Is Camper Cabins Campground first-come first-served or reservation?

Camper Cabins 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.

Can I see photos of campsites at Camper Cabins Campground before I book?

Yes! Camper Cabins Campground has 6 campsite photos on Outdoorithm, contributed by campers who've stayed there. Browse real photos of individual sites to see what to expect before you reserve. You can also add your own photos after your trip to help the next family plan theirs.

Are there showers at Camper Cabins Campground?

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

Are dogs allowed at Camper Cabins Campground?

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

Camper Cabins Campground

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Quick Facts

1,050 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

1,050 ft

Price

Varies

Booking

Reservable

Sites

Varies

Season

Year-round

Cell

No Service

Pets

No Pets

Book on Minnesota DNR Official Website

Get Directions

Camper Cabins Campground

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Campground Map

Camper Cabins Campground

45.3224, -93.9514

Weather at Camper Cabins Campground

Best Time to Camp at Camper Cabins Campground

Summer brings the warmest weather, with daytime highs in the mid-70s to mid-80s°F and nights cooling to the 50s and 60s°F. Long daylight and generally dry conditions are ideal for campfires and trail exploration, though mosquitoes can be heavy and afternoon thunderstorms pop up occasionally. Fall is popular for hardwood color and cooler hiking temps, but expect crowded parking on peak weekends. Winter is highly recommended for the hike-in cabins: reviewers describe quiet, snowy forests, good cross-country skiing, and cozy wood-stove warmth. Spring is less documented but likely offers shoulder-season hiking with variable trail conditions and fewer bugs early on.

Best

Fall(Sep-Nov)

4.0 / 5

Noted as beautiful in fall with strong foliage and scenic views.

Planning Tips

About Camper Cabins Campground

Camper Cabins Campground sits in Lake Maria State Park, a wooded retreat about an hour northwest of the Twin Cities near Monticello. The camper cabins are hike-in only, roughly three-quarters of a mile to 1.5 miles from parking, giving them a remote feel without a long trek. The park is known for more than 40 miles of hiking and horse trails threading through hardwood forest, ponds, and marshes.

Weather and SeasonsSummer brings the warmest weather, with daytime highs in the mid-70s to mid-80s°F and nights cooling to the 50s and 60s°F. Long daylight and generally dry conditions are ideal for campfires and trail exploration, though mosquitoes can be heavy and afternoon thunderstorms pop up occasionally. Fall is popular for hardwood color and cooler hiking temps, but expect crowded parking on peak weekends. Winter is highly recommended for the hike-in cabins: reviewers describe quiet, snowy forests, good cross-country skiing, and cozy wood-stove warmth. Spring is less documented but likely offers shoulder-season hiking with variable trail conditions and fewer bugs early on.

Natural Features and SceneryThe campground is surrounded by old-growth hardwood forest with scenic ponds and marshes visible from trails and some backpack sites. Backpacking site B13 and other sites overlook wetlands and small lakes, offering quiet water views and tranquil settings. The forest transitions beautifully in fall, and loons calling at night and cranes flying over the marshes are regular nighttime sounds. Snow blankets the woods and trails in winter, creating a peaceful winter-wonderland vibe on the hike in. Elevation is modest at 1,050 feet, typical of central Minnesota's gently rolling terrain.

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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

0.0

0 reviews

Limited Reviews

Camper Cabins Campground has limited reviews, placing it in the bottom % of campgrounds based on reviews

Reviewers are overwhelmingly positive about Camper Cabins Campground, praising extensive, well-marked hiking trails, wooded scenery, lakes/ponds and abundant wildlife. Guests highlight the campground's seclusion and suitability for day hikes, backpacking and rustic cabin stays, while noting that facilities are limited compared with larger parks.

Review Summaries

What Campers Love

["Extensive trail system (multiple reviewers note long hikes; one mentions 40+ miles of trails)","Beautiful hardwood/old-growth forest, scenic ponds and lakes with great fall foliage","Good for...

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Go if

Hikers and light backpackers who want a remote feel without a brutal trek. The cabins sit 0.75 to 1.5 miles from the parking lot, trail access is 40-plus miles, and site B13 overlooks wetlands. Buy the park pass online before you arrive.

Skip if

Pets can't come, and the cabins are genuinely rustic, no hookups, scarce bathrooms, no potable water on-site. At least one reviewer reported gunshots from nearby landowners running late into the night, so light sleepers should factor that in.

Nearby Campgrounds

11411 Clementa Ave NW, Monticello, MN 55362

When the sun dips below the horizon at Lake Maria State Park, your adventure is just beginning. Gather around a crackling campfire, join evening naturalist programs, or wander beneath a canopy of stars on moonlit trails. Reserve your group campsite in advance through the Minnesota State Parks system to secure your spot in this peaceful woodland retreat.

Backpack Campsites Campground

Lake Maria State Park

Backpack Campsites at Lake Maria State Park offers some of the most secluded hike-in camping within easy reach of the Twin Cities. The park protects a rare stand of Big Woods maple-basswood forest around glacial kettles and small lakes, with a network of 40+ miles of trails threading through rolling hardwood terrain. Backpack sites sit on peninsulas and shorelines, spaced far enough apart that many campers report feeling like the only people in the park.

11411 Clementa Ave NW, Monticello, MN 55362

Lake Maria State Park's backpack campsites scatter along quiet lakes and ponds, each reached by a hike of half a mile to two miles from the trailhead. The eight rustic sites run $8–10 per night and offer real solitude: picnic table, fire ring, tent pad, and vault toilet at each spot, with nothing but woods and water in between. You'll share some trails with horses, but the sites themselves feel remote.

Tents

Primitive

Reservable

$8.00 - $10.00 / night

0.0

(5)

Camper Cabins

11411 Clementa Ave NW, Monticello, MN 55362

Lake Maria State Park's Camper Cabins sit a quarter- to three-quarter-mile hike from parking, trading electricity and running water for quiet forest isolation. Each cabin sleeps four and requires visitors to pack in their own water and supplies. The park handles reservations through the Minnesota state park system, though some visitors report unclear booking instructions.

Sand Dunes Sfra Campground

Lake Maria State Park

Sand Dunes SFRA Campground sits on the wooded shore of Ann Lake, 34 sites spread across an unexpected landscape of rolling sand dunes, oak savanna, and pine plantations. The setting feels rustic and secluded despite being near the metro, with a sandy swimming beach and trail access to the adjacent Uncas Dunes Scientific and Natural Area. Amenities are primitive: vault toilets, no showers, no hookups.

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0.0

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Camper Cabins Campground

Glacial Lakes State Park

Camper Cabins Campground sits at Glacial Lakes State Park, five miles south of Starbuck, Minnesota, at 1,217 feet elevation. The park preserves rolling glacial terrain and prairie where visitors can rent one of four year-round cabins (Kettle, Kame, Esker, and Glacial Erratic) located about 100 feet from Signalness Lake with partial water views and shade from oak trees. Midweek stays are noticeably quieter than summer weekends.

Equestrian - Horse Required Campground

Mille Lacs Kathio State Park

This dedicated equestrian campground sits within Mille Lacs Kathio State Park at 1,296 feet elevation, requiring horses for all campers. Reviews consistently describe the layout as more parking lot than traditional campground. Wide-open sites with minimal shade, grass, or spacing between neighbors. Fall brings the best riding conditions, with daytime highs of 45–65°F and vibrant hardwood color across the park's rolling terrain.

Sakatah Lake State Park

Bike-in Campground sits in a densely wooded pocket of Sakatah Lake State Park, where hardwood forest and oak barrens meet the shores of a glacial lake. The park offers direct access to the 39-mile paved Sakatah Singing Hills State Trail (a former rail line), making it popular with touring cyclists and paddlers. Reviewers call sites well-sized and decently spread apart for a state park, with one shower house serving roughly 65 sites.

Walk In Campsites Campground

Nerstrand Big Woods State Park

Walk in Campsites Campground sits under the canopy of Nerstrand Big Woods State Park, one of Minnesota's last intact maple-basswood-oak hardwood forests. Sites are spacious and tree-lined, offering more privacy than typical state-park loops. Electric sites include water hookups; all sites have cooking grates and access to drinking-water taps throughout the campground.

Backpack Campsites Campground

Lake Maria State Park

Reservable

0.821 km

No fees available

Campgrounds

Lake Maria State Park

Camper Cabins Campground

About Merritt Reservoir

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

<A HREF="http://www.usbr.gov/projects/Facility.jsp?fac_Name=Merritt+Dam">Merritt Dam</a>, a feature of the <A HREF="http://www.usbr.gov/projects/Project.jsp?proj_Name=Ainsworth Unit Project">Ainsworth Unit, Pick-Sloan Missouri Basin Program</a>, is on the Snake River 14 miles upstream from the confluence of the Snake and Niobrara Rivers. Recreation is managed by Nebraska Game and Parks. Reservoir open 24 hours. Good access roads. Available species include walleye, muskie, largemouth bass, crappie, and yellow perch. Irrigation supply reservoir experiencing moderate fluctuations. THe reservoir peaks has 2,906 water surface acres, 6,147 land acres and 44 miles of shoreline. Fishing season is year-round. <a href="http://www.usbr.gov/gp-bin/arcweb_mrne.pl">Current reservoir levels.</a>

Directions

Located 21 miles southwest of Valentine, Nebraska. Nearest highway is Nebraska 97.

Camper Cabins Campground

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About Merritt Reservoir

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Plan a trip to Camper Cabins Campground

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