Campgrounds and RV parks near Lonsdale, MN

Lonsdale sits in Rice County in southern Minnesota, roughly 40 miles south of the Minneapolis-Saint Paul metro and a short drive from Faribault and Northfield. The area is farm country dotted with recreational lakes, making it a practical base for RV travelers who want quiet rural sites within an hour of the Twin Cities. Most campgrounds near Lonsdale cluster around Faribault and the Cannon River corridor. Winjums Shady Acres Resort and Roberds Lake Resort and Campgrounds both sit on Roberds Lake, a well-known fishing and recreation lake west of Faribault. Camp Faribo is a family-oriented RV park just outside Faribault, and Camp Maiden Rock West spreads across tree-lined meadows along the Cannon River near Morristown. Fish Lake Acres Campground, north toward Prior Lake, offers full-hookup lakeside sites closer to the metro. Sakatah Lake State Park lies within easy reach and connects to the Sakatah Singing Hills State Trail, a paved rail-trail popular with cyclists and walkers staying at nearby private campgrounds.

Private campgrounds around Lonsdale generally accept direct reservations by phone or through their websites. Roberds Lake Resort and Campgrounds, Winjums Shady Acres Resort, Camp Faribo, and Camp Maiden Rock West all take bookings directly. Some sites also list availability through third-party platforms such as Hipcamp and RoverPass. For summer weekends, book six to eight weeks ahead, and earlier for lakefront or full-hookup sites. Holiday weekends often require multi-night minimums and fill months in advance. Seasonal sites make up a meaningful share of inventory at several properties, so nightly availability can be thin. For nearby state park camping, including Sakatah Lake State Park and Nerstrand Big Woods State Park, reservations go through the Minnesota DNR ReserveMN system, which opens sites up to 120 days in advance of the arrival date.