Is Group Campground first-come first-served or reservation?

Group Campground accepts online reservations. We recommend booking in advance, especially during peak season (typically summer weekends). Use campsite alerts to get notified when spots become available.

Are there showers at Group Campground?

Group Campground does not have shower facilities. Plan accordingly—nearby alternatives may include day-use areas or towns.

Are dogs allowed at Group Campground?

Pets are not allowed at Group Campground. This policy helps protect local wildlife and other campers. Consider nearby pet-friendly campgrounds if traveling with animals.

Group Campground

4.63

8 reviews

Group Campground

Summer Destination

Featured in:Hidden Gem Campgrounds Minnesota

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Quick Facts

1,004 ft

Price

Varies

Booking

Reservable

Sites

Varies

Season

Year-round

Cell

No Service

Pets

No Pets

Book on Minnesota DNR Official Website

Get Directions

Real-Time Availability

Select a month, then check for open campsites

Quick Facts

1,004 ft

Price

Varies

Booking

Reservable

Sites

Varies

Season

Year-round

Cell

No Service

Pets

No Pets

Book on Minnesota DNR Official Website

Get Directions

Group Campground

No fees available

Campsite Fees

No paid fee categories listed.

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Minnesota State Parks

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Campground Map

Group Campground

45.3869, -96.5372

Weather at Group Campground

Best Time to Camp at Group Campground

Summer delivers the warmest lakeside camping, with daytime highs typically in the mid-70s to mid-80s°F and cool nights in the 50s to 60s°F. Swimming, boating, and evening naturalist programs run during these months, and the tallgrass prairie is green and active. Holiday weekends fill the campground, so reserve the group site early. Spring brings wildflowers and bird watching, though the water remains cold.

Best

Summer(Jun-Aug)

4.0 / 5

Summer brings warm days, swimming, boating and evening programs per notes.

Planning Tips

About Group Campground

Group Campground sits on the shores of Big Stone Lake in western Minnesota, a small, well-kept park with lakeside sites and close wildlife viewing. The campground features showers, restrooms, a pier, boat launch, and a small beach. Reviewers often have the place to themselves outside holiday weekends.

Weather and SeasonsSummer delivers the warmest lakeside camping, with daytime highs typically in the mid-70s to mid-80s°F and cool nights in the 50s to 60s°F. Swimming, boating, and evening naturalist programs run during these months, and the tallgrass prairie is green and active. Holiday weekends fill the campground, so reserve the group site early. Spring brings wildflowers and bird watching, though the water remains cold.

Natural Features and SceneryThe campground borders 26-mile-long Big Stone Lake, the source of the Minnesota River, with shallow waters reaching 15 feet deep. Several sites sit directly on the lake. The surrounding landscape mixes restored tallgrass prairie, oak savanna woodland, and small wooded areas. Deer, pheasants, turkeys, and birds appear regularly, sometimes close enough for photos. The prairie restoration covers old farm fields, and the small beach offers quick-swim access to the lake's shallow shoreline.

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Policies & Safety

No Potable WaterThis campground does not have potable water on-site. Bring all the water you need for drinking, cooking, and cleaning.

No Cell ServiceCell phone service is not available at this campground. Plan accordingly for emergencies and download offline maps before arriving.

No Flush ToiletsFlush toilets are not available at this campground. Expect vault or pit toilets only.

No Electric HookupsElectric hookups are not available at this campground. RV campers should arrive with a full battery and plan for off-grid power (generator hours/quiet rules permitting).

No Water HookupsSite-level water hookups are not available. RV campers should fill freshwater tanks before arrival; check the No Potable Water note above if applicable for drinking water.

No Dump StationThere is no dump station at this campground. Plan to use a dump station along your route or at a nearby facility before or after your stay.

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Reviews

From Booking Sources

4.6

8 reviews

Top-Rated

Group Campground is top-rated, placing it in the top 15% of campgrounds based on reviews

Campers consistently described Group Campground as a small, scenic, well-kept lakeside park with abundant wildlife and private, well-spaced sites. Facilities include showers, toilets, a pier, boat launch and a small beach, making it ideal for boating, swimming and relaxing around campfires, though there are limited on-site activities if you don't boat.

Review Summaries

Based on 8 reviews

What Campers Love

["Lakeside campsites with several nice sites directly on the lake","Abundant wildlife (deer, pheasants, turkeys and many birds); wildlife may come close","Clean, well-kept campground and...

Based on 8 reviews

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Go if

Boaters and wildlife watchers get the most out of this place. Several sites sit right on the lake, showers and a pier are on-site, and outside holiday weekends you may have the whole campground to yourself.

Skip if

No boat, no interest in swimming? On-site activity runs thin fast. Also worth knowing: the RV section feels tighter than the tent area, and the online reservation system has confused enough campers that some ended up paying via an honor box on arrival.

Nearby Campgrounds

4.6

(8)

Meadowbrook Area Campground

Big Stone Lake State Park

Why let sunset signal the end of your adventure? At Meadowbrook Area Campground, the magic continues long after dark. Set up camp along Big Stone Lake's shoreline, where wooded tent sites offer peaceful privacy, wildlife wanders through at dawn and dusk, and a sandy beach and boat launch keep you connected to the water from sunrise to starlight.

Meadowbrook Campground

Big Stone Lake State Park

Meadowbrook Campground sits on the Minnesota prairie where rolling grassland meets the shore of Big Stone Lake. The campground offers electric hookups, showers, and a dump station, with boat access and fishing drawing most visitors. Lakeside sites deliver spectacular sunsets over the water, though summer weeds in the lake can complicate swimming.

Campgrounds

Big Stone Lake State Park

Group Campground

About Island Park Reservoir

Context for the broader area surrounding Group Campground, sourced from the federal Recreation.gov rec-area record.

Island Park Reservoir which is formed by <A HREF="https://www.usbr.gov/projects/index.php?id=151">Island Park Dam</a> is a major feature of the <A HREF="https://www.usbr.gov/projects/index.php?id=361">Mindoka Project. </a> Recreation on this 11 square mile (7,000-acre) reservoir with 64 miles of shoreline is administered by the <A HREF="http://www.fs.usda.gov/ctnf">Targhee National Forest</a>. Located in the high country of eastern Idaho, north of Idaho Falls. At Island Park Reservoir, fishing season is year-round for rainbow trout, cutthroat trout, coho salmon, yellow perch, and bluegill. The Island Park area offers excellent trout fishing at Island Park Reservoir and along the Henry's Fork,Buffalo River, Warm River, Fall River and Bitch Creek. Reservoir acre feet and total reservoir capacity and cubic feet/second release rates for rivers below <A HREF="http://www.usbr.gov/pn/snakeriver/water/">Upper Snake River Basin</a> reservoirs and select river locations are updated daily and graphically provided. Season open year-round.</a> <A HREF=" http://www.usbr.gov/pn/hydromet/ramps/island/island.html"> Boat ramp elevations.</a>

Directions

Directions: Located immediately west of U.S. 20, between Ashton and Big Springs.

Group Campground

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Go if

Skip if

About Island Park Reservoir

Directions

Plan a trip to Group Campground

Best Time to Camp at Group Campground

Planning Tips

Best Campsites

Reserving a campsite

Need help booking Group Campground?

Policies & Safety

Trip Planning Tools

Questions & answers

Tips from campers

Reviews

What Campers Love

Pro Tips & Recommendations