Best Tent Camping near Knife River, MN

Searching for the perfect place to pitch your tent near Knife River? With The Dyrt, it's easy to find Knife River campgrounds for you and your tent. You're sure to find the perfect tent campsite for your Minnesota camping adventure.

Best Tent Sites Near Knife River, MN (23)

Show More
Showing results 1-10 of 23 campgrounds

Recent Tent Reviews in Knife River

673 Reviews of 23 Knife River Campgrounds


  • Tori K.The Dyrt PRO User
    Camper-submitted photo from Gooseberry Falls State Park Campground
    Nov. 12, 2024

    Gooseberry Falls State Park Campground

    So nice I went twice this year!

    Amazing state park. Love the hiking trails and how accessible the waterfall is. Campground has bathrooms and showers as well as potable water. Firewood is available at the state park office as well as any items you may have forgotten to bring such as miscellaneous toiletries and some food items. Highly recommend this park.

  • Tori K.The Dyrt PRO User
    Camper-submitted photo from Gooseberry Falls State Park Campground
    Nov. 12, 2024

    Gooseberry Falls State Park Campground

    North shore gem

    Amazing state park. Love the hiking trails and how accessible the waterfall is. Campground has bathrooms and showers as well as potable water. Firewood is available at the state park office as well as any items you may have forgotten to bring such as miscellaneous toiletries and some food items. Highly recommend this park!!

  • Tori K.The Dyrt PRO User
    Camper-submitted photo from Jay Cooke State Park Campground
    Nov. 12, 2024

    Jay Cooke State Park Campground

    Great backpack site!

    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 vies of a little beaver pond where you may get to see some wildlife! Site was able to fit 4 backpacking tents, most of which were 2 person size tents, so it is good for a small group. Private latrine a short walk into the woods.

    Be sure to check trail conditions as one of the forks that could be taken to the campsite was flooded and closed.

  • Tori K.The Dyrt PRO User
    Camper-submitted photo from Burlington Bay Campground
    Nov. 5, 2024

    Burlington Bay Campground

    North shore gem

    Nestled along the North shore of beautiful Lake Superior in the City of Two Harbors, Minnesota. You can rent kayaks, paddle boards or bicycles from local vendors or hike on our paved and unpaved City trail system as you explore the area. You can pick agates, go fishing, or boating or visit one of our local shops and museums. All sites have a picnic table and fire ring. Campground has bathrooms, shower facilities, and Wi-Fi.

  • DThe Dyrt PRO User
    Camper-submitted photo from Dalrymple Park and Campground
    Nov. 4, 2024

    Dalrymple Park and Campground

    Price is right!

    We were happy to find a view site for our 25' RV on the lower loop. Our site had good separation from others. Nice and quiet except for the guy who had to run his toy car up and down the campground road. We were able to walk to town easily and enjoyed exploring Bayfield and the Apostle Island Lakeshore. Electric at the site, water accessible at 2 points within the campground.

  • Tori K.The Dyrt PRO User
    Camper-submitted photo from Split Rock Lighthouse State Park Campground
    Oct. 15, 2024

    Split Rock Lighthouse State Park Campground

    North shore gem

    Split rock is a great place to stay on the north shore! Great place to set up base camp and go explore nearby parks and trails! Site come with a picnic table and fire pit and wood is available at the office! Bathrooms and showers are also in the campground.

  • Briana H.
    Camper-submitted photo from Buffalo Valley Camping
    Oct. 6, 2024

    Buffalo Valley Camping

    Clean, amazing staff, great bar & grill!

    We loved this campground! We didn’t have a long enough hose for the water hookup, so Darrel (the manager) brought one out immediately and we could keep it all night. All the staff was so nice and welcoming. Campground was so clean and nice trails to walk around. The bar & grill had great food and service. 10/10!

  • Amy G.The Dyrt ADMIN User
    Camper-submitted photo from Boise Brule Campground — Brule River State Forest
    Oct. 3, 2024

    Boise Brule Campground — Brule River State Forest

    Five stars for the location and campsite, two stars for the price, equals four stars

    I 100% agree with Legend Laura about the price of this campground. If it was simply about the location, this would get five plus stars because it's so beautiful! But if you're from out of state, the prices are even more expensive than she indicated previously, so they must have updated them.

    The campsite itself is only $16 which is a bargain! But, if you are out of state like we are, there's also a $15 charge for that. And then, that doesn't include admission to the area, so you pay $11 and change for that. It ended up being about $50 total. That said, we paid it and fully enjoyed it but not sure we would do it again unless we had a Wisconsin sticker. At least to alleviate the $11 charge to get in.

    All of that out of the way, the site itself is absolutely gorgeous. This park has lots of very mature trees and lots of very mature pine trees, making it very quiet. The spaces are quite distant from one another and we didn't hear our neighbors at all. We were at one of the walk-in campsites which I chose on purpose because it was literally on top of the river, we could sit by the river and wade our toes if we wanted to. It had a fire ring, a very short walk to the bathroom, and only a short distance to the car from the site. Maybe 100 ft plus about 30 stairs to get up to the parking level.

    The walk-in sites also double as canoe campsites, so the river is something you can paddle if the water is sufficient to do so. There is a beautiful little picnic area near the bathrooms that sits on the river as well. Vault toilets seemed as clean as they could be, and they are a little fancier than your single vaults. They have stalls and toilet paper!

    I highly recommend if you live in Wisconsin visiting this site as it wouldn't cost much at all. Out of towners, it's a bit more pricey.

  • Joslyn H.The Dyrt PRO User
    Camper-submitted photo from George H. Crosby Manitou State Park Campground
    Sep. 24, 2024

    George H. Crosby Manitou State Park Campground

    Great first backpack trip

    This was my first time backpacking and I did it solo. I camped in site 3 and it was gorgeous. Looks like they recently planted some trees. There was plenty of fallen wood nearby for firewood. The river is right there and so beautiful. I slept great to the sound of the rushing water. The latrine was hard to find at first.

  • J
    Camper-submitted photo from Shipwreck Creek Campground — Split Rock Lighthouse State Park
    Sep. 16, 2024

    Shipwreck Creek Campground — Split Rock Lighthouse State Park

    Newest MN State Park Campground on the North Shore of Lake Superior

    We have camped there a few times and love the accessibility to Mtn. Bike Trails and bicycle riding on the Gitche Gami State aBike Trail. Close to world class hiking on the Superior Hiking Trail and a few nice easier hikes right in the park.

  • Bella J.
    Camper-submitted photo from Herbster Campground
    Sep. 9, 2024

    Herbster Campground

    Super nice

    We only stayed one night & I wish we could’ve stayed longer, super nice campground right on Lake Superior. We stayed in the wooded sites & those were nice & secluded

  • Wayne W.The Dyrt PRO User
    Camper-submitted photo from Knife Island Campground
    Sep. 2, 2024

    Knife Island Campground

    Tight

    Overall a very nice camp for a 4 day. Roads are tight for 30+ rigs. Very rutted. Having a ground guide for the tight parking is a must. Reviews dont mention the 4am horn blowing train. Great time had here.

  • SThe Dyrt PRO User
    Camper-submitted photo from Herbster Campground
    Sep. 2, 2024

    Herbster Campground

    South shore Lakeside

    Site with fire pit (no grate), nice picnic table, and the amazing sound of waves. By late August, direct views of lake is obscured by beach grass but still just as delightful. Sites were close but our neighbors never showed so we lucked out. I loved that as a tent camper, we were placed further away from the RVs and the noises that can go with them. Site 6 was close to the path for all in the rest of the campground to get to the beacb. Nicely tended bathrooms just across the road with showers.

    Wind gusts took our 8 person tent down while we were out during the day. Since it was my first time here, no idea of that kind of wind is typical or if it was the season or day.

    The sunsets were unbeatable!! And we lucked out catching the northern lights our first night.

  • Erin K.The Dyrt PRO User
    Camper-submitted photo from Split Rock Lighthouse State Park Campground
    Aug. 27, 2024

    Split Rock Lighthouse State Park Campground

    Fabulous Newer Campground with Spacious Sites

    Shipwreck Creek Campground is a great new(er) addition to the Split Rock Lighthouse State Park. All of the sites are large and spacious with interesting rock features and vegetation that adds to the privacy. Facilities are clean and well maintained. All sites are nice, but the loop with the “300’s” sites are the most spacious and interesting.

    The shower house is a lengthy walk; not a problem but consider driving up to it if you have little with. Clean vault toilets throughout the campground are convenient.

    Only bummer is the lack of dump/fill station onsite; park website directs you to fill prior to arrival at the Silver Bay city/municipal shop.

  • Bjoern C.The Dyrt PRO User
    Camper-submitted photo from Spirit Mountain Campground
    Aug. 21, 2024

    Spirit Mountain Campground

    Good site to explore duluth

    The camp site was big enough for our car and our 6 person tent. The office had weird opening ours. I would recommend getting ice and wood at the nearby gas station. Overall a quiet campground. Was a pleasant experience

  • J
    Camper-submitted photo from Buffalo Bay Campground
    Aug. 20, 2024

    Buffalo Bay Campground

    Lakeside casino

    Very RV resort style - pretty close together sites and not a lot of privacy . There are some sites in the back loop that seem more spacious and secluded! The lakeside sites have great views though! And nice showers. We were passing thru and the FCFS campgrounds were all full so this was a fine option close to Bayfield!

  • Kaitlyn K.
    Camper-submitted photo from Herbster Campground
    Aug. 14, 2024

    Herbster Campground

    Super pretty!

    Loved the view. We had a lakeside tent site. Campsites aren’t that spread out. We had a good amount of space but we could easily hear the neighbors and was annoying late at night. There are some outhouses and ADA restrooms/showers. We were 15 minutes from Meyer’s Beach, which was great. Lakeside tent sites are right by the beach. Beach was rocky - bring a pair of crocs or similar shoe if you’re sensitive to the rocks and branches in the sand. Water was cool and felt great!

  • Carissa J.The Dyrt PRO User
    Camper-submitted photo from Castle Danger
    Aug. 13, 2024

    Castle Danger

    Well hidden dispersed spot

    This area is definitely off the beaten path. Super skinny road with lots of rocks/hills and puddles coming in. I would recommend a car with 4WD for it and would not suggest pulling a camper unless you have experience bringing it over rough terrain. The sites themselves appeared to not be visited often. I went in early August and a lot of the places were over grown with plants! It was nice to be right by the north shore but in a spot that felt very much secluded. There was also no bugs here which was amazing! Great spot to hang out by a campfire without getting swarmed. You’ll be able to find plenty of wood from the nearby trees for a fire as well.

  • Karla J. B.
    Camper-submitted photo from George H. Crosby Manitou State Park Campground
    Aug. 12, 2024

    George H. Crosby Manitou State Park Campground

    Private, rustic backpacking sites

    Our first time camping in this park. We made base camp and did day hikes from there. Site 7 was near the river, the rushing water was a convenient water source, but was quite loud - this was no calming, babbling brook, lol! We didn’t see any other humans for 2 whole days, which was a plus. The site was large for 2 tents and 2 couples, the latrine was adequate and marked with a sign. We were able to find enough deadfall for firewood. Mosquitoes were horrendous, as expected. The hikes to many of the campsites are strenuous with hilly terrain, some have been washed out and it was unclear how to access some sites. We had a great time with friends. The cascade was gorgeous, and we had it all to ourselves. Unfortunately, we didn’t pack in any fishing gear. This camping trip was a great middle ground between state park camping loops and true back country.

  • Bjoern C.The Dyrt PRO User
    Camper-submitted photo from Black Beach Campground
    Aug. 11, 2024

    Black Beach Campground

    Ideal as base to discover north shore, but not nice with a tent

    We were at the part close to the high way. Very noisy. Facilities are clean and well maintained. Sites are note usable by tent. I barely got the tent Ankers in the ground. Mostly RV or trailers. Not that close to the beach.

  • B
    Camper-submitted photo from Jay Cooke State Park Campground
    Aug. 10, 2024

    Jay Cooke State Park Campground

    Hike in site: Highland

    The campsite was perfectly good: nice and spacious over looking the river. It is well off the main hiking trail and quite private. The view of the river is heavily obstructed and there really is no easy and safe way down the cliff to the river. Still it is nice to hear the river. You need to bring on drinking water, otherwise you need to go about 1/8 of a mile to a small creek to get filterable water.

    The hike in is easy, but once you are off the main trail (the first mile) the trail is grass—be prepared for lots of ticks.

  • Kathryn B.
    Camper-submitted photo from Gooseberry Falls State Park Campground
    Aug. 10, 2024

    Gooseberry Falls State Park Campground

    We will be back

    The campsite was clean and well taken care of. My daughter and I tented it. It was so much fun! Just enough privacy to get a “real” camping experience, but not so private that we felt unsafe. It was so nice to not worry about bears!

    We found this amazing picnic and hiking trail super close to the campgrounds in Gooseberry.

    We will be back soon!

  • L
    Camper-submitted photo from The Backyard at Amnicon Lake
    Aug. 4, 2024

    The Backyard at Amnicon Lake

    Lovely couple of nights

    A last-minute change in our travel plans found us in the Lake Superior area with no camping reservations. We secured a tent site (T-1) here and were quite pleased. The site was private and level, and close to a shower area and laundry, both of which we sorely needed. As an added plus, the restaurant offered an opportunity for a hearty meal and drinks. The pizza here was great, as were the cheese curds, and the hospitality was wonderful. The owner gave us good advice on a drive up the North Shore of Superior.

    If we found ourselves in the area again, we'd return here for sure.


Drive Time


Guide to Knife River

Tent camping near Knife River, Minnesota, offers a blend of stunning natural beauty and outdoor adventure, perfect for those looking to escape into the wilderness.

Some prices for tent camping range from free to $20

  • The Thompson Beach Kayak Site provides a free camping experience, ideal for those who want to enjoy the great outdoors without breaking the bank.
  • At Bean and Bear Lakes Hike-In, camping is also free, making it a great choice for budget-conscious adventurers seeking breathtaking views.
  • For a more structured experience, the Lake Superior Cart-in Campground offers reservable sites, typically around $20, with easy access to the stunning shoreline.

Tent campers like these nearby activities

  • Enjoy kayaking or canoeing at the Thompson Beach Kayak Site, where the beautiful surroundings make for a perfect day on the water.
  • Hike the scenic trails leading to Bean and Bear Lakes, where the stunning vistas reward your efforts with breathtaking views.
  • Explore the rugged beauty of Tettegouche State Park from the Lake Superior Cart-in Campground, which serves as a great base for hiking and swimming.

Unique features of local campgrounds

  • The Thompson Beach Kayak Site allows pets, making it a welcoming spot for those who want to bring their furry friends along for the adventure.
  • At Bean and Bear Lakes, campers can enjoy campfires under the stars, enhancing the outdoor experience with warmth and ambiance.
  • The Lake Superior Cart-in Campground features bear lockers for food storage, ensuring a safe and enjoyable camping experience in bear country.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Which is the most popular tent campsite near Knife River, MN?

    According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Knife River, MN is Bean and Bear Lakes Hike-In — Tettegouche State Park with a 4.9-star rating from 12 reviews.

  • What is the best site to find tent camping near Knife River, MN?

    TheDyrt.com has all 23 tent camping locations near Knife River, MN, with real photos and reviews from campers.