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Camping Close To The Metro at Lebanon Hills Campground

We had the chance to catch up with Doug of Lebanon Hills Campground in Apple Valley. He shared their great camping opportunities close the the Twin Cities, popular activities in the park and what campsite he would choose for the weekend.


Doug’s Favorite Thing To Do In The Park
Hike around the trails in the west section of Lebanon Hills Park. They are great hiking trails with a north woods feel.

Doug’s Favorite Campsite
Site #82 in the East Loop of the campground. It is very secluded and has that North woods state park feel. There are many other sites that have this same feel in the East loop, but this is my favorite.

Get To Know Lebanon Hills Campground

When was Lebanon Hills Campground founded? How did it start?
Lebanon Hills Campground is part of the Dakota County Park System. It opened to the public in 1985.

What are the most popular activities in the campground?
The Campground is part of Lebanon Hills Regional Park. The most popular activities in the park for campers are usually hiking, picnicking, geocaching and biking. Heading over to the Lebanon Hills Visitor Center and renting stand up paddleboards/canoes/kayaks is also very popular.

Where is Lebanon Hills Campground located? What are some other attractions in the area worth checking out?
Lebanon Hills Campground is located in Apple Valley. MN. It is part of Lebanon Hills Regional Park. Other Area Attractions worth checking out that are close to the campground are the Minnesota Zoo, Apple Valley Aquatic Center and Cascade Bay Water Park in Eagan. The Mall of America is also a popular destination for campground guests.

Which one of the attractions is your favorite?
I really like to go to the Minnesota Zoo. It is a great zoo and great trip for families.

What are the campsites like? Are they more open or secluded?
There are 93 total sites in the campground, 58 Full Hook-up(Water/Sewer/Electric) Sites, 24 Electric only sites and 11 primitive sites(No hook-up). The Full Hook-up sites are located in a more open portion of the campground. The Electric Only and primitive sites are in more secluded areas of the campground with vegetative buffers and screening around the sites.

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