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Best Tent Camping near Moose Lake, MN

444 Reviews

Tent campers exploring the Moose Lake area in northern Minnesota have several established and primitive options within a 30-mile radius. Nemadji State Forest offers tent camping at Garfvert Campground, where sites provide a deeper woods experience with relatively low visitor density. Bear Lake County Park also accommodates tent camping with waterfront sites that offer fishing and canoeing opportunities. Robinson Park in nearby Sandstone provides riverside tent camping with access to hiking trails and climbing routes.

Most tent sites in this region feature basic amenities with varying levels of facilities. Garfvert Campground provides drinking water and vault toilets but lacks electrical hookups or shower facilities. Many sites feature fire rings and established tent pads, though some locations like Robinson Park operate on a first-come, first-served basis with limited site maintenance. The primitive sites require campers to be self-sufficient, especially regarding water and waste disposal. Seasonal accessibility varies, with Barnum City Park operating from May through September, while other locations like Garfvert remain open year-round but with limited winter maintenance.

Areas farther from established campgrounds offer more secluded experiences for tent campers seeking solitude. The dispersed camping areas near Grace Lake Road provide direct water access with minimal development, allowing for a more primitive experience. Several tent sites throughout Nemadji State Forest connect to extensive trail systems popular with hikers and ATV users. The natural surroundings provide ample wildlife viewing opportunities and access to lakes and rivers. A review noted that Garfvert is "excellent if you want a deeper woods experience without many people. Accessible trails, good, flat sizeable spots." Similarly, feedback on Robinson Park highlights its position as "a little spot on the river" that provides quiet camping with "picnic tables, fire rings, and a tent pad at every spot."

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Best Tent Sites Near Moose Lake, Minnesota (31)

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Recent Tent Camping Photos near Moose Lake, MN

9 Photos of 31 Moose Lake Campgrounds

Tent Camping Reviews near Moose Lake, MN

444 Reviews of 31 Moose Lake Campgrounds

  • Amy G.The Dyrt PRO User
    May. 8, 2018

    Father Hennepin State Park Campground

    Ranger Review of Alki Twilight Thermal Mattress Topper at Father Hennepin State Park, MN

    I've been to campgrounds in MN and other places that were nicer, but there isn't anything wrong with this campground at all. And at this time of year, the ice on the lake was breaking up, so it made for a beautiful sunset! Since it is still that time of year when it's warm during the day and cool at night, it was the perfect chance to test out the Twilight Thermal Mattress Topper by Alki while staying at Father Hennepin State Park in MN.

    CAMPGROUND REVIEW:

    We've been to this campground before, but not during this season or time of year. The campground is nice, but not terribly fancy. What it does have going for it is that it's a decent bit off the road, so there isn't much road noise. And although all the sites are fairly close together, there are tons of trees that (if it were summer) offer a buffer between them. It's possible to car camp at these sites or tent camp. They also have RV sites. Unfortunately, the RV sites are pretty close to the others, so if there are parties going on or radios playing, everyone can hear them, but that is to be expected at a campground where sites are close together. It wasn't terribly bothersome, though, and the scenery outweighed the mild disturbance.

    They do have showers and flush toilets (during warmer seasons) and vault toilets the rest of the time. There is also a dump station for RVs.

    Many of the sites are lakeside, for no additional cost. Benches dot the lakeside, and you get a gorgeous site of the sunset from here. There is also a paved path that runs near the water, so it's a pretty stroll late in the eve. This leads to a floating dock (not floating this time of year, though, because of the ice). Pretty space to chill and take in the breeze.

    PRODUCT REVIEW:

    As a Ranger for They Dyrt, I have the amazing opportunity to review incredible products in exchange for an honest review. This time, I received a Twilight Thermal Mattress Topper by Alki in a queen size. This is the first time I've ever tried something like this, so when I found it on Kickstarter, I was intrigued. The idea of a thermal layer built into a quilt-like blanket (think about the silver reflective stuff that everyone who camps talks about). But this isn't your typical mylar-type foil sheet. It's quiet. It's soft. It makes absolutely no noise at all. Now, this isn't something you are going to put in a backpack because it's big and it's not going to fit the bill of the ultralight hiker, but that's not what it's meant for. I emailed with the owners of the company and they intended it to be an addition to a car camping excursion or used on a bed as extra insurance from the night air. So I was intrigued. We are getting a teardrop trailer soon and I thought it might be a great way to stay warm without adding a heater to the mix.

    The owners, Saul and Carolyn, have created this super soft blanket-type mattress topper that can be used several ways. You can put it on the mattress directly and sleep on top of it. You can use it as a blanket, you could wrap up in it and make a mock sleeping bag. It's a microsuede type of fabric on top and feels amazing, but has a brushed polyester bottom that helps to keep it from slipping off your pad. I'm a cold sleeper, so I really wanted to give it a good test. Normally, I use a sleeping pad with an R Value of 4.4 or better so that I don't chill out in the night. This time, I decided to use a pad with an R Value of 1.9 (thank you to my husband for sacrificing his pad). Normally, I'd be frozen from the backside, even in temps that are in the 40's. So I put down my pad in the van, laid the topper over the pad, and then my bag on top of that. And then I was off to la-la land.

    The verdict…a toasty back side. It was truly wonderful to sleep in cooler weather without the typical CBS (cold butt syndrome) that campers talk about. Normally, with a pad that was only 1.9, I'd be frozen from the pad side. And that means tossing and turning all night to figure out how to stay warm. But I didn't have any cold spots from the pad side while sleeping on this topper. I just wish I'd thought to wrap it over my bag as well to insulate from the top as well. Then, I would have had the perfect night of sleep! It reflects back your own body heat to help keep you toasty.

    PROS:

    1. Super soft fabric! It has a great feel against your skin.
    2. No noise! Even though it has similar thermal properties as the crinkly mylar-type blankets, this is absolutely not the same. It feels just like a blanket.
    3. It works! Coming from me (a cold sleeper), I feel like this would be a great addition to your camping arsenal so that you can have a better night of sleep without needing a ton of expensive gear to stay warm.
    4. Machine washable!

    There really isn't anything negative to say about this blanket. Now, it does weigh more than a regular thermal blanket (queen is 4.5 pounds, and twin is 3 pounds), but they don't advertise it as ultra light or for backpacking. Carolyn said that it was designed with car camping in mind, as mentioned before. That said, it works beautifully for that purpose! It would be lovely if they'd consider making a skinny version that would fit in a hammock or under a sleeping bag/pad. As a cold sleeper, I'd seriously consider adding it to my cold weather backpack supplies, even if it meant an extra pound of weight.

    Bottom line, if you want to enjoy a good night sleep in the chilly night air while car camping with your family or friends, take this topper for a spin. It's perfect under a sleeping bag, over a sleeping bag or to snuggle while watching the autumn sunset.

  • Annie V.
    Sep. 30, 2020

    Moose Lake State Park Campground

    Nice Stop Along the Way

    I came out of the BWCA near Grand Marais late in the day and so wanted to stop somewhere to camp as I headed south before dark. There were plenty of spots available online at this little park. It was clean and the campsites were fine—could see my neighbors without much tree cover though.

    If the weather had been better when I woke up I would have hiked some trails or paddled the lake. Next time!

  • Janet R.The Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 1, 2020

    Bergland County Park

    Scenic community campground

     This is a small but beautifully maintained city park in the charming village of Palisade. It provides easy access to recreational activities such as fishing and boating on the Mississippi River, and hiking, cycling or riding ATV’s on the nearby the Soo-Line Trail which stretches from Moose Lake to Cass Lake. See info on the Soo Line trail here: 

    https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/ohv/trail\_detail.html?id=38

    There are campsites designed for RV’s and trailers, and other sites perfect for tenters, including sites for through-paddlers on the Mississippi Headwaters Water Trail 

    (see water trail map here:  https://files.dnr.state.mn.us/maps/canoe\_routes/mississippi4.pdf

     There is a good quality boat landing and ramp, fishing piers, nice full service bathrooms, playground and picnic shelter, and easy walking access to the town center with hardware store, gas, and several nice cafes with good home cooking. The location is very scenic, and the campers seem to be friendly and family oriented. There is are several educational kiosks on the premises for learning about the river which is a nice touch. I would recommend this for paddlers passing through, or as a destination for weekend recreation.

  • Tori K.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jan. 28, 2025

    Jay Cooke State Park Campground

    Lost Lake 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.

  • E
    Jul. 4, 2018

    Pattison State Park Campground

    Beautiful, quiet

    A great campground! There is a beach, playground, as well as drive-in and hike-in sites. The waterfalls are very cool, and they have nice signage and pamphlets to learn more about them. I recommend taking the time to read about the geology. I haven't stayed in a car camping sites, but we thought they looked very nice.

    The hike-in sites are great, not too far to walk but you have privacy. One thing to note about the hike-in sites is that the trails aren't well marked. Once you're on the trail for a while, they start having regular signage, but the start of the trails themselves aren't marked. You park in an area behind the car camping sites, next to what I assume is a storage building or old house. There are two starts to the trail, the one I found best is down the service road maybe a couple hundred yards. There's also one on the other side of the lot, but it winds a bit, forks into another trail, and all in all seems a little more confusing. I'd recommend just talking to the campground host when you get there, they can explain everything. The walk is short enough (a mile and a half) that we hiked out and back a couple times when camping, either to access the beach or to fill up water. Another important note is that while it's in an area where hanging a bear bag is recommended, the woods aren't thinned enough to where there are strong branches low enough for a bag. It took quite a lot of looking to find a suitable spot for our bag. There's a fire ring and picnic table at each site, which was nice. The bathrooms outhouses, which was a nice surprise, as I was expecting an unenclosed vault toilet.

    There's a separate trail to the beach from the sites as well, but I went back the main way anyway. The beach isn't anything special, but is nice enough. There's a nice, small playground near the beach as well.

  • Tori K.The Dyrt PRO User
    Nov. 12, 2024

    Paint Rock Springs Campground — St. Croix State Park

    No service

    Felt nice to spend a weekend without cell service about an hour away from home. Forgot to take my usual photos and video of the site all set up but had a few random to share. Nice campground. Each site has a picnic table and fire ring. There are flush toilets and showers and the office has a store for any last minute needs.

  • Amy G.The Dyrt PRO User
    May. 18, 2019

    Father Hennepin State Park Campground

    Ranger Review of OOFOS shoes at Father Hennepin State Park in MN

    While I have seen parks and campsites with more privacy, there are so many trees (and many sites with a lake view) that it's worth a stay at Father Hennepin State Park in MN. Especially if you are rocking out with a pair of OOFOS flipflops!

    CAMPGROUND REVIEW:

    We've stayed at this campground a few times before, and it should seem obvious that since we keep coming back, it's not too shabby. Yes, I've seen campgrounds that have more privacy between spaces, but I don't think this place is every terribly crowded (at least not when we visit, in May). The leaves are just beginning to bud on the trees, so there is less coverage from your neighbors than in the heat of the summer, but since there are less campers, you can spread out a little bit. My only complaint, and this is the same of previous years here, is that the electric sites are so close to the tent sites that you can generally hear the generators and/or those that think that the wilderness is for loud music dance parties. Fortunately, this time, we were in our new teardrop camper and could shut out the tunes!

    We were at site 7, which was the last one in this campground that sits and faces the lake. And while we've been to this site before, it's the first time we've been in our Teardrop Trailer at this park. Lucky for us, the ice was gone and the wind was pretty calm, so the icy chill wasn't too bad. Each site has a fire ring with a grate that swings back and forth, depending on if you want to chill by the flames, or grill off some burgers. The site we had was fairly level. and provided ample space to park our teardrop and our car without hanging out into the road. A picnic table rounded out the scene to provide a full on camping experience. And lovely night sounds of frogs that sang us to sleep!

    There are well over a hundred sites, about 100 of them tent pads (no electric), and about 50 with electric. A few group campsites as well as 4 handicapped sites.There are 2 shower houses, 2 flush toilet buildings, vault toilets scattered around and water (in season, when it's turned on).

    In Minnesota, reservations are required. We've found that if you make them in advance, and then decide to cancel the day of the reservation, there are cancellation fees and first night fees and blah blah blah. If, however, you decide to take your chances and book it the "day of", there are no online reservation fees and you can cancel without penalty if you decide to go elsewhere.

    Drive in sites are approximately $23/night. Electric are about $34/night.

    PRODUCT REVIEW:

    Now, I have to admit, I'm an OOFOS junkie. Ever since I won a pair in my very firsts campground contest. That said, I'll never pass up the chance to review another pair! This time, I had the OOFOS Women's OOriginal Sandal. The last pair I had was a light color, and I loved the shoes, but they got dirty so quickly. Since these shoes are a type of foam, they scuff and dirty a little easier than other shoes, but the comfiness of them is off the chart, so they are totally worth having in other colors! This time, I chose black, to combat and dirt issues I might have while camping. If you can't see the dirt, it's not there, right?

    OOFOS are recovery shoes, and I didn't know what that meant at first, but just wait until you put them on at the end of a hard day on your feet (long work day, long hike, etc). They literally massage the sole of your foot. I'm not joking. I can't believe how my feet feel when I change shoes. If I listen veeeeeery carefully, I can hear my feet smiling! They are sort of spongy and squishy, but not in a strange way. Like walking on marshmallows! (but not sticky). Seriously, they cushioning, higher arch and wide fashion of the shoe (yes, it's a little chunkier, not a huge fashion statement) make it stable and comfy. They hug your feet and don't slip off the way some other "slippy" flipflops can. And so lightweight! The price is a little more than I normally pay for shoes, but I'd absolutely invest in another pair if this one wears out. The bottom has some fun grippy texture that looks as if it might channel away water if you stepped in a puddle.

    Quite frankly, as long as I have my OOFOS, I don't care what campground I'm staying at, but this one is good enough that I enjoy staying a little while, to look at the lake and enjoy the singing frogs!

  • Annie C.The Dyrt PRO User
    Apr. 28, 2019

    Jay Cooke State Park Campground

    Working on being spectacular

    This is a beautiful park with tons of great hiking trails and amazing waterfalls. The campground is also really nice, and very popular. It was sold out the day I was there. I was surprised it was sold out considering there was no water, no showers, and no toilets due to major construction to fix the plumbing of the entire campground and to build new bathrooms. The campground is set up with a series of loops in a wooded area, so most campsites have nice privacy. You need to check in at the ranger station to get your campsite and learn about the water problems/solutions, as well as pay for your site and pay for the day use permit. I was kind of glad it was sold out as I found it to be very pricy for a campground that had no water or toilets (they did have porta potties). But, the hiking trails and waterfalls were definitely worth the visit.

  • Nancy W.The Dyrt PRO User
    Oct. 23, 2017

    Jay Cooke State Park Campground

    Swinging Bridge and Lots of Hiking

    The main reason we wanted to come to this park was to hike the trails and experience the famous swinging bridge that takes you over the St. Louis River and the rushing rapids below and rocky gorge below. The park dates back to the early 1900’s and its historic character comes from the influence of the Civilian Conservation Corps who made improvements to the park in the 1930’s and 40’s. The park has an 82-site campground and LOTS of activities to keep adults and kids busy.

    The campground is what you would expect in a state park with tall trees, shady sites, lots of activities, and popular with families. Roads and sites are gravel and each site has a picnic table and fire pit. Some campsites are long and suited for large RV’s while others are more rustic tent sites and there are 5 cabins for rent. Twenty-one sites have electric hook-ups. If you are looking for more rustic, remote tent sites there are some hike-in sites. Four sites are located 1 to 4 miles from parking area where each site has picnic table, fire ring and latrine but water must be hauled in.  About half of the sites are reservable online with the others being first come, first served. What we liked was that this park was very well cared as sites and facilities were very clean. Tall trees provided nice shade and campsites were well-spaced so you didn’t feel like you were on top of your neighbor. 

    There is lots to do in this park and we were sorry we didn’t have more time to spend. Activities include hiking (over 50 miles of trails including a stretch of the North Country National Scenic Trail), 8 miles of biking trails, 30+ miles of cross-country ski trails, kayaking and fishing. The park offers hundreds of naturalist programs including nature walks, evening campfire talks, fishing programs, and geocaching.  Just a short drive north of the state park is Gordy’s High Hat which is a famous hamburger joint that has been around for years and still draws a massive crowd. There is a big enough parking lot to pull your RV into if you need to. Food was great and cheap!

    Even if you don’t camp in this park, I think it is well worth the $7/daily admission fee to spend a day enjoying all this place has to offer.

Guide to Moose Lake

Tent campsites near Moose Lake, Minnesota provide access to northern Minnesota's mix of forest and lake ecosystems with elevations averaging 1,100 feet above sea level. The region experiences typical northern woodland climate patterns with summer temperatures ranging from 55-80°F and winter temperatures frequently dropping below freezing. Camping locations around Moose Lake offer varying levels of seclusion depending on proximity to OHV trails and waterways.

What to do

Water recreation access: Cloquet-Duluth KOA offers tent campers convenient positioning for day trips to Lake Superior. One visitor noted, "We rode the Gitchi Gami trail up along the north shore of Lake Superior, hiked around in Jay Cooke State Park and explored Duluth a bit."

Rock climbing opportunities: The former sandstone quarry at Robinson Park Camping has become a destination for climbers. A camper explains, "This campground is really great... Rock climbing including the state's best 12a/b!!! Sigma lives up to the hype."

Trail systems: The OHV trail network in Nemadji State Forest provides extensive recreation options. A visitor camping at Garfvert reported, "It was hard to find a campsite because it's first-come-first-serve, but we were able to find a spot closer to the trails. There was a beautiful lake near the campgrounds and miles and miles of easy/intermediate OHV/ATV trails."

Historical exploration: Robinson Park features educational displays about its industrial past. As one camper describes, "Robinson park is a historic walk through time with year around activities... the best part is the scenery the rock structures on both sides of the river are breath taking."

What campers like

Solitude and privacy: Bear Lake County Park receives positive reviews for its secluded environment. A camper shared, "It was very private and had nice trees surrounding it. So pleased with our stay here. Visiting in the fall was ideal- I bet this place is packed during the summer months!"

Mixed recreation options: The combination of activities at some campgrounds appeals to visitors. One camper at Robinson Park Camping listed available activities: "Hiking trails to Wolf Creek Falls, Boating and fishing, Read about the history of this former sandstone quarry site, Ice climbing in winter months."

Direct water access: Many tent camping areas have waterfront sites. A camper at Bear Lake County Park appreciated "the fishing, hiking, and canoeing (rental from the park). The sites were on the smaller side but being on the water made up for that."

Motorized trail access: Garfvert campground gets high marks for OHV enthusiasts. One reviewer stated, "Excellent campground if your into ATV use camping. Offers hundreds of miles of 4 wheeling and snowmobiling. Can't forget dirtbikes and UTV as well."

What you should know

Reservation systems vary: Many campgrounds operate on first-come, first-served basis. A camper at Robinson Park advised, "There are three official primitive tent campsites which are nice if you can get them, but are first come first served."

Off-site registration: Some locations require payment at separate facilities. A Robinson Park camper noted, "The main downside is that in order to pay the fee you have to drive to City Hall which is about 2 miles away."

Site privacy concerns: Some established campgrounds have close quarters. A KOA visitor observed, "Sites are cramped, leaving no illusion of privacy. Bathrooms were cleaned every couple of hours, but highly trafficked thus quickly undoing the cleaning."

Seasonal considerations: Fall camping offers advantages at some locations. At Bear Lake County Park, a visitor found that "Visiting in the fall was ideal- I bet this place is packed during the summer months!"

Tips for camping with families

Noise levels: Consider campground activity patterns before booking. At Cloquet-Duluth KOA, a camper reported, "Our site was directly across from the playground and the kids playing at the playground were all pre-teens who screamed non-stop."

Bathroom facilities: Campgrounds offer varying levels of facilities. Cloquet-Duluth KOA has regular maintenance schedules as one camper noted: "Bathrooms were cleaned every couple of hours, but highly trafficked thus quickly undoing the cleaning."

Recreation amenities: Some locations offer family-friendly facilities. A KOA visitor mentioned, "This campground is great. Tons of trees for shade. Everything you Need to enjoy a weekend away. Pool, hot tub, WiFi, showers, arcade, laundry, c store, and lots more."

Wildlife viewing: Tent campsites near Moose Lake offer nature observation opportunities. At Robinson Park, campers can "Paddle past the Robinson Ice Cave known to be a popular bat habitat."

Tips from RVers

Site size limitations: Robinson Park Camping has specific size constraints. A camper observed, "Realistically, each site was only big enough for one tent. I was a little nervous that I wouldn't get my peace and quiet with the campground being so close to town but it did not disappoint!"

Hookup availability: Full service sites are limited in the region. At Cloquet-Duluth KOA, campers report, "Full hookup sites are only out in the in the open spaces."

Train proximity: Railroad noise affects several campgrounds. One camper noted, "Like so many RV/campgrounds this one is also located near to railroad tracks that has several trains that come through day and night."

Site accessibility: Road conditions can limit access to some campgrounds. A Robinson Park visitor explained, "The road back to the sites was a small two track with giant pot holes and lots of overgrowth."

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular tent campsite near Moose Lake, MN?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Moose Lake, MN is Bear Lake County Park with a 4-star rating from 1 review.

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