Best Dog-Friendly Camping near Virginia, MN

We stayed here last June with our large family. My bf and I stayed 2 nights in a cabin and tent camped 2 nights on a camp site. This area has great access to many lakes including the BWCA along with being close to Ely for anything you may have forgotten. Silver Rapids Lodge itself has a bar/restaurant right by campground along with many other amenities. Many cabins to choose from from 4-6 ppl all the way up to a 24 person cabin!! Good fishing and lots of areas to do so without a boat, if you don’t have a boat and would like to rent one SRL offers boat rentals. Small swimming area and play place for kids. Pet friendly, clean, and nice hosts.

PETS ARE ALLOWED IN THE PARK BUT NOT THE CABINS - see below for details.

This part of the state park is very new! These cabins are a fairly new addition and aimed to cater to those that love winter outings but want warmth and electronic lifelines.

We stayed in "Ning" cabin which is an abbreviation of the actual name. All cabins have native Ojibwe names. It was there last on the loop and right next to a short trail. A vault toilet is about 30 feet away.

This campground had wifi throughout the campground and cabins. This let me work while we were there with my computer without issues. It's easy to log into (open your browser and the option will pop up, or search for it in your wifi network options). 

Firewood - this is a super cool policy.  You can't bring your own wood, but you can pay $10/day for a permit that you hand at your site. They have a "shed" with pre-split wood that's dry and ready for the campfire.  You can burn what you need daily and put the rest back before you leave.  This is not meant to "burn it all" but it allows you to have a fire, stay warm, have fun and not run out of wood.  Great price considering the amount many places charge for a dinky little bundle that lasts about an hour. You also can't take it home, so just be smart about the process and it's a great option for everyone!

The inside of the cabin was wow!  Electricity outlets were plenty (in all the bunks - as well as lights in all bunks).  Hard floors, a vacuum for when you were done, shelves for gear and food, baseboard heaters, A/C in summer, big windows, ceiling fan, rug to wipe your boots, lots of coathangers.

Outside a small deck and picnic table, food prep station with an outlet - very cool!  Fire ring was down a set of stairs near the woods.

Please note:  PETS are allowed in the park, but NOT in the cabins and NOT on the deck of the cabin.  Pretty steep fees if they find this happening. 

Also...you have to bring your own bedding (sleeping bags or sheets/blanket).

Nice perk - there is an indoor showerhouse with bathrooms, hot water and potable drinking water station so you don't have to sacrifice in the winter!

Overall great stay for $90 - quieter than a hotel for sure!

Campground Review:

****This campground is located on beautiful Whitewater Lake in Hoyt Lakes, MN. The fall colors are absolutely gorgeous right now, and my pictures don’t even come close to doing them justice!! We have lived just 5 miles down the road from this campground for over 20 years, and regret not camping here sooner!! This campground is very family and pet friendly with so many activities to choose from. We spent the bulk of our time hiking the paved trails, and fishing the lake. You can reserve a spot online at http://www.fishermanspointmn.com/ , or it’s a first come first served campground. There were plenty of spots available when we camped there, but recommend reserving during the busy summer months.

There are 93 spacious and wooded sites divided into separate loops. If you are driving a bigger RV or 5th Wheel some corners can be tight, but they are currently upgrading and widening the traffic areas. Some of the campsites are right on the waterfront which was nice for mooring our boat close to us. They have some 50/30/20 amp spots, but none of the spots are a full hook up with dump capabilities. The campground hosts were super friendly and the showerhouses/restrooms were super clean and smelled freshJ There is no bringing in outside wood for campfires, but they have a nice little general store where you can purchase bundles. Each spot comes with a nice picnic table and a fire ring. One of the things we liked most is the shelters and grill pits they have right on the lakeshore. They have 2 separate boat ramp areas so there is no congestion or waiting in line to get in the water, and the fish cleaning house is just a few steps off the boat ramp. Quiet hours are from 11:00pm to 7:00am, but we noticed there is no enforcement of that rule, hence the 4 Star rating.

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Product Review:

As a Ranger for The Dyrt, I have the privilege of receiving products to test from time to time. I tested the PARASHEET Beach Blanket from Grand Trunk. https://www.grandtrunk.com/collections/goods-for-the-campsite/products/parasheet-beach-blanket-new-colors Navigating their website is easy and very user friendly!! The thing I appreciated the most is that they are in constant contact with you from the minute you place the order to when it arrives on your doorstep. The shipping time is super speedy from this company!! All items were packed well, and they included a free can cozy and decal sticker (it went on our 5th Wheel!!)

When I took Parasheet, my first thought was that I would not have used the word blanket in the description, it is so much more!! (on their website they use the sentence “The Best Beach Blanket Ever.” With that being said, the parachute nylon fabric is very lightweight, but super durable. This sheet is a packing/carrying dream!! They have a nice variety of colors available, and I ordered the Parasheet in the color Berry Bronzed. The contrast between the deep blue/tan colors is absolutely stunning!! The one feature I liked right away is that the sheet has it’s own drawcorded carrying/storage bag for easy packing and storing. We had a chance to take the sheet out on a windy day, and the sand pockets helped keep it in place while we staked it down. There are an endless amount of uses for this sheet while camping, and at home too!! (my son of course tested and gave a “thumbs up” on the Superman cape tryout lol) The parasheet stood up very well on different types of terrain (we tested sand, gravel rock, and pine needles) Overall, I think the Grand Trunk Parasheet is well priced at $39.99, and would recommend it to all!!

Bear Head Lake State Park is just south of the Boundary Waters, and shares a comparable wilderness element.  The shoreline is beautiful and very fun to explore by kayak.

Campground features: Cabin rentals, tent sites, and RV sites.  The campground is open in fall & winter. The campsites are private, well shaded, and level. Each campsite has a picnic table and fire pit. Flush toilets, hot showers, dump station, group sites, and electric are also available.

Hiking at Bear Head Lake State Park

• Bear Head Lake State Park Trail is a moderate 3.2 mile trail. This hike is a loop route. Dogs are allowed but only on leash.
• Norberg Lake Trail is a easy 1.5 mile trail. It is a trail for all skill levels and dogs are allowed but only on leash. Mostly wooded.
• Blueberry Lake Trail is a easy 4.5 mile trail. Longer than the other listed trails. It is an out and back hike that is mostly wooded. Dogs are allowed on leash.
• Becky Lake Trail is a easy 2.7 mile hike. Beck Lake is a loop hike that is mostly wooded. Dogs are allowed on leash.

Fishing at Bear Head State Park

Bass, northerns, walleye, panfish, and trout can be caught at this State Park. Many people fish from the fishing dock or shoreline. Panfish are all over the lake and most likely the first ones biting. Good walleye fishing after 6pm.

Other activities:

Boat rentals, cross country ski trail (groomed), snowshoe trails, and snowmobile trails.

Beautiful! Absolutely dispersed, we went all the way down the gravel road 5 miles in by SUV to the landing. Couple spots where you could clearly tell people were here before. (garbage, but we picked up as we came across) no one else out there but us! Couple fire pits already built. No bugs! Lots of wildlife for sure. But a pack of yoties or wolves was making our dog very alert they ran right next to us when we had our fire going. We had to pack up and take off they were not scared of the car horn or anything. Our dog wouldn’t sleep so had to take off. Otherwise definitely going back again!