Camping
Washington County offers two beautiful campgrounds for a relaxing getaway located within Lake Elmo Park Reserve and St. Croix Bluffs Regional Park.
Find a campsite that suits your needs, from sites with electric and water hook-ups, to group sites, to rustic hike-in sites. Enjoy all the other amenities the parks have to offer, including hiking, fishing, boating, and more.
2024 Campground Season
The 2024 campground season will tentatively open in late April 2024. Check back often for specific dates.
The 2023 campground season closed October 23, 2023.
Washington County Campgrounds are closed annually between the end of October to the end of April.
Reserve a Campground
Book a site online or call the Parks office at 651-430-8370.
Camp Hosts
Washington County Parks welcomes camp hosts in the campgrounds at Lake Elmo Park Reserve and St. Croix Bluffs Regional Park.
Camp hosts are volunteers who live in the campground, in their own camping unit, for a portion of the summer. In exchange for a free campsite, they are responsible for providing information to campers, registering campers in the spring and fall, cleaning restrooms as necessary (between staff cleanings), and other related tasks.
If you are interested in being a camp host, read on for more information and the online application.
Group Campground Features
- Three sites available for groups of up to 50 people
- Wheeled cart available for check-out at park office
- Group Site #2 includes a small picnic shelter
- Picnic table and fire ring/grill provided at each site
- Vault or portable toilets available
- One-day reservations allowed
- Pets are not allowed
Hike-In Campground Features
- Five hike-in tent sites - one tent per site
- Hiking distance from parking lot is approximately 100 to 300 yards
- Wheeled cart available for check-out at park office with a refundable deposit
- Modern bathrooms and water available at the Nordic Center
- Pets are not allowed
Modern Campground Features
- Eighty campsites, suited for tents, trailers, or motor homes - most sites are back-in
- Sites 1-58 have 20/30/50 amp with water. Site 59 is 50 amp only (no water).
- Sites 60-80 are 20/30 amp
- Camp Host/Work Camper sites include sewer hookup
- Picnic table and fire ring/grill provided at each site
- Modern bathroom facilities with flush toilets and hot showers
- Trailer/RV dump station
- Play area
- Handicap accessible
- One camping unit per site
- Pets are not allowed
The entrance gate closes at 10 p.m. A gate code is required for after hour entry, available from the park office.
Rustic Campground Features
- Twenty spacious non-electric back-in sites - one camping unit per site
- Picnic table and fire ring/grill provided at each site
- Horses allowed at each campsite
- Portable toilets available
- Pets are not allowed
The entrance gate closes at 10 p.m. A gate code is required for after hour entry, available from the park office.
Group Campground Features
- Group Site 1 is adjacent to the modern campground, accommodates up to 30 people
- Birch Hollow Group Site includes a picnic shelter, electricity, water, and a portable toilet, accommodating up to 20 people
- Pets are not allowed
Modern Campground Features
- 26 pull-through campsites with water and 20/30/50 amp electric hook-ups
- Camp Host/Work Camper sites include sewer hookup
- 36 back-in campsite with 20 or 30 amp electric hookups, #1-36, Sites 1, 2, 4, 6, 22 - 24, and 31, 34 are 20 amp only
- 11 tent-only sites without electricity - sites 37 - 47 are tent-only sites without electricity
- Handicap accessible. Sites include handicapped picnic table and raised fire ring
- Picnic table and fire ring at each site
- Modern bathroom with flush toilets and private hot shower rooms
- Trailer/RV dump station
- Children's play area
- Pets are not allowed
The entrance gate closes at 10 p.m. A gate code is required for after hour entry, available from the park office.
Campground Policies and Rules
- All campers must register at the Park Office.
- Washington County Parks vehicle permits are required on all vehicles entering the park. Daily Permit: $7/Annual Permit: $30
- No alcohol or pets, with the exception of service animals.
- Quiet Hours: 10 p.m. - 8 a.m.
- Check In: 3 p.m. Check Out: 1 p.m.
- Maximum of 8 people per site (except Group Camp sites)
- To extend your stay, re-register at the Park Office by 11 a.m.
- Only one camping unit (tent or camper) and one vehicle is allowed per site (except Group Camp sites). One additional tent may be allowed for minor children under age 18.
- Campers younger than 18 years of age must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.
- Only approved firewood is allowed in Washington County Parks (examples: wood sold at the park, bought from a Minnesota Department of Natural Resources approved vendor within Washington County, or kiln-dried, untreated, unpainted lumber free of metal and other foreign objects. No pallet wood).
- Park gates close overnight. Registered campers may obtain a gate code from the Park Office for after-hours access.
- Weekends: 2-night minimum stay requirement (Friday and Saturday nights)
- Holidays: 3-night minimum stay
- 14-day maximum camping limit in any 30-day period at any Washington County Parks Campground.
- Cancellations must be made 3 days prior to the reservation start date to receive a refund (the $8 reservation fee is non-refundable)
- Washington County reserves the right to move campers to different sites than requested due to unforeseen circumstances.
- Washington County Ordinance #213 (PDF) governs activities in County Parks. A copy is available to review in the Park Office
- Campground Policies and Rules (PDF)
SITE TYPE | PRICE |
---|---|
Rustic Campsite (no electrical hookup) | $23 per night |
20 or 30 amp Campsite | $29 per night |
50 amp Campsite with water | $37 per night |
50 amp Campsite with water and sewer | $43 per night |
Standard Group Campsite | $65 per night |
Group Campsite with shelter (Lake Elmo Site 2) | $80 per night |
Group Campsite with shelter & electricity (Birch Hollow) | $88 per night |
Hike-In Campsite | $23 per night |
Reservation Fee (per site, non-refundable) | $8 |
Dump Station (included with camping reservation) | $15 |
Cancellations for campsites must be made at least 3 days prior to the reservation start date to receive a refund. The reservation fee is non-refundable.
Log in to the online reservation system to modify or cancel a reservation. Call a park office if you need any assistance.
Refunds are not given due to weather.
Contact Parks
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Washington County Parks
A division of the Public Works Department
Phone: 651-430-4300
Email StaffLake Elmo Campground
1515 Keats Avenue North
Lake Elmo, MN 55042
Map
Phone: 651-430-8370St. Croix Bluffs Campground
10191 St. Croix Trail South
Hastings, MN 55033
Map
Phone: 651-430-8240