In Minnesota’s lake country, fall color doesn’t just surround the campground. Around Alexandria, it can reflect across the water, follow you down the bike trail and become the backdrop for an entire weekend.
There are places where you go to see fall color.
Then there are places where the color seems to show up twice.
That’s one of the things that makes fall camping around Alexandria, Minnesota so different.
The reds, oranges and yellows aren’t limited to the woods. They can reflect across the lakes, surround miles of bike trails, fill the rolling countryside and become the view outside your camper in the morning.
And Alexandria gives you considerably more to do than simply drive around looking at leaves.
This article is part of Hilltop Camper & RV’s The Best Camping Season in Minnesota is Yet To Come celebration — our guide to getting out and enjoying the Minnesota camping season that’s happening right now.
When you’re deciding where to stay, start with Hilltop’s Ultimate Minnesota RV Camping Guide. We’ve researched 75 RV-friendly Minnesota campgrounds, including Lake Carlos State Park and Chippewa Park in the Alexandria area, so you can compare hookups, RV friendliness, activities, scenery and campground fit.
Alexandria sits in a transition zone where hardwood forests meet the landscapes of west-central Minnesota. Maples, oak, birch, aspen, basswood, walnut, cedar and tamarack can all contribute to the area’s fall palette.
Explore Alexandria notes that the area’s strongest color historically tends to develop during the latter part of September into early October, although Mother Nature ultimately controls the schedule.
The best strategy is simple: check the Minnesota DNR Fall Color Finder as your trip approaches, then use Hilltop’s Minnesota Campground Guide to decide where you want to stay.
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Color on the Water
Calm fall mornings can turn a colorful shoreline into a reflection across the lake. |
Great Trail Weather
Cooler temperatures make hiking and biking the area’s miles of trails especially appealing. |
A Busy Fall Calendar
Orchards, cycling, local festivals and other fall activities can turn the campsite into a base camp for the weekend. |
Different trees change at different times. Sumac can turn early, maples follow, and other hardwoods keep the show going. Camp while the colors are starting, camp during peak, then come back when leaves cover the trails.
Explore all 75 campgrounds in Hilltop’s Minnesota Campground Guide →
1. Lake Carlos State Park: Start With 14+ Miles of Fall Trails
It’s difficult to talk about fall camping around Alexandria without starting at Lake Carlos State Park.
The park combines Lake Carlos with maple-basswood forest, wetlands, prairie and rolling glacial terrain — exactly the kind of landscape that becomes especially interesting once fall begins.
Explore Alexandria’s fall-color guide says Lake Carlos has more than 14 miles of hiking trails, including one trail that stands out in autumn:
Maples, basswoods and aspens make this one of the park’s standout fall-color hikes. Explore Alexandria also points to the eastern Forestry Trail for concentrations of sugar maples that can make the woods glow yellow and orange when sunlight reaches the leaves.
The Hidden Lake Trail provides another fall perspective, including views back toward Lake Carlos and sections of changing hardwood forest.
And then there’s the lake itself.
Explore Alexandria recommends getting out on the water for a completely different view of the changing shoreline. On a calm morning, that can mean fall color above the shoreline and another version reflected below it.
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Lower Campground
Closer to Lake Carlos with easier access to the water. Hilltop’s campground research lists 75 sites here, including 59 electric sites. |
Upper Campground
More wooded and secluded. Hilltop’s campground research lists 47 sites, including 22 electric sites. |
That’s 81 electric sites between the two campgrounds, and Hilltop’s guide also notes an officially published 50-foot RV length limit.
See Lake Carlos’ RV details, campground considerations and comparison ratings in Hilltop’s Minnesota Campground Guide.
Take a quick look at some of the fall scenery around the Alexandria Lakes Area.
2. Around Alexandria, the Lake Becomes Part of the Fall Color
One of Alexandria’s biggest advantages in autumn becomes obvious the moment you get near the water.
The region has hundreds of lakes, and Explore Alexandria specifically recommends the city’s large Chain of Lakes for fall viewing.
That chain includes Lake Carlos, Lake Darling, Lake Le Homme Dieu, Lake Geneva and Lake Victoria.
Calm water, cool air, a little fog and the changing shoreline reflected on the lake can create a completely different Alexandria experience than you’d get during the middle of a busy summer afternoon.
There is also a smaller connected chain west of Alexandria — including Lake Brophy, North Union, Stony, Taylor and Cowdry — that Explore Alexandria has highlighted for canoeing and kayaking among the fall colors.
3. Fall Fishing Gives You Another Reason to Camp Near the Water
For anglers, Alexandria’s fall scenery is only part of the argument.
Explore Alexandria’s Fall Guide specifically includes fishing among its autumn activities, and local fall fishing coverage has long pointed to cooler-water transitions as an active period for species including walleyes, bass and crappies.
There’s also a practical appeal that doesn’t need much explanation:
A cool, quiet Minnesota lake on a September morning can feel considerably different from the same lake during the middle of a July Saturday.
Regulations, seasons and limits can vary by species and water. Check the Minnesota DNR before heading out.
4. Bring the Bikes: One of Alexandria’s Best Fall Experiences Is 55 Miles Long
The Central Lakes Trail is a paved 55-mile trail running between Fergus Falls and Osakis through west-central Minnesota.
It passes directly through Alexandria, where Big Ole Central Park serves as the main trailhead.
And you don’t have to ride anywhere close to 55 miles to get the experience.
Explore Alexandria notes that trail users can pass nine lakes within roughly four miles of the downtown Alexandria trailhead.
Explore Alexandria specifically recommends the stretch roughly three to five miles west of downtown, where the trail passes Lake Brophy, North Union Lake and Lake Stony. Fall adds hardwood color and bright red sumac along the corridor.
The former railroad grade also means the trail is relatively flat and smooth while still passing lakes, woods, wetlands, prairie, farmland and rolling glacial scenery.
Pioneer PBS featured the Central Lakes Trail in its Great Minnesota Parks series.
5. Brophy Park: Turn September 19–20 Into a Mountain-Bike Weekend
Lake Brophy County Park sits just west of Alexandria along the same general corridor that makes the Central Lakes Trail so attractive in fall.
And one September weekend gives cycling families a very specific reason to build an Alexandria camping trip around it.
Brophy Park hosts Race Weekend #4 of the Minnesota Cycling Association’s 2026 season, bringing middle-school and high-school mountain bikers from around the state to Alexandria.
The official Brophy Park race page lists the event at Lake Brophy County Park, 1900 Brophy Park Road NW.
Even if you’re not racing, it’s another example of how Alexandria’s outdoor season keeps moving well beyond Labor Day.
6. Chippewa Park: A Small Campground With a Big Trail Connection
Here’s the Alexandria-area campground that’s easy to overlook.
Chippewa Park near Brandon has only 14 overnight campsites, nestled between Devils Lake and Little Chippewa Lake.
Douglas County says 12 sites have electricity, with two primitive sites.
The park also has two swimming beaches, a fishing pier, indoor showers, campsite firepits and places to kayak or canoe between the two lakes.
But the feature that makes it especially interesting for this fall article is the bike connection.
Douglas County says paved shoulders connect Chippewa Park toward the Central Lakes State Trail in Brandon.
That means cyclists can set up camp, get on the bike and make the trail one of the central activities of the trip.
Hilltop’s Minnesota Campground Guide calls Chippewa an Alexandria-area hidden lakeside nook and notes that the small sites are better suited to appropriately sized RVs than large rigs.
See more of Lake Carlos State Park before choosing your Alexandria-area campsite.
7. Kensington Rune Stone Park: Eight Miles of Trails, Maples and Minnesota Mystery
If the kids have heard enough about fall leaves, here’s a way to make the hike more interesting.
Kensington Rune Stone Park combines fall scenery with one of Minnesota’s most debated historical stories.
Douglas County says the park covers approximately 380 acres and includes nearly eight miles of multi-use trails for hiking, running, horseback riding and other activities, plus dedicated mountain-bike trails.
The trails weave through oak, maple and aspen forest, around lakes and through small prairie meadows.
Explore Alexandria specifically highlights the sugar maples around Kensington Runestone Park, including trails northeast of Star Lake where the forest can glow yellow and orange when sunlight filters through the leaves.
There’s also a newer interpretive display at the original Olof Ohman farm site that tells the story of the Kensington Rune Stone discovery and the continuing debate over its authenticity.
So the family hike can come with a question:
Do you think the stone is real?
8. Country Blossom Farm: Give the Kids the Full Fall Experience
The camper can be your home base without being the only place you spend the weekend.
Country Blossom Farm outside Alexandria is one of the area’s classic fall stops.
The 100-acre farm includes an apple orchard, pumpkin patch, corn maze, bakery and outdoor attractions.
Country Blossom’s 2026 fall season opened August 22, and the farm is scheduled to be open Thursday through Sunday during September and October.
That’s an easy Saturday-afternoon addition to a camping weekend — especially for families that want pumpkins, apples, a corn maze and bakery treats to go with the hiking and campfires.
9. Camping This Weekend? Alexandria Has a Fall Festival September 11–13
This article is scheduled for September 9, which makes the next event particularly timely.
Copper Trail Brewing in downtown Alexandria hosts its annual fall festival with an outdoor stage, live music, food specials and additional festival activities.
Explore Alexandria lists Oletoberfest from 11 a.m.–11 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 9 a.m.–9 p.m. Sunday.
For adults who choose to visit a brewery, winery or other alcohol-serving event during a camping trip, plan a sober driver or another safe transportation option.
10. Another Weekend to Circle: Alexandria’s Grape Stomp
The following weekend brings one of Alexandria’s biggest annual fall events.
Explore Alexandria lists the annual Grape Stomp Friday through Sunday at Carlos Creek Winery, one of the area’s signature fall festival weekends.
The event schedule lists Friday from noon–7 p.m., Saturday from 10 a.m.–7 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m.–4 p.m.
That same weekend also happens to include the September 19–20 Brophy Park cycling races, so Alexandria will have plenty happening both outdoors and around town.
Visit Hilltop Camper & RV’s The Best Camping Season in Minnesota is Yet To Come page for more fall camping inspiration and current Hilltop opportunities.
11. Let the Drive Be Part of the Weekend
Sometimes you want to get out of the campground for a few hours without turning the entire day into an excursion.
The Glacial Ridge Scenic Byway gives Alexandria campers an easy option.
Explore Alexandria recommends the route for fall scenery through lakes, woods, rolling terrain, farmland and nearby communities.
The full byway is roughly 220 miles, but nobody says you have to drive all of it.
A particularly easy section heads west of Alexandria toward Kensington Runestone Park.
Pick a section of scenic road, stop for a hike, grab something to eat and be back at the campground before the evening fire.
A Pretty Good Alexandria Fall Camping Weekend
Put These Alexandria Fall Weekends on the Calendar
Compare Minnesota campgrounds by region, RV friendliness, hookups, scenery, family activities, water recreation and more.
The Best Camping Season in Minnesota May Still Be Ahead of Us
If an Alexandria fall weekend has you thinking you’d rather be doing it in a different camper, this is an interesting time at Hilltop Camper & RV.
Some Minnesota campers are taking advantage of clearance opportunities on remaining 2026 models. Others are becoming some of the first families to camp in newly arriving 2027 RVs.
Purchase a camper from Hilltop Camper & RV by September 19, 2026, enjoy Minnesota fall camping now, then bring it back to Hilltop for free winterization.
Fall Camping Around Alexandria: Frequently Asked Questions
When do fall colors peak around Alexandria, Minnesota?
Historically, Alexandria’s strongest fall color often develops from late September into early October, although weather can shift the timing. Check the Minnesota DNR Fall Color Finder before traveling.
Where is a good RV campground near Alexandria?
Lake Carlos State Park is one of the area’s best-known RV destinations, with 81 electric sites between its upper and lower campgrounds. Chippewa Park near Brandon is a much smaller Douglas County campground with 14 sites and excellent access for cyclists heading toward the Central Lakes State Trail.
Where is the best fall-color hike near Alexandria?
The Maple-Basswood Interpretive Trail at Lake Carlos State Park is one of the area’s most frequently recommended fall trails. Kensington Runestone Park is another strong option, particularly its maple forests around the Star Lake area.
Is the Central Lakes Trail good in the fall?
Yes. The paved 55-mile trail passes through lakes, woods, prairie and rolling west-central Minnesota scenery. Explore Alexandria specifically recommends the section three to five miles west of downtown for fall scenery around Lake Brophy, North Union Lake and Lake Stony.
What fall events are happening around Alexandria in September 2026?
Current scheduled highlights include Oletoberfest September 11–13, the Carlos Creek Winery Grape Stomp September 18–20 and the Minnesota Cycling Association race weekend at Lake Brophy County Park September 19–20. Country Blossom Farm is also operating its fall season during September and October.
Where can I find more Minnesota campgrounds?
Hilltop Camper & RV’s Ultimate Minnesota RV Camping Guide includes 75 independently researched RV-friendly campgrounds around Minnesota.
Sources & Helpful Alexandria Fall Camping Resources
Hilltop Camper & RV — Ultimate Minnesota RV Camping Guide
Hilltop Camper & RV — The Best Camping Season in Minnesota is Yet To Come
Minnesota DNR — Fall Color Finder
Minnesota DNR — Lake Carlos State Park
Minnesota DNR — State Parks Events Calendar
Explore Alexandria — Fall Color Hotspots
Explore Alexandria — Fall Color Progression
Explore Alexandria — Turning of the Leaves
Explore Alexandria — Fall Guide
Explore Alexandria — Central Lakes Trail
Douglas County — Chippewa Park
Douglas County — Kensington Rune Stone Park
Douglas County — Parks & Trails
Explore Alexandria — Country Blossom Farm
Explore Alexandria — 2026 Fall Festival Calendar
Minnesota Cycling Association — Brophy Park Alexandria Race Weekend
Minnesota Cycling Association — 2026 Racing Series
Explore Alexandria — Paddling the Chain of Lakes
Explore Alexandria — Autumn Activities in Alexandria
Explore Alexandria — Alexandria Fall Color Destinations
Videos featured in this article:
This article includes content supported by AI-assisted research. Event dates, campground availability, amenities, trail conditions, fees, fishing conditions, weather and seasonal services may change. Please confirm current information with the campground, park, event organizer or appropriate agency before traveling. Video previews link to YouTube and remain the property of their respective creators.
