Established Camping
Pokegama Dam Campground
About
US Army Corps of Engineers
Mississippi River Headwaters - Pokegema Lake
Overview
Pokegama Dam Campground (USACE) is situated in the heart of northern Minnesota's lake country next to the Mississippi River. Popular activities include boating, fishing, picnicking and wildlife viewing.
Recreation
The Mississippi River offers great opportunities for boating and fishing. Anglers will find Walleye, Northern Pike, Blue gills, sunfish, Large and Small mouth Bass among other species. Birders enjoy viewing Bald eagles, loons, ducks, geese and many other species from the banks of the park.
Facilities
The campground, pronounced "po-KEG-uh-muh," offers 19 electric back in sites, two primitive tent-only sites (non-electric) and one day-use picnic shealter with electric. Amenities include flush toilets, showers, drinking water, a dump station, boat ramp, playground and a fish cleaning station.
Natural Features
A forest of mixed hardwoods and towering red pines cover the area, housing an abundance of wildlife including bald eagles, porcupines, black bears chipmunks and many others. Wild blackberries, raspberries, and blueberries grow seasonally on the forest floor.
Nearby Attractions
Judy Garland Museum, Forest History Center, Itasca County historical Society, Childerns Discovery Museum, Tioga Beach, Mesabi Bike Trail
Access
- Drive-InPark next to your site
- Walk-InPark in a lot, walk to your site.
- Hike-InBackcountry sites.
- Boat-InSites accessible by watercraft.
Stay Connected
- WiFiUnknown
- VerizonGood
- AT&TGood
- T-MobileUnknown
Site Types
- Tent Sites
- RV Sites
- Standard (Tent/RV)
- Group
Features
For Campers
- Trash
- Phone Service
- Drinking Water
- Electric Hookups
- Toilets
- Alcohol
- Pets
- Fires
For Vehicles
- Sanitary Dump
- Big Rig Friendly
Right on the Mississippi
Small campground, large sites with electric, tables and fire grills. Nice restrooms!
We used our Senior National Park pass for 1/2 of $26. Sweet deal!!
You can walk over the dam to a short walking path along the river.
Lots of choices to eat, drink and be merry in Grand Rapids!
Forestry History Center was great! History of logging in the area and we saw a draft horse pulling logs for demonstration.
Pokegama Dam Campground
Sites are level gravel pads. On the water sites have no beach shoreline lots of cattails. Highway noise is constant and Trains go by often all hours of the day.
Great parking lot for travel vans. Free hot showers. Clean.
An extremely safe and pleasant location. You can either use the paid campground or stay in the parking lot, say if you had a sprinter travel van or some such thing. Alternatively if you are tent camping there are a couple nearly hidden campsites that you can use for free right by the canoe landing. A large part of the year clean showers are available and are free! although this fact is not publicized and at certain times of the year they are put under code for campground use only. I find that most the time they are open. A bathroom is attached each shower and can be locked from the inside making it great for a couple to use the facilities efficiently together. This is a one-of-a-kind place that does not exist much anymore. Free shower free camping clean bathroom , great walking trails, Great spot to fish. For a stop alongside the highway it has it all.
Location
Pokegama Dam Campground is located in Minnesota
Directions
From Grand Rapids, Minnesota, take Highway 2 west for 2 miles, turn left at signs and follow to campground.
Address
34385 US HWY 2
Grand rapids, MN 55744-9663
Coordinates
47.25 N
93.5833333 W