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Best Tent Camping near Proctor, MN

508 Reviews

Tent camping options near Proctor, Minnesota include both established campgrounds and dispersed sites across several forests and parks. Cloquet-Duluth KOA offers tent sites with basic amenities, while Garfvert in Nemadji State Forest provides a more rustic experience. Grace Lake Road Dispersed camping area offers free, primitive tent camping within driving distance of Proctor for those seeking more seclusion.

Most primitive tent sites in the area have minimal amenities, with pit toilets being the most common facility. Garfvert Campground features drinking water and toilets but lacks electric hookups, making it suitable for traditional tent camping. Schoen Park in the Saint Croix National Scenic Riverway provides free tent camping with picnic tables but no drinking water or toilets. Campers should pack in water and supplies, as most dispersed camping areas have no services. Fire restrictions vary by location and season, with several campgrounds permitting fires in designated rings.

The tent camping experience near Proctor offers varying levels of privacy and natural settings. Areas with tree cover provide shade during summer months, while open sites may offer better views. One camper noted that "Gafvert is good if you want a deeper woods experience without many people." For water activities, Grace Lake Road Dispersed camping puts tent campers about 20 feet from the water with good fishing opportunities. Bear Lake County Park offers tent sites that, while smaller, are positioned along the water with nice tree coverage. Most tent sites in the region become busier during summer weekends, with fall offering less crowded conditions. Dirt bike and ATV trails are accessible from several campgrounds, particularly in Nemadji State Forest, though this can create additional noise at certain times.

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Best Tent Sites Near Proctor, Minnesota (20)

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Recent Tent Camping Photos near Proctor, MN

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Tent Camping Reviews near Proctor, MN

508 Reviews of 20 Proctor Campgrounds

  • 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!

  • 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.

  • Kim K.
    Oct. 3, 2021

    Herbster Campground

    Amazing location

    We tried it on the way to the UP of Michigan and came back the same route for two more nights. If you are a water lover, you’ll love the easy access to the water and walkable beach. 12 Reservable campsites online. Tent camping and electrical camping on water, and dry camping in the back woods first come first serve. Camp hosts are nice. Picnic table and fire ring included. Wood bundles $5 for a lot of wood. Laundry, separate bathrooms from shower trailer. Faucets in shower were odd. Definitely would stay again.

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • Lee D.The Dyrt PRO User
    Dec. 26, 2021

    Gooseberry Falls State Park Campground

    Nice state park along the North Shore

    General: Located on Lake Superior (with access to the lake from the campground). The main draw to this campground is the five waterfalls that are accessible via a paved bike path, riverfront trail, or you can drive to the Visitor Center parking lot and explore from there. During the summer of 2021, drought conditions made the falls less spectacular but still worth seeing.

    Site Quality/Facilities: The sites are all heavily wooded which provides more than sufficient privacy; although you can hear your neighbors, you won’t see them (at least during months with full foliage). The sites all have gravel drives and are very generous in size. Site 54 is just slightly sloped sideways, a small challenge for sleeping in our van. Each site has a very generous-sized picnic table and fire grate (although there was a strict fire ban due to severe drought in Minnesota in the summer of 2021). There is a large Visitor Center and store, and you can park here for two hours without a pass which is required for all other activities (including camping) in the park. The pass is $7 daily or $35 for an annual pass. Good cell service throughout the park. 

    Bathhouse: The bathhouse closest to our site is a CCC marvel. Very clean with three stalls, two sinks, and two showers. There was a bench by the sinks which was very handy for holding toiletries. The shower had good water pressure (almost too hard) and although it took a few minutes to warm up, the water was warm. You have to repeatedly push the button (every three minutes or so) but there is no extra charge for the shower. Although the campground was full our entire stay, I often had the bathhouse to myself.

    Activities: Hiking and biking! The Gitchi Gami paved bike path winds through the park and if you want to go further, it continues all along MN 61. You can hike to the falls from the campground (approximately a three-mile roundtrip to see the Upper and Middle Falls (the Lower Falls were completely dry due to the drought conditions when we were there). Access to the lake for water activities.

    This is a nice state park on the North Shore. We drove two hours north to Grand Portage State Park and back with a stop at another state park for a full-day trip, making Gooseberry Falls a good jumping-off point. Make reservations as soon as you can as this is a popular park!

  • Tina N.
    Aug. 5, 2020

    Turbera Vista - CLOSED

    Great location for exploring Sax-Zim Bog! Private, beautiful & easy access

    What a treasure! I was the first person to stay at this campsite and loved it! I am a full-time solo camper in my 5th year. I love off-grid camping. My rig is a GMC Yukon and 17' Casita camper. 

    Directions:

    Address for house just beyond campsite is 8214 E. Stone Lake Rd. Forbes, MN 

    Coordinates are: N47.286675, W092.549313 

    Turn on E. Stone Lake Rd. from Highway 7 and where the blacktop turns to gravel drive 2.5 miles then bear right at the fork to remain on E. Stone Lake Rd. Just beyond the fork watch for the red 8217 address marker. The drive into the campsite is directly across the road and before you get to 8214. Park and walk in to get a feel for the site. 

    A big rig could back in as far as they want. Smaller rigs will probably pull in and then back into the site on the side with the lovely clearing. The area has some residential housing but the campsite is isolated and very quiet. There is a fern-filled clearing for the campsite which is surrounded by trees. My suitcase solar panels worked reasonably well. I used my generator sparingly. 

    I had deer, squirrel, chipmunks and birds including Pileated Woodpeckers, Barred Owls and Common Loons on the lake. I had less than expected mosquitoes. 

    The campsite is very close to the north section of Sax-Zim Bog and about 20 minutes from the Visitor's Center. Further down E. Stone Lake Rd. is the Blue Dasher Bog trail. The lake, left fork of the road, has a lovely picnic area with vault toilets, fire rings, picnic tables and boat ramp. 

    This was just the kind of hidden gem I love to find.

  • Scott M.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jul. 13, 2020

    Burlington Bay Campground

    Not Private, but beautiful setting

    The campground is located in a very nice small town and the water sites are amazing for sunrise. The campground has all the amenities you need; Full hookups, water, dump station, fire rings, and picnic tables. Tent sites were the most numerous, but there were several RVs. We saw everything from big RVs to motorcycles here. Things were clean but it was a super packed when we were there. You can't sit outside without getting to know your neighbors inner secrets! 

    The view and access to water is what would bring us back.

  • Krista T.
    Jul. 1, 2020

    Jay Cooke State Park Campground

    Gorgeous

    A River Runs Through it(specifically the St. Louis River)- and a train runs through somewhere nearby. We stayed at this campground on our way back from the North Shore, we almost decided to just skip it and head home and I’m so glad that we didn’t! I knew as soon as we pulled into the campground that we made the right decision to stay. We did do a little hiking along the river, but we didn’t do any longer hikes since my brief park research led me to believe that the river is the best feature. It is a very popular campground- we stayed on a Monday night and less than 5 campsites were vacant.

    Pros

    -Every campsite seems to be well-treed and relatively private, providing a perfect atmosphere to just enjoy nature from your campsite.

    -Tree straps are available to borrow at the ranger station. This was the first time I have ever been asked if I’m hanging anything from trees- even a clothes line. It had never occurred to me that a clothes line would be a problem for trees, but I’m glad that I know that now!

    -The restroom/shower facility is very new and has my favorite layout where there is one main area with toilets and sinks and separate rooms accessible from the outside for private shower rooms. Not only is the shower privacy nice, but it keeps the water contained to that individual room. This was great in comparison to Whitewater State park which had constantly wet floors in the shared shower, toilet, sink space. The pit toilets are also nice(for a pit toilet). The outhouse near my site had a hook for hanging things(nice) and a hand-written note explaining that in order to keep smells to a minimum you need to close the lid AND the door when you leave. So while it wasn’t the newest pit toilet I’ve ever used, I didn’t mind using it at all. 

    Cons

    -One of the only things that was obnoxious about this park is that there is a frequently used train track nearby- and the trains really lay on whistle. I slept with earplugs in because of this, but I was still woken up around 4 times that night.

    -The layout of most campsites is kind of tight. If you are camping with multiple tents it might be a good idea to get multiple sites OR just do your research to make sure that the tent pad measurements listed on the reservation site are going to be sufficient. Most sites did not have enough space for your car, your tent, the fire ring, and a bug house. Our site would have had enough space for all of them had we chosen to move our picnic table into the car area, but we weren’t planning on a fire so we just left the picnic table by the fire pit and put our bug house over it. We DID see a campsite with their bug house literally 2 feet from an active fire- do not do this.

    -Our tent pad was really well graveled and made me realize that the standard stakes that came with our tent and bug house need to be upgraded. I was able to get most anchor points secure, but I gave up on one particularly resistant spot.

    -The Hiking Club trail is probably the most used, I considered the CCC hike which is accessible from the loop I was staying in- but I’m tick phobic and the grass trail looked a bit overgrown. The Hiking Club trail wasn’t super well marked and based on the markers I went on the rocky side trail to the river assuming that that was the Hiking Club trail- it wasn’t.

Guide to Proctor

Tent camping near Proctor, Minnesota includes options across several state forests and county parks within a 30-mile radius. The region features mixed hardwood forests with elevations ranging from 1,100 to 1,400 feet. Fall camping typically sees nighttime temperatures dropping into the 30s, while summer months experience highs around 80°F with frequent afternoon thunderstorms.

What to do

Water activities: Grace Lake Road Dispersed camping provides immediate water access. "You're about 20 foot from the water and fishing is good," notes camper Michael S., making it ideal for anglers seeking bass and northern pike.

Forest exploration: The Brule River State Forest Backpacking Sites offer more remote tent camping opportunities with trails connecting to the North Country National Scenic Trail, providing backpacking routes through dense northern forests.

ATV/dirt bike trails: Nemadji State Forest has extensive OHV trail systems. As one visitor to Garfvert mentions, "There is a lot of variety for different levels of difficulty. It can get busy."

What campers like

Privacy levels: Some sites offer more seclusion than others. At Schoen Park, campers appreciate that "it's very private and a beautiful view of the river," according to Clarke N., who adds that the area is best for smaller setups.

Uncrowded camping: For those seeking solitude, certain areas provide more tranquil experiences. A Garfvert visitor recommends the area "if you want a deeper woods experience without many people. Accessible trails, good, flat sizeable spots."

Water proximity: Many campers value lakeside tent sites. At Bear Lake County Park, "The sites were on the smaller side but being on the water made up for that. It was very private and had nice trees surrounding it," reports Sara S.

What you should know

Gate access issues: Some dispersed areas have physical barriers. At Grace Lake Road Dispersed camping, one visitor noted, "gate is very narrow had to fold the mirrors on my Tacoma to squeeze through but if you park at the entrance it's a short walk."

Seasonal crowds: Campground popularity fluctuates significantly. Bear Lake County Park visitors found "Visiting in the fall was ideal- I bet this place is packed during the summer months!"

Noise considerations: OHV trails create additional sound at several campgrounds. "I don't think I would like to stay here if I wasn't using the trails due to the noise even though there are sites on a nice lake," shares one Garfvert camper.

Bugs: Insect activity can be substantial, particularly in wooded sites. Grace Lake campers report the area is "really buggy but a few nice spots to pull into for the night."

Tips for camping with families

Rental opportunities: Some parks offer equipment rentals for family activities. Bear Lake County Park visitors "enjoyed the fishing, hiking, and canoeing (rental from the park)."

Campground amenities: When bringing children, consider facilities available. At Cloquet-Duluth KOA, one visitor notes, "Everything you Need to enjoy a weekend away. Pool, hot tub, WiFi, showers, arcade, laundry, c store, and lots more."

Playground noise: Consider site location relative to play areas. One KOA visitor warned, "Our site was directly across from the playground and the kids playing at the playground were all pre-teens who screamed non-stop."

Nearby attractions: Families can use campgrounds as a base for regional exploration. A KOA visitor mentioned, "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."

Tips from RVers

Site privacy: RV sites vary greatly in privacy levels. One Cloquet-Duluth KOA camper observed, "Our site was only water/electric so they offered a complimentary pump-out with a mobile truck during our stay."

Size limitations: Some campgrounds have restrictions for larger vehicles. Schoen Park visitors caution, "Don't try to bring any thing to big into here or you will be in trouble. We have a 19' travel trailer and it wasn't a problem but turning around is tight."

Dump station access: Consider timing for using facilities. Sam C. warns that at the KOA, "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."

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular tent campsite near Proctor, MN?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Proctor, MN is Cloquet-Duluth KOA with a 3.9-star rating from 9 reviews.

What is the best site to find tent camping near Proctor, MN?

TheDyrt.com has all 20 tent camping locations near Proctor, MN, with real photos and reviews from campers.

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