Best RV Parks & Resorts near Babbitt, MN

A rare find - clean, level, large RV sites with full hook ups on the North Shore not filled with residents in all the good sites. Strict rules such as no early check in and no late check out. Tents and rvs also allowed in a section next to the highway with electric only. NOTE: no onsite dump station - if you do not stay in a full hookups site you must drive into the town of Silver Bay to use the city dump facility, which may be too awful to use, depending on how many used it first. ATV trails connect to this campground, so it is very popular with them. No one starts before the 8am quiet time end, so we enjoyed watching the different types pass by. A new security code locked bathhouse is clean and nice. We stayed during the Memorial Day weekend, and were pleasantly surprised at the well behaved and polite people here. I recommend this campground as a nice place to explore the North Shore from.

When traveling long term with the destination of peace and serenity, places like this are necessary. Freedom, silence and a feeling of oneness with nature heighten your intuition and joy for life. Simplicity is key and the mind is free to relax towards thought of beauty and love. Stay here if you appreciate nature and all it’s sustainable power, it’s magic.

Love, love, love this campground! It not only has full hook-ups and overlooks a lake, but is right on the Mesabi Bike Trail. The managers were friendly and helpful. The sites were spacious. It was so peaceful!

Bear Head Lake is an established, full service state park that has something for everyone. There are a variety of camping opportunities, from camper cabins to guesthouse to tent campsites with lake access to RV sites. Though you have to hike to the beach, the beach is really lovely and has boat rental. There is an extensive network of trails for both hiking and cross country skiing, with a really great indoor Trail Center that serves as winter warming house, indoor meeting place for rainy days, and classroom for park naturalist events. The lake is great for boating, fishing and paddling. though part of the lake shore is privately owned, the lake is quiet and peaceful overall, nestled in tall pines with easy access to the town of Ely if desired. The vicinity is known for bears and is part of a long term bear research study; visit the American Bear Center nearby if interested! https://www.bear.org/website/

This is a small lot for RV parking on the way to the scenic overlook. There’s a dump station and hose for fresh water down the hill. We stayed the night and ended up meeting another van couple and ate dinner together. If you stay, definitely recommend doing the City/Lake view trail at the top of the hill to learn a little bit about Silver Bay! The video I added is of the trail at the top.

Our Family stayed at Headquarters RV Park in Buyck (just outside of Orr, MN) for 4 days over the Memorial Day weekend, and we were so impressed!! This is a new, family owned and operated park situated on 30 acres of beautiful pines. The hosts Brad and Koreen are so welcoming, and have put their hearts into making this Park a refuge from the hustle and busle of our hetic work week.

The one thing we appreciated the most is how close they are to Crane Lake, Namakan Lake, Voyageurs National Park, and the Superior National Forest. We spent our time fishing and checking out visitor destinations like the I. W. Stevens Resort (a historical jem!!) After a long day of fun it was so nice to sit out in the screen tent listening to the ruffled grouse drum and the peace and quiet of nature. There are only 13 spacious sites in this park with plenty of room to fit your RV, boat or 4 wheelers and trailer, screen tent with plenty of room to spare, and beautiful pines between you and your neighbor for privacy.

When you arrive you will find your site ready with a picnic table and fire pit. The full service hook ups are easy to access, and make set up a breeze!! They offer 20, 30, and 50 amp service, and make note that they also offer a potable water station too. Firewood is available for purchase, but don’t be surprised if the Sokoloski’s invite you to their host site for a campfire:) The walking paths are beautiful too!! We brought our dog Max, and he loved it too!! We’ll be back for sure!!

The campground is located in a very nice small town and the water sites are amazing for sunrise. The campground has all the amenities you need; Full hookups, water, dump station, fire rings, and picnic tables. Tent sites were the most numerous, but there were several RVs. We saw everything from big RVs to motorcycles here. Things were clean but it was a super packed when we were there. You can't sit outside without getting to know your neighbors inner secrets! 

The view and access to water is what would bring us back.

On the outskirts of Finland, along the Baptism River, in the Finland National Forest. Just a few miles north of Eckbeck Campground, off of MN 1 & County Rd 6. Really nice wooded sites, some can accommodate big rigs. Level sites. Vault toilets. Trash bins. Some privacy between sites. I would recommend staying here overnight if the nearby state parks are full. I do not recommend staying here for peace & quiet. Noise from ATVs, a few with modified mufflers. Since there are no electric hookups, there is some noise from generators for the big RVs. What was really annoying was the noise from a bunch of drunk middle aged folks down at the group site on the night of Oct 8, 2021. I had my own drunken moments at parties, but their behavior was pathetic. Their loud voices carried throughout the campground, including some loud f-bombs. Vault toilets were just okay; not particularly clean but usable. IMO, $17 fee is too high for this particular campground. 4 bars T-Mobile.

Nice little campground that isn’t overly luxurious. Mostly built for RVs with hookups as there isn’t much shade and it would be very hot come July/August. So why stay...the fishing. Campers all had boats to get out on The lake. There is some great walleye fishing here, which is why I stopped. Nothing too fancy but they have almost 60 sites that range. Some are able to be near water and others are just in the sun. Everyone I saw had air conditioners are going.

It’s all about the fishing here tho.

This will now be one of our new favorite campgrounds. It’s the perfect mix of modern (lots of nicely spaced electric sites, well maintained shower/bathrooms, on-site store, canoe rentals and more) and rustic. (Wildlife, birds, a stones throw from the BWCA, and gorgeous sunsets.) Be mindful of your camping equipment and the size of the sites - it varies widely. There’s no dump station (closest is in Ely), but there’s a spigot to fill your RV’s water tank. AT&T service was good (2 bars, fast internet and streaming), T-Mobile not so good. (1 bar, slow internet and no streaming) Thanks to the great campground hosts for tips and info too!

Exceptionally maintained campsites with well wooded sites. Raised cement fire pits, level tent pads, and large sites for campers and RVs. Many of the lake-side sites are nestled into the hillside with stairs going down to the water. The Fall Lake campground is very well managed and has clean shower/toilet buildings, and a store with firewood, canoe rentals, and other miscellaneous items. If there is one drawback, it is that this campground is a popular place for RVs and large campers. For those tent campers wishing to get away and have some solace, it can be busy and noisy at times - depending on who your closest neighbors are. Overall, I give it four stars because we had an RV near us with screaming children that dampened our experience. I would give it five stars due to the beautiful location, the access to the north woods/BWCA, and the care that is taken to keep it maintained.

By far this was our favorite campground of the summer. The campground is fairly small, has plenty of towering trees for shade and privacy, and sits right on Fall Lake. Fall Lake is a popular place for anglers and those looking to adventure into the boundary waters. The park will accommodate anything from tents to large RVs and is well worth a visit in our opinions. In fact, plan on staying the maximum two weeks … pretty sure you will like it as much as we did.

About half of the sites are reservable with the others being walk-ups. We booked three nights because we didn’t want to drive the RV all the way up into the northwoods of Minnesota and not get a campsite. Especially, since we were there in August during the busy summer season. While we liked our first site (which was a pull-thru), it was booked after our stay so we started scouting other sites. Walk-up site #39 caught our eyes and as luck was on our side it was going to be vacant the morning we were due to check out. That morning we headed to the office fifteen minutes before they opened to get in line hoping to book the sites. We scored the site and booked it for the maximum two weeks.

In our opinions, the walk-up sites are the most desirable because they have direct access to the water. Our site had steps that led down to the lake where we kept our kayaks on the bank so we didn’t have to rack them on the car every time we used them. Even if you don’t have one of these sites there are other public pathways leading to the lake for easy access. Our site was pretty close to the boat ramp which is a busy place so it was a big noisy – especially in the early morning hours but we didn’t mind.

The bathrooms and showers (which are free) are some of the cleanest we have found. They were cleaned daily and the camp hosts returned many times during the day to check for cleanliness and make sure they were stocked with paper products. You have to use a keypad to enter the bathroom which ensures only campers are allowed in. Water pressure in the shower was great and the water was hot. There was no dial to adjust how hot you wanted the water and our shower was almost too hot to use but that was better than being cold. There was a potable water spigot outside which made it easy to fill up our water jugs.

The park has two group camp areas that are ideal for multiple campers and are very private. They have their own bathhouse, pavilion, large grassy common area, grills, and water access. We would definitely rent one of these sites if we came back with three or four friends.

One day, I walked the Stub Lake Trail that left from the campground but was really disappointed. It is in an area with lots of blow down so there was not much shade or interesting scenery. More interesting trails are located about 15 minutes away at Bass Lake which are longer and more scenic with water access. We loved the town of Ely especially the Tuesday Farmers Market and the restaurant Insula. If you are interested in renting outdoor gear there are many outfitters in town ready to assist or you can also rent canoes for $20/day at the campground office. Don't miss the International Wolf Center, the North American Bear Center and the Dorthy Molter Museum. All are really interesting and definitely worth the price of admission.

We camped here in an RV and the only thing that could have made our experience better is if there were full hook-ups. But, since the bathrooms were clean we didn't mind. There is a water fill-up station by the camp office and a dump station in town at the Chamber of Commerce.

This is a campground that, unless you know it is there, you might just pass it by. It has been around since the late 1960s. While it has its populated moments, there are many days where one practically has the campground to her/himself. It is suitable for RVs and tenters. It has a boat access landing. The beach at the campground, in the last couple of years that we had visited was not very active. The water level at the beach is shallow.

One might say it is an upscale rustic. It has pit toilets and water spigots available. But the campsites are nicely laid out.

This campground has well spaced, well foliaged camping spaces. Great for both tent and RV Camping. The bathrooms are immaculately clean as well. Plenty of options for hiking or getting on the lake and it is close to more attractions in Ely!

Nice size campground for Rvs and tents. Some sites have nice tree coverage some don’t. Some sites have fantastic views of the lake. I felt the campsites were a little on the small size. Bathrooms were clean. Nice playground for the kids and steps down to the lake to hike was nice.

Campground Review:

****This campground is located on beautiful Whitewater Lake in Hoyt Lakes, MN. The fall colors are absolutely gorgeous right now, and my pictures don’t even come close to doing them justice!! We have lived just 5 miles down the road from this campground for over 20 years, and regret not camping here sooner!! This campground is very family and pet friendly with so many activities to choose from. We spent the bulk of our time hiking the paved trails, and fishing the lake. You can reserve a spot online at http://www.fishermanspointmn.com/ , or it’s a first come first served campground. There were plenty of spots available when we camped there, but recommend reserving during the busy summer months.

There are 93 spacious and wooded sites divided into separate loops. If you are driving a bigger RV or 5th Wheel some corners can be tight, but they are currently upgrading and widening the traffic areas. Some of the campsites are right on the waterfront which was nice for mooring our boat close to us. They have some 50/30/20 amp spots, but none of the spots are a full hook up with dump capabilities. The campground hosts were super friendly and the showerhouses/restrooms were super clean and smelled freshJ There is no bringing in outside wood for campfires, but they have a nice little general store where you can purchase bundles. Each spot comes with a nice picnic table and a fire ring. One of the things we liked most is the shelters and grill pits they have right on the lakeshore. They have 2 separate boat ramp areas so there is no congestion or waiting in line to get in the water, and the fish cleaning house is just a few steps off the boat ramp. Quiet hours are from 11:00pm to 7:00am, but we noticed there is no enforcement of that rule, hence the 4 Star rating.

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Product Review:

As a Ranger for The Dyrt, I have the privilege of receiving products to test from time to time. I tested the PARASHEET Beach Blanket from Grand Trunk. https://www.grandtrunk.com/collections/goods-for-the-campsite/products/parasheet-beach-blanket-new-colors Navigating their website is easy and very user friendly!! The thing I appreciated the most is that they are in constant contact with you from the minute you place the order to when it arrives on your doorstep. The shipping time is super speedy from this company!! All items were packed well, and they included a free can cozy and decal sticker (it went on our 5th Wheel!!)

When I took Parasheet, my first thought was that I would not have used the word blanket in the description, it is so much more!! (on their website they use the sentence “The Best Beach Blanket Ever.” With that being said, the parachute nylon fabric is very lightweight, but super durable. This sheet is a packing/carrying dream!! They have a nice variety of colors available, and I ordered the Parasheet in the color Berry Bronzed. The contrast between the deep blue/tan colors is absolutely stunning!! The one feature I liked right away is that the sheet has it’s own drawcorded carrying/storage bag for easy packing and storing. We had a chance to take the sheet out on a windy day, and the sand pockets helped keep it in place while we staked it down. There are an endless amount of uses for this sheet while camping, and at home too!! (my son of course tested and gave a “thumbs up” on the Superman cape tryout lol) The parasheet stood up very well on different types of terrain (we tested sand, gravel rock, and pine needles) Overall, I think the Grand Trunk Parasheet is well priced at $39.99, and would recommend it to all!!

Temperance River State Park campground has always been a favorite of ours! On a recent backpacking trip on the Superior Hiking Trail we utilized the campground and stayed in the upper campground site 10. Formally this would have been right across from the old bath house but they tore that down and are currently getting that area prepped for new camp spots. The campsite #10 is a lovely spot with ample space, a little grove of trees that have a moss carpet beneath them and space to hammock, tent or rv camp.

Temperance River has two really nice campgrounds, each with their own highlights. The Lower Campground sits on the lake and if you’re fast enough you can get lake view sites reserved. We were at camping with family that was RV camping so we chose two sites right next to each other. They were sites 57 and 58. The bathrooms were just vault toilets a little bit down the road so not super convenient as with the shower bathrooms at the Upper Campground but they worked fine for us. Our site did not have a view of the lake but was a fine size for our car and a large tent. A short 3 minute walk brought right to the lake and rocky beach where there were plenty of books and crannies to explore. The Temperance River also comes out in this beach so you can play around that as well. From our location at Temperance we easily explored and enjoyed hiking the Oberg Mtn Loop, trails like Honeymoon Bluff up the Gunflint and visiting other parks like Cascade River.