Erin F.
Guide
GuideSpirit Mountain Campground
Great Basecamp
Mountain bikers and hikers will love this beautiful treed campground. Level sites that are spread out enough to offer some privacy. Bath house was old, but adequate.
Glamping near Esko, MN
3 campgrounds with availability this weekend
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Jay Cooke State Park Campground near Esko features luxury glamping accommodations among the tall trees for travelers seeking an upscale outdoor experience. The glamping sites combine natural surroundings with premium comfort, offering electricity, climate control, and private spaces in a wooded setting. Spirit Mountain Campground and Fond du Lac City also provide glamping options with similar amenities, including picnic tables and firewood service. These locations balance seclusion with convenience, positioned near hiking trails while maintaining a comfortable distance from neighboring sites. A recent visitor noted, "The cabins were great! Our family was pleased with their site. This park offered some fun hikes and the views are beautiful—great place to take photos!"
Glamping guests enjoy extensive outdoor activities directly accessible from these luxury accommodations. The St. Louis River provides opportunities for kayaking, fishing, and swimming in the warmer months, with several sites positioned near scenic overlooks or water access points. Jay Cooke State Park's swinging bridge and hiking trail network appeal particularly to glampers seeking adventure without sacrificing comfort. The glamping resorts maintain proximity to Duluth, just 15-20 minutes away, allowing for convenient day trips. According to one camper, "Located just a short drive from Duluth, this state park has something to offer anyone: hiking, camping, cycling, and gnarly whitewater kayaking. 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."
Best Glamping Campgrounds near Esko (17)
1. Jay Cooke State Park Campground
"I stayed at two sites, the second being 41E, which has electric."
"Another oddity is that some fire pits are on the opposite side of your doors, but no biggie. The bathrooms are wonderfully new and central to all the camping loops."
47 Sites AvailableAvailable this weekend
from $23 - $90 / night
2. Spirit Mountain Campground
"The downhill mountain biking is awesome (the kids still want to go back) and the Adventure Park was a lot of fun too - and a short walk from camp. "
"Nice Campsites mostly secluded in the woods. Campsites are not to close to eachother giving you the privacy you want. Great views by the ski lift of Duluth!"
3. Cloquet-Duluth KOA
"We are KOA members (who stay at a lot of KOAs) - our 1st visit at this Cloquet KOA was Sept 2020: The staff were friendly."
"Nice campground...a little rural but close to town. Helpful staff, decent size sites and hookups. Pool area was nice but busy on our stay. Great family camping."
4. Fond du Lac City
"Great place.Plenty to do.People that work there are freindly and helpful.Great mountain bike trails across the road,and hiking trails only right down the road about 6 blocks.Lots of Canoe and kayak rentals.Bath"
"kind campground hosts with quiet but well-used atvs
-easy lake access with docks and shoreline
-free wifi
-this is a good day-of campsite if you’re looking for an adventure or a fun story to tell!"
5. Big Lake Shores & The Lounge
"Refrigerator, microwave, queen bed along side a bunk; double on the bottom bunk and a twin up top. The neighborhood is welcoming."
6. Nemadji Mobile Home and RV Park
7. Northland Camping & RV Park
8. Willow River Campground — General C.C. Andrews State Forest
"Kind of off the beaten path. You have to take the Willow River exit and go through the town a little bit. There's a small sign next to the Squirrel Cage restaurant and bar."
"There were mosquitoes a plenty due to the lake. Good spacing between sites and wooded enough to almost forget how close you are to i35."
1 Site AvailableAvailable this weekend
from $50 / night
9. Bois Brule Campground — Brule River State Forest
"If it was simply about the location, this would get five plus stars because it's so beautiful!"
"Cost for non-residents is $21 for the campsite and another $11 daily state park entrance fee. So, $32 for the same type of campground as a USFS at about $15."
22 Sites AvailableAvailable this weekend
from $19 / night
10. Penmarallter Campsite
"Some shade but mostly sunny pull through camp sites worked well in the cool Minnesota evenings. You can save $5 a night if you only need 30-Amp electric and water."
"If there was laundry available, it would be five stars."
Drive Time
- 12 min from Duluth, MN
- 1 hr 53 min from Minneapolis, MN
- 2 hrs 7 min from St. Cloud, MN
- 2 hrs 25 min from Eau Claire, WI
Recent Glamping Photos near Esko, MN
13 Photos of 17 Esko Campgrounds • uploaded by The Dyrt campers
Glamping Reviews near Esko, MN
165 Reviews of 17 Esko Campgrounds
- TTanya L.
TravelerJay Cooke State Park Campground
Crowded but lovely stop
A weekend in October...peak color but the campground is crowded and pretty noisy up until 8 pm ish when it does quiet down a bit. Would stay again, just when it's less crowded.
- MMelissa S.
ScoutPardun’s Jack Pine Campground
This is for Pardun’s Tube Rental. Don't give this man your business!
If I could give this company negative stars I would. I would never recommend this company to even my worst enemy. This was our second experience with them. The first time took a long time but we knew it wasn’t their fault because the river was low and that’s out of their control. Our tubes were also good. The owner’s dad(Jerry?) picked us up and was so nice and sweet. We laughed at all our hiccups along the way.
This time around, it was just my friend and I and we were having a wonderful time for the first 2.5-3 hours. Then we realized we weren’t moving and the wind was blowing us upstream. We kept trying to go, waiting to see the landing. By the 5 hour mark we kept trying to call Pardun’s to mention that we were trying to come back and to let them know that we’d probably be later than expected and to see if they had any tips. Since the cell service is almost non existent, the calls would not go through. By that time, we didn’t know what to else to do but call 911. By the time we were able to get a hold of someone to ask for help, we were nearing 6 hours on the river. They called Pardun’s to let them know and the owner(Guy?) and his son were waiting to pick us up. As soon as they saw us, the snarky disrespectful remarks started and they began making fun of us. The owner was relentless. It was one rude remark after another. This was at about 9pm. When I started crying and asking him to stop talking to me, the a-hole dug in even more and had to get the last word in. It kept on until I screamed at him to shut the F up. I couldn’t take it anymore. He then stopped and started trying to kick us off the bus. I was sitting in the seat, sobbing while my friend was nicely asking him to just please go and please stop with the comments. He wouldn’t. Once we got back to Danbury, he stopped the bus and walked away. His son helped us get our stuff out and his wife eventually came out to make sure that we had our keys and let us know she had called the other people involved to let them know we were back. The son was initially being kind of a jerk when we got on the bus but he apologized to us soon after. His waste of a human father didn’t.
Please do not give this man your business. I have never been so humiliated and made to feel as awful as he made me feel. The blatant disrespect and language from the minute he saw was unbelievable. This man is the most awful human I have ever encountered. I sure hope he treats his wife and his mother with a little more compassion and empathy.
- AAnita L.Guide
Spirit Mountain Campground
Spirit Mountain Campground
Private sites, W/E, Close to downtown Duluth. Our site was just big enough for our 38' 5th wheel with slides on both sides. They delivered wood which was $9 for 5 pieces. RR and showers close to this site. Toilets fairly new, but showers paint peeling and could use remodeling.
Cari E.
RangerSpirit Mountain Campground
Convenient when the SP are booked
If you’re hopping between state parks in the north shore area and need something near Duluth, this campground is a solid option if there’s nothing else available. Time has not been overly friendly and the park and campground are somewhat run down, but there are still upsides. It’s close to local stores and the sites are shaded and actually quite lovely, but beware that MANY of the sites on the far west loop (45-70) will not be level. Most also do not have a dedicated space for a tent, but there is usually ample space on the gravel drives (bring extra padding). This loop is also not ideal for larger RVs. Verizon cell service was manageable and if you scout the site images online, you can find spots with northern-facing openings in the trees for Starlink if needed. Water spigots in this loop are also well placed and the water was quite chilly. Now for the ugly…the bathrooms in this loop are serviceable, but if you touch the wall or floor while showering, you might want to star over. If you forgot your shower shoes, you won’t be showering. Older bath houses are acceptable, but this one was plain filthy beyond simple age.
- Cari E.Ranger
Jay Cooke State Park Campground
Everything is convenient
I stayed at two sites, the second being 41E, which has electric. This loop is perhaps the most central to the bath house, but all are conveniently located nearby and the dump station isn’t too far (but far enough to stay out of sight, out of mind). The bath house is fully handicap friendly and the shower heads can all the raised and lowered, and there are wheelchair ramps up to the facility. The dirt roads are miraculously pothole free and the drinking water spigots are blissfully cold if you’re here during a heatwave. Site 41E, like quite a few actually, has the fire pit behind/on the wrong side of your rv door, but no biggie. The biggest downside is that the site is rather unlevel, but if you are able to scoot all the way to the right (closest to the electrical tower), it’s not so bad. The bridge/park office/store is a quick 7 min walk, and the bath house is less than a 2 min walk.
When I was staying, we were hit with hazardous levels of wildfire smoke, and I was so impressed that the park staff opened visitor’s center early so that campers would have a place to escape the smoke. I’ve never stayed at any park where the staff goes so far above and beyond.
- Cari E.Ranger
Jay Cooke State Park Campground
Woodsy Perfection
Every site is nestled into the woods, which is cozy and adds the added benefit of privacy. That said, the extra big rigs wouldn’t be a good fit—one loop only allows for rigs under 25’ in length due to a tight corner. Another oddity is that some fire pits are on the opposite side of your doors, but no biggie.
The bathrooms are wonderfully new and central to all the camping loops. There are men’s and women’s sides for toilets/sinks and independent shower rooms—all handicap friendly. The park really outdid themselves here, even the building is beautifully designed.
Firewood is for sale at the camp office along with your typical camping goods and souvenirs, and the park staff is wonderful to interact with. There are black bears, but no bear boxes, so be smart with your food. I had 1-2 bars of LTE on Verizon, and if you need Starlink access, try to find a site that runs north/south more than east/west because there are obviously trees everywhere.
Site 5 is near a small dumpster, which turned out to be rather convenient—there is a line of trees/brush for privacy, so don’t let that stop you. There is also an ice cold water spigot behind the site, which was even better—again, trees/brush for privacy. Mostly level, with just the smallest tilt toward the fire pit. 2 minute walk to the bathrooms, conveniently located near a walking path to the park office/bridge.
- Crystal R.Guide
Jay Cooke State Park Campground
Great park! Will come again!
This is a favorite of mine. I have been here tent camping twice and will be staying at a camper cabin later this summer!
My favorite part of this park is the swinging bridge. I'm in awe of the view every time I come. I sometimes stop here on my way up to the north shore just to sit out on the rocks and enjoy the view.
The campground is huge. There's multiple loops for both primitive and electric hook up. There's a very nice shower building located very centrally. There's camper cabins too.
Beware last year there was a bear that frequented the campgrounds, but we didn't really have any major issues with him. Just keep your food secure.
Lots of great hiking. The superior hiking trail runs through this park as well. Close to Duluth where there are so many fantastic recreational activities. I had great cell service everywhere in the campgrounds too.
Keith A.ScoutTotogatic Park
Excellent campground
Many sites with lake access! Clean as I've ever seen a campground!
Guide to Esko
Jay Cooke State Park offers tent, RV, and cabin camping options with both drive-in and hike-in sites 18 miles southwest of Esko, Minnesota. The park features more than 50 miles of hiking trails with varying terrain through forests and along the St. Louis River. Seasonal temperatures range from summer highs of 80°F to winter lows well below freezing, with rainfall concentrated in spring and early summer months.
What to do
Rock climbing and exploration: The St. Louis River at Jay Cooke State Park provides unique climbing opportunities on sculpted granite formations. "I spent a day trip with friends at Jay Cook. The water levels were low, so we clambered around on the sculpted granite rocks that line the river and falls, dipping on and out of pools and up slick rock faces," notes Jared S.
Backpacking to secluded sites: Venture to the Lost Lake backpacking site for a more remote glamping experience near Esko. "Such a fun backpack site! The hike in was muddy and buggy as there was quite a bit of rain in the weeks prior to our camping trip. Picnic table, fire ring, and bear locker provided. Site offers great views of a little beaver pond where you may get to see some wildlife!" reports Tori K.
Winter activities: The camping areas remain accessible year-round, with snowshoeing and cross-country skiing available in winter months. "Camp stayed at campground. Nice and well maintained. Family camping," states Nichole K., who visited during colder seasons when fewer crowds are present.
What campers like
Riverfront access: Spirit Mountain Campground offers direct trail access for mountain biking enthusiasts. "Heavily wooded and beautiful! Very close to Duluth. It is a mountain bikers paradise. Loved it!" writes Michelle P.
Private campsites: Many visitors appreciate the natural buffers between sites at most parks in the area. "Every campsite seems to be well-treed and relatively private, providing a perfect atmosphere to just enjoy nature from your campsite," explains Krista T.
Wildlife viewing opportunities: Fond du Lac City provides prime wildlife viewing along the river. "Nice site on the corner, very close to the river to drop in our kayaks, clean bathrooms and showers," mentions Laurie K., highlighting the riverside location that attracts various birds and mammals.
What you should know
Train noise: Some campgrounds near Esko have nearby train tracks that can disrupt sleep. "One of the only things that was obnoxious about this park is that there is a frequently used train track nearby - and the trains really lay on whistle. I slept with earplugs in because of this, but I was still woken up around 4 times that night," warns a visitor.
Limited availability: Premium sites at Brule River State Forest fill quickly, especially riverside locations. "About 22 sites, or so, right on a bend of the Brule River. A Beautiful trout stream with canoeing and kayaking popular sports. Rentals about 1 mi. away in Brule with reasonable prices," notes Jane B.
Tick prevention: Several parks in the region have significant tick populations during warmer months. "Lost Lake backpacking site was very pretty and secluded! It was pretty buggy and ticks were bad, but that's to be expected. Bog/marsh was beautiful with some wildlife and was generally a very pleasant place to camp," reports Lydia N.
Tips for camping with families
Kid-friendly trails: Willow River Campground offers gentle hiking suitable for younger children. "Kind of off the beaten path. You have to take the Willow River exit and go through the town a little bit. There's a small sign next to the Squirrel Cage restaurant and bar," explains Nigel N.
Playground access: Several campgrounds feature play equipment for children. "Nice hiking trails. Not too difficult. Family friendly," mentions Joe N. about the Jay Cooke area trails that accommodate different ability levels.
Swimming options: The St. Louis River provides natural swimming areas during summer months, though water temperatures remain cool. "Great place. Plenty to do. People that work there are friendly and helpful. Great mountain bike trails across the road, and hiking trails right down the road about 6 blocks. Lots of Canoe and kayak rentals," shares Crosby W.
Tips from RVers
Site spacing considerations: Cloquet-Duluth KOA provides RV sites with varying privacy levels. "It has all of the amenities, including a fenced in dog area, but the RV sites are close with no privacy. The cabins and tent area looked better. It was fine in a pinch but not my idea of camping," notes Heather V.
Road access: Most RV sites near Esko offer easy highway access but may have road noise. "Staff here very helpful. Provided good information for our day trip to Lake Superior and downtown Duluth. Also info on other things to see in the area," shares Beverly.
Utility hookups: Several campgrounds offer electric and water hookups, with some providing full sewer connections. "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 open spaces," explains Sam C.
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Which is the most popular glamping campsite near Esko, MN?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular glamping campground near Esko, MN is Jay Cooke State Park Campground with a 4.7-star rating from 73 reviews.
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