Best Equestrian Camping near Deer River, MN

First off, and most appealing to me is the fact that there is no cell service. All 12 campsites are first come first serve and you can’t jump a line by going on a website to reserve a spot.  there are no water or electric hook ups but there are hand pumps for pumping water and you could bring a generator or not.
Located north of Grand Rapids Minnesota about 60 miles or 35 miles from Nashwauk Minnesota which is the closest gas station, grocery store or post office. All the sites are back in no pull through sites, generally level however there’s a few that are on an angle

This is a small rustic campground on Webster Lake. I arrived here on a Friday afternoon end of July, which should have been peak camping season, and the campground was half empty. Its a bit off the beaten path, the lake is not huge, and the campsites are simple so maybe the campground is not on many peoples radar. However, the lake is pretty and the fishing isnt bad, the lakeside campsites are fairly nice, and there are some interesting trails into the bogs around the lake. Supposedly it is most busy during fall hunting season, so for a quiet camping experience and wildlife wAtching it is probably best to come in mid to late summer. Early summer is also probably not the best time as the surrounding bogs are probably great mosquito breeding grounds!

I saw the sign for a campground on the road and I thought I check it out. It's a campground by a lake with a hiking trail, pit toilettes, and boat launch. 

People come here off-roading, fishing, boating, and hunting.

I was visiting in September, Labor day weekend, and half of the sites were empty. I got a really nice, large spot on the lake. It's a primitive campground, with no any sort of electricity or even garbage service. First come first serve, there is an envelope stand at the entrance.

Depending on what way you are coming from, you have to drive a few miles on gravel forest roads. It's not bad though.

I did try the trail that goes around the lake, it's about 3.5 miles long. It goes through the forest mainly, not a very exciting trail, very easy. There is a place where you can walk on the bog and sit down on a bench for a nice view. That was the pretty part.

So many mosquitos though, you better spray yourself before going on the hike. I forgot and bugs were chasing me. I couldn't stop at all, I was rushing through the trail.

Overall, a nice National Forest Campground, quiet it's perfect for an outdoorsy weekend.

I had a strong AT&T signal, enough to run Netflix and do online surfing.

Located just outside Hibbing and Chisholm, this campground is on Side Lake and Sturgeon Lake. If it is too windy on one lake, just walk across to the other one. Beautiful beach, with modern beach house and nice picnic area. The lake is shallow for quite a ways out so it’s great for water games and younger swimmers, as well as those who just just love floating around. The group campsite is beautiful. We have been Camping there now for over 10 years and it is still one of our favorite spots. Love listening to the loons at night and enjoying a campfire among the tall trees of the campground. This is also the best place that I have seen the northern lights.

This state park that may be well known to locals for its stellar beach and day-use picnic grounds, but seems to be off the beaten path and a well kept secret as a family camping destination.

I would give the beach area a five star rating, as the beach is on Sturgeon Lake which is incredibly beautiful (even on a cloudy weekend like when we were there), the beach is amazing with crystal clear water, shallow depths for kids and family swimming, great picnic spots all along the expansive shoreline, new beautiful bath house, and overall terrific accessibility for folks of all kinds, including families with young kids and folks with disabilities as there are great paved walkways and gentle access ramps everywhere. There is a public boat access onto the lake just south of the beach area on Sturgeon Lake, and also in the campground which is actually across the isthmus on adjacent Side Lake. It is worth camping here if you want a relaxing vacation with daily trips to the beach, or time out on the water of either lake for fishing and boating. There are canoe rentals avaialble if you dont have a craft of your own. There are also naturalist programs,and regular outdoor perfromances by local music ensembles too, so overall there is lots to do in a relaxing and fun outdoorsy location.

I am giving the campground itself just a 4 star rating for a couple reasons. First, there is currently a water issue--testing has found contamination in the campground wells, so there isnt potable water and you have to get drinking water from other locations in the area. The campground also seems a bit cramped, with most sites placed very close together, so you dont get a real quiet secluded experience. An exception are some of the sites at the end of the loop, such as campsite 30, where the neighbors arent so close. Also, the Group campsite, which is located in between the beach and the boat access on Sturgeon Lake, is probably the best camping option in the park, with its own indoor shelter and tent sites for groups up to 40--for your best camping experience here in the park, get a group together and go for the group site!