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Tent campers exploring the North Shore of Lake Superior find several established tent campgrounds near Silver Bay, Minnesota, primarily within state parks and along hiking trails. George H. Crosby Manitou State Park offers backpack-only tent sites requiring hikes of 0.5 to 2 miles from the parking area, while Tettegouche State Park provides cart-in tent sites along Lake Superior and hike-in options at Bean and Bear Lakes. The Superior Hiking Trail also features primitive tent sites at locations like North and South Sonju Lake, accessible only by foot.
Most tent campsites in the Silver Bay area feature fire rings and primitive toilet facilities, though amenities vary significantly between locations. At Crosby Manitou, tent sites are situated on uneven terrain with exposed roots and rocks, requiring careful site selection. Water must be filtered from nearby lakes or rivers at most locations, as drinking water is limited to hand pumps at main park entrances. Bear activity is common throughout the region, with some sites providing bear lockers while others require food hanging. A visitor commented, "The trails of this park are either a hikers dream or nightmare. Exposed roots, large rocks, and elevation changes are common."
The tent camping experience near Silver Bay offers exceptional privacy and natural immersion. Sites at Bean and Bear Lakes provide lakeside tent spots with opportunities for swimming and water filtering directly from the shore. Crosby Manitou's riverside tent sites allow campers to fall asleep to the sound of flowing water, though reaching these sites requires navigating challenging terrain. The cart-in sites at Tettegouche offer Lake Superior views from elevated positions, with some providing access to private beaches via steep trails. According to one review, "The cart ins on the water have lake views and several have trails (sometimes tricky) that lead down to the water and you essentially have your own private beach." Winter camping is possible at some locations, though snow conditions can make access difficult without proper equipment.
"Aside from the popular hikes to Shovel Point, High Falls or Bean and Bear Lake - there are miles and miles of other beautiful hiking trails in this state park!"
"Not all have access to the shore. J has a high rock front after the tree break. Easy enough to harvest water from a bucket. At the end of the site entry there is a beach access trail."
from $25 / night
Check Availability"One- the location can’t be beat, anywhere along the North Shore is guaranteed to be beautiful but this campsite is set right on the shore of a pristine lake surrounded by forest covered hills."
"Amazing hike in only campground. 1.7 mile hike into Tettegouche camp. It has 4 cabins for rent and a main lodge available for use."
"Although there is the Bensen Lake trail that is a wooden boardwalk that rings Bensen Lake. This trail connects to the picnic grounds that is a great place for a day outing."
"My friend and I chose this park because of the backpacking/hiking and the proximity to waterfalls of the North Shore. Our site (#3) was right next to the beautiful Manitou River."
from $20 / night
Check Availability"Nice secluded spot near many cool attractions but a few miles off the beaten path so it’s a lot less busy."
"I was heading out with my oldest for her first backpacking trip so we did a quick 3 day 2 night trip out on the Superior Hiking Trail."
"When my oldest and I headed out for her first backpacking trip we decided to do a quick 3 day trip with 2 overnights that were fairly close together."
"Really great, quiet, loons calling all night and a very cool hike around the lake. There is a hike in campspot a mile into the hike. Wonderful."
"I Highly recommend its an amazing trout Lake."
"This campsite at Crystal Creek Camp on the Superior Hiking Trail (SHT) in Northern Minnesota will afford you that luxury, while"
GuideWe came here after a day of diving in Lake Superior. The trees are just starting to turn. Beautiful drive from Silver Bay. Small campground with a narrow road in. It’s fine for our tiny camper but bigger rigs would have trouble getting in and out.
TravelerLoved the two nights spent at backpacking site #2. It was very secluded, couldn’t hear/see anyone at any point during our time at the campsite. It has a covered wooden structure, good sized bear box, picnic table, and fire ring. There is also a pit toilet ~50 feet from the campsite, though was in pretty rough shape so did not use that but didn’t really mind since most backpacking sites don’t have this luxury anyway and was not expecting to have a toilet in the first place. The campsite sits atop Moose “Mountain,” which is about a mile hike in from the group site parking lot. Don’t underestimate this hike in!! We are two people in our 20s and in pretty good shape, but with ~35lbs of gear on your back with a very steady incline up, definitely had to take a couple breaks. It was pretty rainy so there were some muddy spots that were relatively easy to avoid. With that being said, it was definitely worth it given the seclusion and privacy of this campsite. If able and willing to put in the extra effort, I would recommend the backpacking sites over the drive-in sites as I have heard they can be pretty cramped. Overall, very happy with BP#2 will definitely be back!
LegendQuiet and full of trees, it's a great place to drop for the night. We didn't have a camper, but there was room for one. If you don't have a camper, you could actually fit several tents in the space where a camper would be parked. Ours, site #18, had a few steps that led to the picnic table and fire ring. Up there, we found another tent pad. That would have been the ideal spot for a tent (level and under trees), but we'd already set up at the bottom of the stairs.
The fire ring was next to the table, almost too close, but not a problem. There were, however, lots and lots of mosquitoes (end of June). There was also a mamma bear and 2 cubs there, but they didn't bother us at all.
The bathrooms were the nicest vault toilets that we've seen. Glad air freshener and everything!
Although we didn't swim, they had a very lovely area in the lake that was sectioned off for swimming. It also appeared as though they had canoes for free use as well. They also had firewood for sale, but it was $7 for a bundle. That seemed very steep to me.
Typical cost for a state forest campground in MN (cheaper, by far, than state park camps) and it was $15 for the night for a non electric site. Electric (30 amp) was $19 and electric (50 amp) was $21.There was also a $7 charge for extra vehicles at the site.
TravelerSpent a couple of nights here recently and really enjoyed the solitude. Trails are all marked and the proximity to the lighthouse was nice. Weather was cool and varied between clear and partly cloudy with a light rain for about an hour one morning. Site is on a relatively open, low bluff that overlooks Lake Superior to the South and has fire ring with grill grate, half a picnic table, a locker for food / gear, latrine and tent area padded with wood chips. Trees on site were perfect for my hammock. Waves crashing below site were calming and put me to sleep both nights - was much like beach camping in my home state of California! I did not hike the surrounding trails much as this was more of a short reconnaissance trip for future visits. If you plan on swimming be sure to bring water shoes! Pebbles/rocks are tough on bare feet.
While there I also took the opportunity to scout backpack site 1. This site has same amenities though it is more sheltered by trees. There is a short path that leads down to the water’s edge and a little swimming cove that could be cool for shallow rock diving. Large, flat granite formations for sunning yourself as well. Either site is awesome and Split Rock I’ll definitely be back!
LegendBig Bay State Park Campground, WI:
(Scale 1- bad, 5-Very good
(70 yr olds in 17’ trailer)
Ferry Ride: $110 round trip with a 17’ trailer
Overall Rating: 3.5
Price 2023: About $20 to $30
Usage during visit: Very full
Site Privacy: Loop 1 - 29 Great site privacy. Loop 30 -60 some good sites. The overall privacy not as good.
Site Spacing: Loop 1 - 30: Great. Loop 31- 60: Good
Site surface: Gravel
Reservations: Yes
Campground Noise: People noise while here.
Road Noise: None
Through Traffic in campground: No
Electric Hookup: Some sites
Sewer Hookup: No
Dump Station: Check out the campground map . The dump is on the way to the airport.
Potable Water Available: Yes, at the bathrooms
Generators: Not specified. We used a low noise generator.
Bathroom: Clean pit toilets and flush toilets in the showroom.
Showers: One centrally located.
Pull Throughs: Mostly, if not all are back in.
Cell Service (AT&T): Sporadic
Setting: In a pine forest
Weather: Highs are 70’s
Bugs: Some mosquitoes. I think they are decreasing. Have bug spray if you hike.
Solar: No
Host: They are short a host
Rig size: Rigs I’ve seen are under 35’
Sites: The sites in Loop 1 - 30 is the best loop, are most all very private. Loop30 - 60: Not as private. Site 42 has no under brush between site and parking for tent walk in sites. Other than that, pretty good. Sites 48, ad 50 are the absolute least private sites. Trailer sites in Loop 30 - 60 are generally not as deep and thus less site privacy than Loop 1 - 30. (35 - 41 are walk in tent sites,)
GuideMy friend and I went camping here from October 19th-21st (which happened to be during an unseasonable cold snap- I'm talking 20 degrees at night with a bit of snow, but that's neither here nor there). The first night we lucked out and though it was cold, there was virtually no wind.
We chose one of the campsites nearest to the parking lot since we had a lot of cold weather gear to lug and my friend was new to camping. Even though it was close to the lot and there weren't really leaves on the trees anymore to offer privacy, the park was quiet and we only heard people when they would walk directly past our campsite.
The proximity to Lake Superior and the view was absolutely gorgeous. We gasped when we got to the site because it was so beautiful! In combination with how quiet it was, it really made for a worthwhile stay.
The tent pad was flat and covered with woodchips. Tent pad was elevated, with a wooden bench built in. The site was cart-in, which made loading in and out a breeze. Going uphill to the parking lot was a bit of a pain, but it was a short enough distance that it was just fine. There was a sizeable metal bear box for food. The vault toilet was a short jaunt up the hill and had plenty of toilet paper in stock.
Because it was off-season, the campground building with flush toilets/showers was closed, and there was no running water for the campground. (During the regular season, water is close by at the parking lot.) There was water available on the side of the Trail Center Picnic Shelter.
I am looking forward to returning to camp here in a bit warmer weather!
RangerThe reservations were made online with ease. We were booked for November 5th of 2017. Parking lot was convenient, but the restrooms were closed. We did have a mouse in the car when we returned eating a bag of popcorn I had left. There were an adequate amount of carts for the cart in sites. The trails are groomed regularly. There were latrines houses along the way. The backpack in hike in to site 2 is all of 1.25 miles I believe. There is a stairway leading down to the beach that is in great condition. Campsite 2 is a large site on the most south side of the property. It is on a hill above the water. There are a few trees at the edge of your hill cliff area for a bit of a wind break, but not much. The view is amazing. Down the hill to the very rock water front you have access to an abundance of clean water. The waves can come crashing in on you. In most of the seasons this is very doable. When the rocks begin to freeze in November you will slip into the cold water. There is not an easy way to go about it. A pole attachment for your water bucket could work. There is a bear box, but I would warn you of the mice. The latrine is guarded on three sides and has a well build pedestal. There is a pad for your tent and trees for your hammock. There is no hiding from the wind in this large clearing of a campsite. There is a half wood bench with table top. This is very convenient. The fire pit has a metal grate to swing over the top with a few large logs for seating. The hike is easy and the view is amazing. It is mostly tall grass around you, but there is plenty of firewood in the surrounding area.
ScoutWe 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.
RangerI’ve stayed at Site 1 twice in the winter. We did manage to hike in on a blizzard night in November of 2019, but the park office made sure we were ok. The park office has limited hours so be prepared with firewood ahead of time. They do not plow the campground parking lot in the winter, but they do plow down to the pebble beach lot. You can snowshoe, hike, or toboggan in. The back trail off Of pebble beach parking is groomed and has views of the light house and nature center. There is a dumpster and a bathroom that is open. There is another bathroom off of the campground parking lot that I was able to use, but you will need to have snow shoes. Camping at site 1 in the winter is amazing. Perfect views of the lake and lighthouse. The site is protected from the lake by a large hill that has a bench at the top. The site has a picnic table, bear box, and grate. During the summer, the site would have a lot of noise from the parking lot and hiking traffic. In the winter, there are a lot of photographers. There are coyotes in the winter.
Tent camping near Silver Bay, Minnesota offers rugged wilderness experiences at elevations ranging from 600-1800 feet above sea level. Most backcountry campsites require hikes of 0.5 to 4 miles from parking areas, with limited cell service throughout the region. Winter temperatures often drop below zero, while summer highs typically range from 65-80°F with frequent evening temperature drops.
Trout fishing access: Filter lake water for drinking while catching brook and rainbow trout at Divide Lake Campground, located 5 miles down a gravel road. "We canoed over to it which makes it feel more remote than it actually is. Had a lot of luck fishing for trout as well!" notes Tony E.
Waterfall exploration: Hike from cart-in sites at Lake Superior Cart-in Campground to nearby cascades. "The campground is also a delightfully quick hike away from the falls. You can hear them at night, and it is very peaceful," shares Lauren M.
Stargazing platforms: Find natural rock platforms at sites like George H. Crosby Manitou State Park for night sky viewing. One camper noted, "There is a rocky outcrop in the middle of the site that is a perfect platform to lay down on and stargaze."
Lake swimming spots: Access private beaches via trails from lakeside sites. "The cart-in campground is right on Lake Superior and has very private sites. The state park has a great trail system with areas to stop and enjoy the scenery and waterfalls," reports Jenna H.
River soundscapes: Fall asleep to flowing water at riverside campsites. "The sound and sights of the river was mesmerizing," writes Sara A. about George H. Crosby Manitou State Park's Site #3. "I slept great to the sound of the rushing water."
Hidden island access: Visit Lilly's Island near South Sonju Lake Camping. "You can not camp on this sweet little oasis but you can definitely spend an afternoon lounging there. Our only regret was not bringing our hammocks," explains Steph H.
Trail difficulty level: Prepare for challenging terrain on many trails. "The trails of this park are either a hikers dream or nightmare. Exposed roots, large rocks, and elevation changes are common. Good potential for a twisted ankle," warns Jeremy B. about George H. Crosby Manitou State Park.
Bear protection requirements: Most sites require proper food storage. "The bear boxes at the site are also convenient so hauling food to the car at night is unnecessary," mentions Lauren M. about Lake Superior Cart-in Campground, while other sites require hanging food.
Tent site limitations: Expect uneven ground at backcountry sites. At Bean and Bear Lakes, "The ground isn't exactly flat so your tent might be a little slanted - but it's worth it for the views!" advises Andrea G.
Evaluate trail difficulty: Choose shorter routes for young hikers. "We ended up hiking nearly four miles one way and my 9 and 11 year olds had a difficult time, even though I carried the tent and all of the heavy gear," cautions Matt S. about George H. Crosby Manitou State Park.
Cart-in campsite selection: Reserve cart-in sites early for lake access. "Sites G and I seem to be the best views. I loved being able to scramble down to the rocks (definitely have to be pretty able bodied) and watch the sun come up over the lake," suggests Sarah D.
Group site options: Consider group campsites for multi-family trips. "We stayed at a group campsite that was cart-in, and it was lovely. The site was surrounded by plenty of trees and set a little bit away from the other group sites," shares Kelly K. about Bean and Bear Lakes.
Tent-only limitations: Understand most sites near Silver Bay are tent-only. "The walk-in campgrounds here are fantastic. They are very spacious and private, located on a bluff on the edge of Lake Superior. Sleep to the sound of crashing waves," advises Jen E. at Bean and Bear Lakes.
Dispersed camping alternatives: For vehicle camping, consider State Land Lax Lake Area for more privacy. "Nice secluded spot near many cool attractions but a few miles off the beaten path so it's a lot less busy. The dirt road in was fine," notes TexasRed, though warning the "driveway was overgrown and the clearing has lots of rocks and vegetation."
Cart condition awareness: Expect maintenance issues with carts at some locations. "The carts are usually busted. Be prepared for that," warns Jennifer H. about Lake Superior Cart-in Campground.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular tent campsite near Silver Bay, MN?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Silver Bay, MN is Lake Superior Cart-in Campground — Tettegouche State Park with a 4.5-star rating from 18 reviews.
What is the best site to find tent camping near Silver Bay, MN?
TheDyrt.com has all 53 tent camping locations near Silver Bay, MN, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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