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The best camping near Minnesota Valley State Recreation Area

Discover the most magical spots to pitch your tent or park your rig on your next Minnesota Valley adventure.

50% (2 reviews)
50% (2 reviews)

Discover the natural splendor of Minnesota Valley State Recreation Area.  

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Community favorites near Minnesota Valley State Recreation Area

Top-rated campgrounds reviewed by the Hipcamp community.

Top-rated campgrounds near Minnesota Valley State Recreation Area

100%
(303)

Belle Creek Bluff

3 sites ¡ Lodging, Tents28 acres ¡ Welch, MN
Belle Creek Bluff is on 28 acres of prime land in Welch. Belle Creek runs through the middle of the property. Walk, swim, paddle, fish and explore the this beautiful spring fed trout stream. There are a number of hiking trails on the property. Bordering state lands to the east of the property provide endless exploration and hiking adventures. Hike to the top of the bluff for a spectacular view of Welch valley and the ski hill. Hiking NE along Belle Creek can you spot the old model A truck along the banks? There are eagles, falcons, finches, and many colorful birds to see.
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$40
 / night
100%
(11)

Walker's Ranch

1 site ¡ Tent9 acres ¡ Lakeville, MN
Learn more about this land: Come stay and make memories on the Walker ranch, you can't beat the scenery and location. Explore the Walker trail that leads to the creek and lounge in the woods in the hammock. Possibilities are endless!
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$35
 / night
90%
(43)

Champion Valley

4 sites ¡ RVs, Tents150 acres ¡ Lakeville, MN
Champion Valley is a 150-acre outdoor adventure park in Lakeville, MN featuring ax-throwing, airsoft, paintball, escape rooms & archery tag. We are located 5 minutes off of Interstate 35W. It is situated on 150 acres of beautiful hills and waterways covered with thousands of trees.
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$30
 / night
100%
(6)

Private entrance Apple Orchard

1 site ¡ RV3 acres ¡ Shakopee, MN
Learn more about this land:Private entrance and parking for campers on the back sections of our 3.5 acre property. Grassy area near woods and amongst our apple trees. Fire pit for your use. Great location, just a mile off the freeway. Within walking distance to Bar & Grill and bowling alley. Within 10 minutes to all the local attractions, including: Valley Fair, Renaissance Festival, Mystic Lake Casino, Wilds Golf course, Stonebrooke Golf course, Canterbury Park, Lake O'dowd, Prior Lake, downtown Shakopee, downtown Chaska, downtown Jordan, as well as many shops, bars and restaurants.
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$40
 / night
100%
(11)

Cozy Lakeside Cottage

1 site ¡ Lodging4 acres ¡ Jordan, MN
Spend some cozy downtime enjoying a fire and the peacefulness of a 4 acre lake property. You and your guest (or small-very small) group will be the only ones around as we don't rent to more than one booking at a time. Paddle on the paddleboard for free or rent the kayak for only $10 a day and explore the lake while getting some exercise. Take a hot shower and sleep in a comfortable bed- all for less than a hotel room in the concrete jungle! **We do require a photo of a valid government ID from all members of your party. This is due within 24 hours of booking, or immediately after booking if it's a same day booking. Although we would love to share our property with you, note this is for liability purposes and is non-negotiable. When booking, please acknowledge that you have read this requirement and plan on complying with it. If not received within the specified time frame, your booking will be cancelled. Please text photos of these ID's to the number provided after booking. Thank you for being understanding. Learn more about this land: Cozy lakeside cottage that sleeps two, with level lawn space nearby that will fit two additional tents in your group. Dedicated private space is in lower level backyard with best view and access to dock*, lake and wildlife wetlands with boardwalk. You'll see the setting sun from the end of the dock and have a paver patio firepit with plenty of seating all to yourselves. Private 3/4 bath and comfortable TV room is 60 steps away in the house, and we are also offering a shared laundry for an additional charge. Mystic Lake Casino, Canterbury Downs, and many other area lakes besides the 600 acre all sports lake that the property is located on are in the immediate area. For location purposes, we are located 3.5 miles S of the Prior Lake, MN McDonald's. The basic price of $80 per night includes up to two campers inside or outside of the  cottage,  but up to two additional campers and tents are able to added to the reservation for $20 per person/ per night.  A limit of two persons inside of the cottage and four persons total are allowed per reservation.  Please note that all persons on the reservation must submit a copy of their valid picture government ID to the host (via text) prior to arrival (but after booking), and sign a property liability waiver and upon check in.   The host will discuss the procedure with you as HC supports pictures via real phone numbers accessed only after booking.  Please ask prior to booking if you have any questions about this- this is a requirement of our short term rental insurance, and part of our self check in procedure.  We are a 100% smoke and pet (all animals) free property.  We also do not allow any events, parties or children. The minimum age of campers allowed to book here is 23 and if you are bringing your children with you, they must be 18 plus and also must sign all waivers and provide their ID's.   This is a great place for a small, quiet gathering of your group with a private, clean bathroom and a lakefront location on a small acreage.  However, it is for quiet getaways only, and is an owner occupied and monitored property.   If you have any questions regarding this listing, feel free to message the host before booking.  * The dock is removed towards the end of September every year. The lake can still be accessed until the end of October, there will just be no dock.
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$80
 / night
99%
(688)

Prairie Creek Forest Campground

7 sites ¡ Tents60 acres ¡ Nerstrand, MN
Pitch your tent at one of our Walk-in campsites on 60 acres of forest or hilltop prairie along Prairie Creek in Rice County, MN. Explore the creeks, trails, forest, our enormous granite "split rock", a 60 acre county park featuring a waterfall and more trails, including a single track mountain bike course. That's 120 acres of exploring outside your tent; this campground truly offers a large amount of remote forest for recreation right on site. Big Woods State Park is less than 2 miles away. Faribault is 8 miles and Northfield is 9 miles from our driveway; they offer dining, boutiques, and all other amenities. Nerstrand is 4.5 miles east and has a gas station and a fantastic meat market. Numerous Cannon River put-ins are within 10 miles. Vehicles: Our main parking area by sites 1, 2, & 3 is easily accessible. The road to the secondary parking area beside site 4 is up a very steep hill. Kids under 16 camping with their parents do not count in pricing. Sites are priced for one tent, please let us know if you need to have more than one tent. A map of the land is in the photos and shows locations of sites, parking and more. All Sites are Walk-In! We have a cart you may use to haul gear in. Site 1 is near the creek. Approximately 200 feet from main parking area. Stone fire ring and grill grate, picnic table. Site 2 is in the pines. Approximately 200 feet from main parking area. Stone fire ring and grill grate, picnic table, this site has good hammock trees. Site 3 is by the creek. Approximately 300 feet from main parking area. Steel fire ring, steel grill ring, picnic table, this site has good hammock trees. Site 4 is on the hilltop. Approximately 100 feet from the secondary parking area Steel fire ring with grill grate, stone fire ring, picnic table, this site has good hammock trees. This campground is managed by Stephen and Molly on land owned by he and his father Ted. In 1961, Ted's parents bought this farm. Over the years, the arable land has been sold but we retained the wooded area which is crossed twice by a stream. About 20 years ago, a 60 acre county park was created to the south and west. The property is bordered on two sides by this county park. When Ted was in high school, the family sold the dairy cows and started a bare bones horseback riding ranch using trails in these woods as riding trails.
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$25
 / night
98%
(21)

RadRo Farms at Hippie House

2 sites ¡ RVsLakeville, MN
10 acre parcel with a 70’s split level house built by a former state representative. The land used to be a farm but is now mostly tall grasses and goldenrod. We have a large vegetable and berry garden and a large native flower garden. We have a chicken house and blankets of fireflies in the summer and beautiful sunsets that face the campsite. Sometimes it’s really quiet and sometimes you can hear the highway noise.
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$25
 / night
100%
(38)

Honeyberry Minnesota working farm

2 sites ¡ RVs25 acres ¡ Stillwater, MN
Small working farm of 25 acres with roughly 1/3 wooded. Bring cash if you want to buy fresh produce. Half-way between Hudson WI and Stillwater MN. Tons of activities to do, including the St Croix River. Mowed trails on the property, campfire wood provided. Walk up to our two-acre Haskap orchard.
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$35
 / night
Saved 7 times

Heather's Hobby Farm

4 sites ¡ RVs, Tents20 acres ¡ Glencoe, MN
This property will be the future site of The Femme Farm, a retreat and event center primarily for women. Your camping experience and funds will help me get my dream business up and running! Soon, you will experience yurts, glamping and many outdoor events, but I need your help getting started. Thanks so much for your support!Learn more about this land:A quiet grassy area with a small woods. This property contains a large farmhouse and out buildings. Pitch your tent near the woods and enjoy a fire pit and picnic table. Gorgeous field views. Parking is available right on-site. Either near your site or on the gravel. Bird watching, walking through the woods and enjoying the sites and sounds of the country life.
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$45
 / night
98%
(33)

field view campsite

3 sites ¡ RVs, Tents20 acres ¡ Northfield, MN
Learn more about this land:You"ll camp right next to the Horse pasture and on our field drive with wonderful views and sunsets. The field is surrounded on three sides by Rice County Wilderness Park so it is very private and quiet.
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$25
 / night
100%
(119)

Whippletree Farm & Nature Trail

4 sites ¡ Lodging, RVs, Tents40 acres ¡ Lake Elmo, MN
Welcome to Whippletree! This is our sixth-generation family farm, and while it's more of a hobby farm now, it has been in continuous agricultural production since 1869! Besides tillable farm land, we are stewards of native prairie, small wooded areas, a remnant of an oak savanna and wetlands, with trails throughout. We consider this our sanctuary and enjoying sharing it with others looking for a place of retreat to connect with the natural world. Stop by for a visit!
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$36
 / night
100%
(83)

Prairie Woods Farm Vineyards

1 site ¡ RV, Tent15 acres ¡ Lonsdale, MN
The Cannon River valley near Northfield is mostly flat, but as you move west towards Lonsdale, the topography becomes beautiful rolling hills that are the perfect setting for some of the first vineyards in Minnesota. Today, many vineyards dot our local landscape. In addition to the vineyards, our land contains a forest which is part of the original "Big Woods". When pioneers first came to the area, this large forest covered much of southern and central Minnesota. "Big Woods State Park" is just 35 minutes from us in Nerstrand. Our hiking trails on the property bring you from vineyard to woods to the wildflowers in summer. We love it and hope you will too. Learn more about this land: Just one site means relaxed, quiet camping! Pitch a tent and recharge at Prairie Woods Farm! 35 minutes south of the Twin Cities, 7 miles west of I-35 at the Northfield exit. The site includes a picnic table, fire ring, and an amazing vineyard view with incredible sunsets most evenings. Retreat to the screened "She shed" or roam the vineyards or woods. Firewood is available for purchase. Camp is a very short walk from the parking area and you may drive in to load and unload. (conditions permitting - Summer and Fall) or use the gear-hauling wagon if you want the exercise. You are welcome to park one vehicle at camp. On your way to Prairie Woods Farm, you'll quickly notice the change in topography from flat farmland into rolling hills. The views are spectacular and the camp offers a chance to enjoy the vineyard, wildlife, amazing sunsets, and peace & quiet. Each guest receives a welcome packet containing information on the area which is highlighted with some of our favorite things to see and do. If you chose to go exploring on your way, here are some ideas to get you started: Vineyards and Wineries: We are in the heart of Minnesota's wine-growing country where some of Minnesota's very first vineyards began. Within a few square mile area, there are 4 different vineyards growing over 30 tons of grapes for local wineries. Visit some winery tasting rooms within a short drive like Next Chapter in Montgomery, Vintage Escapes in Killkenny, Mousse sparkling wines in Jordan or Cannon Valley in Cannon Falls. A little farther is Chankaska Creek Ranch and Winery in Kasota (near Mankato). All have a very different appeal and are worth a visit.  Enjoy the many Craft beers, cider, or spirits. If you love craft beers, visit Montgomery Brewing, Giesenbrau Bier Company, Imminent Brewing, Tanzenwald brewery, or Chapel Brewery. Prefer a homemade cocktail? Loon Liquors Distillery in Northfield specializes in hand-crafted gourmet cocktails made from their own spirits distilled on site.  Chankaska also offers hand-crafted cocktails from their distillery as well. For ciders, we highly recommend Keepsake Cidery, a lovely spot 15 minutes away that creates wonderful craft ciders and has excellent food! Boating and Fishing: If you enjoy boating or fishing, we are minutes away from many southern Minnesota Lakes.  Bring your canoe and explore the Cannon River! We are happy to help shuttle you if we are around. You can also tube the Cannon River with a shuttle service from Welch. Golf: Play the famous Willingers only 6 minutes away, Creeks Bend outside of New Prague, or public courses in Montgomery or New Prague, both of which offer a great day of golf. Local Places to explore: Our personal favorite diversion is the historic river town of Northfield. This quaint community on the Cannon River reminds us of a small European village with several walking bridges crossing the river with shopping, good restaurants, and pubs on both sides. Many feature live music or weekly jam sessions.  It's our favorite place to grab a drink and enjoy sitting by the river. There is even a downtown falls!  Listed on the National Historic Register, Northfield is home to two nationally known liberal arts colleges (Carleton and St Olaf), giving you a chance to catch a play, a recital, concert, or art show almost any day of the week. This is not a rowdy college town and prides itself on higher learning  (At over $50k per year to attend with high admission standards, they attract the best and brightest) . Traveling west from camp will take you to "Czech country" a collection of towns founded by those of Bohemian heritage. Explore historic St. Wenceslaus Church in New Prague; stop for a Kolachy (Czech sweet roll) at a bakery (Frankies Bakery in Montgomery are the best) or a bowl of authentic Vomachka soup at the Fish Tale Grill. Make sure to tune to KCHK radio (95.5 FM / 1350 AM) to know where the local polka bands are playing or to listen to polka music on the air!   Camping: Of course, most just stay onsite and hang out in the vineyard or walk our on-site hiking trails. (Trail maintenance in the woods varies each year due to the wet conditions)  Take in the amazing views while hiking the quiet country roads that stretch on for miles. Relax on the screen porch "She shed" and enjoy watching the lightning bugs or butterflies put on their air show! The most important thing to us is to stop rushing and enjoy the quiet solitude.  For you newbies, we are here for you! We are seasoned and active sea kayakers, canoeists, and backpackers who love to camp and teach.  Make sure you check out our additional options if you are interested in learning new skills or want to try out some gear you have been curious about. We look forward to meeting you and giving you a flavor of the amazing landscape and beauty of southern Minnesota wine country.  Motorcycles: An important note, you will need to drive on 1.5 miles of gravel road to reach our property.
from 
$35
 / night

The best camping near Minnesota Valley State Recreation Area guide

Overview

About

Over the valley and through the woods, to Minnesota Valley State Recreation Area we go! So it may not be your grandmother’s house, but these woods are worth the trip, especially since they lie only minutes away from the Twin Cities. Here, you can hike, bike or trot the Minnesota Valley State Trail which will lead you right into the Minnesota River, over marshes and streams, and through meadows and savannas. If you think that’s awesome, you’ve got to go off-the-beaten-path and make the trek to the historic Jabs Farmstead from the 1800’s, a cool settlement of old and abandoned buildings, surprisingly not that well-known to the public.

Traverse the Minnesota headwaters, search the wetlands for beavers and mink, and perhaps keep your watchful eye out for the ever-elusive red fox. There’s over 3,800 acres for you to explore and get lost in! Maybe you’ll have to make this Minnesota Valley the spot for your next date with Grams.

When to go

The ideal time to visit Minnesota Valley State Recreation Area is during the spring and fall when the weather is mild and the natural beauty is at its peak. Summer offers a full bloom of activities, though it can be quite busy. Winters are less crowded but prepare for cold conditions. Always check for seasonal closures or events that might affect your visit.

Know before you go

  • Verify your route before departure; Highway 67 is closed, and GPS systems may not reflect this change.
  • For safety, always check weather conditions and park advisories before your trip.
  • Accessibility may vary across different areas of the park; plan accordingly.
  • Remember to pack essentials, as amenities may be distant or unavailable.
  • Respect the park's natural environment by following Leave No Trace principles.

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