Best Dog-Friendly Camping near Bovey, MN

At a rate of$40 a night for camping here with all the amenities of a resort, this is a pretty good deal! Campers have access to the heated pool, free use of canoes and kayaks, there is a camp store and bait shop, showers and bathrooms and indoor recreation facilities in the lodge, and a boat launch(though you do have to pay extra to reserve docking space). The campsites are pet friendly too. However, the campsites are a bit close together and would not be my favorite way to camp. For paddlers crossing Lake Winnie on the Mississippi Headwaters Water Trail, this is a convenient place to camp, with easy pull out to the southwest side of the Winnie dam, and more amenities than the Forest Service campground or COE campground on the other side of the dam. From here, paddlers just have a short portage on the paved road across the dam to the downstream boat launch below it.

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

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.

Following the winding pathway you will come to the campground. It’s situated near four lakes and loads of biking/hiking. There is a lot to do in the area from fishing, hiking, biking, and nature watching. Loon lake has a nice little “park” with a beach so that is great for families.

The campground itself sits next to the lake which is nice and while no site has true waterfront claim several can see the water. I stayed in 22E which was next to a trail head but close to the water spigot and showers. Sites 62/3/4 would be great for a large family as they have loads of space. Showers and restrooms were super clean!

Yes it is buggy but it’s minnesota so you deal with it. There is lots of nature. We saw a bear while hiking the continental divide trail so nature is out there.

Our family just returned from a 9 day stay at Leech Lake Receeation Area, and wish we could have stayed 9 more!! The Campground is located in north central Minnesota (Federal Dam) about 30 minutes southeast of Bemidji or a 3 & 1/2 hour drive from Minnneapolis/St. Paul, MN area, and is run by the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers Volunteers. The park is located in the Leech Lake Reservation and Chippewa National Forest.

The park has 77 sites available that you can make reservations online at: https://www.recreation.gov/camping/leech-lake-rec-area/r/campgroundDetails.do?contractCode=NRSO&parkId=73246

**Note: We reserved our spot 6 months in advance as they book up super fast in the short Minnesota summer months.

There are 73 sites with electric hook ups (5 are full hook ups) or if you want to tent in a private setting, they have 4 primitive walk to sites. Each site has a large picnic table and fire ring with adjustable grill.

When you check in they give you a code that allows you access to the comfort building (flush toilets, showers, and laundry facilities) We took advantage of the boat mooring area (just a few steps down from the campground) that includes a plug in area to recharge our boat batteries, and we really appreciated the fish cleaning station building!! (Super clean!!!)**See pics of the awesome fish we caught-Note all Walleye in the 20-26 inch slot size must be released.

We spent the majority of the time enjoying Leech Lake, but we also spent time hiking the trails (Check out the 400 year old Cedar Tree!!), we played horseshoes, and shuffle board (a new game to us!!), and relaxing by the campfire. **NOTE Only certified & approved firewood can be used in the park. There is a general store just outside the park that sells it for $20.00 a wheelbarrow full.

We would give this campground 6 stars if we could, and know you would too!! Enjoy the pics!!

This location is actually a duplicate of The Dyrts Plug Hat Point listing which is here and should be merged: https://thedyrt.com/camping/minnesota/plug-hat-point

Also, note that the location needs to be corrected, Plug Hat Point Campground is at Latitude 47.439 N Longitude-94.055 W .

This is a small National Forest camping area with picnicking, fishing, and a boat landing. At present time, there is full boat access, picnicking and parking  available at this location, but the  adjacent drive-in  campsites are closed to vehicle camping during the pandemic due to reduced Forest Service staffing. However, paddlers on the Mississippi Headwaters water trail are allowed to tent here as dispersed campers adjacent to the picnic area while through-paddling. There are outhouses and water avaialble in the picnic area, as well as use of the boat launch which has a nice dock and cement ramp for easy access. From here, paddlers with a canoe or kayak cart can easily portage around the Winnie Dam about 1/2 mile to river launch site below the dam, thus avoiding the  very steep, rocky and difficult portage that is located right at the dam. You do need a good portage cart, however, as the access road from Plug Hat Point is not paved.

I'm pretty sure this campground would be beautiful any time of year, but we visited on our anniversary in the fall and it was gorgeous! Most of the trees were yellow, and even in the overcast morning, gave the campground a wonderful warm glow!

The campground is a good size, and all the sites seem private. This is a state forest campground, and in MN, they are all very well maintained and the price is far better than a state park campground. In my opinion, they are far superior. Usually less crowded, lesser known, but better kept. Normally they are about $14 (bonus!), and sometimes free, depending on the time of year. Drop the money in the box at the entrance (honesty is appreciated) and take a site. No reservations accepted.

They have pit toilets, pets are accepted, there is drinking water available at a well pump, each site has a picnic table, plenty of space for a tent, lots of trees if you want to try a hammock, and a fire ring. It was very quiet at night (there was only one other site being used), and we heard a beautiful owl chanting in the night.

The lake was very nearby, and some sites have access via stairs, if you like. There seemed to be plenty of firewood, if you care to collect it, and it was the best option for a wonderful camping experience!

This is a small county park and campground off the beaten path. It is located adjacent to the Little American Falls, and alongside the Big Fork River water trail. There are several campsites you can drive into, and if it is not the muddy season you could drive with a trailer or small RV into some of the the camping sites. Although the sites themselves are pretty well kept, campers are advised to pack out their own garbage but it seems some folks don't feel they have to--so there is some litter around, and evidence of campers burning garbage in the firepits. There is little to no cell phone service here, no on site ranger or camp host, but sites have basic picnic tables and fire rings, and there is an outhouse available. You should bring your own water; any RV's should know there are no hookups of any kind, but you are allowed to use a generator here. 

The main appeal of this campground is access to the river, which involves going down a steep bank (there are stairs) but worth it for fishing or kayaking or canoeing. The falls are beautiful, and worth a visit. There arent official biking or hiking trails but you could easily walk or bike on the back roads adjacent to the campground. If you want more privacy, there is a canoe campsite on the bank opposite of the county campground, just downstream of the falls, that is maintained by the Minnesota DNR and is water-access only.

There is no cost to camp here, but also no reservations so first come first served. For maps, you can refer to the Koochiching County recreation maps to see location, which are here: 

https://www.co.koochiching.mn.us/DocumentCenter/View/135/Outdoor-Recreation-Map-PDF?bidId=

https://www.co.koochiching.mn.us/DocumentCenter/View/994/Koochiching-Recreation-Map-2018-PDF

The Big Fork Water Trail map is here: https://files.dnr.state.mn.us/maps/canoe\_routes/bigfork1.pdf

And for more info you can contact the Koochiching County Lands and Forests office here: https://www.co.koochiching.mn.us/178/Land-Forestry