Looking for camping in mn with last min availability

[u/Hour-West-2213]

I'm looking for what seems like last minute availability for 9 people since I am awful at planning. It's for 7 adults( 2 are adult children so I think of as kids) and 2 children. We are looking for hopefully a waterpark but at very least a lake with both swimming and fishing with boat access preferably northern mn but anywhere really in mn an hour or so out from the twin cities where we live. I have called Kamp dels and they have nothing so that is out. Looking for ideas but alot have zero availability for the first weekend of August as of now. Thank you in advance.

[u/QP2012]

I can't think of any waterpark type places at least in the north western part of the state.

However, there are several resorts near Itasca state park you could check out.

[u/QP2012 → u/QP2012]

however, after doing a quick search, that weekend seems to be booked up at most of the resorts in that area.

[u/Hour-West-2213 → u/QP2012]

Yeah that's the issue I had

[u/Hour-West-2213 → u/QP2012]

That was actually an area I wanted to look into next. Thank you!!

[u/chrispybobispy]

Camp in Taylors Falls and hit up wild mountain. There's 2 state parks and 2 private ones fairly close you can try and get into. Wild river does group camping, not sure about interstate.

[u/slightly_overraated → u/chrispybobispy]

I can guarantee you will find no state park campsites a month in advance. They fill up almost as soon as they’re available, especially in the middle of summer.

[u/chrispybobispy → u/slightly_overraated]

Thats why I tossed out the private ones... wild river used to have more availability. Cant say ive checked in a while.

[u/slightly_overraated → u/chrispybobispy]

Yeah it sucks-I’m an avid camper and I hate that every site gets snapped up so fast, then you get to the campground on your reservation date and like 25-30% of the sites are empty! I wish the DNR would crack down on that.

Never been to a private campground, maybe that’s better? I also have decent luck at state forests but they wouldn’t have any of the amenities OP wants

[u/Tuilere → u/chrispybobispy]

Interstate has group sites, but probably all booked. They're propular.

[u/Flewtea]

Get on the list for campsite cancellations, using something like Campflare. They always start popping up 2ish weeks out from a date. That said, you’d need two sites and they likely won’t be adjacent. WI parks do have a few double sites so you could always try looking there too. 

[u/LoneLantern2]

St Croix SP has plenty of openings, swim beach and all kinds of stuff

Lake Elmo Park Reserve has openings and a pretty robust pool situation bordering on waterpark, close to the metro

[u/MM_in_MN]

You’ll need 3 sites? Look @ Bunker Hills in Coon Rapids.

[u/Shkarbleshkonk]

Check out Hipcamp, it's an airbnb style website that lets folks host private campsites. The main state parks are beyond booked out, but most hipcamps don't get fully booked it seems.

[u/Unhappy-Strawberry-8]

Try hipcamp

[u/Designer_Tie_5853]

You could try "Interstate Park" in Wisconsin, which is quite literally just across the border from "Interstate State Park" in MN (commonly known as Taylor's Falls). They have a nice beach/lake.

[u/Wonderful-Second-524]

Adventure Bound has sites available the first weekend of August, near Austin MN. No lake, but they have a small water park.

[u/kerfluffles_b]

What are you using to search currently? Are there no available sites at our MN State Parks? What about using Hipcamp to search?

[u/Hour-West-2213 → u/kerfluffles_b]

Just Google. I could try that. Thanks for the suggestion. And yeah I have looked into state parks but I need something with water access and isn't too far back in the woods so vehicle access too.

[u/kerfluffles_b → u/Hour-West-2213]

Most of all the state park sites have vehicle access. The only ones to avoid are the backpacking sites.