Bear Paw Campground, near Itasca State Park, Minnesota, is a peaceful spot that offers a fantastic escape into nature. With sites that are spacious and well-maintained, it’s perfect for families and friends looking to unwind by the lake.

This campground boasts clean facilities, including bathrooms that are cleaned regularly and hot showers that visitors rave about. Many campers have highlighted the beauty of the area, with one noting, “The lake is beautiful. Things are clean.” You’ll find picnic tables and fire rings at your site, making it easy to enjoy meals and evenings around the fire.

For those eager to explore, Bear Paw is surrounded by miles of biking and hiking trails, with stunning views of wildflowers and wildlife along the way. The nearby Mississippi Headwaters is a must-see, and the fire tower offers breathtaking panoramas of the park. As one happy camper put it, “Great trails to hike. Super nice Visitors Center with great interactive displays to learn about the park.”

While some sites can feel a bit snug, the overall atmosphere is friendly and inviting, making it a great choice for a weekend getaway or a longer stay. Whether you’re here to paddle on the lake or simply relax in the woods, Bear Paw Campground has plenty to offer.

Bear Paw Campground — Itasca State Park

Laporte is the perfect place for adventurous campers and RVers. Laporte is a great camping destination for everyone. There are tons of nearby hikes, adventurous activities, and sights to see. Discover great camping spots near Laporte, reviewed by campers like you.

Laporte

The Best Camping Near Laporte, Minnesota

Had a great time at this campsite. There is a bike trail that goes around half the lake. Saw some deer, ducks, eagles and lots of loons on the lake. The restrooms were spotless. There is a shack that rents out kayaks, canoes, bikes and fishing gear. We took out a canoe and caught a few panfish.  



Beautiful fall colors

We go every year. Would give 5 stars if didn't have to reserve so far in advance for bear paw. The other camp grounds are ok but bear paw is far superior

Great family vacation

The overall cleanliness of the park and it's trails and facilities was fantastic. But camping was to cramped and it seemed like I could never find a spot away from everyone. Still a very fun and cool campground full of lots of history and recreation.

Weekend trip. Very poular

What a great place to bring the family. Large campground, lots of paved and unpaved trails with a rental place right on Lake Itasca where you can rent all types of bikes for all ages, they also have boats and pontoons available for fishing and recreational use. You have miles of trails and some historical sites to explore. This place has you covered for activities. Well kept and easy access.

Headwaters area has it all

This was our first week long stay at a campground. We had so much fun and left with a list of things we wanted to do next year. The lakes are quiet and peaceful with easy access for kayaks/canoes from Bearpaw campground. There are great biking trails that will lead you through the park to the Mississippi Headwaters. There is also a beach where you can rent bikes, boats and kayaks. This park has miles of hiking trails that we have yet to do.

The campgrounds themselves were a nice size. We had a lake front lot and really enjoyed the view and easy access to the lake and bike trails. The bathrooms were big and clean. Bring your bug spray--the horseflys are huge!

Great family campground

The campground was very big and nice. It had good, clean modern bathrooms and showers. Our campsite wasn't far from hiking and biking trails. We biked to the mouth of the Mississippi River which was super cool to see. The interpretive center had a lot of animals and was informative.

Fun state park!

I managed to live my first 40 years in Minnesota without ever seeing this wonder, and my kids weren't going to suffer the same feat as me! The campgrounds here are giant with sites that are typical of most state parks, minimal to moderate privacy.

We loved the swim beach and the start of the Mississippi, but we also loved being able to eat a gourmet meal at a natural restaurant. There is lodging for all types at this park.

It is a very large park so to see several things will require some driving (or taking a really long bike ride), but otherwise this one lived up to the hype.

A Must see for every Minnesotan

The Bear Paw campground is one of two main traditional drive-in campgrounds at Lake Itasca State Park. It is the lakeside campground, as opposed to the Pine Ridge campsites which are set about a mile back into the woods. This campground has trailer sites with hook-ups, tent sites, walk-in sites, and camper cabins, for a variety of options. Althought there is a staircase access to a bay of the lake here, the swimming beach and boat launch areas are actually several miles to the north, either driveable on the main park drive, or bikeable on the bike path that runs through the campground and north to the headwaters or south to Douglas Lodge.

The campground is heavily wooded, but the sites are many and close together. It is an economical way of staying at the park, and good for car camping or trailering while doing other activities in the park, but there are other higher quality camping options available in the park if you want a more remote northwoods expereince which can be obtained by hiking in to the wilderness areas on the south end of the park.

At this location, however, there are several primo lakeside campsites, if you can nab one, such as site 6, which is right on the lake and right on the bike path. There are some walk-in only tent sites on the north side of this campground that are a little quieter as well. The camper cabins on the south side of the campground are also super nice if you arent up for tenting.

The campground has wood for sale, showers and regular bathrooms as well as pit toilets, a playground for kids, and water pumps.

Bear Paw campground at Itasca


Tis campground is beautiful. Bring your bike because everything to see and do is quite a hike if you walk. There are a lot of trails that are perfect for biking. Wish we could spend more time here. Will definitely go back sometime.

Bring a bike

Clean

Love this place.Large tall tree's the people who work there are very helpful. My husband had gotten sick on the way and the lady at registration made sure we had a place close to the restrooms and water at our site. The paths are blacktopped for walking and riding bikes and they seem to go forever..never could take them all.

A Campsite in the tall Tree's

Unfortunately we were completely rained out for most of our trip but we were able to enjoy some of it! We went to the head waters right away in the morning which was amazing since there was hardly anyone there. The only down fall was the gift shop and cafe were not open. We can back later to enjoy the gift shop and had some pizza at the cafe. it was as pouring rain while we went and it was still busy so I can’t imagine how bad it would be on a normal Saturday! 

We camped at site 232 and I wouldn’t reccomend the site unless you had small tent. It was a small site and had a weird slope down with a clearing. Not sure what it was for. 

Drive slowly people drive like maniacs!

huge park with tons to do!

My husband, toddler and I spent two nights at the park. The Park Rangers were kind and helpful. Our site was clean and the campground was quiet. We were pleased after our last camping experience a weekend prior in Northern Minnesota to find that Itasca Park has less mosquitos and we didn’t see any ticks. The rental facility was great and reasonably priced. We were able to rent a baby carrier for our bikes and rode their 17 mil paved loop which took us to the headwaters of the Mississippi River, a fire tower among other sites. We then were able to rent a canoe and venture out on to Lake Itasca. We were really pleased with our stay there and would recommend it. 

Pros: kid friendly, lots to do, not crowded (mid week, late June) 

Cons: no mountain bike trails

Quiet and lots to do

Within biking distance for short and long destinations around Itasca State park! Great for little kids, easy to hike, bike or drive.

 Itasca State Park camping

I really like Itasca state park- I just wish that it were closer to me! The paved trail from the visitor center to the headwaters is in incredible shape- I regret not bringing roller blades. One of the most important things to know for avid hikers is that it seems like most park visitors are there to relax and maybe do the one paved trail, which leaves a lot of the trails overgrown. We were able to take the trail to the fire tower which was nice. There was an attempt to take a trail that seemed like it would have a nice view of one of the smaller lakes that you pass as you drive in, but it was extremely over grown and there were no real clear views of the lake from the trail. The lake is amazing for swimming- there are also rentals for canoes, kayaks, and bikes.

I absolutely loved the on-site restaurant- wild rice pancakes were phenomenal and the view is great. We stayed at a cart-in site at Bearpaw campground and our friends rented one of the nearby Bearpaw cabins. The site was nice and private enough, but a huge storm came through at night (so much lightning that my husband and I could see each other for around a solid minute) came through on the second night and we had to retreat to our car to avoid being smooshed by a tree. The cabin was nice and cozy- it had a tiny kitchen that was sufficient enough for a few meals but definitely plan on bringing your own kitchen tools in case they don't have what you need.

Very nice

I love all the wildlife around the area! There was a camp host and rangers available if needed, campsite was clean, and bathrooms were cleaner than most.

Home away from home, quiet, an awesome historical background.

I camped at one of the remote camp spots and a few friends camped at the cart in spots so I got to experience both areas. I personally enjoyed the remote camp spots more because it felt more like real camping. Though, the cart in spots had enough space to separate you from your neighbors.

I did enjoy the cart in spot because it was a short walk to my car that I had my kayak on. Lake Itasca and the surrounding smaller lakes (remote in spot) were beautiful and a perfect getaway. I look forward to camping here again in the future!

BP7 on Myrtle Lake was the perfect remote spot for me since it wasn't too far of a hike to meet up with friends at their cart in spot.

Love all the Lakes Surrounding!

Bear Paw is one of two main campgrounds and the one closest to Lake Itasca. Sites are spaced a good distance apart but most are back to back so limited privacy. Bathrooms were very clean but no hooks. Wide paved (some boardwalk) bike paths but not as good for hiking. Unpaved trails are not accessible from the campground on foot. Driving along Wilderness Drive (or biking it) is beautiful, especially in the fall. A visit to the Headwaters is also a must (we walked on the paved bike path to get there; it is closer to Pine Ridge campground). There is a gift shop and small cafe there (food is expensive and mediocre). Large park and very beautiful and well maintained roads and bike path. Very limited cell service (Verizon).

Great for biking

We started the 2019 camping season early and spent the first weekend in May exploring Itasca State Park. We parked at the trailhead near Lake Josephine and took the Red Pine Trail about three miles to our site. We were happy to find BP5 as quiet and secluded as it appeared on the map, and not nearly as close to other sites as some of the other remote options.

The best part about the site is easily the stunning view of Mckay Lake, where we saw a beautiful sunset and sunrise. We also appreciated the bench, vault toilet, and rope left to hang our bear bag. The clearing fit our two tents easily. Overall, a great site if you're craving some distance from the grind for a while.

Beautiful and secluded (McKay Lake) 

The state park that houses the headwaters of the Mississippi River. Miles of great biking and hiking trails, good fishing opportunities. Good sites and clean shower facilities. 

A family favorite

We had a wonderful time. The park has everything! Even rented a pontoon for the day and cruises all around the lake.  Only problem - closest grocery store is 20 minutes away. There is a small convenience store nearby - they were life savers!!

Great experience!

Great place to see and visit! Lots of opportunities to photograph! Enjoyed geocaching as well.

Headwaters of the Mississippi River

In my Top 3  so much to do and see here!

Beautiful area 

We had electric site and easily fit our 27 foot trailer. Beautiful campground. Lots of biking and hiking trails. Pets allowed.

Trees and lake are beautiful

Nice camping spot but gets fairly crowded. Sites are rather close and open as well. 


Nice Camping

Second camping trip in our 30 ft. Silverback. The park is absolutely beautiful. Seen an Eagle about 3 miles before getting to park, then seen a Black Squirrel, never seen a black one. Went on a hike drove around the park. 

AWESOME!! 

Stayed at site #2, which is one of the more private sites. Spacious, picnic table and fire ring, several set of trees suitable for hammocks. Vault toilet a few steps away, flush toilets and showers a short walk away. Did a small amount of hiking, but there are extensive trails. Breathtaking views of several lakes and old growth pines throughout the park.

Perfect August Evening 

I stayed at BP#5, just on McKay Lake. It was beautiful and peaceful. The site is small. I had trouble finding space for my 4-man tent. There was no space for table and couldn't find a greatly spaced set of trees for a hammock. I was able to pitch very close to the fire pit (almost on top of it), because there was a fire ban in place and I wasn't going to be using it. Even though the space was so limited, it was far enough away from other sites, from the main trails, and from all roads that all you hear is the wind in the trees, the critters in the bush, and your own breathing. Picture perfect sunset. Lake is very cool and swimming is great! Stay away from the mush around the shore as there are leeches.

Peaceful and Beautiful

One of the Greatest MN State Parks - put it on your list!  I'll try to keep comments brief here, but pictures/descriptions plentiful.  We chose Bear Paw campground to be walkable to the water.  Highly recommend Site 2 for nice privacy, walkable proximity to water, close to pit toilet and extra parking.  After exploring Pine Ridge Camp by car, we did find other more private camp sites, but we were quite happy in Bear Paw.

  

To do:

 - walk to hidden beach

 - short drivable drop in for kayaks

 - rent a pontoon at Itasca Sports

 - walk the headwaters (and geocache!)

 - bike on LOVELY paths, thru UofM research area, to headwaters, etc

 - visit Jacob V. Brower Visitor Center for a GREAT interpretive museum (really quite good)

 - have an early dinner and explore around at Douglas Lodge

 - explore short or long hikes in the park, many short walks accessible from Wilderness Drive include the biggest old red and white pines

 - climb the fire tower for incredible views (NOT ME!!!)

 - explore many other historic sites from pioneer days in the area

5 Nights 5 Stars - Minnesota Bucket List

Beautiful sights from your tent site, walk in or camper, walk, drive, or bike to either the visitors center or the Mississippi Headwaters area and see yourself on the live Webcam at the Lake Itasca MN DNR Website. Yes and the fall colors and the nights sky is amazing as well. 

Easily accessible

A great spot for fall camping! This spot was a close walk to the primitive toilet and offered a great view of the lake. This site offered a picnic table and fire ring. Some sites had electrical hookups, but I stayed at a tent spot. Pulling into the parking spot for each site was difficult, so patience is required. I saw a raccoon at my site in the middle of the night when taking a bathroom break and was glad my food was safely stowed in my car. Overall great spot for fall camping!

Fall Camping

Beautiful State Park. Cleanest bathrooms! And bathroom is a log cabin which is cool. Haven’t explored yet but there are lots of trails. We are in Bear Paw campground spot 2. Very spacious and private, not looking at lake, but like the woods around us.

Head waters of Mississippi 

Definitely stay if you get a chance. Hundreds of places to stay and we'll wort a visit.

Lots and lots of things to do

I love this park! We try to go at least once a year. Great facilities at the campgrounds- bear paw is probably best, it’s right on the lake and more spread out, but pine ridge is fine too. The park has awesome hiking, lots of things to do, and great rentals for fun on the lake. Do not miss!

Absolute favorite

Many bike and walking/hiking trails. Well maintained park. Many Campsites are level and we just backed in and set up. 

Men’s bathroom is cleaned twice a day! Showers are clean and water is hot! 

Drinking water is good. 

Great trails to hike. Super nice Visitors Center with great interactive displays to learn about the park. 

View from the fire tower is spectacular! Beautiful wild flowers blooming along the trails. Took many pictures of loons on Mary’s lake. 


Beautiful LARGE State Park

This campground is incredibly peaceful. Even with kids and most spots full, it’s just quiet. Lake is beautiful. Things are clean. 

I wish I was staying longer

Itasca State Park Minnesota

  

 This park is a gem in Minnesota State Parks! Just beautiful. Although we only had 1 day we managed to pack a lot into it. My advise is to start your day as early as possible. We went to the Mississippi Headwaters at around 8:15 am &amp; had the place to ourselves. The gift shop isn't open yet, but when we went later for ice cream the place was hopping! The Wilderness Drive is a must see as well. There's some short hikes &amp; a lot of wild beauty. They have a fire tower you can climb.

Biking is very popular &amp; there's a dedicated bike path on the Wilderness Drive which is about 10 miles.

There's a lodge &amp; restaurant. 

Two visitor centers.

  

 There are 2 campgrounds- Pine Ridge&amp; Bear Paw. Electric sites only. I think it was$35 a night. There is a dump.

  We were in Bear Paw site 37E. Frankly, I liked Bear Paw campground better, even though it's smaller. By the lake, but no sites are ON the lake.

Lakeview sites are 63, 67, 68, 69,&amp; 70. There's good access to the bike trail. There's a path down to the lake, so if you have a kayak you can drag it down.

 We were across from the bath house. It's very nice &amp; clean! Showers are push button. Not too hot.

Pine Ridge we did a short drive thru. The campground registration office is there. We were told we didn't have to register if we we had an on line registration. No tags.

 Pine Ridge had several loops, but we just went down the Spruce Loop. The sites looked flat &amp; shaded. I didn't note any particular site. 

We really enjoyed our stay &amp; wished we could have added a couple more nights!

Photos of Bear Paw Campground — Itasca State Park

Real photos from real campers