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Best Tent Camping near Grafton, ND

102 Reviews

Tent camping options near Grafton, North Dakota are limited but provide opportunities for solitude and basic outdoor experiences. Four established campgrounds are available in the surrounding area: Crystal City Park, Matejeck Dam Recreation Area, Kolding Dam/Upper Turtle Reservoir, and Lions Club Park in Stephen, Minnesota. These tent-specific sites offer minimal amenities in the rural landscapes of northeastern North Dakota.

Tent campers at Kolding Dam/Upper Turtle Reservoir should prepare for primitive conditions with no defined campsites, potable water, or restroom facilities. The area permits both alcohol and pets, unlike most other local campgrounds. Matejeck Dam Recreation Area offers drive-in access for tent camping with pet-friendly policies. Neither Crystal City Park nor Lions Club Park provide basic amenities like drinking water, restrooms, or fire rings. Campers must pack in all necessary supplies and follow strict pack-it-in, pack-out principles at all locations.

The tent camping experience around Grafton offers opportunities for quiet and seclusion. Kolding Dam/Upper Turtle Reservoir receives positive reviews for its isolation and views. The terrain consists primarily of open areas with some tree coverage that can serve as natural windbreaks. Sites at Kolding Dam feature grassy areas rather than defined camping pads. Seasonal conditions affect access and comfort significantly in this northern climate. A visitor to Kolding Dam noted, "It's literally just a place to park but it's also a place that you will probably have to yourself the entire time you stay there."

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Best Tent Sites Near Grafton, North Dakota (4)

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Tent Camping Reviews near Grafton, ND

102 Reviews of 4 Grafton Campgrounds

  • G
    Oct. 27, 2020

    Homme Dam Recreational Area

    A life saver in the cold months

    This is a nice campground, I’m sure it would be more enjoyable in the warmer seasons. Has everything you need to have a pleasurable stay except for laundry facilities. Full hook ups for the RV’er, tent camping, boat ramp with docks, playgrounds, restrooms with showers, personal garbage can picked up weekly, friendly staff, fire rings and bbq grills. All this comes with beautiful views that over look the reservoir and best of all open year around. For the cold weather campers the shower floors are heated! Can’t believe I got all this for $500 month plus $35 vehicle fee.

  • Collin L.
    Jun. 4, 2020

    Old Mill State Park Campground

    Great beach

    No electricity, restrooms are very basic. Camping has limited capacity but they do keep them very clean.

  • Janet R.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jul. 3, 2020

    Icelandic State Park Campground

    Quiet nature and hisotry on the prairie

    This is a small quiet state park in northeast North Dakota that offers a nature preserve with rare plants and birds in a cool bur oak-basswood  stand with spring fed fens around it. A nature trail with little footbridges carries you through. There is also a native prairie restoration, and historic exhibits about the different cultural groups who made their homes here from prehistoric times to today.  A nice little oasis! The campground is set on a pleasant little reservoir, as we are tent campers we loved that the tent area was in the so called "primitive" area  with only tents, with sites all along the shore and close to the nature preserve. It was a weeknight, and no one else was there so it was very peaceful! Fo folks who have campers or rvs, there are three well set up loops with hookups and all the amenities. We also appreciated that they have a dog park on site! I havent seen that in a state park before. The staff was really friendly and helpful. Due to covid restrictions there are more rules to follow and limited programming etc, but you can still swimm and fish and boat on your own. The only drawback is that you can hear road noise from trucks on the highway nearby which is noticeable at night.

  • CThe Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 12, 2021

    Turtle River State Park Campground

    Unique spot

    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.

  • Teresa T.The Dyrt PRO User
    May. 20, 2024

    Red River State Recreation Area

    City camping at ita best

    Not going to say anything that everybody else hasn't said in the reviews but I thought it was charming there's space between the campers and well there's no privacy there tends not to be in city campgrounds. Also it's right on the River trails so if you're a biker it's fun to do the loop that goes from both the North Dakota and the Minnesota side. The bike trails also connect you to the larger city and there's several other very charming parks and downtown neighborhoods or downtown houses to see. The walk-in sites near the river are quite nice I wouldn't come here if you wanted to be in a quiet state park but that's not the intent of the park and it's a good use of the green space. I'm fully self-contained so I didn't use the bathrooms I've heard their little bit older but there's water there's sewer there's electric sites their sites with electric only and then their sites for just camping also group sites.

  • Ian Y.
    Sep. 19, 2020

    Red River State Recreation Area

    An RV camping experience, unless you're walking

    If you're looking for somewhere to park a big RV, this campground is modern, convenient, and nicely-equipped. There's no privacy or nature to be had, though. It's a grassy plain with straight rows of pull-throughs.

    However, there are a handful of walk-in sites off to the side that looked quite nice. That's definitely the way to go if you'd like to pitch a tent and have a little peace and quiet.

  • Samantha B.
    Oct. 26, 2018

    Turtle River State Park Campground

    Beautiful State Park

    Turtle River State park has beautiful mature ash trees for a nice shady camp spot. There are numerous sites with water and electricity with central location shower houses. The camp sites are large, level and secluded.There are lovely wide trails for biking and hiking and a river runs through the park. There are also walk-in sites, cabins and open tenting sites.

  • Leasa W.
    Jul. 30, 2016

    Turtle River State Park Campground

    Picturesque area in northeastern ND along Turtle River

    Picturesque area in northeastern ND. Nice and close camping within northeast ND for those that don't want to venture far from Fargo-Grand Forks-Grafton stretch or far off the northern 29 route. TRSP is located 22 miles west of Grand Forks on Highway 2. Easy to find! Reasonable and affordable nightly rates for both primitive RV and tent sites. Electrical hookups available. Free showers! You'll find the landscape partly wooded, prairie grasses, and the beautiful Turtle River. We utilized the river to cool off in the water & sightseeing. We also brought bikes to utilize on the trails. Kid friendly camping. For those looking for camping close to home in eastern ND and you're not wanting the lake scene, highly recommend TRSP.

  • Jennifer B.The Dyrt PRO User
    Aug. 11, 2022

    Icelandic State Park Campground

    Clean older campground

    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.

Guide to Grafton

Tent camping near Grafton, North Dakota, offers a chance to immerse yourself in the great outdoors, with several options that cater to tent campers looking for a peaceful escape.

Tent campers like these nearby activities

Some prices for tent camping are free

  • Experience the free camping at Matejeck Dam Rec Area, which provides a no-cost option for those looking to enjoy a rustic camping experience.

Tent campers should check out Kolding Dam/Upper Turtle Reservoir

  • This well-reviewed spot allows pets and offers a unique opportunity to camp in a less formal setting, making it perfect for those who appreciate solitude and natural beauty.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular tent campsite near Grafton, ND?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Grafton, ND is Crystal City Park with a 0-star rating from 0 reviews.

What is the best site to find tent camping near Grafton, ND?

TheDyrt.com has all 4 tent camping locations near Grafton, ND, with real photos and reviews from campers.

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