Do you enjoy camping but don't want to rough it? Glamping is a great option. Glamping offers the perfect opportunity to explore Moose Lake and stay off the beaten path. Whether you're looking for a quiet location in the woods or a site closer to all the action, The Dyrt makes it easy to find the perfect glamping spot.
The rugged land formations of Jay Cooke State Park enhance the beauty of the hardwood forests and make for great camping near Minneapolis. The water-eroded gorge, steep valleys, and massive rock formations are seen throughout the park. In some seasons, the water of the St. Louis River thunders over slabs of ancient, exposed rock. At other times, it slows to a gentle trickle. Visitors enjoy the scenic splendor of Jay Cooke State Park during all seasons.
Drive-in Sites 79 Sites: Most are wooded sites. In winter, 12 sites are kept available for winter camping. Of these, five are electric sites.
Pull-Through Sites: One Site
Electric Sites: 21 Sites Majority of sites are 20 and 30 amps, some 50 amp.
RV Length Limit: Variable by site up to 60 Feet Length is measured from front of tow vehicle to rear of vehicle being towed.
Wheelchair Accessible Sites: 3 Sites Located near drinking water. Two sites are electric, one is non-electric.
Backpack Sites: 4 Sites Sites are located from 1 to 4 miles from parking area. Each site has picnic table, fire ring and latrine. Campers must haul water or treat water on site. Trail access to these sites has been restored after a 2012 flood, but a few nearby trails remain closed. Please register at the park office for details on how to get to these sites.
Walk-in Sites: 4 Sites Sites are located 50 to 150 feet from parking area.
Group Camp: 2 Sites - Each accommodates up to 25 people Remote, wooded camp with walk-in sites approximately 150' from parking area (limited parking). Carts are provided to carry in camping gear. Water spigot and vault toilets available. Tents only. Lodging
Camper Cabins: 5 Cabins All cabins have a screened porch. Electricity and heat are available year-round. Agate and Basalt cabins are ADA accessible and sleep 5. Slate, Gabbro, and Shale Cabins sleep 6 people. Pets not allowed in cabins. More information on camper cabins.
Nestled in a forest on the western high point of Duluth, Minnesota, Spirit Mountain Campground offers walk-in tenting as well as 73 campsites equipped with fire pits, picnic tables, and electricity. Easy access to our award-winning Mountain Bike Trails, our Adventure Park and Superior Hiking Trail.
Thirty-nine sites have water hook-ups, and two shower buildings offer 24-hour convenience.
Spirit Mountain overlooks majestic Lake Superior and the St. Louis Bay. Natural beauty abounds in the area– you can quickly and easily access water, hiking and biking trails and much more. The trailhead for the Superior Hiking Trail is within walking distance of the Campground. And near the Campground, there is an overlook area of Lake Superior, the bay, the St. Louis River, and the Aerial Lift Bridge.
$25 - $60 / night
$39 - $59 / night
Family owned and operated, The Pardun’s Jack Pine Campground offers 19 dry and level tent sites and 31 spacious RV sites with full hookups (including a greywater dump at each site) that can accommodate trailers of all shapes and sizes. This ATV-friendly campground has access to the local ATV trails that lead into town, two nearby rivers and several lakes great for finding your own little piece of paradise.
Guide
This campground has it all: sites for families to reserve by one another, campsites with more privacy, RV specific loops. With newly updated facilities, it can feel like glamping. Good proximity to bridge and nearby hikes. I highly recommend finding the cedar forest near the CCC Trail on the north side of campground.
GuideJay Cooke is one of the better state park campgrounds with beautiful scenery and is close to Duluth. I would recommend checking out the fire museums in Hinckley and Moose Lake on your way up from the Twin Cities.
RangerNorth east Minnesota has some very beautiful country. Highly recommend this spot. 
Guide
This is Minnesota’s largest state park and has over 200 camp sites. But where we were, we were secluded from most people. Not from the mosquitos. You had to defend against them. But clean park. Would go back for sure.
ScoutThis was a last minute camping trip for us. The camp sites are spaced out enough to have privacy. The hiking trails were fun and not far from camp. It was chilly at night a very nice area to go camping. Absolutely love this place. Would comeback again if we’re ever in Minnesota again.
LegendJay Cooke is really a must experience state park within easy driving distance to other parks in Minnesota and Wisconsin.
Positives:
LegendExcellent hiking and camping experiences here. Stayed for a weekend and returned after for many, many day hikes. Plenty of wildlife to see, a newly rebuilt “swing bridge” over the rusty rushing of the Saint Louis River. And the locals are pleasant, heck, it’s Minnesota! Buggy in summer due to all the water, bring excellent hiking shoes for the rocks yer gonna wanna climb around on. Excellent autumn photography options for all occasions. Camping is is a more secluded area where most day-hikers don’t come across ya.
Guide
This is a relatively new (2016?) campground built right next to the Minnesota National Golf Course clubhouse, and in the corner surrounded by Savannah holes 8 and 9. It’s literally inside the golf course.
Gravel pads, some a bit out of level. All 50 amp water and sewer. Some great options in here for group camping as there are several loops you could be placed in the have sites near one another.
Our site (33) was tucked way back in the woods, had a nice bit of privacy.
No bath house.
The golf course is amazing - one of the nicer public courses in the state. I can see a lot of folks choosing this RV park as a golf vacation - we were here because we were spending two weeks with family on Big Sandy Lake, just ten minutes away.
Don’t miss breakfast at the Palisade Cafe and dinner/beers at the Craft House - both are legit culinary experiences, not Sysco reheaters.
With 50+ sites, park was full for the three days around July 4, but was under 50% the rest of the time. An under appreciated gem.
TravelerWe stopped here on our way to north Minnesota. Originally we planned 2 days but really needed to rest so extended it to 4 days. It was a little hairy getting to, the 2 lane winding road with the raging river on one side did slow us down a bit. The Rangers were friendly and accommodating. The park had taken quite a beating with the winter storm that had been there the previous week, a lot of sites were closed due to trees down and snow. While we were there they were actively cleaning up, but left in the afternoon so we had no disturbances from saws or equipment noise. The water was not turned on yet for the season, so the bathroom/showers and dump station were not available. There was a potable water source at the front of our loop to fill our fresh tank and our water storage cubes. The sites were shaded well, and easy to back into. We had to work a bit to get our camper level but that may have been due to the snow and water that was on the site so we figured it was par for the course. We walked to the Welcome Center and the swinging bridge, there were multiple hiking trails accessible by the camping area. It was relatively busy on the weekend but cleared out during the week. We had lots of wildlife visitors. The park is pet friendly. We found affordable propane and a dump site closer to Duluth.
LegendAs this was our second time here at Minnesota National, we had no problem finding the course or RV park. The RV navigation in our new Ford 450 was also spot on. When you turn in at the golf course, drive all the way to the club house/lodge parking lot and there’s a road to the right that takes you into the campground (CG). As you check-in online prior to arrival, you simply proceed to your camp site. As you turn down the short road to the CG, there’s a sign to help you identify your site location. We proceeded to back-in site 25 with full hook ups. The utilities are in the back of pad in this CG, so you may need 20+ feet of electric, sewer, or water cord/hose depending on your rig’s configuration. The sewer grade is a bit up hill. We got 3 bars LTE on Verizon and no CG WiFi. There is only a vault toilet/out house in the CG. We came here to golf for two weeks. The 18 hole course is quite challenging where the 9 hole Savannah is shorter and a little bit easier. The golf course restaurant has decent food and a good deal on draft beer during their Sunday to Thursday Happy Hours.There is not much more to do here except golf. McGregor is about 15 minutes away and is where we did laundry and got our groceries.
LegendThis park has a ton of camping available, particularly if you don't need electricity and have a smaller rig because then you can get into more of the campground loops. (There is electricity here, but there are many more sites without.)
The sites in the Old Logging Campground were close together but many had vegetation between them offering some privacy. Site 207 was especially tucked in but it's a tight spot, so probably best for a van or tent.
The park itself has a lot to offer being right on the St. Croix River, plus there are hiking trails, a paved bike path, a fire tower you can climb, an old CCC camp area you can tour, and more. Also, canoe and kayak rentals are available. And this is all within the state park boundary since, at 34,000 acres, the park is the largest in the Minnesota state park system.
Some of the loops have old bathhouses that desperately need to be replaced, but they are in the process of doing so, which means some loops have great new bathrooms and showers. (If you stay in the upper 200s, sites, you'll have one of these new bathrooms right away, but more are being built.) Cell service was incredibly spotty on Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile. Depending on where you're at, you'll get a low signal, but often it was only enough for texting-- don't think about using the web or social media or getting any work done while you're here.
Overall, we enjoyed our weekend at this park and would come back for another getaway if we had the chance and it wasn't a workday.
Scout
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. You'll be next to the freeway and you'll hear the noise but it's not that bad. Usually hardly anyone is here. They have picnic tables, pit toilets and water.
TravelerThe campsites are large, beautiful tall trees, lots of trees for hammocks, and on the way to Duluth. We would definitely come back.
GuideDecent four wheeling campsite for a weekend trip. Located a few miles from the soo line trail. A little bit smaller of a location and traffic. Offers outhouses and water. In town amenities close by.
LegendBeen here a few times throughout the year and it’s typically less crowded. Little bit off the beaten path but a good campground none the less.
Traveler
This was our first time out, we stayed with our RV and really enjoyed this place. The staff was great and willing to help with any questions or concerns we as rookies had! They have pull through sites that made our first time that much easier. Great people, nice lots, and we absolutely loved the dog park. It was not just some small dog area it was top of the line dog park, we are going back again for our 2nd visit. Loved it! Close to stores and town but surrounded by enough of the outdoors to feel secluded. Would highly recommend this campground.
TravelerWe decided to come back for a 2nd visit and our 1st visit was great but this time was even better! We love this campground, our spot was spacious and had plenty of room to enjoy, people are great and very nice here, staff helpful as always, very relaxed place! Can’t say enough about the awesome pet park, also has nice walking trails, stores nearby, honestly just a great place to camp!
GuideOur stay was okay. Office and store was clean and well cared for. Check in was smooth and we were shown to our sites. We were spending the weekend with friends and the campground was very accommodating.
Campground was very dark in the area of campsites which made setting up a bit difficult. Our sites were grass that was a little long and rutted from what seemed from previous tenants. This made getting leveling a little difficult and out fold out stairs touched the ground before fully being deployed. After leveling in the dark we began searching for our full hookups. Found the sewer in the tall grass and electric , but the water supply was no where to be seen. Gave the office a call and they were prompt to respond.
We were quick to learn that water hookups were shared with other sites and required “y” connections at the spigots. Our host(s) were prepared with the connectors in hand but seemed a bit surprised that we might need them and we were a bit confused that they didn’t mention this to us when reached out sites.
Then we all collectively began searching for our water source. Ours source ended up being 75’ plus from our RV. Thankfully I just happened to be carrying the extra hose for several years but never had to use it before. It was a little uncomfortable to turn off someone’s water supply, unhook their hose and place the “y” adaptor in line so both of out rigs could be hooked up to the water spigot. Because of the distance our hoses were run over by four wheels and side by sides. The campground host also seemed to be a bit uncomfortable too and really didn’t want to be the ones to do it.
After we were setup our stay was good.
Great proximity to Banning State Park. Enjoyed a great day of hiking around this state park and enjoying the water and ruins of old buildings.
We would stay here again for a quick get away from the Twin Cites but would want to arrive before it gets dark a d bring a lot of hose.
GuideOur site was a fairly level pull through, full hook up site. The office had a camp store inside of it. Staff was extremely friendly and helpful. The bathrooms were very clean. The fenced in dog park was a big bonus for our pup. The grounds hosted outdoor games and volleyball/basketball courts. Would stay again.
ScoutGot exactly what we were looking for, a quiet wooded site.
TravelerWe spent a long weekend here. The sites seemed to vary a lot. We had picked a specific site but when we got there were told that we were in another spot. It was difficult to see where we should actually park on the site. The water hookup was so far away that I needed to buy another hose to reach it. The bathrooms weren't kept up well but were ok. Banning State Park is really close and is very nice. We also drove up to Duluth on two of the days.
LegendOffice staff and store were clean when we came through in the summer months. It is a mixed bag of tricks here as the sites can be level and some others are not at all. All and all it is a great place. Nice people and super helpful. Great alternative if the state park is full.
LegendWe discovered this campground while researching the area, it is fairly new and not only not reviewed on the Dyrt but not listed on it yet either. If you are planning to explore the Kettle River and Banning State Park nearby, this is a good alternative to camping within the State Park itself. With easy access to both the Twin Cities metro area and Duluth, with desireable whitewater paddling and rockclimbing both available in the area, Banning State Park campground fills quickly especially in summer and on weekends, and the Banning RV Park is an excellent backup alternative for overflow demand. And, actually, it may be your go-to option even if campsites at Banning are available, because this RV campground is located only½ mile from the Banning State Park entrance, and because it is at a higher elevation further from the river it is remarkably less buggy which Banning State Park can be in springtime or after recent rains. This campground is quite large, geared towards RVs and trailers but also has dozens of tent sites and is currently adding more! There are also several nice new camper cabins available. We stayed in site 297, a very large double tent site with soft grass for tenting, big shady trees, picnic table and fire ring, with possibility for water and electric hookup but we didn’t use it. We had two families with 3 tents and two vehicles, plus bought firewood(which was delivered in generous quantities) and the total price was$48, which would have been the cost of the two campsites we would have needed if camping at the nearby state park. We were located near the campground pavilion, which included picnic tables, family bathrooms with showers, playground, activity center with craft classes etc, and laundry room. Remarkably, in addition to playgrounds for children in different places around the campground, there was a huge dog walking and play area that was grassy and beautifully clean—and, of special interest, included a complete“dog playground” with all the standards elements of a dog agility course! Very cool—and an expense and effort most places wouldn’t go to. The campground itself was very clean and well landscaped and maintained, however the bathrooms do get heavy use and, though nicely cleaned a few times during the day, are in need of attention in the evening. The campers are mostly family oriented so the campground itself is very quiet in the evenings—however, it is not far from nearby Highway 35, so there is a fair amount of road noise despite a barrier of pines planted as a buffer. I was a bit concerned that folks camping there were not too concerned about covid precautions, no one was wearing masks even when participating at close range to others during some of the campgrounds organized group activities, and there was lotion soap but no hand sanitizer in the bathrooms. You may want to bring your own. Overall, nicely maintained, reasonably priced, conveniently located, and less buggy than the nearby state park! We would camp here again if returning to the area.
Traveler
We always stay in the cabin. It’s a remote paradise! The price is right. Refrigerator, microwave, queen bed along side a bunk; double on the bottom bunk and a twin up top. The neighborhood is welcoming.
Guide
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 in the open spaces.
Sites are mostly level and are some are a bit tight and close to your neighbors. They have recently added some additional RV spots and some other upgrades as well. Staff is friendly and bathrooms, store, activity room, pool are all seemed to be well maintained.
Make reservations early in the session because things fill up quickly. Great family campground with a lot of young kids running around, riding bikes, and playing and dogs in most campsites. Pool is also available but we haven’t used.
Easy access to Jay Cook State Park. Jay Cook has a lot to offer; a suspended cable walking bridge, great moderate hikes, waterfalls, climbing on rocks, and amazing river views. Great place to stop in for a couple hours or spend the whole day hiking.
Not to far from Duluth and other amazing North Shore locations.
Dump station is conveniently located on your way out of the grounds but can get backed up at the end of a busy weekend and can make it difficult to exit the campground.
Like so many RV / campgrounds this one is also located near to railroad tracks that has several trains that come through day and night.
TravelerIt 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.
GuideNice 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. Kwik Trip down the road has everything you forgot to bring but there's a full grocery just a few miles from the campground...small but well stocked. Easy on easy off from I35 and close enough to Duluth to make a day trip. Would stop here again!
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular glamping campsite near Moose Lake, MN?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular glamping campground near Moose Lake, MN is Jay Cooke State Park Campground with a 4.7-star rating from 66 reviews.
What is the best site to find glamping camping near Moose Lake, MN?
TheDyrt.com has all 17 glamping camping locations near Moose Lake, MN, with real photos and reviews from campers.
Keep Exploring
