Camping near Longville, Minnesota places visitors in the heart of the Chippewa National Forest with access to over 600 miles of shoreline across multiple lakes. Sites range from 1,200 to 1,400 feet in elevation with sandy, well-drained soil typical of glacial outwash areas. Summer temperatures typically reach 75-85°F during daytime hours with significant cooling at night, even during peak season.
What to do
Fishing access points: Multiple sites around Leech Lake offer specialized facilities for anglers. Leech Lake Recreation Area & Campground provides a dedicated boat launch and mooring area with electric charging stations for boat batteries. "The park is run by the Army Corps of Engineers volunteers and they were super friendly and kept everything clean and sanitary which was amazing... Amazing fish cleaning shack that was fully equipped with a grinder for the guts and cleaning area for all your knives and fish," notes one visitor.
Swimming options: Limited beach access exists at select locations. Stony Point features "a small, sandy beach is clean and provides a large swimming area." Another camper observed, "Beach was great albeit shallow. But nice soft sand."
ATV/UTV trails: The region contains several connected trail systems. At Clint Converse Campground, "We rode ATVs to this campground in 2024 and we plan on stopping again for a night in 2025," reported one visitor. This campground remains "UTV friendly" according to a 2022 seasonal host.
What campers like
Spacious, private sites: Most campgrounds offer well-separated sites with natural screening. At Mabel Lake Campground, "Stayed at Campsite 17. Very spacious. Close to trail to vault toilet (without being too close)," notes one reviewer. Another mentioned, "Wide open sites with lots of space."
Amenities at private resorts: Several resorts supplement basic camping with additional facilities. Sunset Pines Campground receives praise for its "heated pool and tether ball" plus its proximity to Spider Lake trails. One camper noted, "Clean and detailed bathroom and showers. Laundry available. 30, 50 amp hookups."
Affordability: Several campgrounds offer significant discounts with passes. At the Leech Lake Recreation Area, a camper observed, "Great place for older people that have a national parks card. $13.00 a night is unbeatable."
What you should know
Seasonal insect intensity: Biting insects can be problematic in summer months. At Mabel Lake, a visitor warned about conditions in early July, noting it was "Pretty buggy in early July. Being serious bug spray." Another review mentioned, "The mosquitoes are lying in wait in this trail."
Site types and reservations: Many campgrounds mix reservable and first-come sites. At Stony Point, "Some sites are first come first serve and about 10 or so by the water you can reserve." For Mabel Lake State Dispersed, a visitor noted, "Large enough for multiple campers or a small group. There are four rings and a picnic table as well as a sandy boat launch."
Noise levels vary: Some sites experience higher noise levels than others. Diamond Crest Resort gets praise as "Very peaceful and owners are respectful and kind." Conversely, at Clint Converse Campground, one visitor complained, "Now it's after 10:00 pm and some jerk is running the loudest generator I have ever heard!"
Tips for camping with families
Playground access: Some campgrounds provide dedicated play areas. Leech Lake Recreation Area features "an amazing area to play games such as shuffleboard, teather ball and basketball. Park for the kids to play at which was very nice."
Nature exploration opportunities: Multiple sites offer kid-friendly exploration areas. At Stony Point, a visitor noted, "We camped here with our sons 9 & 11 and there wasn't a minute of the day they weren't exploring!"
Family-specific sites: Certain locations cater specifically to families with children. At Tuck-a-way Resort and Campground, "Family camping RV sites have playground right there. Paddle Boats available and swimming beach. Right on the lake so kids spent a lot of time in the lake and on the lake fishing."
Tips from RVers
Site leveling considerations: Most established sites require minimal leveling. At Leech Lake Recreation Area, a visitor mentioned being "greeted by an amazingly level site." Sunset Pines Campground is known for "sites are clean and level."
Electric and water connections: Hookup availability varies widely between campgrounds. Several campgrounds offer full-service sites, with Leech Lake Recreation Area providing "a handful(5) of reservable FHU sites(50/30/20 AMP)." At Mabel Lake, one camper suggested, "They need to add electric."
Accessibility issues: Some campgrounds present terrain challenges for larger rigs. At Tuck-a-way Resort, a camper warned, "There is also a pretty decent hill you have to go down to get to your site so if you're nervous or new to pulling a camper just be aware."
