We all love roasting marshmallows over a campfire—and you can often still do that while cabin camping in Cotton. Finding a place to cabin camp near Cotton is easier than ever. Each cabin rental offers quick access to one or more of Cotton's most popular destinations.
The rugged land formations of Jay Cooke State Park enhance the beauty of the hardwood forests and make for great camping near Minneapolis. The water-eroded gorge, steep valleys, and massive rock formations are seen throughout the park. In some seasons, the water of the St. Louis River thunders over slabs of ancient, exposed rock. At other times, it slows to a gentle trickle. Visitors enjoy the scenic splendor of Jay Cooke State Park during all seasons. Drive-in Sites 79 Sites: Most are wooded sites. In winter, 12 sites are kept available for winter camping. Of these, five are electric sites. Pull-Through Sites: One Site Electric Sites: 21 Sites Majority of sites are 20 and 30 amps, some 50 amp. RV Length Limit: Variable by site up to 60 Feet Length is measured from front of tow vehicle to rear of vehicle being towed. Wheelchair Accessible Sites: 3 Sites Located near drinking water. Two sites are electric, one is non-electric. Backpack Sites: 4 Sites Sites are located from 1 to 4 miles from parking area. Each site has picnic table, fire ring and latrine. Campers must haul water or treat water on site. Trail access to these sites has been restored after a 2012 flood, but a few nearby trails remain closed. Please register at the park office for details on how to get to these sites. Walk-in Sites: 4 Sites Sites are located 50 to 150 feet from parking area. Group Camp: 2 Sites - Each accommodates up to 25 people Remote, wooded camp with walk-in sites approximately 150' from parking area (limited parking). Carts are provided to carry in camping gear. Water spigot and vault toilets available. Tents only. Lodging Camper Cabins: 5 Cabins All cabins have a screened porch. Electricity and heat are available year-round. Agate and Basalt cabins are ADA accessible and sleep 5. Slate, Gabbro, and Shale Cabins sleep 6 people. Pets not allowed in cabins. More information on camper cabins.
Nestled in a forest on the western high point of Duluth, Minnesota, Spirit Mountain Campground offers walk-in tenting as well as 73 campsites equipped with fire pits, picnic tables, and electricity. Easy access to our award-winning Mountain Bike Trails, our Adventure Park and Superior Hiking Trail. Thirty-nine sites have water hook-ups, and two shower buildings offer 24-hour convenience. Spirit Mountain overlooks majestic Lake Superior and the St. Louis Bay. Natural beauty abounds in the area– you can quickly and easily access water, hiking and biking trails and much more. The trailhead for the Superior Hiking Trail is within walking distance of the Campground. And near the Campground, there is an overlook area of Lake Superior, the bay, the St. Louis River, and the Aerial Lift Bridge.
$16 - $22 / night
In season camping runs from April to September, with reservations available. Off season camping is first-come-first-served at a discounted rate
$23 / night
Guide
The camp site was big enough for our car and our 6 person tent. The office had weird opening ours. I would recommend getting ice and wood at the nearby gas station. Overall a quiet campground. Was a pleasant experience
Guide
The campsite was perfectly good: nice and spacious over looking the river. It is well off the main hiking trail and quite private. The view of the river is heavily obstructed and there really is no easy and safe way down the cliff to the river. Still it is nice to hear the river. You need to bring on drinking water, otherwise you need to go about 1/8 of a mile to a small creek to get filterable water.
The hike in is easy, but once you are off the main trail (the first mile) the trail is grass—be prepared for lots of ticks.
Guide
Lovely sites with plenty of trees so most sites are quite private. Mosquitoes are brutal here, especially on the hiking club trail and to a somewhat lesser degree in the campground. We were thankful to have a screen tent for this visit. No Verizon cell service at the campground. Surprisingly good cell service at the Loon Lake area of the park, which also has a beautiful short hike!
Guide
Base camp for fishing Big Sandy. Stayed here several times in a tent and a trailer. Nice sites but surrounded by swampy areas so mosquitoes are thick.
Very clean, pay attention to north or south entrance. Have to drive on either end can’t cross the dam with a vehicle.
But firewood before hand as well.
GuideAs a tent camper, i prefer quiet and private sights. The circle this site was part of, was just that. The walk to the updated bathrooms (with showers) is pretty pretty. It was buggy (mosquitoes) but fire and bug spray kept it manageable. The pit toilet next to site 18 had an occasional waft of smell but nothing too lingering or bad.
GuideThe site was nice a secluded but still close to water and bathrooms. The downside to this specific site is that it is close to the group camp so it was pretty noisy.
Guide
Campsite was good size and relatively private in the non electric area. Beautiful park overall and love the proximity from Ely and Lake Vermillion. I did find bear scat near our site so be sure to practice proper bear safety precautions.
Legend
There were no problems getting to this state park. We pulled into the dump station just before entering the campground(CG) area to get fresh water. While we were there, a park ranger stopped to check us in, including processing us for a free annual MN state park pass for disabled veterans. We followed the site signage to electric(50/30/20 AMP) only site 110, which was an easy back-in. The site was long enough for our 40’ toy hauler to include putting our back patio down and parking our F-450. We especially liked how ample trees and bushes were separating the sites, and you are well away from your neighbors. The site gave us plenty of space to set up our chairs around a nice fire pit and one fine picnic table. Get water as you come into the CG, as the spigots throughout the park do not have threads. The 300 loop has pull-throughs that will handle large rigs, with 312 being the best. We got 5 bars 4G. on Verizon. We put Starlink on the roof and got a decent signal. There was a nice shower house/restrooms where the park also sold firewood. Formal trail systems are throughout the CG and park, and we enjoyed walking our dogs. We really like the variety of RV sites for all sizes of RVs, but it's too bad the CG area has no water views.
Guide
Some sites that are closest to the river are close together but okay view. Vaulted toilet and recycling/dumpster close proximity.
Guide
Had a lovely stay here on August 18th. You can't beat the price ($14/night for electric up to 50 amps). The woman I booked the reservation through was really nice and laid back. The campground is quiet, chill and safe. The woman's restroom was clean, despite some mildew on the shower ceiling (no big deal). Dog-friendly and free WiFi. Great option if you're looking for something near the Apostle Islands that's inexpensive and includes electricity. I stayed in spot 2, which is near the bathrooms and has a picnic table and fire pit.
Scout
Campground was well kept, not much noise, lots of spaces that have water access. The bathrooms and showers were neat and clean. Easy to checkin online either on-site or before you get there. Very few bugs of any kind.
TravelerSavanna portage is gorgeous with serene lakes and some nice hiking! We loved the continental divide trail. The campground is a little cramped and rustic. My main complaint was the water was full of iron- it was a little brown and didn’t taste very good. Overall, a perfectly great experience though- beautiful nature, not many people, what more could you want? Mosquitos are terrible- come prepared!!!
Ranger
This COE campground is fully open and functional. There’s a nice variety of sites available, a boat landing and docks, shower building, dump station, playground, beach, etc. It’s all very nicely maintained. Some of the sites are a bit open to each other, but are well spaced. Tip - drinking water in the North Campground is not at the dump station, but on the other end near the boat launch.
TravelerWe stopped here on our way to north Minnesota. Originally we planned 2 days but really needed to rest so extended it to 4 days. It was a little hairy getting to, the 2 lane winding road with the raging river on one side did slow us down a bit. The Rangers were friendly and accommodating. The park had taken quite a beating with the winter storm that had been there the previous week, a lot of sites were closed due to trees down and snow. While we were there they were actively cleaning up, but left in the afternoon so we had no disturbances from saws or equipment noise. The water was not turned on yet for the season, so the bathroom/showers and dump station were not available. There was a potable water source at the front of our loop to fill our fresh tank and our water storage cubes. The sites were shaded well, and easy to back into. We had to work a bit to get our camper level but that may have been due to the snow and water that was on the site so we figured it was par for the course. We walked to the Welcome Center and the swinging bridge, there were multiple hiking trails accessible by the camping area. It was relatively busy on the weekend but cleared out during the week. We had lots of wildlife visitors. The park is pet friendly. We found affordable propane and a dump site closer to Duluth.
Legend
This was my first time at this location and we decided to do a cabin (package) so that we could stay and ski (well, they skied I snowshoed). The cabin was nicely located close to the slope but not in the way of the action.
Cabin 1 was an RV Cabin (as they call it) which is sort of RV shaped but not on wheels. Wooden cabin, 2 bedrooms and a loft with plenty of space for sleeping. It was carpeted with outlets and windows and lights . We had three teenage boys up there and could easily have slept 2 to 3 more. A mini kitchen with fridge, stove, pots, pans, dishes, soap and microwave as well as full bathroom with shower. All linens provided. Ah yes - and it's heated/cooled too! Not with a wood stove, but an actual thermostat adjustable heater. Bedrooms have mini plug in ceramic type heaters for extra warmth.
If you stay in a cabin or campsite (they are open in summer) you get a discount on lift tickets. During the summer, there is a lazy river, mini water slide type of platform and a summer tubing area that runs through the trees!
While I can not speak for the actual campsites since they were snow covered, I can say that they do have them.
Additionally, all sites have a fire ring, picnic table and the cabins have BBQ grills. Firewood available for purchase.
TravelerThe park is a little off the beaten path so quiet on the whole. Jay Cooke has many miles of walking trails and the swinging bridge (St. Louis River) is a must see and a must cross. Campsites are fairly secluded and heavily wooded. Spend a few days at Jay Cooke, there is much to see.
Legend
Stayed in a cabin for some winter glamping! Gonna have to make this a yearly thing for sure! I love this area of the state...and the mine area sure is something else in the winter time after a large snow accumulation. So thankful my friend invited me on this trip! Dagwaagin cabin
Legend
Interesting set up as this is great for families. Lots of full timers and season guests coming here annually. Great location and the fishing is great and you have direct access to it! Couple full time cabins but the main attraction here is the bar. Lots of locals come in and enjoy this. Food was good!
LegendNever fails this campground is perfect. Lots to do and honestly I have grown to really enjoy coming here in the winter. Yes water is shutoff and you don’t get to us le the awesome shower house but there are hardly any people here! Always enjoy this campground and the area surrounding. Lots of good hikes!
LegendPETS ARE ALLOWED IN THE PARK BUT NOT THE CABINS - see below for details.
This part of the state park is very new! These cabins are a fairly new addition and aimed to cater to those that love winter outings but want warmth and electronic lifelines.
We stayed in "Ning" cabin which is an abbreviation of the actual name. All cabins have native Ojibwe names. It was there last on the loop and right next to a short trail. A vault toilet is about 30 feet away.
This campground had wifi throughout the campground and cabins. This let me work while we were there with my computer without issues. It's easy to log into (open your browser and the option will pop up, or search for it in your wifi network options).
Firewood - this is a super cool policy. You can't bring your own wood, but you can pay $10/day for a permit that you hand at your site. They have a "shed" with pre-split wood that's dry and ready for the campfire. You can burn what you need daily and put the rest back before you leave. This is not meant to "burn it all" but it allows you to have a fire, stay warm, have fun and not run out of wood. Great price considering the amount many places charge for a dinky little bundle that lasts about an hour. You also can't take it home, so just be smart about the process and it's a great option for everyone!
The inside of the cabin was wow! Electricity outlets were plenty (in all the bunks - as well as lights in all bunks). Hard floors, a vacuum for when you were done, shelves for gear and food, baseboard heaters, A/C in summer, big windows, ceiling fan, rug to wipe your boots, lots of coathangers.
Outside a small deck and picnic table, food prep station with an outlet - very cool! Fire ring was down a set of stairs near the woods.
Please note: PETS are allowed in the park, but NOT in the cabins and NOT on the deck of the cabin. Pretty steep fees if they find this happening.
Also...you have to bring your own bedding (sleeping bags or sheets/blanket).
Nice perk - there is an indoor showerhouse with bathrooms, hot water and potable drinking water station so you don't have to sacrifice in the winter!
Overall great stay for $90 - quieter than a hotel for sure!
LegendExcellent hiking and camping experiences here. Stayed for a weekend and returned after for many, many day hikes. Plenty of wildlife to see, a newly rebuilt “swing bridge” over the rusty rushing of the Saint Louis River. And the locals are pleasant, heck, it’s Minnesota! Buggy in summer due to all the water, bring excellent hiking shoes for the rocks yer gonna wanna climb around on. Excellent autumn photography options for all occasions. Camping is is a more secluded area where most day-hikers don’t come across ya.
LegendI have stayed here in the past, but that was a couple years ago. I stayed this time to go hiking and kayaking in the area. There are several trails near the area and some connected to the campsite. I tried to hike around the lake but ran into several impassable spots bc of a recent rain. I really do like the variety of this camp ground as you can get both electric, non-electric, group sites, and smaller sites all right close. I have hiked several of the trails and always see lots of wildlife. It is a great place to go and get lost in the woods...on some trails of course. I would highly recommend.
GuideThis campground has it all: sites for families to reserve by one another, campsites with more privacy, RV specific loops. With newly updated facilities, it can feel like glamping. Good proximity to bridge and nearby hikes. I highly recommend finding the cedar forest near the CCC Trail on the north side of campground.
Guide
Pretty tight for big rigs. Bathrooms are so so..No camp store. We were here during busy mayfly hatch…but we were on a waterfront site.
GuideThis park might be at the top of my list at the moment for MN. Our campsite was spacious, relatively private, and right next to the woods. The campground itself was very nice and the bathroom lodge was immaculate. They have the best firewood policy I’ve seen - $10/day for unlimited wood. All thick cut birch wood. With the campground being so new there are still lots of things they are workin on including adding trail signage. The trail beginning from the 200’s sites down to the lake was leisurely and beautiful with an amazing view of Lake Vermillion in two spots. We watched the sunset from the docks at the boat launch near the campground and it was beautiful. The campground also has wifi which we didn’t use but I tested the speeds on my cell phone out of curiosity and was getting speeds over 200mbps which really shocked me. The next morning we took a stroll around the hiking club loop at the main office and really enjoyed that as well. Overall a very enjoyable experience at a very unique state park. Looking forward to going back
LegendJay Cooke is really a must experience state park within easy driving distance to other parks in Minnesota and Wisconsin.
Positives:
Negative:
GuideWe were frustrated as a family with 2 young kids to find that the “playground” on the map is just a green (actually weed) space with no playground, no volleyball net, literally nothing. The trail around shumway lake is apparently closed which I take to mean unkept so we stayed off of it. Not much to do with kids unless you drive over to loon lake. They have a small beach and small playground. The trail around loon lake is nice and ok for kids 6+. Frustrated that the map is inaccurate as we always choose sites near a playground for the kids and this one is nonexistent even though it’s listed on the map.
The other thing that was extremely annoying is that the flies and mosquitoes are completely out of control. We literally couldn’t sit outside. It was the RV or the gazebo. And this was all day, not just at night.
The grounds are beautiful but would not come back.
Camping near Cotton, Minnesota, offers a mix of beautiful landscapes and outdoor activities. Whether you're looking to pitch a tent or park your RV, there are plenty of options to explore.
Camping near Cotton, Minnesota, has something for everyone, from families to solo adventurers. Whether you're in an RV or tent, you'll find a spot that suits your needs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular cabin campsite near Cotton, MN?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular cabin campground near Cotton, MN is Jay Cooke with a 4.7-star rating from 64 reviews.
What is the best site to find cabin camping near Cotton, MN?
TheDyrt.com has all 20 cabin camping locations near Cotton, MN, with real photos and reviews from campers.
