Campgrounds and RV parks near Hampton, MN

The Cannon Valley Trail runs about 20 miles between Cannon Falls and Red Wing on a former rail bed and is a popular ride for RV families based at Cannon Falls Campground. Lake Byllesby offers a summer swim beach and paddling, and the Cannon River supports tubing and canoeing put-ins within a short drive. Nerstrand Big Woods State Park is known for spring wildflowers, mature hardwoods, and Hidden Falls on Prairie Creek, with hiking trails winding through the remnant Big Woods. Shades of Sherwood Campground sits along the Zumbro River and runs tubing and themed weekends during the summer season. Mississippi River bluff drives, the historic Zumbrota covered bridge, and Treasure Island Resort and Casino in Welch add rainy-day and evening options.

The core camping season in southeastern Minnesota runs from mid-April through mid-October. Many private parks in the area, including Tresure Island RV Park, which operates roughly April through early November, follow a similar window, so early spring and late fall trips are limited to state parks and a small number of year-round private sites. Late May through August is peak season. Summer weekends, holidays, and any dates aligned with Twin Cities or Rochester events fill quickly at both private RV parks and Minnesota state parks. Book well ahead if travel is tied to a specific weekend. September and early October bring fall color across the Big Woods and Cannon River Valley, cooler nights, and lighter crowds, and are widely considered the best window for a quieter RV trip. Nerstrand Big Woods State Park stays technically open year-round, but only a small share of sites remain available in winter, and water and dump stations are shut off from late fall through spring.

Private RV parks in the area lean toward family recreation. Cannon Falls Campground offers grassy sites with full and partial hookups, laundry, a camp store, and weekend activities. Shades of Sherwood Campground sits along the Zumbro River with water play features and cabins alongside RV sites. Nerstrand Big Woods State Park has 51 drive-in sites, 27 of them with 30-amp electric, plus walk-in and group sites. Most pads accept rigs up to about 60 feet, though interior roads are narrow with tight turns and low branches, so larger rigs should check site descriptions carefully. A dump station and showers operate seasonally. Tresure Island RV Park in Welch is essentially a paved and gravel lot with roughly 94 full-hookup pads, laundry, showers, and a free shuttle to the casino resort. Cell coverage is generally strong along US-52 and weaker inside the state park.