grafton, ND, with real photos and reviews from campers.
