Kimball Lake Campground, near Grand Marais, Minnesota, is a cozy spot that offers a rustic camping experience for those looking to escape the hustle and bustle. With a handful of spacious sites tucked among the trees, it’s perfect for anyone wanting a quiet retreat while still being close to the action of the Gunflint Trail.

This campground is all about simplicity and nature. Visitors appreciate the clean vault toilets and good well water, making it a comfortable stop for tent and RV campers alike. The area is known for its trout fishing, and there's a hiking trail that winds around the lake, giving you a chance to soak in the beautiful surroundings.

While the sites are relatively close together, many campers find that the tree cover provides a sense of privacy. As one reviewer noted, “Some sites can accommodate trailers, but I’m not sure if the space and lack of hookups would be of interest to RVs.” If you’re looking for a base to explore the North Shore or just want to kick back and enjoy the peace, Kimball Lake Campground is a solid choice.

Kimball Lake Campground is a small campground that is excellent for people who want to camp and fish. Kimball Lake is a small state-managed trout lake stocked with rainbow trout. Because of this special designation, anglers are required to have a fishing license with a trout stamp. A non-maintained trail circles the lake for shore casting. Adjacent Mink Lake has a sand swimming beach and barrier free fishing pier. Downloadable information and map.

Kimball Lake Campground

Whether you're an RVer or tent camper, Grand Marais, MN is a great place to post up for the weekend—or longer. Enjoy the scenic camping, fun activities, and sights and sounds of Grand Marais. Find the best campgrounds near Grand Marais, MN. Read helpful reviews and tips to find the perfect camping option for you and your crew.

Grand Marais

The Best Grand Marais Campgrounds | MN Camping

-campsites are very close together

-significantly farther out into the woods than expected

If you are someone traveling alone or a first-time camper, I would not recommend this one! Similarly, if you’re looking for solitude, I would go with Devil’s Track. That being said, this campsite does have its merits! It has a responsive team of hosts and it’s a beautiful drive. Even though the sites are close together, not a lot of people make the trek, so it seems secluded anyway.

Secluded And Small

If you want easy access to Grand Marais, but want to be in a quieter location just up the Gunflint Trail, this campsite will be for you. It is small, quiet, and very rustic. A main draw is trout fishing, and their is a trail around the lake. You could make this a base for day trips up and donw the North Shore, or further into the interior of the  Superior National Forest. Campsites are wooded and have a fire ring and area to set up tents,  there is a good boat access, the usual Forest Service privvies are available, and there is water.  In terms of a destination campground in and of itself it is not my favorite of those along the Gunflint, but the proximity to Grand Marais is definitely a plus. We are tent campers and the sites are ok for that, some of the sites can accomodate trailers, but I’m not sure if the space and lack of hookups would be of interest to RV’s

On the Gunflint Trail, close to Grand Marais

Concessionaire is Ravenwood. 10 wooded campsites. Clean. Some set back from campground road. Some privacy between sites. Can hear a little bit of road noise from Gunflint Trail, but not bad. No T-Mobile service. Good well water. Reasonably clean vault toilets. Hiking trail along lake. Boat ramp. No hook-ups. Good overnight spot for tent, car, truck, van campers.

Small but Pretty Campground 

Only a few sites in this campground, but the sites are spacious and its a good location for exploring the area. If other campgrounds are full this is a good one to go back to if you want to get some quiet. Its a very rustic campground so don't expect any frills. The finishing here was great the weekend I stopped here. I used this as a temporary spot while I continued to go north so this was an easy stop for me. I would say the people who stay here are either just stopping by or are regulars who come for the fishing. There are better campgrounds around the gunflint train but this one does have its positive location. Couple of the sites are nice as you can close off a little bit because of the drive into the site is shielded with trees while a couple of the sites are a bit more public. Everything was clean so nothing to really complain about but there are bigger and better campgrounds in the area.

Photos of Kimball Lake Campground

Real photos from real campers