Best Dog-Friendly Camping near Winton, MN

In my haste to make the reservation online I forgot to indicate I was a Good Sam member. I thought, no problem, I will say something when I check in to pay the balance.

The office was very busy at check in and we were in quite a hurry as we had RV service scheduled and technician waiting on us. MY fault only, I forgot to mention it. I went into the office this morning and a clerk told me there was no way to issue a refund in their system. I told the clerk if they would not refund my 10% then I would have to dispute the charge at the bank and then they would have to make an adjustment with their banking service. The clerk said, “Do what you want, but we don’t do any refunds.” I called my bank and they said, “The charges are still pending to your account, so ask them to void the transaction and start over.”

I returned to the office and suggested that, and the clerk then contacted the manager who agreed to do just that.

Sorry I made the mistake, but that is not a way to earn a return stay.

Sometimes you gotta be the squeaky wheel.

The dog park has old astroturf on it. I found that a bit strange.

They have a cute little store. Laundry takes debit snd credit cards.

Grew up camping here. Its beautiful with water and trees everywhere. Pet friendly, close to town, clean showers, friendly staff. The only bad thing is no water hook ups.

I spent 3 nights in a tent and my friends had a large camper in the same site. They were clean and the chipmunks were our pets for the weekend. The docks are convenient for your boats or pontoons. The fishing is phenomenal and beautiful! Definitely recommend for hiking, site seeing, swimming at the beach, fishing and other things 😊

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. Has a one room cabin for 2 people with a queen bed, small refrigerator, an electric cook top, dishes and a table with 2 chairs. Heated by a wood stove and has back up furnace if temperature goes below 50 degrees. Very cute, cozy, romantic cabin! There are also three 2 bedroom cabins that sleep 4-6 people. NO RUNNING WATER OR BATHROOM IN THE CABINS but there is a very clean, very nice bathroom house with electricity on site. Your cabin rental includes a canoe to use on beautiful Mic Mac Lake. There is no WiFi and this is not a pet friendly campground. It is very peaceful and quiet. We saw deer and rabbits roaming about. Amazing hiking trails near by and very near the shore of Lake Superior. The cabins are reservable and hard to secure as they are in high demand. I gave this campground 5 out of 5 stars because it is amazing!

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!

**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!

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.

Amazing views by the water and while hiking up above it all. Great campsites, visitor center and restrooms up near the campsites. Definitely would go back. We stayed at baptism river campground. Tried once to stay at the cart in sites but had two little kids and a dog and the black flies were horrible.

We stayed at this resort for 4 days and wish we had more time. The smooth pebble beach is fantastic. Our dogs loved running up and down the beach and playing on the shore. We took a day trip and walked North on the Gitchi Gami State Trail and visited Temperance River Falls and Hidden Falls.

Love this park. Great cart in sites. Convenient rest stop office. You will need to grab wood and with some sites, like G, waterfront is not easily accessible or kid friendly. Site G is an extremely steep climb down. We had to harness the dogs and it took two of us to lower them down. That being said, it has a private beach when you get down. Bring the bucket and the water filter. This site is fully covered. Plenty of tree coverage against the lake and elements. It has a bear box, table, and fire pit. The bathroom is close.

This 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.

I camped at the Baptism campground with my mom and our dogs. The state park is simply beautiful. And so is the campground. The sites are all very private. Some have electricity, some are without. There are even some walk in campsites. The bathhouse with showers and toilets is very clean. A lot of people had campers so I had the feeling it was not used so much. The walk in sites had little vault toilets in the parking lot. From the campground you have the choice of several hiking trails and access to 2 waterfalls. You can also park at the visitor center and enter hiking trails from there. They have a very nice gift shop. Firewood can also be purchased. There are a lot if cool things around the park as well like Split Rock Lighthouse or Gooseberry Falls. I would definitely camp here again. It was a great experience.

This is one of the most beautiful campgrounds in northern Minnesota along the glorious shores of Lake Superior.  The campsites are surrounded by plenty of wilderness to allow some privacy.  There is a wonderful newly built visitors center with wonderful interpretive displays.  You can hike some really great trails to beautiful waterfalls.  This is Minnesota in all it's glory

Camped over Labor Day weekend September 2020. Campsite #27. Dog-friendly. No cell service. Can't drive your car right into the campsite but there is a dedicated parking spot about 30' up small incline from campsite. Campsite was very spacious; we had a large 6-person tent and could easily have fit another 1-2 small tents. Picnic table and fire pit with grate at site. Not too close but close enough to potable water, dumpsters, and toilets. Right on the lake with walk-in access. Only drawback was that it wasn't super private - we could hear and sort of see our neighbors in site #28. Would be fun to book sites #27 and #28 for a family or group of friends though. Plenty of shade, beautiful views, easy access to canoeing, fishing, and hiking.

Scoped out rest of campground and with exception of a couple kind of small or sparse-looking sites, all sites looked really nice. Overall a wonderful camping experience in the Boundary Waters area.

All campsites are hike-in, with the closest being about a mile in. Pack light. This was my first solo backpacking camping trip (also first with a 6 month old GSP) and the pack in was fine but hiking out I definitely learned that I over packed.

I stayed at Campsite #8 which was beautiful, serene and right next to the Manitou river, so easy access for water filtering and for the dog to drink. There is a very nice fire pit with grill rack, although no bear pole and not very many tress that you can get your food up in easily. There are two perfect trees to hang a hammock right near the tent flat area.

We didn't see much for wildlife, except for a few birds, although there was some wolf poop in our site.

Overall a great place for a solo hiking trip. There weren't as many views of lake superior as I thought there might be. Although, I would like to go back and continue to follow the river all the way to the shore, or at least see if that's possible.

We have been rained on and snowed on but there are no bugs! Camping in October in Northern Minnesota is a great time of year and the fall colors are out of this world! Fall Lake is on the edge of the Boundary Waters and has easy access to it.

The Boundary waters north of Ely Minnesota do not disappoint. Rugged portages and untamed nature!!! It’s absolutely beautiful. If you are going during the summer months BRING BUG SUITS!!!!