Looking for a place to cabin camp near Birchdale? Find the best information on cabin camping near Birchdale, including sites, reviews, and tips for getting the most out of your camping experience. When you're looking for a quiet location in nature, The Dyrt makes it easy to find the perfect cabin rental.
$39 / night
$48 / night
At Red Lake Ice Cabins, we strive to provide superior Ice Fishing Cabins, great customer service, and an overall experience that will keep you coming back for years to come. We offer cabins with great amenities, so that the entire family can enjoy ice fishing! We strive to be the leader in our ice cabin service.
We offer 4, 6, and 8 sleeper cabins. If you love ice fishing, but your family hates the cold, this is the perfect solution. Enjoy your time on the ice and bring the family along! They will love the nice furnishings and amenities that only Red Lake Ice Cabins can provide.
All fish houses run on 12V batteries for LED lighting. Batteries are changed out daily if needed. Generators run the tv/dvd player, outlets, ceiling fans and in the Ice Castle's they also run the force air heaters. You are welcome to bring your own generator or you can rent one from us. We highly recommend the use of a generator. All of our houses and cabins have vented heaters with carbon monoxide detectors. All bathrooms are supplied with toilet paper and bags. Bags are collected daily.
$130 - $360 / night
Scout
Big Bog is a beautiful state park and the facilities are great. In October, campers are few. There are flush toilets and hot showers (and they keep their water turned on longer than most state parks in Minnesota who usually close the shower houses on Oct 7). Serene. The rent boats. Red Lake is beautiful. The Big Bog is fascinating. In October there are no mosquitos or annoying insects.
ScoutWe decided last minute to see if Big Bog had camping spots available during a busy month and on the weekend. They did! And quite a few available. The campsites are very close together so you will have interactions with your neighboring campers. This was fine with us but if you want more privacy this is NOT your spot. They had kayaks, canoes and paddle boards available to rent. The price was very reasonable. We loved kayaking on the water and even found a little peaceful inlet to kayak. It was very peaceful. Excellent place to visit. The Big Bog Boardwalk feels like you are walking amongst the treetops. Don't miss it!
GuideNice grassy site with some shade. Bathrooms were clean but dated. Reasonable rates. Has a lot full time and seasonal.
GuideI came across BB by accident a few years ago - last minute camping trip in the summer in MN is never going to work out well. The main campground was booked but there was a weird site between the ranger station and the loop so I took a shot. BINGO. They have a site - 31 - that is perfect. About 5x the size of a normal site (perhaps a group site?). No neighbors. Primitive but the campground only has 31 sites so you’re never far away from water, showers, or the ranger station. Cannot recommend highly enough. The main campground backs up to the Tamarack River which flows to Red Lake. Across the road from the camp is Red Lake recreation area. You can w a l k out into the lake for what seems like miles. Very family friendly. There are sites with docks into the river and there is boat access in the campground. Cabins are available as is firewood and an electric charge port for e-vehicles.
GuideGreat Campground, we were 1 of only 2 campers there. We went to the Upper Red Lake Beach, right across the street from the Cabins. We also drive to the upper unit and hiked the Big Bog Boardwalk, which was actually light filtering metal - no boards. The bog land was fascinating and the carnivorous plants were beautiful. Bog walk was about 1 mile, one way.
RangerAnxious to get camping after a Covid winter, we headed to Big Bog for a 3 day RV trip. The campground was nearly empty, which is always a bonus.
The campground has numerous sites next to the Tamarack River. Many have small docks where you can park your own or a rented boat. Our site was spacious and a row of shrubs and small trees screened the site on one side. Due to Covid the showers and toilets were not open. The water spigots were still shut off due to weather that is still dipping down to freezing.
Northern Red Lake beach is across the highway from the campground. Still too cold to swim, but there are two short trails that start at the beach parking lot. We saw Trumpeter Swans, Eagles and Mergansers.
The 500 square mile Big Bog is a beautiful and interesting sight. About 7 miles farther north on the highway is the mile long "boardwalk" into the bog. It is actually a cleverly routed aluminum walkway that goes deep into the bog with info stations giving info about the wildlife, biology and history of the area. Too early for many birds and all flowers, we did see hundreds of pitcher plants along the walkway.
We would like to visit again in late May or June to see the other bog wildflowers like Sundew and several bog orchids like the tiny Dragon's Mouth.
Legend
WE stayed here a week it has 3 or 4 sites for Rv's or tents. Check or cash only no credit card. The cabins look nice and the deck on the water is nice, boat dock and swim beach on a calm cove on Lake Kabetogama. We were staying close by so we stopped to see where our site was & we were shown a spot that was big & open. When we pulled in 2 days later the spot had someone new in it & we were put up near the cabins. We had to back up a hill in a tight spot to get into. It was where they keep all the extra parts and supplies to maintain the place along with a bit of old junk. We had to use 2 sewer hoses & just got them to stretch to the limits. We hooked up to a hose that was from the fish cleaning house and we had 2 hoses to reach our camper. The electric box was on a different side than the sewer & the water it also was stretched to reach. We weren't happy & complained. She would have refunded my deposit yet you can't just find campgrounds at the last minute I did look for some.
There is one waterfront site with a view lucky if you can book that minus the poo.
The worst part is every cabin had at least one big dog and none were ever on a leash. They pooped in our site along with pooping next to our Kayak that was down near the water. One dog came over & got in our empty garbage (the garbage was tied to a fish cleaning table we have) it got tangled & pulled over my entire table & everything on it. We love dogs but they should be on a leash. After a week of them a new family came in renting all the cabins and the same thing, lots of dogs no leashes.
I'm sure this is a nice place if you stay in a cabin and don't mind dog poo. The owner Elaine has had the place for 48 years and works hard, very nice person but she should enforce the dog leash & pick up poop rule. The families that booked all the cabins have come back for 40 years so they love it. The 2nd group of families have been coming 30 some years.
We did catch a few nice fish that we couldn't keep they were in the throw back slot. We got a 36" northern Pike & a 20" Walleye. Voyager National Park is for people who like being on the water, boating, kayaking, canoeing and fishing. It is a pretty area not much to do other than boat.
This is next to Wooden Frog National Forest so you can launch a boat or kayak there too and watch sunset from there.
I'm sorry to write this bad review but it wasn't pleasant. We were up the street from here in Voyagers national park so we decided to stay another week since we couldn't find openings when they notified us Chippewa won't open. I try to research good places to camp this was a last minute booking since Chippewa Stony Point campground closed for Covid then needed updated & closed till sept. I would not stay here again.
Legend
We were in Site # 1 which there are only 3 sites must be self contained. They are close together yet was a place to stay in Voyagers National park with Full hook up. Wooden Frog State Forest Campground is next door to it you can use their boat ramp & swim beach. The Lodge has rooms and a bar & restaurant you can sit in the log Lodge or out on the deck. Mike makes a good Margarita but a little pricey. The food is ok. The owners are so nice working hard to maintain the place. There is a small playground and a community fire pit.
Great place to watch sunset is at Wooden Frog day use area.
They have a dock you can keep a boat at or rent a boat if you don't have one. They rent Kayaks & canoes too. We had out own Kayak you really need to get out on the water to enjoy Voyageurs National Park it's all water based. We launched the Kayak mostly at Wooden Frog and once at Arrowhead lodge depending on the wind.
We kayaked to Bittersweet Island and got out to stretch in a cove. Took a dip and relaxed. There are some leeches in the water so check you feet if your walking around in it. Got a nice juvenile Eagle picture here on was sitting in a tree.
lake Kabetogama is big with many islands. It can be shallow in places with big rocks submerged out of the water so know where your going. Being in a Kayak you could really see the rocks. We found a nice Swim area off an Island near the submerged rocks with warnings there was primitive camp sites on the islands some were really nice.
Fishing is great we caught Walleye & big Northern Pike. They clean your fish for you if you want them to.
There are loons (love the sound they make) and White Pelican's on the lake. Some of the white pelicans had big bumps on their beak which we found out they have that bump till they mate. Then the bump falls off so you feel sorry for the ones with a bump on their upper beak. The white throat Sparrow has a great tune they carry.
We saw several Eagles on the islands out there too.
We Like to explore so we check out other campgrounds, visitors centers if open and really enjoyed eating at the Rocky Ledge (great Pizza and Patty Melt). International falls is the biggest town it's about a half hour or so away. We ate at Barajas Mexican Grill it was good. Got some groceries and went to one Antique store there.
Heading the other direction on the Highway was another Antique place called Rainy days Antique. Nice people & a lot of stuff in there.
We mostly had good weather yet we did have some rain & some marble sized hail once. Some big trees came down in Wooden frog with this storm that had hail.
ScoutSite 15 was a complete bog. Swamp all around the camper. The entire site, aside from the parking pad, was soggy and wet. The mosquitos were horrid -coming from a MN girl-it was bad. Planned for 3 nights, left after 1. Would be a nice place if you were planning on spending no time by the fire and all the time on the boat.
Legend
The campground itself is the biggest of all of them in Zippel bay state park. It is also the closest to the marina and this is probably why it was full midweek. Couple families were occupying a couple of sites so it was a bit noisy but I don’t blame the campground for that. There was no host to talk to about it but the eventually went to bed after having a good time.
The sites are simple...fire ring, table, sleeping area. You are in a tall pine forest so the trees above you will creek and sway all night on a windy night, which it was the second night I stayed.
The marina/boat ramp was really nice and updated. Bathrooms, interpretive placards, fish cleaning area, and slips for boaters to leave boats if they wished to do so. Everyone was pretty cordial at the boat ramp and there was most certainly a traffic jam created by the one person who wasn’t experienced at putting a boat in, but people will super nice about it and helped out. As the day wore on not so busy.
LegendThe water is high right now so some of the amenities and campsites are water logged. Sites 1-7 were in great spots with waterfront but crammed together. They could use two less sites. I was in site three and it is squeezed in by 2 and 4. Loads of boats and people fishing as the lake is 5 min boat ride away. The river is perfect for trolling and catching. I chose to kayak the river for 5 hours and saw lots of people. Lots of people catching fish. I also saw you can rent kayak or canoes from the main office which is nice for younger kids. The DNR told me on windy days the river gets crowded so beware. The river is a no to low wake zone so easy to kayak around boats. Plenty of nature to look at while you are in the water.
The cabins look like a lot of fun for a family. Cozy but secluded from the rest of the campground.
Bathrooms were closed due to Covid but shower houses were nice and clean.
The beach and marina trail were not much to speak up but they are there. Gas state is close for ice and sodas. Not much else is near tho so make sure you stock up prior to arriving.
GuideQuality place to camp. Near the Highway but quiet at nite. Great Showers fish cleaning room and bath rooms, docks with fishing and access to Red Lake with the river and the Fire Look Out Tower that is a Destination that I would recommend. But the Camp sites are VERY close The there is no privacy but is a chance being so near to everyone to make friends but understand that before you go or you will not be pleased.
LegendThis campground is great for fisherman and a great place to stay if you are interested in studying rare bog plants. The campsites are pretty good, some are nicely set right on the Tamarack River with their own dock, but some are set right on the edge of nearby Hwy 72 which would be a real drawback. There are also 6 nice camper cabins set off in a more secluded spot by the river. There is an interesting visitor center and fire tower, and a decent beach across the way on upper Red Lake. For fishermen, this location offers fishing on the big Red Lake, or on the Tamarack River, but otherwise thete is not a whole lot to do here. The Big Bog itself is actually 10 miles north, it features a mile long boardwalk into a very unique bog and muskeg, which is very interesting, there are some associated short trails, this location is good for a day trip. For providing a camping or hiking experience, this park campground is ok, but probably not a good spot for an extended vacation, unless you are coming for the fishing in which case it would be a 5 star opportunity
LegendCampground Review
This was the first time our family stayed at Angler's Campground in Zippel Bay State Park on Lake of the Woods. https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/state_parks/park.html?id=spk00284#homepage The Zipple Bay State Park is home to 5 separate campgrounds. We made the decision to camp at Anglers Campground for the reasons of the campground is the closest to the marinia, and it has bigger site sizes to accommodate our larger RV/Boat size, although the campground had mostly tents in it the week we stayed. We took a hike to the other campgrounds (about 1/2 mile between them) and observed that Ridge and Birch Campgrounds can accommodate both tents and smaller pop up style campers, Lady Slipper Campground has more primitive and smaller sites that would accommodate a small to medium size tent, and The Group Camp (there is only one) has plenty of room for many tents and campers with room to spare. Anglers Campground has the largest sites with plenty of room for an RV, Screen tent, Boat trailer, with room to spare. All sites in all campgrounds do not have electric/water/dumps. There are fresh water pumps in all campgrounds and mowed trails to the vault toilets that are clean, there are also metal garbage cans and recycling bins for plastic and glass. There is a dump station and 2 enclosed showers in the Ridge/Birch campgrounds loop. There are signs that clearly mark which direction to go.
The marina and boat ramp area was approximately 1 & 1/2 miles from our campsite, and this area also had 2 very clean vault toilets along with a fish cleaning building, and picnic area. There is a marina where you can also moor your boat for the day, and ample parking spots. NOTE: The handicap accessible ramp/dock/fishing pier was closed due to ice damage from the previous winter with no sign of it being fixed at this time. The boat ramp was easy to use, but we noticed it was very crowded early mornings. Lake of the Woods is considered the Walleye Capital of the World, and we had an incredible week of catching our dinners!!
Product Review
As a Ranger for The Dyrt, I get products to test from time to time. We took our Mountain House Biscuits and Gravy for a product review.https://www.mountainhouse.com/m/product/biscuits-gravy.html The website at Mountain House is very easy to navigate, and they have a pop up window discount offer when you enter their site. When I received the package I was surprised at how light weight the product was, and was excited by their description of Buttermilk Biscuits and Gravy with Pork Patty Crumbles. We are a big breakfast family, and I was curious to see if this was a good fit for us.
I gave the task of preparing the Mountain House Biscuits and Gravy to my 14 year old son Hunter. We read the easy to follow directions on the back of the package, and followed them to the letter. (We did not use less water to make thicker gravy) Hunter measured the boiling water into the package, stirred the mixture well, and sealed it up with no problems at all, and then all we had to do was wait 9 minutes. We opened the package (it was hot, but nothing we had to use a hot pad or glove for) and noted that it smelled like the biscuits just came out of a hot oven. We did note the mixture needed to be stirred again, and there was no need to add additional water (the gravy was perfect consistency not to thick or thin) and then each served up the recommended serving size and enjoyed the delicious hot breakfast. The flavors were bright with the sausage coming through nicely with no need for additional seasonings at all. We were all full with our serving size, and stayed content after a full day of hiking.
Being we have never tried freeze dried food before this was a wonderful first experience, and for sure won't be our last!! The lightweight package is going to go well for any trip, and the easy prep makes it a breeze to make anywhere. Our family is looking forward to purchasing other meals from Mountain House, and with the extra long expiration date we can stock up. You won't be disappointed using these meals!!
GuideI stayed here one New Year's in a camper cabin equipped with space to sleep 5 or 6, a propane stove, and warm, clean bathrooms and showers at the visitor center. A short walk through the bog was beautiful!
GuideI just learned about this gem a few days ago, so we made a reservation and ended up with a site right on the Tamarac River which empties into Upper Red Lake just outside the campground. It is a fairly new state park, so the amenities were very nice ~ a clean and fresh shower/restroom building, a very nice fish cleaning building with multiple cleaning stations, and many docks along the river to tie your boat, fish off, or just sit in the sun and read a book. We enjoyed climbing the fire tower, renting a canoe and paddling the Tamarac River, and going for a morning run on the Big Bog Boardwalk. I give it 4 stars for 2 reasons; it is the only state park I know of that doesn't sell ice, and I wish our site had been mowed more recently. However, we had a great couple days and will definitely go back!
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular cabin campsite near Birchdale, MN?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular cabin campground near Birchdale, MN is Big Bog State Recreation Area with a 4.1-star rating from 11 reviews.
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