Best Tent Camping near Moose Lake, MN

We came with our extended family and while they did tent camping we stayed in a camping cabin. The cabins were great! Our family also was pleased with their tent camping site. This park offered some fun hikes. The views are beautiful- great place to take photos! We came into the stay somewhat unaware of the park, as our family had done the reservations and planning, but we were pleasantly surprised at everything this park offers :)

There is a lot to do in the area and this is a busy campground offering a couple tent sites and mostly full time rv folks. Talked to a few people and they are like a community and we’re welcoming!

Bathhouse is kept clean and can be accessed with help from the camp host.

This was my first solo tent camping night in June 5, 2020. There were some horse flies when I parked but they didn't seem to hang out in the shade of my campsite. There was a very loud bird making calls until about 1am... Maybe a whip-poor-will. Otherwise a serene spot tucked back in the walk in site.

Directions to the walk in sites were a bit unclear when driving in but I eventually made it there.

Absolutely love this campground! They have RV sites and tent sites a private lake with swimming area and fishing/boat/water toy area. There's a little store with all your basic supplies and where you can rent different boats and water things and a rec area with pool table and games. Lots of campground activities to bring everyone together. Their own private firework display the week of the 4th.

Savanna Portage State Park is a beautiful and peaceful spot for camping, especially if you enjoy tent camping. The campsites are well-spaced, private, and perfect for tents, offering a great connection to nature.

The park features a lovely lake that’s ideal for kayaking, fishing, or just relaxing by the water. There are also several great hiking trails, ranging from easy walks to more challenging routes, giving you plenty of opportunities to explore the scenic forest and wetlands.

One thing to note—there are a lot of bugs in the summer, so make sure to pack plenty of bug spray! Overall, it’s a fantastic place for outdoor lovers looking for a quiet and rustic getaway.

Stayed here as a layover en-route to Wisconsin. This park may be right off of the interstate, but it's quaint and the sites are roomy. They're also nicely vegetated so you get a sense of privacy. We stayed in the busy season (July) and even though most sites were full, once it hit the quiet hour, the whole campground went eerily quiet. Not far from the tent sites is Wolf Creek Falls, about a 1.2 mile hike (worth it!). The showers were clean and rangers were laid back and lenient with the camp fee.

The campground offers a lot of choices. We stayed one night in a non-electric site then were able to move over to an electric site. It was a pretty full campground, but they did not have everything open. We had some great neighbors that were tent camping next to our camper. The showerhouse was clean and they had just turned the water on so we were lucky. The reason you come here tho is the hiking and the views. I can tell you that no matter the weather the parking lot will be full but mid afternoon so best to get up early and hike. I was able to have something…wolf/coyote cross the path in front of me on one of the early morning hikes. This was a really great location and a great campground. This would be a great location for families with kids of all ages. Loads to do and experience here.

I love Jay Cooke year round! The tent camping is great, the park is amazing for hiking and geology study, and there are camper cabins that I have often stayed at as well. This was my first time staying in winter, the camper cabins are cozy and fully heated and really nice. People use them when coming here in winter for the terrific cross country skiing or snowshoeing. The cabins are very simple and have beds, table, heat, and electricity, but no water inside (water punps are nearby, so bring a bucket ir canteen) and no bathroom (but you can use the outhouse nearby, and the campground will have a new bath house by early summer, it is inder construction and almost finished!) . You can use the facilities at the visitor center during the day but they arent open in the evening and are a bit of a trek from the campground. But, it you want to camp in warmth and relative comfort, and want to explire this amazing state park, the camper cabins are a great way to go year round! You can reserve campsites too if you have an RV or dont mind winter camping

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.

We 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.

Jay 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.

This is a beautiful state park along the Kettle River, famous for its rock formations, the whitewater Kettle River, and beautiful oak-ash forests. You can camp at the park campground in the woods, or at several secluded paddle-in canoe campsites on the river. There are miles of trails to hike, including along the river and to a waterfall, all kinds of paddling and rafting possibilities(bring your own, or join a trip sponsored by a local outfitter), or go bouldering amongst the interesting rock formations. The problem for campers at this location is that the number of campsites available is exceeded by demand for them, especially in summer and on weekends. Reserve early if you would like to stay here! The campsites are of good size, nicely shaded, and convenient for both tent camping and RV or trailer camping, however there are two real drawbacks: the campground is pretty far from park activities you might like to do, so you may have to drive to trailheads, picnic areas, or boat launch, or else be willing to make a long hike. And because of proximity to metro areas, there is competion in the parking areas from folks who are just there for day trips, so an amazing number of cars end up parked up and down the main state park road. The other drawback is that the campground is kind of in a lowland forest with a muddy substrate, that stays pretty wet and buggy even when it has been a while since the last rain. A plus is that you have access to top-rated whitewater for river activities, and a park trail also leads outside of the state park to a premier rockclimbing destination in Robinson County Park on the south border of the state park. Folks come afrom all over the Midwest for the rock climbing and the whitewater, so scoring a campsite within Banning State Park is helpful if you want to access these stellar recreational opportunities.

Robinson Park This is a county park located on the south border of Banning State Park, and it includes a hiking trail that is contiguous with a state park trail that leads to the scenic Wolf Falls. In terms of recreation, Robinson Park encompasses much of what was once a sandstone quarry and is now a primo rock climbing destination for folks from throughout the Midwest.(See climbers review here: https://www.mountainproject.com/area/105812719/robinson-park)) The park also has picnic area, boat launch, canoe launch and portage around nearby rapids, and the end of a white water rafting route. The park offers camping too, but the campground is in need of an upgrade(which is in the works) and, because demand for camping here far exceeds the availability, previous campers have created a lot of unofficial campsites that aren’t allowed and not maintained as such, but heavily used anyway. There are three official primitive tent campsites which are nice if you can get them, but are first come first served. There are two group campsites that are very nice, very well maintained, and very conveniently located to both rock climbing areas and water access, and are reasonably priced at$30 a night, but although it is possible to reserve them they are snapped up pretty quickly. There are basic bathrooms and water available here, but not too much else in the way of amenities. I see that a previous camper mentioned feeling like the campground was a bit unkempt and spooky. I am guessing, as she arrived at twilight, that she may have entered the park and followed the road directly to the area along the river where the“unofficial” and unkempt campsites are. Unfortunately, as you enter the park, the signage is not real clear with regard to where the campsites are located. As you enter, coming down the hill into the park towards the picnic and boat launch area, you actually have to make a U-turn and go to the far east end of the parking lot to see the campsite sign and access road into the official camping area. It’s a little hard to figure out if you haven’t been there before. There is payment required for camping here, but it is on the honor system and has to be delivered to an office in the village of Sandstone nearby. I think the group campsites look like a pretty nice option, but as no park officials are on duty on the premises I could see that it might be a lonely spot for camping if no one else is there. Probably, If I were there for rock climbing or boating, I would either camp with a group, or camp in the nearby Banning state park or private Banning RV Campground nearby.

As mentioned, improvements to this site are in the works, and will make this site vastly better when complete. You can see the master plan here: http://sandstone.govoffice.com/vertical/sites/%7BE367B94F-BFCA-40F7-864E-7F13B6756254%7D/uploads/03006-000\_Robinson\_Report\_March\_2016(1).pdf

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!