Searching for the perfect place to pitch your tent near Voyageurs National Park? Find the best tent camping sites near Voyageurs National Park. Each tent campsite offers quick access to one or more of Voyageurs National Park's most popular destinations.
BACKCOUNTRY CAMPSITES are located on the park's interior lakes and offer a more remote and secluded camping experience. They have fewer amenities, consisting of fire rings, an outdoor privy, and some have a bear pole for safe food storage. These sites first require travel by private watercraft or local water taxi service to a trailhead and then hiking up to several miles to the backcountry lakes. Some campsites can be hiked to directly while others require the use of a canoe after hiking which is provided by the park and remains stationed at these remote lakes.
$25 - $35 / night
Crane Lake is a large body of water and is a popular area for fishing and boating. There are 3 backcountry campsites located on the lake. Crane Lake also connects to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness through Little Vermilion Lake and Voyageurs National Park through Sand Point Lake.
All Frontcountry and Backcountry campsites are water-based, require a permit, and can only be accessed by boat. Most campsites in the park are Frontcountry sites, meaning they are directly accessible by boat. 15 of our campsites are in the Backcountry, meaning the trail head is only accessible by water before you start your hike in.
$20 / night
** All frontcountry and backcountry campsites require travel by private watercraft or water taxi to access. Click on any campsite name when searching sites to view boating distances. **__ Voyageurs National Park has 147 frontcountry, 14 backcountry, and 2 primitive campsites for visitors wanting an authentic northwoods camping experience.____ PRIMITIVE CAMPSITES (Red Pine & Blueberry Ridge) are the only campsites located on the mainland and DO NOT require a boat to access. They are hike-in sites along the Kab-Ash Trail and are equipped only with fire rings and cleared areas for tents. Leave No Trace Principles apply in these areas. FRONTCOUNTRY CAMPSITES are located on the large lakes (Rainy, Kabetogama, Namakan, Sandpoint). You may boat directly to them from any park visitor center boat ramp. They offer fire rings, tent pads, picnic tables, bear lockers for safe food storage, and outdoor privies. Use the Build Itinerary button to plan a frontcountry camping trip.__ BACKCOUNTRY CAMPSITES are located on the park's interior lakes and offer a more remote and secluded camping experience. They have fewer amenities, consisting of fire rings, an outdoor privy, and some have a bear pole for safe food storage. These sites first require travel by private watercraft or local water taxi service to a trailhead and then hiking up to several miles to the backcountry lakes. Some campsites can be hiked to directly while others require the use of a canoe after hiking which is provided by the park and remains stationed at these remote lakes. OVERNIGHT BACKCOUNTRY CANOE RENTALS: Voyageurs offers the ability to rent canoes in association with a camping permit. These canoes stay stationed at the remote inland lakes and require a combination code to access. This information can be found in your confirmation email. Be certain to print your permit within 5 days of your trip start date; it is required to have this with you and it will also contain the necessary code and instructions. Backcountry canoe rentals are available from the Friday before MN Fishing Opener through October 15 annually. This means that the campsites in the Chain of Lakes and Shoepack Lakes (where canoes are required to access the sites) cannot be reached and are closed outside of those dates. Use the Build Itinerary button to plan a backcountry camping trip.____ Ek, Cruiser, Brown, Oslo, Peary, Ryan, Agnes, Jorgens, and Quarter Line Lakes: These backcountry campsites can be hiked to directly after boating to a trailhead and have one optional canoe located at the site which can be added when making a reservation. Chain of Lakes (Locator, War Club, Quill, Loiten): Reservations at these sites automatically include one canoe because a canoe is required to reach them. Up to 2 additional canoes can be added on a first come, first served basis.__ Shoepack & Little Shoepack Lakes: The campsites on these two lakes come reserved together and automatically include canoes because the one canoe on Little Shoepack is required to reach the campsite on Little Shoepack and/or the portage to Shoepack Lake, which also has its own canoe. Please leave the canoes on their respective lakes. DAY USE BACKCOUNTRY CANOE RENTALS: The same canoes available in the backcountry for use with overnight camping can be reserved for day use. This first requires travel by private watercraft or local water taxi service to a trailhead, and then hiking into the backcountry lakes where the rental canoes are stationed. Click on the Reserve Day Use Rentals button or scroll further down on this page to view canoe options and availability. DAY USE & VISITOR DESTINATION SITES: With 27 Day Use sites and 7 Visitor Destination sites, Voyageurs National Park has plenty of areas to enjoy for visitors who are out for a day trip on the lakes. Each Day Use site has picnic tables, fire rings and vault privies, while the Visitor Destination sites offer short trails with wayside exhibits, picnic areas and comfort stations. No reservations are required for Day Use or Destination sites. You can view a map of day use sites here . Keep Voyageurs National Park Wild for Future Generations: The Voyageurs Conservancy is the park's official nonprofit partner representing a community of people who care about the ongoing stewardship of Voyageurs National Park. VNPA works to fund projects and programs that will help sustain the park's waters, wild character, and visitor experience for generations to come. Become a member today , follow them on Facebook and Instagram , or sign up for their e-newsletter .
From spring through fall, explore Voyageurs National Park on land by stopping in at a visitor center or hiking any of our 52 miles (84 km) of scenic hiking trails. To explore the vastness of the same lakes the Voyageurs and Ojibwe Indians once traversed, leave your car behind and explore park waters by kayak, canoe, sailboat, motorboat, houseboat or tour boat. Public boat launch ramps are available at park visitor centers, the Crane Lake ranger station and the two state forest campgrounds - Woodenfrog and Ash River. With scheduled programs and boat tours, you can paddle a canoe on the Voyageurs Highway, watch wildlife by day and stars by night, and explore historic Kettle Falls Hotel, Hoist Bay and Ellsworth Rock Gardens. Check the Things to Do page on the park website for a current list of these activities and many more, or speak with a park ranger at one of the Voyageurs National Park visitor centers. Many of our programs offer reservations. Visit the Voyageurs National Park Tours or the Voyageurs National Park Special Interpretive Programs pages (reservations are highly recommended for boat tours).__
From spring through fall, explore Voyageurs National Park on land by stopping in at a visitor center or hiking any of our 52 miles (84 km) of scenic hiking trails. To explore the vastness of the same lakes the Voyageurs and Ojibwe Indians once traversed, leave your car behind and explore park waters by kayak, canoe, sailboat, motorboat, houseboat or tour boat. Public boat launch ramps are available at park visitor centers, the Crane Lake ranger station and the two state forest campgrounds - Woodenfrog and Ash River. With scheduled programs and boat tours, you can paddle a canoe on the Voyageurs Highway, watch wildlife by day and stars by night, and explore historic Kettle Falls Hotel, Hoist Bay and Ellsworth Rock Gardens. Check the Things to Do page on the park website for a current list of these activities and many more, or speak with a park ranger at one of the Voyageurs National Park visitor centers. Many of our programs offer reservations. Visit the Voyageurs National Park Tours or the Voyageurs National Park Special Interpretive Programs pages (reservations are highly recommended for boat tours).__
Voyageurs National Park is a land and water environment of great beauty, exceptional natural and cultural resources, and abundant recreational opportunities. Located in the lake-country of northern Minnesota, the park protects 218,054 acres (88,243 ha) that include roughly 134,000 acres (54,227 ha) of forest, 84,000 acres (33,993 ha) of water, 655-miles (1,054 km) of undeveloped shoreline, and hundreds of islands. The park's 55-mile (89 km) northern boundary is the international border between the United States and Canada and includes an important segment of the "transcontinental highway" traversed by French-Canadian voyageurs during the late 1700s and early 1800s. There are four distinct seasons in Voyageur country. The air is mild during June, July, and August when periods of fine, warm weather prevail. The frost-free season averages 120 days from June to mid-September. The average ice-out date is May 3 but varies year to year. Annual precipitation (rain and snow) averages 25-28 inches (63-71 cm) in the park and average snowfall ranges from 55-70 inches (140-180 cm), but is highly variable. The first measurable snowfall occurs in late October and the last in late April or early May.
For facility specific information, please call (218) 283-6650.
Unique attractions near Voyaguers National Park: The City of International Falls sits on the U.S.-Canada borde r, across from Fort Frances, Ontario. You can have a picnic lunch in Smokey Bear Park, and then tour the Bronko Nagurski Museam and Koochiching County Historical Museum, which both sit on site. Don't forget to take a photo with the 26-foot statue of Smokey the Bear himself - a well-known and beloved national symbol of fire prevention and forest conservation. There are many unique businesses and shops along main street, as well as some great coffee shops and restaurants. Heading eastward out of town, you will pass the village of Ranier and numerous resorts where you can find delicious lake-side dining, fishing guides, hotel and cabin accomodations, houseboat rental companies and much more. The Historic Port Village of Ranier is a quaint little community situa ted right where Rainy Lake empties into the Rainy River underneath a cantilever-style train bridge that spans from the U.S. into Canada. Here you will find lodging, an RV park, a park and playground, a public beach, public docks, delicous food, an ice cream parlor and a lakeside brewpub, all packed into one small charming town of about 150 residents. Be sure to take a photo with Big Vic, the 25-foot (8 m) tall statue of a French-Canadian voyageur, who stands at the entrance to this unique little town.__ The communites of Kabetogama , and Ash River , and Crane Lake are located 30 to 60 miles south of International Falls, and serve as gateways to the southern district Voyageurs National Park. Be sure to stop and take a photo of yourself "riding" the walleye statue at the entrance to Kabetogama on Highway 53.__
CANCELLATION POLICY: Cancellations and/or modifications to an existing reservation can easily be made online via your recreation.gov account. Log in to your account, click on your name in the upper right, and select My Reservations. Click on the "Modify or Cancel" button next to the reservation needing to be changed. The national recreation.gov call center at (877) 444-6777 can also assist. You cannot call a park office to cancel a reservation.______ THE FOLLOWING FEES APPLY: Reservation system fee of $10 charged at time of reservation is non-refundable Any change (i.e. trip dates, campsite) to your reservation more than 3 days prior to your trip: No charge Any change (i.e. trip dates, campsite) to your reservation less than 3 days prior to your trip: $10 service fee per__ Cancel reservation more than 3 days prior to arrival date: additional $10 cancellation fee; receive refund of remaining amenity fees Cancel reservation less than 3 days prior to arrival date: additional $10 cancellation fee + forfeit first night___s fee; receive refund of remaining amenity fees Once permit has been printed: No refund; printing your permit confirms your reservation and must be done within 5 days of your trip start date from the My Reservations section of your recreation.gov account Once trip dates have started: No refund; if you are unable to make your trip, cancel your reservation in the My Reservations section of your recreation.gov account before your trip start date to be eligible for a refund
$10 - $32 / night
** Voyageurs is a water-based national park **
All campsite types (except primitive) require a watercraft
All camping types require a reservation/permit
Lakes can remain ice-covered until mid-May, but ice-out dates vary greatly
Lakes typically begin to freeze up in November
Before winter camping, always check the most recent trails report when venturing onto the iceThe Basics of a Frontcountry Camping Trip in Voyageurs
Do some research: Frontcountry campsites can be as far as 27 miles away from the nearest boat launch, so be sure to select sites that are within a safe distance to travel for your level of navigation experience and type/size of watercraft.
Make a reservation: Once you're ready to make a reservation, go to the Voyageurs National Park Camping Permits page on recreation.gov. Here you can view campsite info and photos, search for campsite availability, and build an itinerary. Use these step-by-step instructions to make your reservation. You can also call Recreation.gov's national call center at 1-877-444-6777.
Print your permit within 5 days of your trip start date by logging into your recreation.gov account and selecting Reservations from the menu. Click on the Print Permit button next to the correct trip. This button is disabled until 5 days before your trip. It can also be helpful to have a digital copy/screenshot on your phone to keep with you.
Parking: Camping permit holders can park their vehicles overnight at any park visitor center boat launch parking lot for up to 14 days during the dates of their trip, free of charge. Know which visitor center boat launch is closest to your campsite.
Travel by watercraft to your campsite. Visitors must either use their own boat, rent a vessel, or use a water taxi. The waters of Voyaguers are expansive; be prepared with GPS or navigation charts.
Post your permit inside the display box that you'll find attached to a bear-proof food locker at your campsite.
Enjoy your camping trip in Voyageurs National Park!
Crane Lake is a large body of water and is a popular area for fishing and boating. There are 3 backcountry campsites located on the lake. Crane Lake also connects to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness through Little Vermilion Lake and Voyageurs National Park through Sand Point Lake.
Meander Lake is a remote, clear lake with 2 backcountry campsites. The picnic area and barrier-free fishing pier are located on the southern shore of the lake. Downloadable information and map
Legend
no showers. Outhouses and potable water spickets throughout the campground. All sites are offered on a first come first served basis and the entrance has envelopes to pay by check or you can pay online at your arrival. Sites that are occupied will have a small white card clipped to the site number marker sign, just pick an open one, pay, and fill our your place holder card. Fire ring and picnic table at each site. Most were flat, but some were a little hilly. Might be harder to navigate the roads in the campground and back in if you have a larger rig.
ScoutStayed here for 2 nights after season in early October. There were plenty of spots and the vault toilets are clean and accessible. There are multiple trails and some beautiful vistas. The water was turned off for the season but there were multiple access points for the time of year when it is turned on. It’s quite close to the southern visitor centers of voyageurs, about 1 hour from rainy lake visitor center. Very easily accessible. As a solo female traveler I felt very safe. Definitely would recommend. No other facilities available other than vault toilets though so come prepared to not shower!
Scout
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Scout
Maybe 3 sites. Right off main road. Close to Ash River Visitor Center.
Scout
Quiet Campground with plenty of wooded area between campsites for privacy. Mix of RV/Travel Trailers and Tent campers. Vault toilets and drinking water available. Our site did not have direct clear access to the water, but we walked past other sites that did. Boat launch available right at the entrance to the campground. Our site fit our 30’ travel trailer with left slide just fine and plenty of room for the truck. Overflow parking available near the campground entrance for a small fee. Clean and well kept! Would definitely recommend
Scout
Camp ground right on a large lake, family owned and well maintained.
ScoutGreat primitive campsite to hit on the way to Voyaguers National Park. Everyone says stay at Woodenfrog or Ash because it’s close to the park but those parks are very primitive. If you do not have a portable shower or don’t mind using a “hole-on-the-ground” toilet then Pine Acres is a great primitive campsite. There are portable potty’s around the campsite, out houses but they also have full functioning bathrooms and showers. There is a train that goes through across the lake but it stops around 10pm so horns aren’t going off while you’re sleeping. Wonderful staff very friendly. My go-to-place when I come back up here.
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TravelerThere was no public potable water source, the bathrooms were dingy and ill stocked, the showers were so moldy and stinky and clearly hadn’t been cleaned in ages. Campsites close together and no privacy. Small and fellow campers were quiet and it felt safe. Also we checked in online and it was called Voyageurs campground and RV park yet the address took us to Arnold’s and they are the same place.
Legend
**NOTE: To the best of what I can find, this appears to be a free site. I can't, at this time, find any indication that's it's paid or reserve-able**
This is a great little free campsite right on Crane Lake before you go into the Boundary Waters Canoe area.
The site has a fire ring with grate, picnic table, plenty of trees for hammocks, and a small tent pad that would be good for a three or four person tent. There's also a primitive toilet so you don't have to dig a cat hole!
This is a motorized lake so there is boat noise, but the water lapping on the rocks at the island makes it very tolerable. Fairly easy access to grab drinking water for filtering, and some decent pine branches for hanging a bear bag. (even on an island - it's advisable to hang a bear bag. Also helps with other critters like squirrels and mice)
The campsite faces the West so if the weather is good, you're in for a great sunset!
Traveler
This is a grass surface campground. Suited for car camping, smaller trailers & 25’ RV’s. Sites have picnic table & fire pit and an outhouse on site.
TravelerDespite advertising sites as “tent site” this campground, it is definitely not suitable for tents. We booked a tent site that was in a block of other tent sites. When we arrived, we saw a HUGE RV in the site next to ours that took up our space. We decided to not stay. Maybe great for vans and RVs, but not for tent camping.
LegendCamped here Oct 18-19, 2023 at site 43. Large primitive state forest campground. There were very few campers here during our stay. Our site, as well as others, was large and wooded. Spacing and privacy between sites were quite good. The site was level with a dirt/gravel surface. Site had metal fire ring and table. A nice patch of woods behind our site. Clean vault toilet a short walk away. Short trail to lake and boat dock nearby. Did not see a camp host. Hiking trail along lake was really nice. Really loved camping here.
LegendThis campground is a forest campground so while there is a vault toilet and solar powered water, it is just that. Not fancy, not frilly. If you are used to camping this way it's perfectly fine. But if you are not, this might not be the right spot for your family.
That said - we are used to it and it's exactly what we expected and wanted.
Sites have plenty of privacy between them - this campground was established a long time ago and actually, many many years ago this are was used as a CCC camp! Little bits of evidence are around if you look for them. That said - lots of space, lots of mature trees and bushes (even this time of year post autumn)
We were in site 5 which had a parking space and then a short walk (lightly downhill) about 20 feet to our picnic table and fire ring in a large area under a giant pine tree with a gorgeous view of the lake! Nice little path to the next site over where our buddy was staying with his dogs.
We had our teardrop to sleep in, but there was no problem getting it backed in (larger RVs might have issues since space is more limited than at giant RV campgrounds). It's $20 to stay with an honor system pay box and that helps keep the sites maintained - I think it's totally worth it.
We had a fire ring with plenty of space for chairs, lots of space for dogs, a lake if we needed to filter water (easy to get to if it's not frozen) and was very quiet. There were definitely spaces that were better for "wind blocks" than others so check em out when you arrive. For this time of year ours was good. There was a HUGE boulder the size of a small house in our buddy's site that blocked the wind so it was great.
TravelerService was great, Arnold helped me Book a spot for a family gathering nearby. The campsite was clean and hook ups worked great!
TravelerThis is a small campground but so beautiful. We stayed at site 7. It consisted of "two areas" which was super cool. The "lower level" was where we parked with a decent driveway. It also had the picnic table and fire pit with a gravel area for a tent pad. The "upper area" was up a small hill and there was the amazing view overlooking Jeanette lake. There was a huge rock outcropping overlooking the lake and an area for our 8 woman tent. We had views of the lake from bed. So beautiful! The mosquitoes weren't too bad except right at dusk. The vault toilets were not the best and the sites were rather close but with the right site you wouldn't even know it. Sites 6 and 7 both have the "two areas" with more secluded areas you could tent. Site 5, 6, 8, 9, and 10 all have some level of water access. The people at sites 8 and 9 had kayaks/canoes pulled right into their site. Site 7 has the best overview of the lake but no direct water access. The best part...the loons and ducks at dusk and dawn. One of my favorite things.
LegendWoodenfrog MN State Forest:
(Scale 1- bad, 5-Very good
(70 yr olds in 17’ trailer)
Overall Rating: 4.5
Price 2023: $17
Usage during visit: 50 - 70%
Site Privacy: Very private sites are offered
Site Spacing: Most are very good
Site surface: lightly graveled
Reservations: No. First come, first serve
Campground Noise: Some inconsiderate groups here during part of our time. I think the hosts were on top of this.
Road Noise: None
Through Traffic in campground: No
Electric Hookup: No
Sewer Hookup: No
Dump Station: No
Potable Water Available: Yes, scattered spigots .
Generators: Allowed
Bathroom: Pit toilet, moderately maintained.
Showers: Out of luck here .
Pull Throughs: Most, if not all are back ins.
Cell Service (AT&T): Good
Setting: Densely wooded
Weather: Hot and humid, bearable Dfor with screened shelter
Bugs: Mosquitoes.
Solar: No, forest is too dense.
Host: Yes, but never saw them.
Rig size: 25, is about the largest I saw. The sites are large enough for a large RV, but driving through the campground may be the issue. If you have a large rig, check the website. No problem with our 17’ trailer.
Sites: 30 to 41 contain sites with a lake view. They are less private than others. A short trail between sites 39 and 41 lead to the boat dock pictured below.
Ranger
Spent 3 nights at Lost Bay campground on Kab Lake. We took a boat taxi in, which allowed us to pack pretty luxuriously. Spent the days bumming around, swimming and exploring the bay with our paddleboard (took a day trip to Ek lake, too). Our site was on a point which gave great views of the surrounding lake and kept the bugs at bay with the breeze. I loved the water access, however I think the site would be a bit treacherous for small christen as there were a lot of steep grades and dangerous fall potential near the lake.
The wildlife was great. Lions could be heard calling at all hours. We saw plenty of turtles, deer, otter, grouse, leaping fish, and even some howling wolves.
My biggest annoyance was the motorized boat traffic. Not bad in the bay but there were a decent amount of fishermen out or people getting taxied through the bay to one of the two backcountry trailheads. The drone of motors could be heard off in the distance. If you are looking for BWCA solitude, you won’t quite get it here (albeit close and the backcountry would be a different story). I’d rate this experience as a less rigorous (logistically and physically) version of the BWCA, but also a less immersive/rich experience as well. Overall, great trip for what me and my friends were looking for.
GuideThis campground is located just outside Voyageurs National Park on Lake Kabatoga. This is a primitive campground with pit toilets and water. Sites are mostly private with some having a view of the lake. Since most of Voyageurs is a water based park this is a great choice is you done have a boat. A lot of mosquitoes in July.
Guide
Wanted a place with hookups close to Voyageurs. This place was great. One of the most beautiful rivers and falls we’ve seen running right beside the campground. New bathhouse with individual showers. Well-maintained and level sites. Really quiet. Camp host was friendly and helpful. Stayed two nights. Bugs are crazy, but then again, where in Northern Minnesota are they not. Super affordable for the location. Just breathtaking.
Legend
Kayaking, sunsets, stunning natural beauty. Excellent way to spend five days with close friends, especially at these prices. Playing cards around the fire, homemade granola and bladders of wine. We were the loudness things around. Five stars.
LegendSuper simple campground with only a few sites and two walk in sites. The walk in sites are perfect! The flights were a bit bad but nothing huge. Several sites are reservable and others are first come first serve. Watching the storms come in across the lake was well worth it!
Legend
Simple, smaller campground but worth the moments. It is pretty quiet minus the generators. It had a very nice beach but didn't really explore to much as this was just a stopping point for us. Flies and Mosquitos were bad but eventually left us alone.
LegendFirstly know that wooden frog is a pretty minimal campground. It is a very typical state forest campground but there are a few sites in the back of the loop (38, 36, 33) that are really nice with lake views and little paths to the water. All sites have a picnic table and a fire ring. Some are not very level and some are TINY so choose carefully. 17$/night. Put toilets and water are available as well. Great jump off point for getting on the water in Voyageur. Several canoe/kayak rental places in the area as well. Lots of deer around, walking right thru our site.
Traveler
Cannot say enough wonderful things about this campsite. Besides being excellently maintained, the site itself felt luxurious with stake-able tent pads, easy rock-based water access, and an incredibly easy and nice fire pit with a grate. The vault toilets were well lit, well maintained, and barely stinky. There is also a fresh water well so no iodine needed here. We saw bald eagles and otters, and found many blueberries along the nice hiking loop. Would come here again, it was unexpectedly quite friendly to someone new to canoe camping and i would recommend it to other new campers, or anyone starting/ending their voyageurs trip. Get here through the king williams narrows from crane lake, the sign for voyageurs was down when we came through.
Traveler
Campsite was beautiful, would recommend going to a site further from the sawmill, it can be quite loud in the AM. But honestly? Excellent alarm for a summer sunrise.
GuidePLAN AHEAD. This trip will likely take more planning than other trips you’ve taken. If you bring your own boat, you’ll have options. If you use a water taxi, you’d better have your supplies well-stocked and in order. The sites are primitive. My best advice is learn how to filter and treat water. Oh, and bring TP! This is likely the most isolated you’ll ever be camping.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular tent campsite near Voyageurs National Park?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Voyageurs National Park is Voyageurs National Park Backcountry Camping — Voyageurs National Park with a 4.9-star rating from 18 reviews.
What is the best site to find tent camping near Voyageurs National Park?
TheDyrt.com has all 17 tent camping locations near Voyageurs National Park, with real photos and reviews from campers.