Best Dog-Friendly Camping near Bagley, MN

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

What an amazing find and diamond in the rough! This resort is amazing, quiet, clean, friendly people, and pet friendly! Only a 3 mile ride down the gravel to get to ATV trails, and a premium gas pump to fill up with when you get back at the resort after riding. Private boat launch and swimming beach make it fun for the kids and convenient for dad to dock his boat to go fishing. Will definitely book a stay here again, soon!

• This is the headwaters of the Mississippi, which is a neat experience.
• Itasca Rentals is here. This is a great option for pontoon, kayak, canoe, SUP, bike, and child/ pet carrier rentals.
• TONS of hiking throughout the massive park.
• The wilderness drive is very scenic.
• Some k the best hiking included: preacher’s grove and the fire tower
• This would be a great location to host an event such as a family reunion, because there is something for everyone.
• Very nice playgrounds for the kids.

This campground is in Paul Bunyan State Forest. First come, first serve. No ATVs are allowed, perfect if you have young kids on bikes. There are no hook ups at all. Must have a generator for power. Water is available but not at every site. Pets are allowed. Outside toilets are clean. This is a quiet camp ground. The site includes a table and fire ring. There is no place to dock your boat over night. Keep in mind these sites are only $14 a night. There is a host but no security. There are signs up warning about bears.

There are quite a few RV sites at Shooting Star Casino in Mahnomen and they offer full hookups!  We stayed at site 19, shown in the photo.  Although the sites are close together, there were quite a few empty sites so we felt like it was semi-private.  The cost was about $25 per night so definitely a great deal for full hookups.  There is a picnic table at each site and the RV park is pet friendly.  We spent a lot of our time in the casino while we were here so our time in the camper was limited but while we slept, we didn't here much noise.

CAMPGROUND REVIEW

Itasca State Park is a primo destination in northern Minnesota for folks interested in exploring the headwaters of the Mississippi River. There are several campgrounds, group camps, cabins and lodge accomodations in the park that suit most visitors. But for folks who want a wilderness experience while at the headwaters, there are miles of wilderness trails in the backcountry area on the southern end of the park—and there are campsites and Adirondack shelters scattered throughout the myriad glacial lakes of this backcountry, enough so that you could backpack by foot or on snowshoes or cross country skis for a week through the territory, staying at a different lakes every night. April in Minnesota means we are still winter camping—but despite the snow, the sun is bright and warm, and it is great to get out into it. The park is at its peak of solitude in the winter, but if you can find a way to get to a campsite, they are open and reservable. This review is for Remote Campsite 11, located on an isthmus between Coffee Break Lake and Deer Park Lake. It is a several mile hike in from the nearest parking areas, either via Mary Kake and the Ozawindib Trail, or via the Deer Park Trail from Douglas Lodge. The trail is rolling and maintained for cross country skiers, snowshoers and snowhikers in the winter. This campsite is located just past the Ozawindib Adirondack Shelter, which is a good backup if its too windy or cold at the campsite. The campsite itself is down a hill by the lakeshore, between two lakes actually, on a rise that overlooks both. There is an additional campsite nearby on the south end of Deer Park Lake, campsite 10. There is a tent pad sheltered under the tall pines (and currently under the snow!) as well as a fire ring and an outhouse. There is no water provided, but a large bucket is available, so you can get lake water and filter it, or melt snow or bring your own. This is a great location for folks who like winter camping as the trek in is only a few miles, I was able to do it easily carrying a backpack of gear on my back, and a front pack with my dog when she got tired if trudging through the snow. And of course it is an easy hike in during the milder snow-free seasons. The site is scenic, pristine, and largely sheltered from the wind. The vista north over Coffee Break Lake would be awesome for viewing northern lights, this is a dark sky part of the park. It can get a little muddy in the transition season, including around the campfire area, so we hung out at the Adirondack shelter nearby and did our cooking there.

To see a map and reserve a back country campsite at Itasca, check this link:

https://reservemn.usedirect.com/MinnesotaWeb/Facilities/AdvanceSearch.aspx

For more info on Remote Camping in Minnesota State Parks, see this link: https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/state_parks/remote_camping.html

For general info on Itasca State Park, go to the homepage: www.dnr.state.mn.us/state_parks/park.html?id=spk00181#homepage

PRODUCT REVIEW

As a Ranger for The Dyrt, I ocasionally get camping products to test out. Today I am testing Mountain House Southwest Breakfast Hash https://www.mountainhouse.com/m/product/spicy-southwest-breakfast-hash.html

Mountain House makes lightwieght, freeze-dried trail meals that are "cooked" in their own pouches using only boiling water. The sealed pouches are durable and lightwieght to carry, and the no-fuss no-muss prep of adding boiling water and letting it stand for 4 minutes in the re-sealable pouch is really easy. Since I was carrying my gear on my back, and carrying my tired little dog in a front pack carrier, I certainly didnt want to have extra weight! But these meal pouches are so light you hardly know you are carrying them. This pouch of SW breakfast hash had more than enough for two people plus some leftover for the dog, we served it up on tortillas that we had also packed, but you could eat it straight up. The hash featured beans, corn, potatoes, veggies and shredded beef for a well rounded complete meal as is, but you could extend the servings by scrambling it with eggs to dish up for a larger group. The taste and texture were surprisingly good, tasty without being too spicy, and I would defintiely buy this again. See our video review at https://youtu.be/nB9lBmjUsqU

The campground has either electric or water or just electric sites for RVs and there are also tent-only sites.  The tent sites are located across from and adjacent to the RV sites.  The RV sites are pretty close together but, we were there in the middle of the summer and there were a couple of open tent sites on one side of us.  The campground is pet friendly and the management is friendly.  The campground is close to Itasca State Park as well.  Others have mentioned that getting in to the campsites near the circle drive area (closest to the lake parking lot) are a little difficult to get into & this is very true.  We have an 8x17 Ice Castle/RV that we pull behind the truck and backing into our spot without disturbing other campers was not an easy task.  The circle drive is right where the last couple of RV sites are sitting and there is a tree at the point of the circle drive so you have to avoid the tree and maneuver around it when backing in.  The sites that are closer to the entrance & the playground that do not have a good view of the lake are easier to get in to.  We used the dump station which is nicely situated on a slope just outside the entrance so it's easy to completely pump out a tank that might sit lower on your unit.  There was a picnic table and campfire ring at each site.

While this seems to be mainly an "RV" campground, but there were a few cabins on the lake and two gorgeous tent sites that would be the envy of many other camps. They were ideal, especially for the family that wanted the "tent" experience without having to huff it through the woods with toddlers in tow.

Sleeping Fawn is very clearly marked from the road, and although they don't say "campground" on the sign, there are a few tent sites available. It's about a 3/4 mile drive off the main road, but signage is apparent the entire way, and it's super easy to find once you get there. There is an office for check in, cabins to rent and lots of RV sites available too. Even though RV's seem to dominate here, the roadway through the woods and past them is peaceful and serene. Pine needles cover the ground and create a softness to the scenery. The posts that mark each site are wooden, tall, and are clearly numbered. Close to the entrance is a "tent parking" area, a cart for hauling your things, and 2 tent pads, just across the drive and down a little path about 20 yards. Perfect!

The tent sites are far enough apart to be "separate", but close enough that if you had family or friends, they are close by. Garbage cans are at the split in the path between #1 and #2 and each site has a fire ring, picnic table, gorgeous, flat tent pad and a view of the lake. And again, if you needed something from the car, it's a 50 yard walk. Not a 3 mile trudge through the woods.

Camping in tents May 18 - Oct 1

Camping rates were a bit steep for my liking, but I like primitive sites in the woods. So if you were a family trying to introduce wee ones to camping, it would still be worth it. $28 for a site as of 2018. Or a weekly rate of $170. Showers and laundry available, as well as free coffee in the morning. They also have a beach, nature trail, small store and other amenities.

NOTE: Pets are not allowed at this resort

We stayed at Balsam Beach Resort & RV Park at the height of summer vacation on Lake Plantagenet in Bemidji. The resort was at full capacity, so it was crowded with no privacy that we prefer to have. (one of the reasons for the lower star rating) We brought our RV and boat, and there was room to park our boat trailer by the boat landing. There are many seasonal sites, cabins for rent, and an open field area for camping in a tent, and 4 RV spots. We stayed in RV spot #1, and the spot came with a picnic table and a fire ring which we did not use because the size of the space put our RV to close to the ring. There is a big fire ring down by the lake that anyone can use (please note you can not bring in your own firewood, they have it available for purchase in the lodge for $5.00 for a small bundle) All RV sites are full hook up with 30 amp electric service, and water and dump. If you bring a boat, it will need to be inspected before you launch it into the lake. There is a big dumpster where you can put your trash in, and they also have bins for aluminum cans, and glass and plastic recycling.

Most of our time was spent fishing on the lake, but we were impressed with the other activities they offered to people staying there including a swimming pool, beach toys, paddle boats, canoes, inflatable rafts, a playground, a baseball field, horse shoes, volley ball sand pit, work out room, and laundry facilities (bring your quarters!! A regular wash and dry is $4.00) They also off cable TV hook up, and have a "general store" that sells sweatshirts, tshirts, ice cream, coffee, and has movie rentals for $4.00 per movie/per day. (Yes, we got the sense that everything is an additional fee) They do allow pets, but at a cost of $5.00 per day. The resort was clean and well maintained by the owners. We just did not feel a sense of welcome from the owners, and will not be making a return trip in the future. It was nice being only a few miles away from the city of Bemidji as we spent a day visiting Paul Bunyan and Babe, and Bemidji State Park to hike the Bog walk (recommended!!) We also spent a day fishing on Lake Bemidji, which is a 10 minute drive from the resort.

This is both a campsite review and Dyrt Ranger Product Review.

CAMPSITE REVIEW:

Coffee Pot Landing is a canoe landing and campsite located near the LaSalle Scientific Natural Area and along a wild and scenic section of the Mississippi River Headwaters Water Trail. You can download a map and brochure about the water trail at this link: https://files.dnr.state.mn.us/maps/canoe_routes/mississippi1.pdf

If you are paddling “from source to sea,” or just from source to the first town on the Missisippi which is Bemidji, then this is the second campsite you come to downstream from Itasca State Park. It takes most people two days paddle to get here, then another three to five days til Bemidji (Close to 100 water miles, but only 30 as the crow flies) Of the various campsites available in this first stretch of the Headwaters, this is one of the nicer ones, and the only one in this first segment that you can drive or bike into as well as paddle-in. There is a large group tent site on one side if the river adjacent to the parking area, and it has space for several tents and has a fire grill. Across a foot bridge to the north side of the river you will find another large group site with even more tent sites, two great Adirondack shelters, several picnic tables, two fire grills, a stone fire ring, and a fairly well maintained outhouse. There are canoe landing sites on both sides of the river.

I really love this section of the river, and this is a great place to camp. I dont give it a full five star rating, however, because the campsites used to have water pumps and more picnic tables; however, as these were vandalized at some point, rather than being replaced and maintained, they were removed and the campsites downgraded from rustic to primitive. Another disappointing aspect is that there is supposed to be a larger buffer zone of undisturbed forest on both sides of the river as this stretch has wild and scenic status, but there has been a fair amount of blowdown and logging near the north side. The SNA on the south side is well protected though. overall, this is a nice place to camp, for individuals or groups, whether through paddling or using this as a destination for a short trip.

PRODUCT REVIEW As a Ranger for The Dyrt, I sometimes have the opportunity to try new camping products and evaluate them. This product review is for Nature’s Kettle coffee, and yes I purposely chose the Coffee Pot Landing campsite to try it out!

Nature’s Kettle coffee is a real brand of high quality coffee that comes conveniently packaged in its own reusable brewing bag that very cleverly functions like a drip coffee maker without you having to bring along and fuss with a coffee pot while on your trip. SEE THE ATTACHED VIDEO TO SEE THE BREWING PROCESS.

Pros: wow, this coffee tastes really good! I hate instant coffee but tolerate it when camping because then we dont have to have a big fire or lots of pots when cooking breakfast. However, with this along you need just one pot water heated up—use some of the water for your morning oatmeal or freeze dried eggs or whatever, then the rest of the water is used to easily brew your coffee right in its own brew bag. The bag is two chambered and the coffee steeps almost like french press coffee, then you pour it out just like a coffee pot. and the brew bag is reusable too. So, good coffee, great variety of refill coffees, even tea or cocoa if you want. and such a clever but simple compact and lightweight brewing system! Great for camping

CONS Actually….only one. Since you use boiling water, you have to be really careful when you first pour the water in because the bottom of the brew bag doesn’t flatten out and stand on its own til you get the first cup in. And the bag gets a bit hot. Therefore, this isnt something to do around kids or pets unless you are very careful.

For those of you who love canoeing, backpacking, or camping with streamlined supplies and gear, but really cant start your morning with anything but real coffee, this is a great product for you! Rich tasty real coffee, with no extra pots to pack and no fuss no muss brewing.

We were on the main part of the loop with more traffic and no barrier to the dusty road. Less wind made the next day better but I’d recommend being further in. Great ambiance and real friendly people, dog friendly too. We were here when fall colors peaked, beautiful!

My best friend and I love to camp with our dogs, and this location was perfect we had a wonderful tent spot. The back was all woods and we went pretty late into the season so there was only us and maybe 5 other campers through out the whole park!! The hiking trails are wonderful and well kept!

As a native Minnesotan who relocated to Oregon just a few years ago, I miss my regular summer visits to Itasca State Park in Northern Minnesota. From May through October, I have enjoyed tent camping and biking the trails there. Every visitor should plan to stay at least 2 days to take in all the activities they can here, including walking (or wading) across the Mississippi headwaters, hiking the volumous and beautiful trails, and if possible plan to bike one of the trail routes or rent a kayak or canoe to enjoy the lake. The tent sites are well-spaced, with plenty of privacy between, due to the thick woods. Be prepared for lots of mosquitos, woodticks, deer ticks, and occasionally biting flies... a heavy duty insect repellent with DEET is your best bet. This area is teeming with wildlife, too: watch for bald eagles, deer, fox, coyote and bears. The bears are most active around the campgrounds at night, so be sure all food and fruit-scented products are locked up in your vehicle to be safe. These are typically smaller black bears, which are easily scared off by dogs or noise, and I've never met an experienced camper who was afraid of them. However, as with all wildlife they can be unpredictable and you should always take precautions for your safety. Enjoy the wild beauty, the historical sites from early settlers, the call of loons at night, and the fabulous smell of the freshwater lake through the pine trees!

A free county camp very well maintained grass with nice toilet, clean well water, firepit, benches all well cared for. I was alone all day mid week in summer until a big rig pulled up at 10pm and took half the other spots about a dozen horses. It seemed cool for one night as a tenter but a clicky type of horse owners environment where they may not want folks without horses. A nice creek near by with space and a interesting place for my dogs to soak in all the smells even if its just one night.

This was our second visit to Itasca State Park. We have camped in both the tent campsites and the electric ones. We again rented a pontoon boat and drove around the lake which is very beautiful. They offer dog friendly rentals which is right up our alley. They also have a wonderful gift shop at the visitor center with lots of great finds. The headwaters, although usually somewhat crowded, are always fun to visit and just a short walk from the parking lot. This is a very popular state park so book a year in advance whenever possible.

Three different people recommended Lake Itasca so I made my way here. It’s the start of the mighty Mississippi with a large natural area surrounding it. There are even a pack of wolves getting started here. Bring your bicycle or your boat or just enjoy the hiking. 

Campground review: 

I showed up without a reservation and was limited in my selection. I went with the rangers suggestions and found myself in a central location. I stayed at pine ridge but there is bear paw campground, cabins or the lodge. Plenty of choice. They do suggest reserving a spot during peak times such as weekends. Sunday night arrival was perfect and I ended up near the shower house (maybe too close for my dog). The sites on the outside of the loops are more private but watch out for the poison ivy. 

The shower and restroom were older but well kept. Love the water pressure! The garbage/recycling areas are convenient. It’s a large park so expect to drive to destinations if you don’t bring your bike. This was a crowded time in the campground but we found our own space in the park. There is plenty of space to spread out. 

Insider tips: I wish I brought my bike. The paved bike path is beautiful and you can continue around Wilderness Drive. We were all alone at the headwaters by getting there between 9 and 10 am. You can rent a canoe or take a boat tour. 

This turned out to be an ok place to visit. There are a lot of people and it stressed out my dog. She calmed down once people left on Monday morning.

I camped at this location with my siblings and cousins in early August a few years ago. We had 2 tents for sleeping and a canopy shelter near the picnic table. The campsite was plenty big enough for a party of 7 & 2 dogs. The area and campsites are wooded, mostly shaded with large evergreens. Bathrooms and showers were nearby, just a walk across the road from our campsite. We were on a back road, which was enjoyable yet an easy walking distance to the beach. The lakeside campsites also looked nice. We had friends that were camping in a RV nearby who's campsite was also inviting. The ground space is level and gravel/dirt with occasional pine needles from overhead evergreen trees. The bike path goes along the lakeshore/woods that provides access of miles of bike paths in the Cass Lake & Walker area. The beach was sandy & provided gorgeous views of Cass Lake. I highly recommend this campground to those that want to experience Cass Lake.

La Salle Lake is the newest Minnesota state recreation ares, in the process of become a state park in its own right but currently administeted under the umbrella of nearby Itasca State Park.

If you are a tent camper, the main campground is rather open and more stark than you might like, but RV campers will like the full hookups and the exceptionally nice campground restrooms and shower facilities. What is special about camping here is not the campground itself, but the exceptional surroundings. Lake La Salle is a small but pristine lake, the second deepest in Minnesota and surrounded but mature forest in an ancient glacial moraine tunnel valley. The unique geology makes for terrific hiking through varied terrain all around the lake itself, and into the nearby state Scientific Natrual Area at the confluence if LaSalle Creek and the fledgling Mississippi River. While mostly wooded, there is also a natural prairie area with rare wildflowers. There is nice canoeing, kayaking anf fishing, a good boat launch and swimming beach, and a beautiful new accessible boardwalk and picnic area. There are also two very beautiful north woods style cabins for rent. There are a couple of paddle-in or hike-in dispersed campsites being developed on the more secluded side of the lake, and for folks who want a primitive camping experience close to Bemidji this would be it! The park is 15 miles from Itasca State Park and also 15 miles from Bemidji for day trips to either, and a family-friendly bar and grill is 5 minutes away at the Becida crossroads. Well recommended for an easy and quiet family getaway in northern Minnesota

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.

 Lake Bemidji State Park Campground is right on the lake. Bring your boat or rent one. The paved Paul Bunyan trail is waiting for a bicycle adventure. A variety of hiking trails can also be found. 

I happened to arrive the weekend of the Lake Bemidji bike tour. The park rangers were helpful and quickly filled me in on things to do. Many bicycles came through on Saturday- at least until the rain came. This was the weekend of the ride around the lake - perhaps because it was Father’s Day? I had to make reservations but most of the campground was empty. The sites are close together but the forecast for rain must have kept people away because I felt like there was plenty of space. 

My first time in the restroom found hundreds of flies and backed up toilets. This was remedied by the next day and it was well kept for the rest of my stay. The one central shower house was used throughout the day as people finished swimming. There are group sites available as well as accessible sites. There were a number of organized events that covered a variety of interests. 

I hiked the logging trail with my dog and found a dozen ticks before we finished. We kept to the paved Paul Bunyan trail after that and didn’t find any more. A bike would be nice to ride the short distance into town. 

We spend some of the rainy day in the beautiful town of Bemidji. A clean laundromat was followed up by a cool food co-op. Bill’s Base Camp was the best find. Bill started this outdoor store a year ago and has quality stuff. He spent time talking with me about possible places to go to next. 

I picked this place at random on the Dyrt app. I’m glad I found it. A rough beginning turned into a pleasant stay.

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

We love our Boundary Waters Canoe Area to the north of us, and the North shore of Lake Superior to the east, both of which offer some of the best wilderness camping in northern Minnesota. However, they are both a good three hour drive from our home in north central Minnesota. Itasca State Park, between Park Rapids and Bemidji, is our go-to special place when we want to take to the woods for a weekend but only have to drive about a half hour to get there. Most campers at Itasca head for the main campgrounds for standard tent and RV camping...but for a near Wilderness experience, there are 11 remote backpacker campsites which are between 1 and 6 miles trek into the roadless wilderness area of the park south of the parks main loop drive. The Iron Corner Lake remote campsite is one such campsite off on its own in the backcountry, actually by the nexus of the Ozawindib Trail and the North Country National Scenic trail that runs through this part of the park. It is an easy trek in from a small parking area near Josephine Lake, or from a larger parking area at the south entrance of the park. Either trail in goes up and over the Itasca Moraine, so there is some good elevation change along the traild, but not too rugged, and it is really just over a mile that you need to pack in to this campsite. The campsite comes with fire ring and benches, beautiful bed of pine needles for a tent pad, access to a gorgeous crystal clear lake, and a clean three-sided outhouse with a scenic view toward the lake. (No need for a door—its the wilderness! ) You can camp here as a base camp, and then have the chance to hike miles of trails in every direction to dozens of other wilderness lakes in the area. The trails in are both wide, soft, and well maintained so you could easily bring in a kayak ir canoe if you dont mind portaging the distance. Quiet, rustic, pristine, and dark skies at night! Check this page for a description of the MN state park remote campsites with a link to reserve one: https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/state_parks/remote_camping.html and check this link for info on the Itasca State Park overall https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/state_parks/park.html?id=spk00181#homepage

Itasca State Park is a jewel in the state park system of Minnesota, and the park’s Pine Ridge campground is where hordes and crowds of visitors stay when visiting it in summer. The park is very quiet and lightly used in winter, but wow, its the best time of year! The paths to famous spots like the headwaters of the Mississippi River and the visitor centers are plowed and maintained, and there are myriad groomed trails from cross country skiing and snow shoeing. A lot of people go ice fishing too. There is not a big demand for camping so mist if the campsites are closed, but Pine Ridge does maintain a selection of campsites with hookups for those who do want to venture forth. The campground bath houses are closed for the winter and water is shut off, but you can car camp and rv with hookups if you want, or tent camp if you know how to do so comfortably in winter and dint mind using outhouses in the campground. There is running water and regular bathrooms at the main visitor’s center so that is an option, but several miles drive from the winter campsites. So, bottom line, come prepared with all your own supplies, and make sure you know how to stay warm if car or tent camping. A winter visit to the park is well worth it!