Best Tent Camping near Bemidji, MN

Recent Tent Reviews near Bemidji, Minnesota

327 Reviews of 29 Bemidji Campgrounds

• 

  Janet R.

  Legend

  

  Aug. 31, 2020

  Highbanks Resort Campground on Lake Winnie

  Full service resort with camping available at High Banks landing

  This is a full service fishing resort with a lodge and cabin rental, but RV and tent camping is also available. The campsites are very nice and wooded, the tenting sites include some very secluded spots back in the woods which is nice for solitude but precludes a view of the lake. There are daily rates as well as weekly rates for camping or cabin stays. This is a top notch place to stay for a fishing vacation, off the beaten path but with full amenities. It can be a destination vacation spot, or can be a great stop-over  for through-paddlers crossing Lake Winnie on the Mississippi River Headwaters Water Trail. Although near the National Forest campground on Tamarack Point, this has many more amenities which is nice when you are so far from the nearest town, especially if you are paddling through and have no vehicle for travel. Amenities include groceries, ice cream shop, full service boat launch and fishing supplies, and more. You might not be into winter camping in a tent, but there are ice houses to rent that you could camp in if you come in winter. More expensive than usual campgrounds, but with more amenities provided and with a stellar location. Pets welcome at no extra charge! Seasonal campsite rental can also be arranged.

• S

  Shawn M.

  Traveler

  

  Jul. 29, 2018

  DeSoto Lake Backpacking Sites — Itasca State Park

  One of the Best Wild Campground Experiences in Minnesota

  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

  Albiann T.

  Traveler

  

  Jun. 22, 2021

  COE Leech Lake Reservoir Leech Lake Recreation Area

  Mosquitos and trouble reserving site

  I had to call the reservation.gov phone line because the website would not allow me to reserve a site for that night, even though it was available. The bathrooms are good, but they are far away from the tent site. People mostly drive up to the good bathroom. Lots of mosquitos no matter what time of day. Lots of shade, but the 4 strictly tent sites are very close together and right next to a road, separated by trees.

• 

  Allison K.

  Legend

  

  Jul. 7, 2019

  Norway Beach - Chippewa Campground Loop

  Great for tent camping but not so much for Rv/travel trailer camping

  We planned a huge family camping trip this year and the lovely Chippewa Loop campground in the Chippewa National Forest was the camp ground that we had the honor of staying at! We had three sites, 79, 80, and 81 with 17 people total. 9 Adults and 8 kids ranging from ages 7 to 1. The campground is right outside Cass Lake Minnesota that had a nice grocery store, a pretty weird liquor store, a family dollar, and a fishing pier if you didn’t have a boat. It was about a half an hour outside of Bemidji, Mn that has a lot of history from Minnesota and a great fireworks display over the lake on the Fourth of July. The City of Bemidji has a lot a little boutique shops if you are into shopping while on camping trips. It also had a cute little ice cream store that we took all the kids to across from the Paul Bunyan and Babe the blue ox statue and a nice park for the kids to play at right off of Lake Bemidji. If you’re into craft breweries Bemidji also has a brewery called Bemidji Brewing right in town. There’s also a Walmart, Target, Home Depot, and a dollar tree amongst other stores if you have that “I forgot list”.

  Site number 80 was the best to put up a travel trailer, but it was also extremely close to site number 82 and practically joined site number 82. We ended up putting our Jayco Eagle 30 foot travel trailer in site number 81 because with everyone else tent camping and we were the only one with a travel trailer, we felt this site was the best to park our travel trailer in because it was the least level site and only had one small pad for a tent. Site number 79 and 81 were joined together by a path that made it easy for us to all eat in one site. We all pretty much congregated in site number 81. We put most of our tents, three to be exact, in site number 80 because it was the most level and open for tents. The site was capable of having two large cabin tents and a small 4 person tent comfortably. Site had a lot of good pine trees for hanging Hammocks but, like I said before, it was almost right on top of site number 82 so we decided to only put up the 3 tents and congregate across the road in site number 81 as to not disturb the other site occupants. It was pretty frustrating that that was the most level site because it was also the best one to park a travel trailer in and have an awning out and a picnic table but we couldn’t do it because we didnt want to disturb the other site with 17 people.

  Site number 79 had a good drive pad but the tent pad was extremely un-level. we put up a single pole tipi in that site because the people in that site had cots and didn’t mind sleeping on an incline. When I say incline, I mean incline, the tent pad was not level at all which is kind of frustrating. Site number 79 was the least friendly for hammocks so we hung all her hammocks in site number 81.

  Site number 81 is where we decided to put up the trailer but the trailer pad was super un- level. We ended up making a Walmart run to get two more packs of leveling blocks and we use three packs of leveling blocks to make it level with room to have our awning and out. Right behind the travel trailer was a sloped hill that went down to the fire pit and a tent pad that was also on a slight incline which we were up by eight person tent there but that person had a raised air mattress and didn’t mind sleeping on an incline. Attached to site number 81 was also the path to the showers that was right down the hill. It worked out great because the showers and the bathrooms were so close to our site but we felt like the trees were blocking everything from our site.

  We took a lot of bike rides and got to see a lot of the other sites and they had a lot of good tent sites in some of the other loops and it seems like all of the electric sites were not as great as the tent sites. All of the electric sites seem to be un-level and not a great place to pitch a tent as well as having the camper.

  The park itself was very beautiful had a lot of nature things like milk weed and monarch butterfly’s everywhere and a beautiful swimming beach that was about waist high (4 feet deep) for about 300 to 400 yards out from shore. The beach was great for swimming and kayaking and you could dock a boat on the sandy beach and eat lunch if you wanted to. We ended up catching 40 crawfish and doing a crawfish boil, which the kids absolutely loved. The picnic shelter was pretty awesome too, very shaded and on a rougher part of the beach. There was a really long bike path that went through all of the loops and the main road was super bike friendly as well.

  In the visitor center there was a really cool area for the kids to go to play if it was too hot or rainy, or if you just wanted to be indoors for a little bit. They had a bike decorating event and we brought all the kids bikes and decorated them. There was a little gift shop and they also gave out free stickers which we ended putting on our camper as we do at every park we get a sticker from.

  Each camp ground loop also had a campground host that sold firewood, three bundles for $10. The firewood was pretty bad and some of it was wet and it burned really really fast. But like every park in Minnesota you can’t bring your own firewood unless it’s kiln dried lumber or something like that within a certain number of miles of the place you are camping.

  A few downsides to this park where there’s no official places to fill water up for your camper and no official place to dump your black and grey water tanks from your camper. You end up having to go to another park and pay to dump your camper. This could be a problem if you are staying for an extended time and use a lot of water. There also wasn’t a whole lot to do aside from biking and hiking and swimming like there was a leech lake recreation area we were at a few days prior to this trip. The restrooms and showers were pretty unkempt and dirty. Everyone but me and my sister had cold showers every time they went to take a shower.

  All in all the park is very beautiful and I had some very good attributes like friendly staff, clean campsites and secluded campsites where you didn’t feel like you are right on top of the other site aside from site 80 and 82. It seemed like there were three or 4 sites together in groups and then a little ways away there were a few more clumped together.

  I don’t know if we would actually come back to this park because the sites weren’t as big as they seemed in the pictures online and we felt cramped most of the time. There wasn’t a good space in the sites to put up games like corn hole or ladder ball which made it a bit boring at times to just stay at camp. We spent a lot of time at the beach.

• 

  TyAnn J.

  Legend

  

  Jul. 28, 2018

  Balsam Beach Resort & RV Park

  On the lake resort with everything you need

  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.

• 

  Janet R.

  Legend

  

  Nov. 23, 2017

  LaSalle Lake State Recreation Area

  La Salle Lake state recreation area

  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

• 

  Scott M.

  Legend

  

  Jul. 19, 2021

  Onegume

  Very Popular and Access to Lake

  We went on a busy weekend, but the campground itself was in good shape and had several options for individuals who want to tent camp or RV camp. This is the best campground in the area in my opinion as it offers a lot. The hosts were great and very welcoming. The electric sites are not on the water which is fine. Sites are big and offer some privacy. The sites on the water are a little smaller, but that is the price you pay to have the ability to doc your boat at your site. Mostly RVs in the campground but you can easily tent camp and get some peace. It is a popular destination bc of its proximity to other lakes.

• 

  Rich B.

  Scout

  

  Jun. 2, 2022

  Diamond Crest Resort

  Family loved it!

  Beautiful place. Non expensive. Not many tent sites but we had one down the hill and it was perfect. Very peaceful and owners are respectful and kind.

• 

  Amy G.

  Legend

  

  Oct. 1, 2017

  Akeley City Campground

  Not really for tent camping

  This campground offers tent camping and RV camping, but really appears to be more for campers and RVs than tents. It's a little out of the way, and isn't terribly comfortable, although it does offer all the things you need to camp. There is a shower house, bathroom, playground and little beach. There are hookups and lake views. So it's not a bad spot, but appears to be more suited to those that are RV camping. There were a lot of 4 wheelers and ATVs. It also appeared as if most campers were there for more "longer term" than a simple overnight.

  There was/were a picnic shelter, vending machine, fire rings, electric hookups etc. A dock at the beach allowed for fishing etc.

  If you need an RV camp, this might be right up your alley, but as far as tent camping (and that is what I like to do), I wouldn't recommend it.

• 

  Janet R.

  Legend

  

  Feb. 23, 2019

  Pine Ridge Campground — Itasca State Park

  Winter camping at Itasca? Why not!

  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!

• 

  Lisa A.

  Scout

  

  Sep. 8, 2020

  Leech Lake Recreation Area & Campground

  Pretty good

  Not a terrible place to camp. Great amenities and care taken to clean bathrooms and showers. Walk in tent site was large enough to accommodate a 10x18 tent easily. Raccoons are smart enough to open coolers and non latching totes. Mosquitoes will also sweep you off around 9pm even with bug spray.

• 

  BeaconMonster R.

  Traveler

  

  Oct. 7, 2021

  Bear Paw Campground — Itasca State Park

  Easily accessible

  Beautiful sights from your tent site, walk in or camper, walk, drive, or bike to either the visitors center or the Mississippi Headwaters area and see yourself on the live Webcam at the Lake Itasca MN DNR Website. Yes and the fall colors and the nights sky is amazing as well.

• B

  Brent G.

  Guide

  

  Aug. 28, 2020

  Gardner Lake Campsite

  A perfect spot after a long hike.

  It was a 2.5 mile hike of all sorts of terrain. Scenery was perfect. Not much for available tent sites or hammock sites. It could fill up fast.  Has a fire pit and water is super clear. Very quiet and was mosquito free till darkness set in. I would definitely camp here again.

• 

  Amy G.

  Legend

  

  Oct. 8, 2018

  Fawn Sleeping Resort

  Well groomed, off the road, quiet and near the lake

  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

• 

  Amy G.

  Legend

  

  Oct. 19, 2018

  Shores Of Leech Lake Campground

  RV camping is only so so, but tent camping area is pretty neat!

  If you like boats and boating and the water, this would be a good place to be, but if you are looking for peace and quiet, I doubt it'll be all that. This is mainly an RV camping park for those that have boats. It has a waterway in the campground with slips that you can rent for your boats. There are, however, a few tent sites that are kinda cool!

  Most of the RV camping is pretty cramped. But I suppose if you have a boat, you'll probably be on it most of the time. That said, it would do the job. Maybe most people stay on their boats at night? There is also firewood for sale, which is convenient, but I don't know how much it cost. They seemed to be pretty well closed for the season. They did have electric hookup and sewage drains too. And for those that were feeling a little less outdoors-y, they had a few cabins for rent on the water.

  There are only a few tent sites, and they are in an obscure spot, but it'd actually be a pretty cool place to drop a tent if you wanted something unique. The tent site(s) are on a little point near the water. It's actually on the opposite side from the RV camping, and they are separated by a little waterway that is the inlet/outlet for the area where the boat slips are. So boats would be passing in and out all the time. If you are the private type, this might not be ideal. But if you were looking for something different, it might be fun. However, there is no bathroom nearby that I could find. There is a fire ring and picnic table. And the coolest part...there is a small lighthouse type structure that is simply a screened in building with a table and chairs. It's screened in and the windows can be closed. So, essentially a bug free zone in the summer. Love it! Right next to the tent area. Although it's not clear if these sites are for rent for the general public, or just for friends and family of the boat/RV people. I see conflicting information about this.

• 

  Glenda D.

  Ranger

  

  Apr. 8, 2021

  Bagley City Park

  Nice campground inside the town of Bagley

  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.

• 

  Janet R.

  Legend

  

  May. 26, 2018

  Bear Paw Campground — Itasca State Park

  Bear Paw campground at Itasca

  The Bear Paw campground is one of two main traditional drive-in campgrounds at Lake Itasca State Park. It is the lakeside campground, as opposed to the Pine Ridge campsites which are set about a mile back into the woods. This campground has trailer sites with hook-ups, tent sites, walk-in sites, and camper cabins, for a variety of options. Althought there is a staircase access to a bay of the lake here, the swimming beach and boat launch areas are actually several miles to the north, either driveable on the main park drive, or bikeable on the bike path that runs through the campground and north to the headwaters or south to Douglas Lodge.

  The campground is heavily wooded, but the sites are many and close together. It is an economical way of staying at the park, and good for car camping or trailering while doing other activities in the park, but there are other higher quality camping options available in the park if you want a more remote northwoods expereince which can be obtained by hiking in to the wilderness areas on the south end of the park.

  At this location, however, there are several primo lakeside campsites, if you can nab one, such as site 6, which is right on the lake and right on the bike path. There are some walk-in only tent sites on the north side of this campground that are a little quieter as well. The camper cabins on the south side of the campground are also super nice if you arent up for tenting.

  The campground has wood for sale, showers and regular bathrooms as well as pit toilets, a playground for kids, and water pumps.

• L

  Liz H.

  Guide

  

  Jul. 7, 2017

  Pine Ridge Campground — Itasca State Park

  One of the Best State Parks in Minnesota

  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.

• 

  Janet R.

  Legend

  

  Jul. 6, 2018

  Grant Creek Horse Camp

  Happy Trails at Grant Creek

  This is a specialized public campground for trailriders and their horses. It is maintained as a recreational opportunity by the Natural Resources program of Beltrami County, within the Headwaters State Forest. Several area horse clubs assist in the maintanence of this campground, which is available on a first come first served basis to individuals and groups. Camping here is free, but donations are gladly accepted. The campground is uniquely set up to accommodate people, tents, vans, and horse trailers, every site having ample parking, picnic tables and fire rings, tent sites, and horse tie-up posts with grazing area. There are vault toilets and water available by pump. The campsites are well maintained and set by the picturesque Grant Creek, next to a trailhead for a maze of nearly fifty miles of trails for riding. This is a very nice camping experience for horseback riders, 4-H groups, families or riding clubs!

• M

  MNCamper

  Guide

  

  Jul. 31, 2019

  Tilberg Polk County Park

  Nice Quiet Campground

  Great campground for a quiet weekend trip. We stayed here over Memorial Day weekend. The majority of the sites are seasonal but there are a handful of nightly sites and a few tent sites. The host was very helpful and friendly and does a great job maintaining the grounds. The bathroom and shower facilities are top notch! There is a small swimming beach and nice fishing pier. The lake itself is nice sized and holds pike, panfish and walleyes. There is a large picnic shelter and a small playground for kids. The city of Fosston is a short drive for anything you might need! Fosston is a small but thriving community with nice shops, good eats and a neat movie theater.

  A side note: I highly recommend this park in the Fall when the leaves are turning. Just the short drive through the woods from the highway is worth the trip!

• 

  Janet R.

  Legend

  

  Aug. 31, 2020

  Big Winnie Store RV Park & Campground

  Camping at historic location

  The quality of this campground is really a 4, however the location is a little  bit out of the way for doing day trips, exploring and access to the Chippewa National Forest. It is not on Lake Winnie, so you have to drive to a boat landing to launch your watercraft, and there is swimming at a nearby beach but it is not on the premises. However, the grounds are meticulously maintained and the camping prices cant be beat--$20 a night for tent camping, and $35 a night for full RV campsite with hookups. There is a playground. laundry facilities, and full bathrooms. There are also many walking trails on the premises. The general store on the premises provides staples and treats. If you prefer, there are also vintage cabins you can stay in here. Best of all, staying here supports a local family business including their painstaking efforts to maintain an hisotric general store and vintage vacation spot that was established almost a century ago and is on the National Register of Historic Places.

• 

  Janet R.

  Legend

  

  May. 24, 2018

  Lake Bemidji State Park Campground

  Best of Bemidji

  Lake Bemidji State Park is one of the best places in Bemidji to visit for a day trip, and is also a woodsy economical place to stay if vacationing in the area. The park is an oasis of well preserved old growth northwoods forest, which you can experience on foot or by bike on miles of trails along the lake, into the woods, and on boardwalks into the bogs. There are naturalist programs, boat and bike rentals, and easy access into town. There are good showers and bathrooms, and a nice beach. It is a very family-friendly opportunity. That being said, though the park itself rates 5 out of 5, the camping options only rank a 4 for the most part. As previous reviewers have mentioned, if a high-quality secluded tent camping experience is what you are after, this is not it. The majority of the campsites are extremely small and very close together with no privacy. There is a canopy of tall trees shading the campground, but most sites are open and dont have much vegetation to screen between sites. If experiencing the northwoods is your main goal, the location and access is great, especially if you are rv or trailer camping. However, if you want something a little more secluded, there are several options: reserve campsites in the loop furthest from the lake (sites in the 90's) as they are much larger sites and very wooded compared to the loops closer to the lake, though be aware they are best for tenting, dont have electric hookouts and have a bit of a walk to get water or showers etc. Some additional "off the beaten path" options at the park are their new camper cabins, located off on their own near the trailhead for the bogwalk trail, and also the group camps. There is one large group campsite, the Lavinia group site, that is completely off on its own away from the campground, and would be perfect for scout groups, family reunions etc. It would host quite a large group, but group would have privacy from the rest of the campground. The other older group campsite is also located away from the main campground, though right at the trailhead for the bike path; though the campsite itself is very scenic and beautiful, and a perfect setting for a small group, it would have passing trail traffic during the day which is something to consider.

• 

  Janet R.

  Legend

  

  Jun. 20, 2021

  Winnie Campground

  Good for paddlers and for fishing

  This campground is off the beaten path, and very quiet and peaceful. You have a choice of lakeside campsites, or sites tucked into the woods away from the lake. The lakeside campsites are your best bet, if you can get them--beautiful view over lake Winnie, cool breezes, and HUGE campsites that can accomodate large fishing boats and whatever rig you might use to haul such a boat. The campsites away from the lake are much smaller, meant more for car and tent camping. The campground is also an option for paddlers to overnight if paddling the Mississippi River water trail, which enters the west side of the lake just south of the campground. There is a boat launch with several docks adjacent to the campground, water pumps for drinking water, and a restroom building with basic toilets. This is a good option is you want a peaceful out of the way campsite in tall pines, or to go fishing on the big lake, but there arent hiking or biking trails near by so other options are a bit limited. And although the lakeshore is pretty, the swimming experience is a bit crunchy due to the lake having been invaded by zebra mussels, unfortunately

• 

  Janet R.

  Legend

  

  Sep. 28, 2021

  Lake Ozawindib Group Center — Itasca State Park

  Amazing group center in the heart of Itasca!

  This is a primo group camping center within Itasca State Park, secluded and very separate from any of the other Park campgrounds. It has a mix of historic log buildings including a lodge building that is pefect for group meetings and classes, and is also equipped with a full commercial kitchen. In addition the camp center has cabin accomodations, RV campsites, group tent sites, and more secluded hike-in campsites. It is located adjacent to  Lake Windigo, which has boat access and a fishing pier, but also has trails and has easy access to the Wilderness Drive bike loop and the Wilderness Scientific Natural Area hiking trails. It is a short drive to the Headwaters and the cafe and visitor center there, too.  It is often used for meetings, family reunions, and scout camp programs, and is perfect for that. A brand new bath and shower house has been recently added, so it makes for a superb group center. Covid restrictions have limited this camping center's availabilty due to social distancing restrictions, but hopefully it will be available and in full swing by next summer!

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  Janet R.

  Legend

  

  Aug. 7, 2020

  Smiling Joe's Canoe Campsite

  Smiling Joe Canoe Campsite

  Note, the full name of this campsite should be Smiling Joe Canoe Campsite, one of the many Headwaters canoe campsites in the Mississippi River Water trail. You will see it noted as such on the water trail map for the Cass Lake to Vermilion River segment on the DNR water trail website.

  Although certainly a decent location for a canoe campsite, I would not recommend staying here. The road access from the nearby Forest Service road is not marked, nor is the access from the river marked with the usual canoe campsite marker. So, if you can find it, and can manage the mucky access to pull off the river, then you will have a decent place to put up a tent, but that is it. No shelter, no table, no fire grate, no water, no outhouse. It also appears to be a party spot for locals who know the road access even though its unmarked. If you have a choice, stop upstream at The USFS Knutson Dam campsite, or go downstream to the Winnie USFS campground by the river inlet. Alternatively, there is a private campground at Beckers Resort just before you get to Winnie. Beckers caters to those who want a cabin vacation, but they do also have tent sites by the river for paddlers. Smiling Joe campsite is barely adequate and probably for last resort use if on the river.

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  Janet R.

  Legend

  

  Aug. 7, 2020

  Becker's Resort & Campground

  For vacation, or paddler stopover

  Becker’s resort is a vacation destination for many folks in the summer, with offerings of cabins, RV campsites, and tent sites. The RV sites are not near the water and to me seem a little crowded, but the RV area is nestled in some nice woods. The cabins appear to be modern and recently renovated with new siding etc, and seem to be great for families. There is a nice pool, and a good boat launch and marina with easy access to the Mississippi River and Lake Winnie. Of importance to paddlers on the Mississippi River Water Trail, this is definitely an upgraded alternative to the primitive water trail campsite located just upstream, called Smiling Joe Landing, and I would recommend this one over that one. Not only do you have a nice tenting area close to the river, but you also have access to the pool and showers, flush toilets, etc, and can stock up on snacks. The owners stay alert to area weather, and can give good advice to paddlers about safe routes across Winnie before you launch, depending in weather. They are also paddler-friendly in terms if assisting in other ways, such as letting a recent through-paddler stop and use garage space for a few days to repair a hole in his canoe, which is very kind. I would give this spot a 5-star rating for canoe campers, but a 4 star overall rating for the resort

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  Allison K.

  Legend

  

  Jul. 3, 2019

  Leech Lake Recreation Area & Campground

  Awesome and extremely clean and quiet

  While at Leech Lake Recreation Area we stayed in site number 33 which was the electric site with our 30 foot Jayco Eagle travel trailer. There was enough room in the site for a travel trailer truck and probably another tent or screen tent. The other sites were close but not too close. if another travel trailer or RV pulled in it would block our view from their fire ring. The pad was all dirt and you can only set up on the dirt and not on the grass around it. The trees around the site were perfect for hammocks, we hung three of our Kammok brand hammocks. Our only complaint about the site was that the fire pit was dug down into the ground making it kind of unsafe if you had children and the fires didn’t stay lit very well because there was no oxygen going underneath them, so you’re constantly fanning it which was annoying because we cook with cast-iron over the fire for every meal.

  We were able to go and take a walk to the lake which is super short walk from pretty much any of the sites but really close from our site. The sunset over the lake were stunning and a loon hung around the dock while we fished.

  We took a lot of bike rides around the campground looking at each site and going to the park which was absolutely amazing for the kids. They had basketball courts, a huge playground that was amazing quality, shuffleboard, volleyball, badminton, and a picnic shelter that you could rent out with the cooking area inside the picnic shelter. There are pit toilets and bathrooms close to the playground so that isn’t an issue with little ones. The playground area is a great place to hang out with adults and children.

  We took a bike ride to the tent sites as well and found that there are pretty close together and right next to a main road that was kind of noisy. They would probably be good if you got all four at once with a group of people. The dump station for the RVs was right next to the tent sites to which would probably be annoying to see all the RVs on a busy day dumping at the same time.

  The federal Dan was a magnificent sight but it was pretty hard to fish around that area without a boat going on the leech lake because of the fast-moving water. They’re also wasn’t an area to swim because it would be unsafe which is kind of a bummer but the playground made up for it.

  The park is run by the Army Corps of Engineers volunteers and they were super friendly and kept everything clean and sanitary which was amazing. There was even Washers and dryer’s to do laundry for free and amazing shower facilities that they called comfort stations. Everything was borrow on the loan and bring back which included all of the equipment at the park like basketballs badminton shuffle board stuff and rakes shovels and stuff to clean up your campsite.

  All in all this would be a park that we would definitely come back to you and spend a week and possibly have a group of people with kids because it’s a super cool friendly kid park.