Looking to cabin camp near Grand Marais and enjoy a rustic retreat into nature? Find the best information on cabins near Grand Marais, including photos, reviews, and tips. From secluded to easy-to-reach, these Minnesota cabin rentals are perfect for any adventurer.
$20 / night
East Bearskin Lake Campground is located on its namesake lake, at the edge of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness in Northern Minnesota. It is a perfect spot for visitors who want the experience found in Boundary Waters and the convenience of car camping. Visitors can reserve standard or walk-in tent sites, or rent small cabins that accommodate up to five or seven people. Canoeing, kayaking and motorized boating is available on East Bearskin Lake. The facility can be conveniently accessed by vehicle. Guests are responsible for their own travel arrangements and safety, and must bring several of their own amenities.
Over a million acres in size, the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness extends nearly 150 miles along the borders of the United States and Canada, containing over 1,200 miles of canoe routes, 12 hiking trails and over 2,000 designated campsites. The two eastern bays of the lake are within the boundaries of Boundary Waters, thus the campground attracts canoe enthusiasts. Portages link to Flour Lake. Entering the wilderness area requires a special permit. Day permits for non-motorized use are available at the campground, but overnight and motor use permits must be obtained in advance. More information on the Boundary Waters region can be found here. East Bearskin Lake features several shallow bays, making the campground and shoreline good places for wildlife watching. Moose, beavers, eagles, ducks, loons, songbirds and bears are the most common visitors. See recreation guides and maps of hiking trails and canoe routes in the national forest. Fishing is also a huge draw for the area, with East Bearskin Lake offering great fishing for bass, walleye and lake trout. A boat ramp at the campground allows motorboats and canoes access to the lake. Back on shore, a variety of hiking, mountain biking and cross-country ski trails are nearby.
The campground and surrounding area is shaded with majestic red and white pines, balsam fir, spruce, birch and aspen trees. A thick understory offers plenty of shade and excellent privacy between campsites. The campground lies on the shore of the 643-acre East Bearskin Lake, a typical loon nesting site. The surrounding Superior National Forest is located in northeastern Minnesota's arrowhead region and is comprised of 3 million acres. The forest spans 150 miles along the border of the United States and Canada. Visitors can find recreation opportunities year-round, including travel in the famous Boundary Waters area.
Boats, canoes and kayaks are available for rent at the neighboring Bearskin Lodge. The store also offers fishing licenses, day use permits, groceries, ice, firewood, maps and fishing guide services for sale.
$76 / night
$29 - $59 / night
Sawbill Lake Campground has immediate access to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, a beautiful, peaceful and wild natural feature of Minnesota's Superior National Forest. The campground acts as a convenient base camp for exploring the nearby wilderness. Superior National Forest, located in northeastern Minnesota's Arrowhead Region, is comprised of 3 million acres. The forest spans 150 miles along the United States-Canada border. Visitors can find recreation opportunities year-round, including travel in the famed Boundary Waters.
This facility draws canoe enthusiasts who seek a quiet and convenient area from which to access the surrounding wilderness. Day and overnight use of the Boundary Waters requires a permit. The campground concessionaire, Sawbill Canoe Outfitters, provides a one-stop shop for canoeists of all levels within walking distance of the campground. Canoe rentals, permits and guided canoe trips are available. Campers who wish to spend time relaxing at the campground can fish for northern pike and bass; hike, bike, picnic and attend educational programs. View recreation guides and maps of hiking trails and canoe routes in the national forest.
Sawbill Lake is nestled in a thick pine forest that gives campsites excellent privacy. Birds and wildlife are abundant, from moose and bear to bald eagles and loons. Wildflowers add bright colors to the landscape in warmer months. The campground sits on a hill above Sawbill Lake. The 765-acre lake is within the Boundary Waters.
Sawbill Canoe Outfitters maintains a store with showers, laundry, fishing licenses, bait and tackle, ice, grocery and convenience items, canoe and camping gear, rentals and a pay telephone. Over 1 million acres in size, the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness contains over 1,200 miles of canoe routes, 12 hiking trails and over 2,000 designated campsites. Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness Additional sites of interest
$20 / night
$34 - $750 / night
Bearskin Lodge operates the East Bearskin Lake Campground on behalf of the US Forest Service. Bearskin Lodge is responsible for all its operations from May 1st through November 1st. The Campground is located on the shores of East Bearskin Lake, with many camping sites right on the water. East Bearskin Lake offers excellent fishing, swimming, boating/canoeing, waterfalls, BWCAW entry points, and world-class scenery.
East Bearskin Lake Campground has 32 campsites offering privacy and comfort. Tent camping and RV camping are permitted. All sites have picnic tables and fire rings. Like most Forest Service campgrounds, this is highly forested. There are no electrical hookups, nor is there an RV dump station at the campground or the resort. There are new vault toilet buildings and access to a solar-driven water pump. Showers are not available, although a refreshing swim in East Bearskin Lake will frequently do the trick.
Many people find this campground to be a good alternative to actual BWCAW camping, especially for people with younger kids or who need to have a vehicle nearby. The campground offers easy daily access to the Boundary Waters, without having to portage everything in.
The staff at nearby Bearskin Lodge will be happy to answer questions for you. Basic groceries, firewood, bait/tackle, ice, gifts, postcards, and boat/canoe rentals are available at Bearskin Lodge. However, the other amenities at Bearskin Lodge are for resort guests only and are not part of the National Forest Service campground facilities.
All campsites at the East Bearskin Lake Campground are $18.00 per night. One vehicle is included; an additional vehicle is $8.00. There is a limit of 8 people and 2 vehicles per site. If you registered online, you have paid your fees; if you are a drive-in camper, register and pay immediately after arrival. Campers who have not paid within 1 hour of arrival, or by 1 PM each day, forfeit their campsites.
Pets are allowed in the campground and the camper cabins, as long as they are quiet, well-behaved, and do not run free. The few campground complaints we get each summer almost always involve dogs in the campground. Be a good neighbor if you camp with your pets.
Gunflint Lodge & Outfitters is a classic Northwoods lakeside resort nestled into the Boreal forest on the south shore of Gunflint Lake, between the Canadian border and Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. Drive the legendary Gunflint Trail from Grand Marais, on the North Shore of Lake Superior, laced with ancient White Pines, and keep your eyes open for moose, wolves, Canadian lynx and black bear. Once you’re here, relax in front of your fireplace, soak up the sun, and experience the Milky Way in the world’s largest Dark Skies Sanctuary. Feed your body with hand-crafted Northwoods cuisine and your sense of adventure with the many activities offered—from zip lining and horseback riding to guided fishing and Naturalist activities. Or outfit your whole group for a trip into the Boundary Waters. Whatever you choose, it will be an experience you’ll never forget.
Guide
Really nice campground, our site was pretty small & very close to others so that was kind of annoying. But the bathrooms were nice & showers were really nice, overall enjoyable!
Legend
Recently I stayed in the upper level bunkhouse suite, which means that I have stayed in all of the accommodation types that HH offers. I loved having our own dedicated lounge space upstairs. The upper level used to be a traditional hostel format, but sometime during the pandemic they switched it to a single booking for the entire space. You get a large bed (full or Queen I can’t recall) and then 4 bunks.
This was the most affordable option to take my nephew up to the north shore while still having a roof over our heads and running water. The only things that are still communal with this space are the showers on the first floor (only a toilet and sink upstairs) and the fire pit. Love love love hungry hippie!
Guide
What a great place. Clean bathrooms if needed with showers. Many of the RV sites have lake access if not you just use the launch ramp. RV spots can be a little tight getting in and out for hook, but doable. Great supply store open during day. The “sisters” and crew are super hostesses! Mosquitos were horrible, but hey it’s MN in June. You never know.
Traveler
We stayed at Wildhurst about 20 years ago and had a great time, even got to see an mini-air show overhead with USAF F-16s out of Duluth doing maneuvers overhead. So, when the State Forest campgrounds were closed last spring for storm cleanup, we decided to take a cabin there. Not going back. The new owners are trying; I'll give them that. They're friendly, the little restaurant isn't bad, but the latrines (outhouses) really need to be rebuilt. I mean REALLY. Lime on the toilet seat. Early in the season and the biffys by our cabin were horrible smelling, (And I DO understand that they are open toilets. I was the ranger in a state forest campground for 26 years and had to clean weekly and pump out every year 12 of them.) and if the wind was wrong, we could smell it in our cabin. Cabins were smallish, but comparable to a state park camper cabin, they need updates, paint, roofing, and leveling the floors.
Wildhurst has potential. I wish it was as good as it used to be,
Guide
The facilities are nice and well maintained. Not many bugs but I did go later in the year. Medium sized open sites
Legend
Camped here on Oct 22, 2023. Free primitive national forest campground with 5 sites. Wooded. Campground is suitable for truck campers and smaller. There was a crappy looking RV parked next to the vault toilet; sketchy, looked like long term residents. I did not get a good vibe here but stayed anyway since it was getting late. No drinking water. Fire ring at site. Sites spaced apart okay. Beautiful lake. Nice hiking trail around lake. Fishing is good. Road coming to the campground can be rough in places, but doable with passenger car. The campground itself was nothing special, but camping in the woods along a beautiful lake was appealing.
Legend
Stayed at the new ski/snowshoe in cabin. Cute little cabin with everything you need plus whatever you can carry on your back/sled. Cabin is equipped with firewood and a wood burning stove. There is a little outhouse right outside of the cabin. The main lodge is where you park your car, and there is a hot tub available to reserve if you are staying in one of the main cabins or the showshoe in cabin. The snowshoe in trail is a little hilly, so be prepared to do some work getting in, especially if you are pulling a gear sled like we did! Required a little teamwork to avoid being run downhill by the sled. We slept three people in the cabin, one on each bunk and one on the floor. Recommend putting the person who gets hot easily on the floor and the one who gets cold easily up on the top bunk. I get hot easily and was up top and had to cuddle with my water bladder to keep cool overnight.
RangerNice clean bathroom and great showers that have an extra DRY SPACE and a chair to change into fresh dry clothes.
Campground is well maintained, sites in the woods are spaced apart. Sites closer to Lake Superior are tight, some are VERY SHORT and tent sites only.
Good electric power and water at the site we were at.
Two nice beaches and a river at the campground. Very beautiful sunrise’s over the lake!
Fall camping will be cool beside the lake so bring warm clothes.
Close to MANY Minnesota State Parks and super good hiking trails.
Site 8 with no electricity or water and is great site with super views of the lake.
Legend
We stayed in one of the small cabins. The programming offered here was awesome. We signed up for a educational workshop about birds and bird calls, and it was essentially a private class for just us 4. The restaurant on the grounds had great food too. We enjoyed swimming and paddling on the lake. The only downside is that the cabins were pretty close next to each other, so we could hear our neighbors throughout the night.
TravelerWe’ve been going to Lambs for about 8 years now, wonderful place for the kids. Great place for bikers to camp, mountain biking trails and paved trails within 10 minutes!
Legend
Watched a YouTube video of someone reviewing this campground before heading up...thank you good sir. This campground is clean, simple, and amazingly located. If you are looking to get away from everything and just enjoy nature and go for a paddle or a hike this is the best place to do it. You can't go wrong really with any of the sites here but some are better than others. The campground has a couple loops that offer a variety of sites and some go quicker than other because of their proximity to the water and the views, but you should be able to get a site. You would probably be better served fitting a smaller camper in here or even just tent camping which seemed to be the popular way to go while I was there. I would highly recommend spending a couple nights here and recharging and connecting with nature!
They do have a couple cabins that looked pretty basic and during the buggier months might be better suited for some. All of the sites located in the front or near the water were my favorites, but even some of the sites away from the water were perfect as well.
GuideLoved stopping here for a night in Grand Marais this summer. Ranger was friendly and said hello while I enjoyed a morning hike to Devils' Kettle. Downside was sites are very close together, not much privacy from your neighbors. Sites was crawling with tons of bugs that look like ticks, but aren't (you could squish them).
LegendSmall (27 site) campground north of Grand Marais, MN on MN61. Although there is easy access from the highway, the campground is very quiet and there are several hiking trails accessible directly from the campground, including the very popular Devil’s Kettle trail (just over two miles roundtrip but including over 200 steps). The bathhouse was very clean and centrally located. Attention to maintenance detail was very apparent throughout the park on the trails and restoration in the campground. In addition to the camping fees, you also have to pay a state park fee ($7 daily or$35 annual). Wish we would have stayed here but the campground was full.
Traveler
Tented here one night prior to paddling into the BWCA. Reserved a site a few months prior, campground was pretty full during our stay (July). Bugs were awful as expected. Campground was quiet and had trails to hike near the lake. Great spot to stay overnight if you're getting up late in the day.
LegendConcessionaire is Bearskin Lodge. Clean sites, several level. Wooded. Unpaved road to access campground is good. Some sites are first come, first serve. Clean vault toilets. Good water supply near campsite #3. Privacy between most sites. No T-Mobile cell service. Pretty lake.
LegendNice, clean campground. Big trees throughout. Clean restroom/shower house. Also has vault toilets. Firewood available. Good water supply. Trash dumpsters. No hookups. At least half of the sites are level. Hiking trail. Helpful friendly staff. Can hear some traffic on nearby MN 61, but not bad. Can also hear the roar of surf on Lake Superior. Campsites are separated, but not much growth in between for privacy.
TravelerNice cozy campgrounds, the restrooms/showers were nice and clean! The hike up to Devil’s Kettle was rough but oh so worth it! The park staff member we ran into was able to help direct us to the perfect store for us to pick up some supplies we forgot! Grand Marais is only a 15 minute drive away. We’re only here for two nights but we love it and will definitely be coming back! 
GuideWe visited this campground in June 2020 at the beginning of the pandemic. Services were pared back quite a bit, regardless we had a great time. Our 33' motorhome was able to fit nicely in a pull-through site and we rented a boat during our stay. The campground is in a very secluded part of the world, and it was very relaxing. It was worth the trip up the gunflint trail.
Legend
This is a private campground adjacent to a Lodge off the Gunflint Trail. If you are wanting something less rustic than one of the nearby Forest Service campgrounds, and you don't mind paying a little more, then this may be for you. Current rates are $39 a night per campsite, plus an additional $5 a night if you have a dog, which adds up to a bit of a steep price if you are tent camping. However, the sites do have electrical hooups and other amenities preferred by RV campers which arent found in the basic Forest Service campgrounds nearby, so that may be a plus. If tent camping by yourself, or wanting close proximity to food, lodge amenities, boat rental, etc, then you might find it is worth it. The campsites are very nice, and there is good fishing in the lake plus nice hiking trails nearby!
Scout
A little expensive but worth it for the secluded site not far from the showers. Bar/office super friendly
GuideWe stayed at this resort for 4 days and wish we had more time. The smooth pebble beach is fantastic. Our dogs loved running up and down the beach and playing on the shore. We took a day trip and walked North on the Gitchi Gami State Trail and visited Temperance River Falls and Hidden Falls.
GuideWe are the only people here in the campground, the locals make us feel welcome. Lots of hiking
TravelerCampsites have space between them, nice bathhouse and showers and great hiking!
GuideGreat access to the boundary waters. The store isn't overpriced. The staff are nice. The only problem is the party people who come to drink instead of camp.
LegendThis is a rustic state park with no electric sites, dump station or water source for RV tanks, as well as nearly non-existent cell service, but it's a pleasant getaway spot. It felt like a rustic forest campground but had amenities like a bathroom/shower house. Regarding water, there is drinking water available to fill containers, just no hookup to fill RV tanks. They also have trash and recycling dumpsters available.
The sites are decent size; privacy depends on the site but most aren't crammed on top of each other. All sites are dirt/gravel and the roads are dirt so be prepared for some dust in dry conditions.
We saw mostly tents and smaller rigs but that's probably due to no electricity and no water source for RVs to fill from. Still, some sites were large enough for the Class As that were there.
Bathrooms were decent but be ready for push-button showers for water conservation. They run long enough to essentially do Navy showers, which works fine. Water never really hot but plenty warm enough to not be considered cold.
Each site has a picnic table and fire ring, plus firewood is available at the front office or at the camp host site (via self-service). Front office rarely staffed but there is a work garage and the DNR staff came through the campground regularly. Little to no cell service on T-Mobile and Verizon, but there is a WiFi spot available near the DNR work garage.
It's nice that you can hike from the campground to Devil's Kettle and another waterfall (same trail), both of which were great.
Access is from Highway 61 down a relatively short dirt road We would stay here again.
TravelerHave stayed here many times, love it!
Great tent sites right on Lake Superior.
Hardly any bears :)
GuideFriendly campground! Nice restaurant on site. Seems to cater to the side by side...ATV crowd. Lots to see and do in the area. Take a drive over to Ely..cute town. Visit the old Irin mine! We had a God stay...but sites are tight for larger rigs. Gravel road in is rough so go slow. Did not try bath house or public facilities.
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Frequently Asked Questions
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According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular cabin campground near Grand Marais, MN is Judge C. R. Magney State Park Campground with a 4.2-star rating from 27 reviews.
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