I visited Gulch Lake campground October of 2019. The leaves could not have been more beautiful. The outhouses were clean. There were only two other campers in the campground, perhaps given the time of year, because who could resist this spot? It's not actually on the lake, and can be difficult to find down an old rickety road, I would suggest getting there with plenty of light so you can locate the grounds. Not only is it connected to the North Country Trail but there is also a beautiful trail around Gulch Lake that is connected to the north side of the campground just past Spot 1. We spent all day hiking through the crowds at Itasca (about 15 minutes down the road) and learned that we had the best most secluded hiking right next door. I will be returning!