Cascade River State Park Campground

Great location. Well kept facilities. ONE THING TO KNOW… you must fill your fresh tanks for RV near the dump station. There is no water at the sites. The primitive toilets are just that, but the showers are awesome. Enclosed are some cliff and cave shots taken from Kayak on Superior

Loved the two nights spent at backpacking site #2. It was very secluded, couldn’t hear/see anyone at any point during our time at the campsite. It has a covered wooden structure, good sized bear box, picnic table, and fire ring. There is also a pit toilet ~50 feet from the campsite, though was in pretty rough shape so did not use that but didn’t really mind since most backpacking sites don’t have this luxury anyway and was not expecting to have a toilet in the first place. The campsite sits atop Moose “Mountain,” which is about a mile hike in from the group site parking lot. Don’t underestimate this hike in!! We are two people in our 20s and in pretty good shape, but with ~35lbs of gear on your back with a very steady incline up, definitely had to take a couple breaks. It was pretty rainy so there were some muddy spots that were relatively easy to avoid. With that being said, it was definitely worth it given the seclusion and privacy of this campsite. If able and willing to put in the extra effort, I would recommend the backpacking sites over the drive-in sites as I have heard they can be pretty cramped. Overall, very happy with BP#2 will definitely be back!

I will start out by saying this was partly my fault but I think the situation was handled poorly.

I was not planning on staying in the area another day but was enjoying the north shore so I stopped in and asked if there were any cancellations. I was told yes so I paid for the site. Ran up the road grabbed some ice and came back and there was someone setting up on the site I paid for. The camp host said I was not in system even though I could show the credit card receipt. So they said they could move me to an overflow site. Ok fine. But that site was so far away from a bathroom and even further from the shower space.

I took it made the most of my night. But the frustration is with these booking on line issues every campsite I have been to they have sites that sit open with no one ever using them. I’m assuming this is because it does not update fast enough. I’m driving through the camp at 5am the next morning there were 5-10 empty sites. They were empty at 10pm the night before and still empty at 5:30 am. I think it costs the state $$ and for sure causes folks who are on road trips to miss out on nice places to stay.

This campground was clean and the shower/bath station was very clean.

Close to some neat hiking.

The campsites are a little bit more crowded than preferred on my opinion, but it’s easily overlooked since there are so many easy hikes near by and wonderful views.

We normally love it here, but this weekend it was like nobody cares about keeping up this campground any more. (Edited in May of ‘24 - it’s much better kept now….)Yes, it’s early in the year, but there were overflowing trash bins, no firewood, and no toilet paper in any of the outhouses. If you’re going to be open for camping, then at least provide the basic necessities that MN State Parks are known for. (It would take 15 minutes to throw some TP in the outhouses!) Too bad. Also edited to add that if site #16 is your site, the electrical box is on the opposite side of the site than normal, so be prepared to possibly need an extension cord. Very odd.

This was one of my favorite campsites we’ve stayed at along the North Shore. It’s just off the SHT, there’s waterfalls to see on the hike up, and it’s located just off Lookout Mountain. This close access to Lookout Mt meant we got to enjoy our breakfast with a view of the sun rising over the lake and forests. It was secluded and quiet. We definitely can’t wait to camp here again.

Visited in March for 1 night in a pull-in spot. There were only a couple other people staying overnight. You have to self-register and pay with cash only. They did have firewood for sale on the honor system.

This was our last trip in the fall of 2020. It was a bit chilly and perfect hiking weather. We spent most of our time hiking and made it up to the peak of lookout mountain. It was worth the view. The campground itself is well maintained, has a dump station, and was easy enough to get in and out of. I do recall we struggled a bit leveling our motorhome. We did leave a day early due to snow in the forecast. It was the right decision as it did end up snowing 4 inches overnight.

This is a great campground in a beautiful state park adjacent to lake Superior on the North Shore. It is a smaller state park, but worth staying at for the beautiful hiking trails along waterfalls, the access to the Superior Hiking Trail and Gitchigamee Bike Trail, Lake Superior, and nearby tons like scenic Grand Marais.  It also may appeal to fly fishermen along the river. There is plenty to do in the park, and it is well situated as a base camp for myriad day trips up and down the shore and into the Superio National Forest. It is more tent friendly than RV oriented, and for those of us who prefer tent camping that is a plus. You must really reserve far ahead in the summer, and fall weekends fill up quickly too, so you may need to look at weekday camping if you have planned much in advance. The Cascade Lodge is tucked into the edge of the state park with hiking trails that connect to it, and there are nice homecooked meals there if you need a break from camp cookery!

Great waterfalls. Pleasant campground. Lots of great hikes. More state parks nearby. The North Shore of Minnesota is lined with great parks and camping.

The Cascade River is a great river to hike from its upper falls area to the mouth at Lake Superior. 5 falls or cascades are all visible from the trails along the river. The campsites are close and most are not level and have only electric hookup. The road in is not big rig friendly with low branches and washboard gravel roads. The hiking trails are well worn so easy to hike safely.  This is a perfect camp for small trailer or tent camping as the sites are shaded. Bath houses are fine and water sources are good. There is a free dump and fill station for campers..a bonus!

This state park was right in the middle of a whole bunch of other waterfalls and parks! It is right next to Cascade falls and lake Superior! You don't even need to drive your car to get to these trails. Beautiful and clean sites to make hanging at the site nice too!

Backpack site 4 was easy inclined hike in. There is a shelter, a bear locker, and a pit toilet. The tent pad is good for only one 4-person tent. We had two two-person tents and there wasn’t enough room. The pad has a slight incline as well. The site is well shaded and off the main hiking paths so it is rather quiet.

This site is only about a 15 min walk to the river.

You’ll have to carry in your water—there is no water at group parking. Even though you’re about .75 mile from hwy 61 you can still hear traffic clearly all day and night.

Stopped here for the night while hitting up the northern most north shore state parks (Grand Portage is 45 minutes north) in mid-August. I was in site 1, which had a nice elevated tent pad but I was able to set up my hammock with trees near the parking spot. Site 1 is nice and private but all entering vehicles pass this spot. Due to covid, running water facilities were closed but pit toilets were available.

As far as car camping goes this is pretty nice. Occasional road noise bothers some people. And some campsites better than others. Waterfall hikes make it worth it.

One of my favorite things about Cascade River is that it has a more modern shower/bathroom facility, so during non-COVID times you basically get your own little shower room with a lockable door instead of a flimsy shower curtain. Another nice thing is that the trails here are great- the waterfalls are easy enough to get to and then you can just keep going if you want to get away from the crowds. So in case you couldn’t tell, I really like this park. The sites are heavily wooded and private. However, a lot of them are on the smaller side, so make sure you do your research on sites if you are coming with an RV or an enormous tent. 

Sites that I like: 5, 6(close to vault toilet), 13, 16, 29, 30, 31, 32(close to bathroom building), 34, 35

Fair weather in the park but several inches of snow at the Ski resorts!! We hiked and enjoyed the rivers and lake. Unsettled weather that have to some big waves on Lake Superior. We came prepared for the weather and we enjoyed our time and snow.

Beautiful campground. Close to hiking and biking and Grand Marais. Spotty cell reception with Verizon. Friendly chipmunks, they may climb on you!

9/27/19-9/29/19. BP 5

If you love to backpack and hike in, this is a site for you! It is a 1 1/2 mile hike on the SHT to the top of Lookout Mountain. 3 miles round-trip so pack your gear wisely. Many people hike to this overlook and may not realize there is a reservable campsite tucked behind. The overlook is not far away and accessible any time you want to go take a peek. We had.it to ourselves in the early morning so I put up a hammock to watch the sunrise and have my coffee. The overlook gets very busy during the day so we would leave and do our own adventuring. The hike itself iI would deem “difficult” as it is all uphill, but so worth the payoff.

We went during peak falls colors and this site was a huge treat. We had fall colors, sunrise views, Eagles and northern lights. The northern lights were a bit dimmed however, from light pollution in Grand Marais. Still fun to see, nonetheless. The site itself was spacious and had a storm shelter. This is where we kept most of our gear and spent our time hanging out at night. There are some pines on site that were perfect for a hammock. You were also able to gather wood on top of the mountain and someone had left some behind. Even though it’s right off the SHT it was still pretty private and a gorgeous site. I highly recommend this for backpackers!

9/21/19-9/22/19. #6E

I booked this site the day before (I assume it was a cancelation) as I wanted to catch the fall colors.

7/26/19-7/28/19. BP4

It’s always a good sign when you are checking in and are told you booked the best campsite in the park. We choose a backpacking site this time around and it did not disappoint! This was my first time hiking in and it was a short 1/2 mile.

Cascade River is one of my favorite Minnesota State Parks. Located between Grand Marais and Duluth in Lutsen, Mn. There is a set of 5 small waterfalls and then Cascade Falls that are spectacular. I wasn’t able to get a picture of the waterfalls because this time so you will just have to take my word for it.

The picnic are was super cool as-well. There were little areas separated from each other that had a picnic table and fire ring that were like little campsites. No overnight camping though.

From the picnic area you could relax on the rocks on sunning Lake Superior’s shore and catch a sunrise or sunset. You can cast a line for lake trout or salmon from shore or just relax having a picnic.

There are a few hiking trails in the park and parking for some one the trails and the picnic area right off highway 61 a half a mile from the park office.

If you stay in the campground there is approved firewood available at the park office, along with ice and other goodies. You must have a park permit for this park. Daily permits are 7$ and annual permits that are good for all state parks and recreation areas in Minnesota are 35$. The annuals can be purchased in the park office or online. Daily park permits are only available in the park office at any state park or recreation area. Camping fees are the normal Minnesota Park fees.

This park is surrounded by a few other state parks you could spend visiting as well. Check this beauty out! IT’S TOTALLY WORTH YOUR TIME!!!

This is a quiet no frills campground.  The sites are nice and private with trees separating the sites.  The shower/bathrooms are great.  They also have the hole in the ground toilets spread around the campgound.  The hiking trails are great leading you to multiple waterfalls and to Lake Superior.  My only issue with this campground is that there isnt any play area for kids.

Theres plenty to do in the areas surrounding this State Park.  We drove the Gunflint Trail, went to Lutsen and shopped around Grand Marais.  Voyageur Brewing is a fun brewery with good beer.

Originally we were going to stay at a different campsite but that one was first come, first serve and all the spots were already taken. It was getting dark and we needed to find somewhere to sleep for the night. We saw good reviews for Cascade and decided to give it a shot. We got to the park office and it was closed but we were able to call a number and get a spot booked pretty easily. It was $23 for the night plus you needed the parks pass. We stayed on June 24th and it was a kinda chilly night and had previously rained so things were a little damp but not muddy at all. We stayed in spot #19 that was a drive in and tent camping. It was pretty spacious and out of the spots that we saw, it seemed to be one of the more secluded ones. We were setting up the tent around 10 PM and everyone was very quiet even though there were people in almost every campsite. Only saw a few people around their fires. There was a primitive toilet right next to our spot but it was out of order. There was another one just a short pathway away which was nice and also clean. We didn’t use the showers but the building looked really nice and wasn’t too far from our site. The dumpster/garbage was close to our spot which was also convenient. The spots just seemed so close together and we could hear our neighbors child cry early in the morning. The birds were also extremely loud. Nothing to do with the campsite but I couldn’t believe how loud they were screaming at 5 AM. We got up around 8 AM and went for a hike and there not many people around. It was a nice morning not too hot with a little breeze and partly cloudy. The cascade falls were pretty cool! The trail information place and the trails were right behind our site. We hiked to the lookout mountain which was about a 3.5 mile loop and it was beautiful but definitely bring water. We had to rest a few times since it was a lot of uphill trails but the view is worth it. When we started heading back, there were a lot more people on the trails. It took us about two hours to get there and back but we stopped and took our time getting there. I would stay at Cascade River State Park again but also would probably check out other places to see what else is out there.

LArgentina campsites, well kept area, nice shower house. Beautiful hiking both inland and towards Lake Supior!

It is open all year long. Has lots of trails to the falls, lake and a trail to the restaurant near by. #16 campsite is best view of lake.

-kind DNR officials stationed in the trail center will answer your questions about restoration!

-take one side of the trail down the falls and the other back up!

-good for younger kids - well-maintained trails and fun facts about the foam created in the river and the rock formations evident in the park!

-if you’re looking for complete privacy, choose another campground - these sites are right off the main road. However, if you’re traveling with kids and mainly want the daytime park experience, go for it! Don’t worry about the kids and the road - it’s not busy.

-falls end at the highway; it’s a bit noisy

The restrooms were recently renovated and they were in such great condition. The showers are very clean. There were great trails that were very easy to access right by our campsite. We were able to see beautiful views within a few minutes of walking!

Nice park near lake Superior with very nice facilities.

Great restroom facilities. Nice wooded lots with mature trees