New upscale camper cabins add to Cuyuna options

Mountain bikers, paddlers and bicyclists exploring the Cuyuna Country State Recreation Area can try out a new variation on glamping starting next month.

Cuyuna Cove, which opened in 2020 with five luxe tiny cabins reminiscent of treehouses, has added five seasonal “bungalows,” designed like upgraded camper cabins, to its pondside property on the edge of downtown Crosby, Minn. The new lodgings evolved from a glamping experiment, said co-owner Kelsey Braun.

“We had our glamping tents for about two summers, and they were a hit,” Braun explained, but guests said they craved air conditioning during hot summers and heat during fall. The new bungalows have queen beds, down comforters, temperature controls, electricity for charging, and mini-fridges.

Each also has a fire pit, basic camp cooking gear and picnic tables, secure bike lockers and use of the property’s sauna.

Guests share a shower house inspired by an outdoor spa that features artwork, marble tile-and-wood construction and heated toilet seats.

Two bungalows allow one well-trained dog that must be crated if left alone, and two have room for one child over 5 years old. Bungalows are now available to rent from $150-$190 a night from mid-May through mid-October.

Owners Braun and Chris Austin also built Tofte Trails, tiny cabins that opened near Lutsen, Minn., last September.