Chippewa National Forest

Ahh, beachfront living… even if only for a few days. If you stay at the Cass Lake Loop campground, you’ll be one step closer to living your lakefront dreams. There’s no shortage of sandy, forested shoreline to call your own out here, making this lovely locale the perfect place for some fun on the water. You’ll also be conveniently situated close t Read more...

A mere 500 feet from the shores of Cass Lake, you’ll find the Norway Beach campground. A dense forest of red and white keeps the area cool and calm – a perfect contrast to the bustling, active lake. If you don’t have your own boat, find a friend with one, ASAP. The best part of Cass Lake is the fishing, boating, and swimming. You won’t want to mis Read more...

Star Island is one of Cass Lake’s best features—and you can only reach it by boat! Fittingly, it’s shaped like a star, and there are more than eight miles of shoreline to explore, and six miles of trails that take hikers through the best of the island’s landscapes. There’s a developed campground on the island, but if you’d rather rough it, then we Read more...

If you want to channel your inner Tom Sawyer and amble on down the mighty Mississippi, then Knutson Dam’s campground could be your perfect base camp. Every single campsite within this shady, well-kept oasis has excellent views of the lake, and the lake gives campers easy peasy access to the Mississippi River. So go ahead, set off on your own adven Read more...

Bring the entire family on over to Cass Lake’s southern shores for some good old-fashioned fun on the water. Bigger isn’t always better, but Cass Lake is the largest of the eight lakes that make up the Cass Lake Chain of Lakes. Thanks to the variety of activities to enjoy, bigger is pretty dang wonderful in this case. If spending all of that time Read more...

You’ll have boatloads of campsites to choose from on Cass Lake. So, bring the boat on over and spend a few nights at the Wanaki Loop campground. Cass Lass is a large, striking lake, and this campground will put you right near the best of it. If you’re lucky you’ll be able to grab a site with views of the lake. If you’re really lucky, you’ll get a Read more...

South Pike Bay Campground is another fabulous option when it comes to finding waterlogged adventure on Cass Lake. The mixed hardwood forest provides ample shade and ambiance, but the real gems of this spot are the campsites right on the heavenly, sandy beach. It’s the sort of place that just begs for you to sit back, relax, and enjoy the finer thi Read more...

Before we begin, let’s try some tongue twisters—say “Lake Winnibigoshish” ten times fast. Pretty tricky, right? Well, thankfully, practicing that pronunciation will be the most difficult part of your camping trip. This remote slice of paradise is in the middle of the Chippewa National Forest on the western shores of Lake Winnibigoshish, and you’ll Read more...

Tamarack Point is as scenic as campgrounds get. The campground hangs out on top of the tall bluffs above Lake Winnibigoshish (aka Lake Winnie) and provides campers with some downright incredible views of the lake and the forest. But, there’s one catch—it’s only open from May 1st until right after 4th of July. So, gather your best buds and make tho Read more...

Does the name “Leech Lake” sound like a fun place to spend some time outside? Trick question… it totally is a great place to get away from it all. Leech Lake is downright stunning, it’s the third-largest lake in all of Minnesota, and the Stony Point Campground will put you right by the best of what this magical place has to offer. The campground i Read more...

A mere ten miles south of Blackduck, Minnesota, along county and forest roads, you’ll come across the Webster Lake Campground. This small camping area gives visitors easy access to the lovely Webster Lake, but the biggest draw of all is it’s proximity to endless hiking trails. Happy campers will even be close to six miles of hunter walking trails, Read more...

If you like gorgeous forest scenery (and who doesn’t?) then Deer Lake Campground could be your next camping hotspot. The campground is right on the shores of Cut Foot Sioux Lake, and there are two loops to choose from. Both the North and South loops are covered in trees, which make for some great bird watching territory. Try to spot osprey and bal Read more...

Okay, so let’s get the nitty gritty out of the way—this small gem of a campground is only open for a mere 28 days. Yup, you read that right! If you want to camp here, you’ve gotta go in May. And, you’ll definitely want to hit this place up, because it has some of the best wildlife viewing in the entire National Forest. You could hang out with whit Read more...

You’ll have everything you need for a delightful Minnesota camping trip at East Seelye Bay. There’s a swimming beach and boat ramp, which give you access to the pristine shores of Big Cut Foot Sioux Lake. But, the biggest draw just might be the nearby Cut Foot Sioux National Recreation Trail. This particular trail is a true gem, meandering through Read more...

If you want to camp in a truly unique area, you’ve gotta come on down to the Cut Foot Experimental Forest. What the heck is an experimental forest, you ask? Great question! It’s essentially an outdoor laboratory that’s used for studying pine forest management. As connoisseurs of the great outdoors, we think that’s a pretty groovy thing. Because th Read more...

You roll up to Williams Narrows and get settled in to your campsite. You stroll down to Cut Foot Sioux Lake and take a deep breath of fresh, forest air before deciding what you’ll do with your day. It’s a tough decision. You could go boating, try your hand at muskie fishing, go on a nature stroll, hang out at the beach, go berry picking… man, the Read more...

If you want to explore the epicenter of the gorgeous Chippewa National Forest, Onegume Campground is one of your many, many excellent options. There are three loops to choose from, and some sites are even right next to the lake. Every single site has tons of shade and privacy, which is perfect on those hot summer days (although it won’t help much Read more...

Decisions are tough. Let’s ponder an example—where should you camp? On Little Big Cut Foot Sioux Lake, or on Big Cut Foot Sioux Lake? Ugh, such a touch choice! Well, there’s no need to fret, because you can have it all at Mosomo Point. This little cove is full of peace, quiet, and splendidly tranquil tree cover (which makes for some wonderfully sh Read more...

If you’re craving some time at the beach, North Star is the place for you and your camping buddies. Every single campsite is an easy walk to the sandy swimming beach, and some of the sites even overlook North Star Lake. There are lots of sheltered, calm bays on this large lake, making it a great spot for fishing or flatwater paddling. You’ll enter Read more...

Which way to the beach? Well, when you’re camping at Mabel Lake, it’ll never be very far! If you can tear yourself away from the pristine, soft, and sandy beach, you’ll find plenty of other fun, too. The forest that engulfs the area is teeming with wildlife—take a stroll through the nearby North Country Trail, or paddle along the Boy River to see Read more...

Do you want to feel like the forest is hugging you? Well then, the campsites at Noma Lake fits the bill. Paper birches and white pine surround this picturesque little hideaway, and you’ll be super close to the lake. And while we’re on the topic of the lake… this small, but fairly deep, lake has something for everyone. As long as everyone wants to Read more...

Fun fact: the campground is situated off of Highway 38, which was the first ever National Scenic Byway in the entire country. How’s that for history? It’s known as the “Edge of the Wilderness,” and we already know that you’ll be enchanted by the red and white pine trees that cover the entire area. Once you arrive, you’re in for even more scenic su Read more...