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

Group Camp 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 Camp?

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

Can I have a campfire at Group Camp?

Fire policies at Group Camp: Use approved or local firewood only. Light fires only within provided fire rings and charcoal grills; do not leave fires unattended and fully extinguish fires before leaving. Follow posted park fire rules.. Always check current fire restrictions before your trip, as conditions change seasonally.

Are dogs allowed at Group Camp?

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

What amenities are available at Group Camp?

Group Camp offers: Restrooms. See our detailed campground page for the full list of facilities and features.

What activities can I do at Group Camp?

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

Group Camp

3.64

14 reviews

Group Camp

Summer Destination

Featured in:Spring Camping Minnesota

Real-Time Availability

Select a month, then check for open campsites

Quick Facts

Price

Varies

Booking

Reservable

Sites

Varies

Season

Year-round

Cell

No Service

Pets

No Pets

Book on Minnesota Department of Natural Resources — Minnesota State Parks Official Website

Real-Time Availability

Select a month, then check for open campsites

Quick Facts

Price

Varies

Booking

Reservable

Sites

Varies

Season

Year-round

Cell

No Service

Pets

No Pets

Book on Minnesota Department of Natural Resources — Minnesota State Parks Official Website

Group Camp

No fees available

Campsite Fees

Reservations are required for all campsites. Online reservations can be made up to 120 days in advance. A non-refundable reservation fee is charged...

No paid fee categories listed.

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Minnesota State Parks

Provider

888-646-6367, 651-296-6157

I manage this campground

Plan a trip to Group Camp

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Campground Map

Group Camp

No map location available

Weather at Group Camp

Best Time to Camp at Group Camp

Summer brings the park to life with perfect conditions for swimming, paddling, and exploring miles of hiking trails—though you'll find the sweet spot in late spring and early fall when the weather stays pleasant but the bugs take a break. While winter transforms the park into a snowy playground for cross-country skiing and snowshoeing, the group camp's rustic setup makes it ideal for fair-weather camping when you can fully enjoy those long evenings around the campfire.

Best

Summer(Jun-Aug)

4.0 / 5

Summer is peak: trails, lake access and naturalist programs operate reliably.

Planning Tips

About Group Camp

Escape to your own corner of Lake Bronson State Park, where the Group Camp offers organized groups a private retreat along the peaceful south shore. Surrounded by woods and water, you'll find everything you need for a memorable group adventure—a shared shelter, basic amenities, and plenty of space to spread out under the stars.

A reservable group campground with a large shelter and kitchen; sanitation is primitive (hand pump and outhouses).

Historical Significance

Lake Bronson State Park includes Works Progress Administration–era features and landscape improvements; park history and local heritage are highlighted at the park and the nearby town museum.

Weather and SeasonsSummer brings the park to life with perfect conditions for swimming, paddling, and exploring miles of hiking trails—though you'll find the sweet spot in late spring and early fall when the weather stays pleasant but the bugs take a break. While winter transforms the park into a snowy playground for cross-country skiing and snowshoeing, the group camp's rustic setup makes it ideal for fair-weather camping when you can fully enjoy those long evenings around the campfire.

Natural Features and SceneryNestled where Minnesota's prairies meet northern forests, Lake Bronson creates a unique landscape of contrasts. The group camp sits at the edge of this beautiful transition zone, where mixed hardwood groves and stately oaks frame views of the lake's wooded shoreline. Between the rustling leaves and lapping water, you'll discover a surprisingly secluded atmosphere perfect for disconnecting from the everyday. Keep your eyes open for the diverse wildlife that calls this quiet corner of the park home.

Geological RegionPrairie–forest transition zone (mixed hardwoods and groves of oak around Lake Bronson)

Scenic ViewsWestern lake views and sunsets are valued in the park; the historic WPA observation tower elsewhere in the park provides elevated panoramic views of the lake and surrounding landscape.

Best Campsites

Curated by campers, for campers

Reveal picks

Reserving a campsite

Tents

Tents are not allowed

RV vehicles

RV vehicles are not allowed

Primitive

Primitive camping is allowed

Reservable

Reservations are allowed

Reservation PlatformsState parks reservation system — call center (866-857-2757) or web reservations through the Minnesota State Parks reservation site (online booking available; see park reservation page).

Cancellation PolicyA non-refundable reservation fee is charged for each advance reservation; full cancellation/refund details available on the state parks reservation site.

Best CampsitesThe group camp is noted for a large open layout that can accommodate sizable groups (reportedly accommodating groups of two dozen comfortably) and includes a common shelter for meals and gatherings. Specific individual site recommendations for the group area are not documented.

Need help booking Group Camp?

Reservation tips, booking windows, and free cancellation alerts.

Minnesota State Parks Guide

Booking tips & windows

When to Book

Find your booking window

Cancellation Alerts

Free alerts for this campground

Amenities available

Group camp area includes a large shelter with a kitchen, a hand pump water source, and outhouse/vault toilets. The park (outside the group camp) has a sandy beach, boat access and shower buildings in the main campground.

Vault toilets

Group Sites

I manage this campground

Activities you can enjoy

Lake Bronson State Park offers lake-based and land-based recreation. The park features trails, lake access with a beach and boat access, and opportunities for wildlife viewing and stargazing.

Hiking

Fishing

Swimming

Biking

Boating

Wildlife viewing

Planning your trip?Check out our camping packing checklist

Policies & Safety

Hazards & AlertsMosquitoes can be severe in some summers; poison ivy occurs along trails and near campsites. Bears and other wildlife are present—secure food and follow bear-aware practices. At times visitors have reported harmful algal blooms in the lake; obey posted water-safety and swim-area advisories.

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.

Trip Planning Tools

Set an AlertGet notified when sites open up Check WeatherHistorical weather data Gear for This TripMatched gear recommendations Packing ListCustomizable checklist

Questions & answers

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Tips from campers

Short heads-ups about the road in, gear quirks, timing, and more. You don't have to have been here to share what you know.

Reviews

From Booking Sources

3.6

14 reviews

Mixed Reviews

Group Camp has mixed reviews, placing it in the bottom 85% of campgrounds based on reviews

Visitors praise the park's scenic, quiet setting, well-kept grounds, good trails, sandy beach and excellent stargazing. The group camp is described as spacious with a shelter and kitchen and able to accommodate large groups; common complaints center on primitive sanitation at the group camp and mixed condition of bathhouse facilities elsewhere in the park.

Review Summaries

Based on 14 reviews

What Campers Love

Scenic lakeside setting and quiet, secluded group area; large shelter with kitchen suitable for groups; strong hiking and biking trails; sandy beach and good opportunities for fishing and stargazing;...

Based on 14 reviews

Pro Tips & Recommendations

Bring insect repellent and bear-aware food storage; expect primitive sanitation (hand pump, outhouses) and plan to drive to the main campground for showers if needed; check lake conditions for algae...

Based on 14 reviews

Camper Quotes

"Easily accommodated our group of 24 with plenty of space to spare." "Very pretty and peaceful; great trails and lake access." "Bathhouse fixtures in need of repair."

Based on 14 reviews

Outdoorithm Community

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Go if

Groups of scouts, church camps, or family reunions who can handle outhouse sanitation will find the large shelter with kitchen genuinely useful, and reviewers confirm the south shore location is quiet and dark enough for serious stargazing.

Skip if

Showers are a dealbreaker here, the group camp has none, and reviewers warn the main campground bathhouse is often in poor shape, so anyone expecting a clean hot shower after a sweaty summer day should book somewhere else. Mosquitoes can be brutal; pack serious repellent.

Campgrounds

Lake Bronson State Park

Group Camp

About Kirwin Reservoir

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

Kirwin National Wildlife Refuge (NWR), the first national wildlife refuge in Kansas, was established in 1954 as an overlay project on a Bureau of Reclamation irrigation and flood control reservoir. <A HREF="https://www.usbr.gov/projects/index.php?id=108">Kirwin Dam</A> and Reservoir are features of the <A HREF="https://www.usbr.gov/projects/index.php?id=471t">Kirwin Unit, P-SMBP</A>. Reclamation owns the land and controls reservoir water levels while the Refuge staff from the Fish and Wildlife Service manages all other activities on the land and water. The reservoir is fed by the North Fork of the Solomon River and Bow Creek. Both are intermittent streams, which means they may dry up in periods of low precipitation. The reservoir and refuge are open 24 hours. Good access roads. Available species of fish include crappie, walleye, wipers, largemouth and smallmouth bass, channel and flathead catfish, and freshwater drum. Fishing is year round. <a href="http://www.usbr.gov/gp-bin/arcweb_kwks.pl">Current Reservoir Level.</a>

Directions

Site is 4 miles west and 1 mile south of Kirwin, KS or 11 miles southeast of Phillipsburg, Kansas. Nearest highway is State Highway 9.