Best Tent Camping near Babbitt, MN

Quiet and full of trees, it's a great place to drop for the night. We didn't have a camper, but there was room for one. If you don't have a camper, you could actually fit several tents in the space where a camper would be parked. Ours, site #18, had a few steps that led to the picnic table and fire ring. Up there, we found another tent pad. That would have been the ideal spot for a tent (level and under trees), but we'd already set up at the bottom of the stairs.

The fire ring was next to the table, almost too close, but not a problem. There were, however, lots and lots of mosquitoes (end of June). There was also a mamma bear and 2 cubs there, but they didn't bother us at all.

The bathrooms were the nicest vault toilets that we've seen. Glad air freshener and everything!

Although we didn't swim, they had a very lovely area in the lake that was sectioned off for swimming. It also appeared as though they had canoes for free use as well. They also had firewood for sale, but it was $7 for a bundle. That seemed very steep to me.

Typical cost for a state forest campground in MN (cheaper, by far, than state park camps) and it was $15 for the night for a non electric site. Electric (30 amp) was $19 and electric (50 amp) was $21.There was also a $7 charge for extra vehicles at the site.

This is a small state forest campground on a small bay of the larger Vermilion Lake.  There is a nice beach, group picnic shelter, docks, and an adjacent public boat landing. For folks who are looking for a quiet place to stay while on a fishing trip at Vermilion, this wold be a good location, though more rustic than a state park. There are 5 fairly open sites close to the shelter and beach where RV's and trailers could easily park, but there are no hook-ups so be prepared. There is drinking water available in several locations throughout the campground, though this is shut off by mid September. There are  latrine toilets, and garbage collection.  There are also a group of 5 tent sites located close together that would work well as a group camp area, also cloe to the beach and docks. Further back in the woods, however, at sites 12-19, there  are larger more private sites spaced much further apart and set beautifully in among shady woods. Further along the campground loop road goes up a hill with more quiet sites, and two REALLY  exceptional hike-in sites at #20 and 21.  Site # 20 is a true gem, beautiful tall pines, picnic table, fire ring and tent pad in a very secluded setting but still just a short hike from where you park your car. There is a path down the hill to the beach and dock area. Really a primo campsite if you can get it, though all the sites are First Come-First Served and not reserveable.

Spent a couple of nights here recently and really enjoyed the solitude. Trails are all marked and the proximity to the lighthouse was nice. Weather was cool and varied between clear and partly cloudy with a light rain for about an hour one morning. Site is on a relatively open, low bluff that overlooks Lake Superior to the South and has fire ring with grill grate, half a picnic table, a locker for food / gear, latrine and tent area padded with wood chips. Trees on site were perfect for my hammock. Waves crashing below site were calming and put me to sleep both nights - was much like beach camping in my home state of California! I did not hike the surrounding trails much as this was more of a short reconnaissance trip for future visits. If you plan on swimming be sure to bring water shoes! Pebbles/rocks are tough on bare feet.

While there I also took the opportunity to scout backpack site 1. This site has same amenities though it is more sheltered by trees. There is a short path that leads down to the water’s edge and a little swimming cove that could be cool for shallow rock diving. Large, flat granite formations for sunning yourself as well. Either site is awesome and Split Rock I’ll definitely be back!

My friend and I went camping here from October 19th-21st (which happened to be during an unseasonable cold snap- I'm talking 20 degrees at night with a bit of snow, but that's neither here nor there). The first night we lucked out and though it was cold, there was virtually no wind.

We chose one of the campsites nearest to the parking lot since we had a lot of cold weather gear to lug and my friend was new to camping. Even though it was close to the lot and there weren't really leaves on the trees anymore to offer privacy, the park was quiet and we only heard people when they would walk directly past our campsite.

The proximity to Lake Superior and the view was absolutely gorgeous. We gasped when we got to the site because it was so beautiful! In combination with how quiet it was, it really made for a worthwhile stay.

The tent pad was flat and covered with woodchips. Tent pad was elevated, with a wooden bench built in. The site was cart-in, which made loading in and out a breeze. Going uphill to the parking lot was a bit of a pain, but it was a short enough distance that it was just fine. There was a sizeable metal bear box for food. The vault toilet was a short jaunt up the hill and had plenty of toilet paper in stock.

Because it was off-season, the campground building with flush toilets/showers was closed, and there was no running water for the campground. (During the regular season, water is close by at the parking lot.) There was water available on the side of the Trail Center Picnic Shelter.

I am looking forward to returning to camp here in a bit warmer weather!

Bear Head Lake State Park is just south of the Boundary Waters, and shares a comparable wilderness element.  The shoreline is beautiful and very fun to explore by kayak.

Campground features: Cabin rentals, tent sites, and RV sites.  The campground is open in fall & winter. The campsites are private, well shaded, and level. Each campsite has a picnic table and fire pit. Flush toilets, hot showers, dump station, group sites, and electric are also available.

Hiking at Bear Head Lake State Park

• Bear Head Lake State Park Trail is a moderate 3.2 mile trail. This hike is a loop route. Dogs are allowed but only on leash.
• Norberg Lake Trail is a easy 1.5 mile trail. It is a trail for all skill levels and dogs are allowed but only on leash. Mostly wooded.
• Blueberry Lake Trail is a easy 4.5 mile trail. Longer than the other listed trails. It is an out and back hike that is mostly wooded. Dogs are allowed on leash.
• Becky Lake Trail is a easy 2.7 mile hike. Beck Lake is a loop hike that is mostly wooded. Dogs are allowed on leash.

Fishing at Bear Head State Park

Bass, northerns, walleye, panfish, and trout can be caught at this State Park. Many people fish from the fishing dock or shoreline. Panfish are all over the lake and most likely the first ones biting. Good walleye fishing after 6pm.

Other activities:

Boat rentals, cross country ski trail (groomed), snowshoe trails, and snowmobile trails.

The reservations were made online with ease. We were booked for November 5th of 2017. Parking lot was convenient, but the restrooms were closed. We did have a mouse in the car when we returned eating a bag of popcorn I had left. There were an adequate amount of carts for the cart in sites. The trails are groomed regularly. There were latrines houses along the way. The backpack in hike in to site 2 is all of 1.25 miles I believe. There is a stairway leading down to the beach that is in great condition. Campsite 2 is a large site on the most south side of the property. It is on a hill above the water. There are a few trees at the edge of your hill cliff area for a bit of a wind break, but not much. The view is amazing. Down the hill to the very rock water front you have access to an abundance of clean water. The waves can come crashing in on you. In most of the seasons this is very doable. When the rocks begin to freeze in November you will slip into the cold water. There is not an easy way to go about it. A pole attachment for your water bucket could work. There is a bear box, but I would warn you of the mice. The latrine is guarded on three sides and has a well build pedestal. There is a pad for your tent and trees for your hammock. There is no hiding from the wind in this large clearing of a campsite. There is a half wood bench with table top. This is very convenient. The fire pit has a metal grate to swing over the top with a few large logs for seating. The hike is easy and the view is amazing. It is mostly tall grass around you, but there is plenty of firewood in the surrounding area.

The trails of this park are either a hikers dream or nightmare. Exposed roots, large rocks, and elevation changes are common. Good potential for a twisted ankle. I would not advise bringing small children or inexperienced hikers as they will likely not have a very good time. Although there is the Bensen Lake trail that is a wooden boardwalk that rings Bensen Lake. This trail connects to the picnic grounds that is a great place for a day outing. You can drive almost right up to it and there is a vault toilet. The lake itself is fairly small. I don't know if it is worth the trouble of bringing a canoe or kayak unless you plan on taking some trout out of the lake.

9/14/2020 - 9/16/2020
I camped in site 19 which is only .5 miles from the parking lot. Flat road and wooden boardwalk sounds good until you get to the trail that leads from the boardwalk up a hill to the campsite. According to my GPS this is 138 feet of elevation. And remember what I said about the large rocks and exposed roots? This trail doesn't disappoint. Let's put it this way, you will not feel guilty for playing hooky from the gym during your stay here. This site is also not level. It has a pitch of about 5 degrees which doesn't sound like much until you attempt to balance your cookpot on your backpacking stove. There also isn't a bear box which I am told the other campsites do have. My guess is that nobody wanted to carry one up that hill.  You do get a field latrine and decent view of the sky. There is a rocky outcrop in the middle of the site that is a perfect platform to lay down on and stargaze. There is a couple of bushcraft style benches and a stool near the fire ring. Good luck finding dry deadfall for firewood around the campsite. If you want a fire you are going to have to bring your own up the hill. 

I decided to take a look at the neighboring campsite 18 thinking that this must be a cakewalk compared to 19.  It wasn't on a hill but the trail resembled something like what Indiana Jones had to contend with getting into the Temple of Doom. I didn't even get all the way to it. Although I didn't come across any signs that said, "I'd Turn Back If I were You" - I turned back partially because I already had a long hike planned for that morning, and this isn't the trail I wanted to have to run down while being chased by a huge boulder. 

All this toil has its payoff though. There are some great views. The cascades on the Manitou river, the overlooks, and the Matt Willis trial that looks like you are going to see Robin Hood come walking down the trial at any time. This trail seems like it hasn't been touched by humans in a while. There were lots of trees fallen over the trail and there are parts where it is difficult to tell where the trail goes. 
Would I come back to this park? Absolutely. Will I reserve campsite 19 again? I think I will pass on that, and site 18 for that matter - wherever it is.

Note - there is no cell service in the park, You do get it when you get out to the park entrance on county road 7. There is a hand pump for water near the entrance. Otherwise you will need to filter or boil the water you find in the park. The map shows springs that flow towards the Manitou river, although they are not marked as such.

I’ve stayed at Site 1 twice in the winter. We did manage to hike in on a blizzard night in November of 2019, but the park office made sure we were ok. The park office has limited hours so be prepared with firewood ahead of time. They do not plow the campground parking lot in the winter, but they do plow down to the pebble beach lot. You can snowshoe, hike, or toboggan in. The back trail off Of pebble beach parking is groomed and has views of the light house and nature center. There is a dumpster and a bathroom that is open. There is another bathroom off of the campground parking lot that I was able to use, but you will need to have snow shoes. Camping at site 1 in the winter is amazing. Perfect views of the lake and lighthouse. The site is protected from the lake by a large hill that has a bench at the top. The site has a picnic table, bear box, and grate. During the summer, the site would have a lot of noise from the parking lot and hiking traffic. In the winter, there are a lot of photographers. There are coyotes in the winter.

There were no problems getting to this state park. We pulled into the dump station just before entering the campground(CG) area to get fresh water. While we were there, a park ranger stopped to check us in, including processing us for a free annual MN state park pass for disabled veterans. We followed the site signage to electric(50/30/20 AMP) only site 110, which was an easy back-in. The site was long enough for our 40’ toy hauler to include putting our back patio down and parking our F-450. We especially liked how ample trees and bushes were separating the sites, and you are well away from your neighbors. The site gave us plenty of space to set up our chairs around a nice fire pit and one fine picnic table. Get water as you come into the CG, as the spigots throughout the park do not have threads. The 300 loop has pull-throughs that will handle large rigs, with 312 being the best. We got 5 bars 4G. on Verizon. We put Starlink on the roof and got a decent signal. There was a nice shower house/restrooms where the park also sold firewood. Formal trail systems are throughout the CG and park, and we enjoyed walking our dogs. We really like the variety of RV sites for all sizes of RVs, but it's too bad the CG area has no water views.