Best Tent Camping near Grand Forks, ND
Tent campers visiting Grand Forks, North Dakota can find several established campgrounds within a reasonable driving distance. Kolding Dam/Upper Turtle Reservoir near Larimore offers free primitive tent camping with no defined sites or services, while Old Crossing Treaty Park provides a more established camping area along the Red Lake River with basic amenities. Mentor City Park in Minnesota, about an hour east of Grand Forks, offers a small tent camping area within a community park setting.
Most tent sites in the region provide basic accommodations with minimal amenities. Old Crossing Treaty Park includes picnic tables, fire pits, and trash barrels at each site, though fire rings are not always properly maintained. Drinking water is available at some locations like Mentor City Park and Old Crossing Treaty Park, but many sites lack potable water sources. Vault toilets or portable toilets are common, but shower facilities are rare. A review mentioned that "for a free campground, it was fantastic. Sites had picnic tables and a place for a fire, although it wasn't an actual fire ring." Campers should prepare for self-sufficient camping with limited services.
The camping experience varies significantly across locations. Kolding Dam offers more secluded opportunities where campers report having the entire area to themselves, especially during weekdays. As one camper 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." The sunset views through large trees at Old Crossing Treaty Park create a peaceful setting, though weekend crowds can sometimes leave traces of their stay. Walk-in tent sites at Mentor City Park provide a quiet setting under shade trees, making it suitable for overnight stays while traveling along Highway 2. Most locations experience less crowding during midweek periods, with weekends and holidays seeing higher usage. Weather conditions can be challenging, with strong winds affecting some exposed camping areas, particularly in early spring.
