Looking for a place to go glamping near Grand Marais? Glamping offers the perfect opportunity to explore Grand Marais and stay off the beaten path. These scenic and easy to access Minnesota glamping locations are perfect for any adventurer.
Minnesota's arrowhead region is famous for spectacular scenery, pristine Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, rugged Sawtooth Mountain range, Superior National Forest and numerous Minnesota State Parks. A rich history of first nations, explorers, pioneers, artists and adventurers speaks to the special sense of place found with Grand Marais Camping. The Grand Marais municipal campground is the ideal base camp for exploring Minnesota's arrowhead and north shore of Lake Superior. Campers especially enjoy the convenience of set-up and walking to downtown Grand Marais. Our 60 acres of public parkland includes: Sweetheart's Bluff nature area, cobblestone beaches, harbor break wall and public water access, 4 clean bathhouses, ball field, playground, pavilion, Rec Hall, community garden, Gitchi-Gami bike trail connections, and cozy office with free coffee and wi-fi. Here's a few more details: -A full spectrum of camping options across 300 campsites -Pull-thru and 50 AMP RV sites -Lakeside and Wooded tent sites -Nightly, Weekly and Monthly rates -Reservable and Drop-In sites -Open Year Round -Full service bath houses, water at sites & reservations May-October
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
Devil Track Campground is a nicely wooded campground located on the shore of Devil Track Lake. There are many young pines in the area, making it an excellent spot to look for wildlife. Devil Track Lake is a rough translation of the Ojibwe name: 'spirit' would probably better capture the concept than 'devil'. Regardless of the name, the lake is fun to fish. A carry down boat launch and pier are located at the campground and a drive in ramp located about 0.5 miles away will help you get a line in the water. Downloadable information and map.
$16 - $18 / night
$29 - $59 / night
Trail's End Campground is located next to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW) in a remote area of Superior National Forest in northern Minnesota. It is a wonderful place to sit and enjoy life, or get out on the water to canoe and fish. Berry picking and wildlife viewing are also great fun.
Trail's End includes four entry points (54, 55, J and K) into the BWCAW, offering plenty of boating, canoeing and fishing opportunities. Overnight, day use and boat motor permits are required for entry, and horsepower limits are in effect. Day use and overnight permits are available at the campground. Wildlife viewing is exceptional for bald eagles, osprey, loons and moose, and fishing is good for walleye, northern pike, smallmouth bass and lake trout. View recreation guides and maps of hiking trails and canoe routes in the national forest.
Trail's End sits along the Seagull River and provides access to Seagull, Gull and Saganaga Lakes. Numerous species of wildlife live in and around the campground, and blueberries grow abundantly on the forest floor. White and red pine, aspen and birch trees grow in the forested parts of the facility, providing shade. The fire burned a mosaic pattern, reducing some areas to ash while leaving others untouched. Many trees survived and burned areas have begun to grow again. This is a great opportunity to see a young forest rejuvenate after a fire. Post-fire soils and young trees are delicate, so caution should be taken while walking in the forest.
The nearby Chik-Wauk Museum and Nature Center is a great way to spend an afternoon with the family. Many nature trails crisscross the center's 50-acre grounds. The BWCAW is by far the most popular nearby attraction. Over 1 million acres in size, the Boundary Waters extend nearly 150 miles along the United States-Canada border and contain 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
For facility specific information, please call (218) 387-1750.
$22 / night
Free camping often comes with a beautiful hike or paddle, and when you get there it can be hit or miss if they are full since they are all first come first serve. Be prepared to have to continue on to the next area or return to your last point so you are not caught off guard or end up recking a wonderful experience for someone else. And remember to be mindful that much of the Superior Hiking Trail is on private land and they owner can remove it from the system if you are not respectful of this gift. East Lake Agnes Campsites are located on the Superior Hiking Trail and the shores of Lake Agnes. They can be reached by traveling south and west 1.1 miles from the SHT overnight lot on the Caribou Trail/Cty Rd 4 near White Sky rock. Remoteness and wet slopes make advance planning and caution important. Drinking water available with filtration.
$34 - $750 / night
Harriet Lake Rustic Campground is located at the site of an abandoned farm. The open land now hosts a variety of coneflowers and other plants not common in a boreal forest. It also provides opportunities for group picnicking. The lake itself is accessed by a boat ramp and dock and supports walleye, northern pike, and crappies.
Guide
I stayed here in late October. The campground was officially closed at this point in time, but they were still allowing you to stay here at the remarkably low rate of $10 per night. The bathrooms were closed and locked, but there was a single porta potty by the marina. The water was supposed to have been turned off but it wasn't. They're still closing up for the winter. But, the place was essentially empty. I saw one or two other campers in this huge area. So I had lots of space and privacy. It's within walking distance to downtown, which was wonderful. And, on the other side, away from town, there are some hiking trails for your morning stretch. I was able to take my dog off leash in the sledding area for a bit. I'm not sure if that's within the rules, but it didn't bother anybody because there was nobody to bother. The trails take you up to an overlook that allows you to look out over the town and watch the sun come up. You're within a very short driving distance of several ski/hiking areas in the national Forest. Also. I can't speak to how the place would be in the summer when it's busy, but it certainly was a good value for me in October.
RangerLARGE campground! Right on Lake Superior. Sites are close together. Some nicely located TENT sites by the lake, can hear the waves. Very easy walk on paved trail into town. Men’s bathroom was very clean. Showers are in great shape.
GuideWe walked into town for a donut and didn’t make it back to the site until 3 o’clock. Lots to see and places to shop. Everyone very friendly. Lots of art. The campground is very crowded. But right on the Lake. No matter where you are it is just a few steps to a beautiful view.
TravelerWe called a few hours ahead on a Monday and were able to stay for a week at a site with electrical and water hookups. While the sites are close together, we felt like we still had plenty of privacy with how many trees are in the campground, and all of our neighbors were so nice and also quiet. Very kid and dog friendly place. There's a sink for washing dishes by the bathrooms/showers which came in handy and there are multiple bath houses. A quick walk to town too, so we didn't have to ever leave the site with our rig.
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!
GuideWe had a good Campspot and the neighbors were nice. The beach is 2 minutes and the city 20 minutes. Great pleasant experience
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,
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.
Traveler
Been coming here for years. It's absolutely amazing. It had gotten busy over thr years though.
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
The boundary waters is one of my favorite places on earth. But the mosquito hatch at the end of the summer was truly awful. See video for running around trying to keep them off.
GuideStayed here on my way to Isle Royale and had a wonderful night. I booked an electric site (#233) to charge and camp in my Tesla, which worked out great. It was crowded on a Thursday night (August 17th) but it got really quiet after dark. I had plenty of space at my site and didn’t mind that the other sites were close by. Bugs weren’t bad, but I used spray, a citronella candle, and a Thermacell for protection. The women’s bathrooms were clean, and firewood was available at the office (I think a bundle was $6). Very pet friendly- my dog was relaxed here. Loved the location next to town, which was a beautiful walk during sunset (and I highly recommend getting coffee at Java Moose in the morning). Night skies are beautiful, especially on the water. A little pricey with all the fees (a $43 site turned into $60). I booked my site over a month in advance and there were only a few spots available, so don’t delay!
RangerLarge campground with many many sites, both RV and tent that are crammed close together. The best part about it is how close it is to the lake and how easy it is to access the rock beaches. The bathrooms are clean and modern. However, if your site happens to be next to a loud, obnoxious group, it can be a pretty miserable experience. Also, watch out for the hoards of kids on bikes, both when walking and driving! :)
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!
Traveler
It is a lovely camp ground. Most of the spots are lakefront
RangerThe atmosphere here is great. Secluded campgrounds but some sites are close together. Feels like you’re at the edge of the world. Enjoyed exploring and chilling by the lakeside. Went for a day during late October when the campground was closed for the season—open to the public still but no utilities available. Very dead!
LegendNice campground that is out of the way from the other busier campgrounds. Enjoyed a night here. Very rustic but had some water spigots to get water from which was nice. Facilities were clean. Fairly private campsites so you are not bugged by your neighbors noise too much. Close to fishing and hiking and just far away from town to feel like you are on your own.
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.
LegendThis is one of the best campsites anyone could get too! It is a jumping off point for people to explore the Boundary waters, but it is also one of the best locations to just get away from everything. The campground has several loops and different amenities and locations to choose from. Some of the sites have water hook ups, but all the sites are rustic. They do have a variety of privacy as some are out in the open and some are private. Depending on what you want I would recommend taking a look at the sites. It does have a good size boat ramp that is well used by explorers. This is campground is in an ideal location to explore the area around northern Minnesota. It's about an hour north of Grand Marias on one of the best drives in the state. If you can get here in the fall that is the ideal time!
GuideSimple campground with full hookups. Pretty close together. Older campers accepted which is not the greatest (the one next was really run down and leaking some sort of stinky liquid). Close to the water which was great!
ScoutWe stayed in campsite 10. It was fantastic! We had a great view of Gull Lake, with a trail to lake access and also had a spigot with potable water. There were nice, clean vault toilets up the hill too.
The staff at the concessionaire were friendly, knowledgeable, and helped us with renting a canoe and kayak to access the BWCAW.
For anyone wanting to TRULY experience the BWCA and BWCAW, but not accessing a backcountry site, I highly recommend Trail’s End.
TravelerBeautiful location but not a lot of trees or privacy. Very nice Rv park
TravelerLooking out over the bay at two lighthouses right from our RV and open my door to the sound of the babbling brook right on our site. Large sights flat paved. Lots of walking places pet friendly.
GuideWe love it here. We return year after year for the sites and solitude. Water at every site. Campsites spaced far apart. Outhouses well-cleaned and maintained.
LegendStayed at campsite #1. Like some other sites in this campground, it had its own well water faucet. The nearby vault toilet was oksy, but no toilet paper. The view from the campsite was fantastic. There's an un-maintained trail near the boat ramp. It was a little difficult for my old legs. The campground was very quiet. No T-Mobile cell service. I would love to camp here again.
Frequently Asked Questions
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According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular glamping campground near Grand Marais, MN is Grand Marais Campground & Marina with a 4.3-star rating from 31 reviews.
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TheDyrt.com has all 17 glamping camping locations near Grand Marais, MN, with real photos and reviews from campers.
