Best Cabin Camping near Duluth, MN

site: wooded. walk-in sites available. camping cabins available. amenities: very clean. attractions: geocaching. historic sites. nature programs. biking. hiking. I would go camping here again.

We came with our extended family and while they did tent camping we stayed in a camping cabin. The cabins were great! Our family also was pleased with their tent camping site. This park offered some fun hikes. The views are beautiful- great place to take photos! We came into the stay somewhat unaware of the park, as our family had done the reservations and planning, but we were pleasantly surprised at everything this park offers :)

Located just a short drive from Duluth, MN, this state park has something to offer anyone: hiking, camping, cycling, and gnarly whitewater kayaking. The campground is nestled tightly into the woods, a little crowded, but the sites feel spacious and nearly private.  The campsites offer the usual amenities, picnic table, campfire ring, but they really excel in their full-scale recycling program and self-service bike tune up stations.  

The bathrooms and showers were very clean -- I even found a park ranger cleaning and working on the toilet at 10 pm!  After a week-long paddle in Voyageurs National Park, we pulled into this campground late in the evening simply in search of a hot shower and place to stay for the night...and found a whole lot more when we awoke in the morning!

The visitors center, just a short walk away, offers interpretive programs, miles of hiking trails, and a swinging bridge over the beautiful St. Louis River gorge. 

Reservations are required year round, and the website is easy to use https://reservations1.usedirect.com/MinnesotaWebHome/. Campground was amazingly busy in early May, so I would recommend reservations for the high season.

We have camped here multiple times in a tent and also in our RV. Grounds have a nice mix of RV spots out in the open as well as some RV and tent spots back in the trees with water and electric only sites. Full hookup sites are only out in the in the open spaces.

Sites are mostly level and are some are a bit tight and close to your neighbors. They have recently added some additional RV spots and some other upgrades as well. Staff is friendly and bathrooms, store, activity room, pool are all seemed to be well maintained.

Make reservations early in the session because things fill up quickly. Great family campground with a lot of young kids running around, riding bikes, and playing and dogs in most campsites. Pool is also available but we haven’t used.

Easy access to Jay Cook State Park. Jay Cook has a lot to offer; a suspended cable walking bridge, great moderate hikes, waterfalls, climbing on rocks, and amazing river views. Great place to stop in for a couple hours or spend the whole day hiking.

Not to far from Duluth and other amazing North Shore locations.

Dump station is conveniently located on your way out of the grounds but can get backed up at the end of a busy weekend and can make it difficult to exit the campground.

Like so many RV / campgrounds this one is also located near to railroad tracks that has several trains that come through day and night.

The campground at Jay Cooke State Park is really nice. The sites are well maintained and private (for the most part. More on that later), and the shower and bathroom facilities are really top notch. Plus, lots of great hikes nearby and only 25min from Duluth.

Sites: Most sites are very private. There are lots of trees and foliage in between, so you really can't see your neighbor - at least this was true of the loop I was in (site 18). We didn't walk around all the loops, but the one we noticed had less privacy is the loop with sites 24-37. The center sites (27, 29, 34, 36) are all pretty open and didn't seem like there was much definition between spots. So, good as a group, but maybe less desirable if you're looking for some privacy.

My site, 18, was nice. They're all a little tight, so multiple large tents isn't advisable. The only downside to 18 is it is right next to a pit toilet. They're well maintained, but if the wind blows a certain way, you may have a faint scent. I'd probably opt for site 19 or 21 next time.

Pros:

> Really nice facilities. The separate shower rooms are fantastic. Water is hot!

> Easy access to lots of great hikes

> Sites are well maintained. There are tent pads at every site that I saw. They're flat and level. 

Cons:

> There are active trains in the nearby town. I was having trouble sleeping one night and heard the horns well into the night (1 and 3am). They're not super loud so I'm not sure if they would have woken me if I was already asleep, but if you're a light sleeper I'd bring earplugs just in case.

All in all, I really enjoyed Jay Cooke and would be happy to stay here again!

This park is right before Duluth and is a perfect getaway spot if you don’t want to travel all the way up the shore! The campground has tent, hook-up, and cabin sites. The facilities, while somewhat dated, have always been in good condition and clean on my visits. This seems more like a family campground and is quiet pretty early. The trails are just across the street and are beautiful in all seasons. The bridge history is pretty cool too; go see it! One thing I would note for this park is that it definitely blends with the nearby city, which isn’t a bad thing as long as you’re aware. The town has some great breakfast spots too!

As usual Top o The Morn did not disappoint. Owners are very accommodating and personable. They are very busy working and updating cabins. If you are looking for the true up north Wisconsin getaway this is the spot!

Even though it rained almost the entire time, we spent a great couple of days at Jay Cooke State Park in MN last June. We went with friends who also had an 8 year old boy. We both rented camper cabins. Our family was in Gabbro and their family was in Shale. The two cabins were separated by 20 feet of forest connected by a footpath through the trees. The boys had a blast running back and forth between the two cabins. The parents were pretty happy to have the screened in porches for listening to the rain and playing several rounds of Mad Libs.

We did a couple of short hikes during breaks in the rain. The suspension bridge was cool and all the boys had fun climbing on the rocks in the gorge and scaring us moms. There are some great trails that run through the area (Willard Munger and North Country National Scenic trails and Duluth is only 15 miles away via bike trail) and I hope to return on a drier weekend to do more hiking.

Quiet campground on the st Louis River just south of duluth and close to Jay Cooke state park. Most sites were pretty open but nice spots right on the river. Water and electric at those sites. We stayed 2 nights. Only complaint was the hosts or owners kids running around and being kind of rude. Signage I think was difficult for some people. We had family staying in the cabin and everyone thought they were the host.

Nice bathrooms and shower rooms according to other members in our group. Small playground and sandbox for kids. Horseshoes, ladder toss, and bag toss provided by campground.

Nice city park across the street with short walking trail through the woods and a larger playground.

This state park is a real gem in terms of its location (near Dulluth, and first in a series of state parks that go up the North Shore of Lake Superior) as well as its educational and recreational opportunities. It is located in a rocky gorge on the St Louis River, which provides a great destination for anyone who wants to study geology of the region. There are also miles of hiking trails, access to the Oberstar Bike trail, park naturalist programs, and nearby rentals for whitewater kayaking for those who are very adventurous. The campsites are wooded and nicely spaced, and the park camper cabins (where I stayed) are really cozy and nice!

WARNING: One current downfall of the park, which will be a problem for the coming yea, is that the park experienced a massive water main break during a recent storm, and the park currently has no drinking water, showers or bathrooms available. You will need to bring your own jugs of water for drinking and washing up, and be prepared to use outhouses. This applies to campsites as well as camper cabins. Major construction is going on in the west part of the campground, too, as a new line is put in and the bath houses are rebuilt, so be prepared for some construction noise.

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.

Jay Cooke has always been one of our favorite places to camp. It has gotten so busy it’s not even that enjoyable anymore. It’s always well maintained and clean!! We booked a walk in site ( 83 ) which was beautiful! The down side was it’s very close to the camper cabins and many families with children running around unattended. They ran into out campsite yelling and screaming with flashlights and banging bat’s against the trees  while the parents did nothing even after my husband asked them nicely.  We had planned to have a quiet getaway from the city and zone out peacefully.  I have not been back since. Busses and busses of kids pulling up the the park and a 25 minute wait to cross the swing bridge.  But it is absolutely gorgeous there despite the hoards of people.

I love Jay Cooke year round! The tent camping is great, the park is amazing for hiking and geology study, and there are camper cabins that I have often stayed at as well. This was my first time staying in winter, the camper cabins are cozy and fully heated and really nice. People use them when coming here in winter for the terrific cross country skiing or snowshoeing. The cabins are very simple and have beds, table, heat, and electricity, but no water inside (water punps are nearby, so bring a bucket ir canteen) and no bathroom (but you can use the outhouse nearby, and the campground will have a new bath house by early summer, it is inder construction and almost finished!) . You can use the facilities at the visitor center during the day but they arent open in the evening and are a bit of a trek from the campground. But, it you want to camp in warmth and relative comfort, and want to explire this amazing state park, the camper cabins are a great way to go year round! You can reserve campsites too if you have an RV or dont mind winter camping

We have stayed in a camper cabin in the winter and RV site in the summer. We have explored so many trails on our snowshoes and cross country skis in the winter and have enjoyed many hikes and mountain bike rides in the summer months. The accommodations were well maintained with very clean campground area. The shower room is very new and the bathrooms were very clean. The cabins are pretty basic with bunk beds and a small table with chairs. The cabin we stayed in was heated with base board heaters that you have control of the temperature. We have also brought our canoe to explore the river and went fishing. There are so many trails to explore so we plan on camping here again and again!

I live on the edge of this park but I love to rent a cabin so I'm in the middle of the fun. My grandkids, friends and daughter have stayed with me. Campfire at night, hiking during the day and lots of fresh air. We usually have a few "visitors" in the evening. While sitting around d the fire we can spot raccoons hoping to steal some marshmallows or in the morning when the chipmunks ate our donuts! It's a great place a d the cabins are wonderful for those who aren't fond of tents.

I was in the area for a workshop, but wanted a place "out of town" for a peaceful retreat in the evenings. Tom’s homestead is so welcoming, and I loved my cozy cabin. Its the old creamery on a farm, and is equipped with a futon sleeper, comfy chairs, a sink, picnic table and lawn chairs. Tom also has a Bed and Breakfast on the proerty. Tom is so great to talk to, and his property is an old dairy farm on country land with wildlife ponds and miles of trails you can hike or cross county ski. Great birdwatching everywhere! The whole place is  restful and meditative. My little cabin even had an en suite sauna that I hope to try out next time I come! No bathroom in cabin, but you can go inside the host home, and also use the kitchen and family room there. Ashland is about a 15 minut drive, Bayfield about 30 minute drive. Lovely spot to stay, I’ll be back!

This state park is definitely off the beaten path, with the Savannah Portage itself almost as it 200 years ago when Americans explorers came trekking through. It is worth a visit to the park to experience and learn about 1) the physical geography of the important continental divide that occurs here, dividing the Great Lakes watershed from the Mississippi watershed, and 2) to hike the Savannah Portage to experience and learn about expedition history along this old historic fur trade route. The opportunities for hiking and nature study are really good here.For canoers, there are a couple small lakes within the park, but you can also easily get out to the very large Big Sandy Lake just to the west, and even on to the Mississippi River nearby. As for the camping experience, I would agree that the campsites are a bit small and crowded in, which is a bit on the down side. You might like one if the hike in sites or canoe in site if you want ti be more secluded. On my most recent trip in very early June it was surprisingly bug-free, but it is often really buggy later in summer due to the myriad swamps and marshes in the vicinity. If it is available, you might want to consider the camper cabin! Also, autumn is a spectacular time to visit, lots of color and no bugs, and I have friends who come here in winter, the camper cabin and guesthouse are open year round, I havent stayed with them overnight but did visit for the day one weekend in February, and being in the park in winter for snowshoeing was beautiful and amazing!

Duluth has great outdoor spaces, craft breweries, and an excellent marathon to run.