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

Meadowbrook 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.

What is the best time to visit Meadowbrook Campground?

Meadowbrook Campground is open Primary camping season generally late spring through early fall (check park page for exact dates).. The best time to visit depends on your preferences—summer offers the warmest weather and most activities, while spring and fall provide fewer crowds and milder temperatures. Check current conditions before your trip.

Are there showers at Meadowbrook Campground?

Yes, Meadowbrook Campground has shower facilities available for campers. Check the amenities section for details on hours and any fees.

Can I have a campfire at Meadowbrook Campground?

Fire policies at Meadowbrook Campground: Campfires are part of the camping experience, but visitors must follow park rules and use approved or local firewood to prevent spread of forest pests.. Always check current fire restrictions before your trip, as conditions change seasonally.

Is there cell service at Meadowbrook Campground?

Cell phone service at Meadowbrook Campground is generally available. Cell service is available. Coverage may vary by carrier and exact location within the campground.

Are dogs allowed at Meadowbrook Campground?

Yes, pets are allowed at Meadowbrook Campground. Dogs must typically be kept on a leash (usually 6 feet or shorter) and under control at all times. Be sure to clean up after your pet and check for any breed or size restrictions.

What amenities are available at Meadowbrook Campground?

Meadowbrook Campground offers: Showers, Potable Water, Dump Station, Electrical Hookups, Pets Allowed. See our detailed campground page for the full list of facilities and features.

What activities can I do at Meadowbrook Campground?

Popular activities at Meadowbrook Campground include Hiking, Fishing, Swimming, Boating, Wildlife Viewing. The surrounding area offers plenty of outdoor recreation opportunities for all skill levels.

Meadowbrook Campground

3.64

28 reviews

Summer Destination

Featured in:Boating Camping Minnesota

Real-Time Availability

Select a month, then check for open campsites

Quick Facts

1,017 ft

Price

Varies

Booking

Reservable

Sites

Varies

Season

Primary camping seas...

Cell

Has Service

Pets

Pets Allowed

ElectricShowers

Book on Minnesota State Parks (Minnesota DNR)Official Website

Get Directions

Real-Time Availability

Select a month, then check for open campsites

Quick Facts

1,017 ft

Price

Varies

Booking

Reservable

Sites

Varies

Season

Primary camping seas...

Cell

Has Service

Pets

Pets Allowed

ElectricShowers

Book on Minnesota State Parks (Minnesota DNR)Official Website

Get Directions

Meadowbrook Campground

No fees available

Campsite Fees

Fees vary by site and season; see the Minnesota DNR reservation site for current rates.

No paid fee categories listed.

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Minnesota State Parks

Provider

888-646-6367, 651-296-6157

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Campground Map

Meadowbrook Campground

45.3914, -96.5304

Nearby supplies

Ortonville (nearby town for supplies and basic services).

Weather at Meadowbrook Campground

Best Time to Camp at Meadowbrook Campground

Summer brings the warmest conditions. Daytime highs in the mid-70s to mid-80s, nights in the 50s and 60s. And the busiest boat ramps. Water recreation peaks in July, but so do weeds and mosquitoes. Book early for summer weekends. May, June, and September offer cooler temperatures, clearer water, and fewer crowds, though you'll sacrifice some of the peak heat for swimming. Long daylight hours make wildlife viewing pleasant through the whole summer season.

Best

Fall(Sep-Nov)

4.0 / 5

Likely quieter with good weather and birding; fewer summer nuisances reported.

Planning Tips

Operating Season: Primary camping season generally late spring through early fall (check park page for exact dates).

About Meadowbrook Campground

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.

Reservable drive-in campsites accommodate both tents and RVs; some sites offer electrical hookups and the campground is described as big-rig friendly. Sites are lake-oriented with lakeside loops considered most desirable.

Weather and SeasonsSummer brings the warmest conditions. Daytime highs in the mid-70s to mid-80s, nights in the 50s and 60s. And the busiest boat ramps. Water recreation peaks in July, but so do weeds and mosquitoes. Book early for summer weekends. May, June, and September offer cooler temperatures, clearer water, and fewer crowds, though you'll sacrifice some of the peak heat for swimming. Long daylight hours make wildlife viewing pleasant through the whole summer season.

Natural Features and SceneryThe campground occupies open prairie with scattered shade trees at 1,017 feet elevation, bordered by Big Stone Lake's broad water. White pelicans circle overhead. Deer wander between sites at dawn and dusk. Lakeside spots put you close enough to hear water lapping at the shore. Prairie grassland rolls gently back from the lake, offering long views across both land and water. Summer brings thick aquatic vegetation along parts of the shoreline, occasionally accompanied by algae odors that vary with weather and wind.

Geological RegionPrairie and lakeshore along Big Stone Lake (open prairie with scattered trees bordering the lake).

Scenic ViewsLakefront views and notable sunsets over Big Stone Lake; some sites in the lakeside loop are directly adjacent to the water.

Best Campsites

Curated by campers, for campers

Reveal picks

Reserving a campsite

Tents

Tents are allowed

RV vehicles

RV vehicles are allowed

Primitive

Primitive camping is not allowed

Reservable

Reservations are allowed

Reservation PlatformsMinnesota DNR reservation system (Make a reservation). Typically UseDirect-based.

Best CampsitesLakeside sites in the Meadowbrook loop are the most requested. They sit close to the water with direct sunset views and short walks to the boat launch. Specific site numbers aren't commonly mentioned in reviews, but anything described as lakefront or near-lake will give you the best access and scenery.

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Minnesota State Parks Guide

Booking tips & windows

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Amenities available

Meadowbrook Campground offers reservable drive-in sites with potable water, showers, a sanitary dump station, and electrical hookups on some sites. The park provides basic restrooms and shower facilities; cell service is available from major carriers.

Showers

Potable water

Electricity hookups

Dump station

I manage this campground

RV details

Electric hookups3 of 10 sites (30%)

Activities you can enjoy

Activities center on the lake and prairie setting: boating, fishing, swimming at a designated beach, short prairie/wildlife trails, and birdwatching. Many visitors focus on lakeshore recreation, sunsets, and relaxed wildlife viewing rather than long hikes.

Hiking

Fishing

Swimming

Boating

Wildlife viewing

Planning your trip?Check out our camping packing checklist

Policies & Safety

Hazards & AlertsHeavy aquatic vegetation and washed-up organic material can make parts of the beach and nearshore water unpleasant for swimming and may produce strong odors at times. Visitor reports note variable facility maintenance and occasional noise issues; check recent conditions before arrival.

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

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.

Trip Planning Tools

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Questions & answers

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Reviews

From Booking Sources

3.6

28 reviews

Mixed Reviews

Meadowbrook Campground has mixed reviews, placing it in the bottom 85% of campgrounds based on reviews

Visitors commonly praise lake views, sunsets, wildlife (deer, pelicans), and convenient access to boating and the lake. Complaints focus on variable beach/water conditions (weeds and occasional odors), inconsistent facility cleanliness, and occasional noise/enforcement issues.

Review Summaries

Based on 28 reviews

What Campers Love

Beautiful sunsets and lakeside sites; plentiful birdlife and wildlife viewing; convenient layout with easy lake access, boat launch/pier, and proximity to Ortonville for supplies.

Based on 28 reviews

Pro Tips & Recommendations

Request a lakeside site for the best views; check recent reports for beach/water conditions before planning swimming; bring supplies from Ortonville if needed and consider earplugs if sensitive to...

Based on 28 reviews

Camper Quotes

“The sites are well spaced and private.” — Google reviewer; “Great to relax and have a campfire and to cook over the campfire.” — Google reviewer; “We thoroughly enjoyed our stay. We will return for...

Based on 28 reviews

Outdoorithm Community

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Go if

Boaters and anglers who want a lakeside electric site with easy water access. Request a spot in the lakefront loop, bring your rod, and plan around the sunsets. Fall weekends are quieter with fewer mosquitoes and cleaner water than July.

Skip if

Swimmers counting on that beach will find heavy aquatic vegetation and occasional odors make it unreliable. Inconsistent restroom and shower cleanliness is a recurring complaint, so if spotless facilities are your baseline, check recent reviews before booking.

Nearby Campgrounds

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Big Stone Lake State Park

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.

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.

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Grass Lake main loop sits at the lakefront in Maplewood State Park, where Minnesota's prairie and woodland hills meet a chain of quiet fishing lakes. Sites are large, grassy, and many back directly onto Grass Lake with quick shore access. Electric hookups are available, showers and flush toilets are on-site, and the park rents boats and loans fishing gear free of charge.

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Group Campground sits in Glacial Lakes State Park, where rolling glacial hills drop into native prairie around spring-fed Signalness Lake. The park requires reservations for all sites. Visitors praise the well-maintained campsites and trails, though reviews mention basic pit toilets and inconsistent office hours.

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Sunrise Campground sits on the east side of Lake Shetek, a large shallow prairie lake in southwestern Minnesota. The loop offers large, level sites with full hookups designed for big RVs, most with partial lake views. Reviewers praise the spacious layout and excellent maintenance, though trees are still young and shade is limited. Evening naturalist programs and moonlit walks along the shoreline round out the traditional campfire experience.

Grass Lake Campground: Hollow Loop

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Hollow Loop sits on Grass Lake in Maplewood State Park's rolling woodland-prairie hills near Pelican Rapids. The campground offers RV and primitive sites with electric hookups, showers, and flush toilets. Loon calls echo across the water at night, and spacious lakefront sites give direct access to fishing, paddling, and park hiking trails.

Campgrounds

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Meadowbrook Campground

About Island Park Reservoir

Context for the broader area surrounding Meadowbrook 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.