Chippewa National Forest is an ideal place for camping adventures of all kinds. Chippewa National Forest is an adventure-filled destination for those who love the outdoorsy camper lifestyle. But it's also great for those who prefer to spend time near the city, exploring and sightseeing. Find the best campgrounds near Chippewa National Forest, MN. Read reviews from campers like you and find your perfect campsite.
$14 - $50 / night
"Our family just returned from a 9 day stay at Leech Lake Receeation Area, and wish we could have stayed 9 more!!"
"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."
"- Campsite near the beach is recommended. There is a private rocky section away from the crowded beach. Our pup loved running out here and taking a swim by himself.
- The bog walk is a great hike!"
"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."
$26 / night
"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."
"This campground is close to Bemidji which is a nice town to tour. No sewage dump on site."
"A friendly visitor center and quite the trail along the beach and we found a site.
Sites with beach access were taken so we chose one away from the crowd. We had half the campground to ourselves."
"Those on the Cass Lakeside have access to really nice beach areas."
$16 / night
"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."
"I’ve never had a nice big campsite on the lake before. The site on the lake allows plenty of space and a beautiful view. No running water, just a spigget."
"The tent area is limited they do have electricity and close to bathrooms (with showers) They have many RV spots, cabins and tent grounds."
"It is 13 miles NE of Walker, MN on Leech Lake. Very nice campground. Electricity, dump station, nice showers, water, boat landing and fish cleaning shed."
"From fishing Lake Winnibigosh (which it's located on) to the pool, playground, or arcade, all three kids love Becker's! We've stayed here three times now. One time in a tent."
"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."
$14 / night
"Some campsites are next to the lake which gives you views of beautiful sunsets."
"Lake right there for recreating, bike trail. Campground Host on site. Firewood and ice for sale nearby."
$16 / night
"The Knutson Dam is a recreation access point and campground within the Chippewa National Forest."
"Had a beautiful view of the Knutson Dam, and out onto Cass lake. There was some ATV traffic, but they did most the riding outside the camp area, on forest roads."
TravelerPerhaps this was a Chippewa national Forest campground in the past, but it has not been upkeep at all. It would be good for dispersed camping but none of the sites are cleared, and the roads are overgrown.
GuideChippewa Loop is one of three (Norway Beach, Wanaki) campground loops within the Norway Beach Recreational Area, Chippewa National Forest. Sites are close to each other with many providing trees and foliage for some privacy. Trails lead to the bike path and Cass Lake. Chippewa Loop is divided into three separate loops. The largest loop has 30 sites within electrical hookups. This loop had one bath house with facilities for both men and women and three water stations. Facilities included a bathroom with two toilets and sink and one ADA bathroom with one toilet, sink, and shower for both genders. B add throoms could use some improvements but work.
LegendPopular backcountry sites in the Marcell area of the Chippewa National Forest include Spider Lake, the birch forest of the Suomi Hills and Trout Lake.
Both my boyfriend and myself grew up visiting the Grand Rapids area so it’s an old favorite. We’ve dispersed camp in a few different spots in the Marcell area and particularity like the Suomi Hills campsites. Some are only a short walk from the (usually small) parking area, some are a mile or two backpack-in and others are only accessed by canoe or kayak. They vary in degree of how “primitive” they are - some have only a rock fire pit while others have a metal fire pit, picnic table and pit toilet. I think some are quite luxurious for being a FREE dispersed campsite. Not only that but they are well traveled and taken care of. It’s nice to see people adhering to LNT principles.
These campsites can be popular so you may need a backup plan or two to keep moving on until you find a vacant spot. Many are located on a lake and you have that entire lake to yourself. There are also hiking trails so you will find plenty to do to keep busy.
If you are looking for complete privacy, great fishing and some amenities, the Marcell area of the Chippewa National Forest is your destination.
https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/chippewa/recreation/camping-cabins/recarea/?recid=26780&actid=34
LegendThis is one of the nicer municipal campgrounds in the area, and is very well maintained. It is heavily wooded, with great campsite options for both tent campers and RV campers. I am guessing it may be fairly busy in summer with folks here for the good fishing nearby, but we came in September when the whole campground was very quiet, and exceptionally beuaitful with deep pine and cedar woods and colorful maples scattered throughout. This would be a nice spot for a quiet getaway for a few days. It is close to town for supplies, has a nice playground for kids, and the lake offers nice paddling or fishing opportunities. You are also close to the Chippewa National Forest and can trek over there to visit other lakes and trails etc. Group shelter, space to walk, spacious shady campsites in the woods or more open nes near the playground area. Good for a local getaway!
LegendThe 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.
LegendOur 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!!
LegendThis is a US Forest Service Boating area on Lake Winnie in the Chippewa National Forest. It is primarily set up as a boat and canoe landing, with large beautiful group picnic area as well. However, it is also a stop at the Mississippi Headwaters Water Trail, and is a canoe stopover spot. At times, the winds and storms on Lake Winnie are very dangerous, and paddlers are not able to get further up the point to the Tamarack Point campsites, or around the point to the Winnie Dam camground. Under those conitions, it would be dangerous to go further, and paddlers may stay here for the night. Bathrooms, plenty of tent space, easy landing and launching for canoes and kayaks as well as boats, new picnnic shelters, great place for paddlers to shelter.
LegendAfter a few days at state parks my dog and I needed so time with less distractions. We drove over to the Chippewa National Forest and found a few campgrounds close together. We picked this one and found wooded sites adjoining a serene lake.
Campground review:
Registration is self-service but there is also a camp host. We drove around the two loops and found many reserved. This is a popular place for those with boats looking to catch some fish. There were still plenty open so we picked one that was nestled among the trees and brush. After parking, I was surprised at how much room was still here. Some of the other sites are smaller but our was plenty big. The vault toilets are clean and the area was well kept. Most sites have electric hookups. A few tent only sites were non-electric. There was a very short walk up from your car at these sites.
We walked around the quiet campground and found a park right by the lake. It opens onto the small dock where several boats awaited fishing excursions.
Intermittent cars can be heard along the main road but it’s not that busy. The plentiful birds sing away the motors.
This was a nice stopover for the night.
LegendThis is a paddle-in only campsite within the Chippewa National Forest, and is an official campsite on the Mississippi River State Water Trail in Minnesota. It is located downstream from the Lake Winnie Dam, and is a good place to stay after portaging the dam if you dont want to stay at the Winnie Dam Campground. It is located near upper River mile 1225, on the left side of the river. The access point appears very overgrown from the river, but look for the brown watercraft campsite sign with the yellow canoe, and if you land at that point you will see a mall trail that leads to wooden timbered steps up to the campsite. There is a nice view over the river here, and a bit of a breeze, which is especially good in early summer when bugs are bad. This is a typical water access only campsite for paddlers on the water trail, and includes the basic such as picnic table, fire ring, and pit toilet. There is no potable water water avaialble here, so be prepared. There is room for several tents, so a small group could camp here.
The next watercraft campsite is downs stream quite a few miles, so if you are passing mid in the afternoon it might be good to stop here. The next recommended campsite is at Gambler's Point, the previous campsites on Lake Winnie include Lake Winnie Dam and Tamarack Point.
If you are a through paddler on an extended trip you may already have maps and water trail info, but if not, check out these links:
Info for camping at watercraft campsites: https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/watertrails/watercraft-campsites.html info and maps for all of Minnesota state water trails: https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/watertrails/index.html map for Mississippi River State Water Trail: https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/watertrails/mississippiriver/index.html section map on which Crazy James landing is located, just upstream from River Mile 1225: https://files.dnr.state.mn.us/maps/canoe\_routes/mississippi2.pdf
Discover the joy of camping with your furry friends near Chippewa National Forest in Minnesota, where several campgrounds welcome pets and offer a range of amenities and activities.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular dog-friendly campsite near Chippewa National Forest?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dog-friendly campground near Chippewa National Forest is Leech Lake Recreation Area & Campground with a 4.6-star rating from 14 reviews.
What is the best site to find dog-friendly camping near Chippewa National Forest?
TheDyrt.com has all 135 dog-friendly camping locations near Chippewa National Forest, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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