- Cloquet Valley State Forest
The best cabins in Cloquet Valley State Forest, MN
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Read millions of real reviews from campers like you—so you know what to expect.Top-rated campgrounds near Cloquet Valley State Forest
Kick Back Tiny Shack
Kick Back Tiny Shack
100%
(11)
13mi from Cloquet Valley State Forest · 1 site
About this space
The "Kick Back Tiny Shack" has a queen size bed, small futon bed (for a child) along with two single camp cots. This tiny house can sleep up to four people (2-3 most comfortably) depending on your needs. There is a mini fridge with mini freezer along with a mini gas range/oven, microwave, coffee pot and toaster. There is a TV with only local channels available. Wi-Fi is available at nearby restaurants. AT&T works well here; all others are very sketchy. The cabin has a freestanding gas fireplace to keep you cozy and warm. Come prepared to relax. This is a rustic cabin with all amenities so no need to pack up dishes, bedding, towels, etc. (bring sleeping bag and pillow for anything other than the queen size bed.) The kitchen is fully stocked with your basic cooking and dining essentials. If you don't want to do dishes you are welcome to bring your own paper plates, etc. Coffee, Salt, pepper, dish soap and hand soap, toilet paper and one roll of paper towels provided. There is no running water, but you will be supplied with an electric pump faucet with 10 gallons of water for the kitchen sink for doing dishes, etc. There is also a pump faucet for the outhouse sink. You can heat water on the stove with the pot supplied. In addition, 1 gallon of drinking water will be supplied also. There is a heated outhouse next to the cabin which has a shower stall in which you can shower with an electric pump shower, 120 gallons of water and on demand water heater. Towels are provided and if you need more water, you can contact us, and we can refill at our home which is located next door. Please allow notice in case we are not home at the time. The contact information will be provided with your booking confirmation. You have your own private yard on our 6 acres with a BBQ pit in the summer months, firepit and grill off of the back deck year-round. If you chose to bring a four-wheeler, canoe, boat or snowmobile there is plenty of parking space depending on the quantity. Snowmobiles & side by sides are available for rent 3 miles up the road from the cabin. Come and unwind or explore the many wonders that the Northwoods has to offer! The interior of the cabin is newly refinished. The exterior will be improved as time goes by.
Toilets
Showers
Campfires
from
$100
/ night
North Shore Hermitage
North Shore Hermitage
100%
(12)
24mi from Cloquet Valley State Forest · 2 sites
Relax on a secluded and beautiful hobby farm in the North Woods while you spend your days exploring Lake Superior's North Shore or popping into Duluth or Two Harbors for all they have to offer! 20 acres of woods, pasture, and trails greet you as you enjoy one of North Shore Hermitage's comfy accommodations as your basecamp. Walk or bike down the quiet gravel road, breathe in the woods and wildflowers, and feel the cool breeze from the largest freshwater lake in the world just down the hill. You're four minutes to Scenic highway 61, six minutes from the beaches of Lake Superior, ten minutes to the grocery store in Duluth, fifteen minutes to Two Harbors, and zero seconds to the relaxing getaway you're looking for!
Our family loves welcoming people to the unending beauty of the North Shore and helping folks experience what we get to live every day! Whether you're here for a week to to take in the shore, hike, bike, swim, fish, sail, rock hunt, cross country ski, snowshoe, run the marathon, birdwatch, surf (yes, that's a thing), shop, watch the sled dog races, enjoy a music festival, see Bentleyville, and relax OR you need a short stopover on your way farther "up the shore," North Shore Hermitage is the perfect place for your trip! We're just far enough "up the shore" to feel on vacation, but close enough to Duluth to have it all. Check out each site for your level of comfort and get ready to enjoy the Hermitage.
Toilets
Showers
Campfires
from
$90
/ night
Balsam Ridge Retreat
Balsam Ridge Retreat
100%
(977)
26mi from Cloquet Valley State Forest · 9 sites
Hello friends! Yes, we are open!!
Thanks for your interest in Balsam Ridge Retreat! As you may know, we've been on pause for several months taking care of my aging mom. She is still with us but we're going to open up for the beautiful winter months!
Many folks that have visited our place refer to it as 'country living in the city'.
We are so blessed to live in this little piece of serenity just inside the city limits of Duluth.
It was once an abandoned house that sat for years, until a friend mentioned to us that it might be going up for sale.
We loved the location and rolled up our sleeves. Twenty years later we still marvel at the beauty around us and can hardly believe that we LIVE here!
Just down the road is a trout stream and just beyond that was a popular farm that attracted many folks to this neighborhood
for hay rides and sleigh rides. The farm has since retired it's horses and closed it's doors to make room for new homes,
but memories live on in the beauty of the open fields. I often imagine the sound of horses and sleigh bells and people singing carols and then warming up around a toasty fire sipping hot cocoa. Some of those memories live on right here at Balsam Ridge (minus the horses). Over the years many groups of folks have enjoyed a sense of community in these back woods no matter the season. Campfires, kids catching frogs, neighborhood campouts, snow picnics, hair-raising toboggan runs, family campouts, spiritual silent retreats, a take-your-breath-away giant swing, and some tales too daring to mention are all part of the fun.
This is why we do what we do. We've been given much, and love to give back. It just wouldn't seem right to keep all this good to ourselves.
Toilets
Campfires
Potable water
from
$69
/ night
Recent reviews from the Hipcamp community
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Emily
December 2025
Weekend Trip to Balsam Ridge Retreat
Amazing stay as always. Can’t wait to come back in January. Perfect hosts, perfect location, and perfect stuga. We love this place!!
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Mirtha
December 2025
Weekend Trip to Balsam Ridge Retreat
My stay was amazing. I love Duluth and wanted to go to Bentleyville and it was a short drive from that plus down town duluth and canal park. Amazing location. It is a wooded area away from the city and people and very quiet. There is beautiful lights lighting the pathways thru out the entire area. Kris and Linda were the nicest hosts I have met, they gave us a lovely tour of all of the sites showed us where everything was and told us to just text if they needed anything. They were both so so nice, welcoming and bubbly. Just the kind of people I like to be around. We had a stove, fridge and heaters to keep us warm as it was really cold but we slept like babies nice and warm with plenty of extra blankets provided by Kris and Linda. They even have a awesome community tent with many chairs and a piano and guitar. They have compost outhouses close by each site and they were easy to use and worked great. They also provided water. It was very magical and peaceful there. I can’t wait to visit again. The entire stay was calm, relaxed and magical during the night time with all of the lights. The swings there are also an absolute blast. If you are considering coming here. I encourage you to go for it. They are wondering hosts and I don’t have a single complaint. Everything was perfect. - Kristian and Mirtha.
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Jonah
November 2025
Weekend Trip to Balsam Ridge Retreat
My wife and I came up for the weekend and stayed in the roost. It was a lovely rustic cabin that kept it's warm during the cold nights. The property was a nice to walk through the trails. The trails are lit at night for comfort. The host were welcoming and wonderful to us during our stay. We tried out the swing and that was a delight. Overall great experience.
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Baron
November 2025
Weekend Trip to Balsam Ridge Retreat
Linda and Chris are two of the most welcoming and caring people. They take the time to make sure your stay is as enjoyable as it possibly could be. From little things like clearly lit trails at night to a very warm cabin to wake up refreshed in. We will definitely come again.
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Abby and Brittany
October 2025
With kids
Fantastic place! Linda and Chris are incredibly kind and hospitable!
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K
Kyle
October 2025
3 nights at Off-Grid Cabin
Great secluded cabin! Perfect for a getaway and great location. There is a bunch of blankets and pillows. Also lots of pots and pans. We loved the fireplace inside and the fire ring outside with the stars! The river was beautiful! Pictures don’t do a justice.
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Claire
October 2025
Weekend Trip to Balsam Ridge Retreat
Super cozy and remote! Loved sharing tight quarters in the fall with my favorite person :)
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Laurie
October 2025
With kids
This was our first time at Balsam Ridge Retreat, but hopefully not the last! It felt very secluded and private, while also super accessible to Duluth. Linda and Chris were excellent hosts, ready with the golf cart to give us a tour and help carry our luggage. They have put a lot of thought into all the various offerings (like the fire pits, lounge by the pond, carpet pool, christmas-lighted trails, bird feeders outside our window), and it's clear they care deeply about making sure their guests enjoy themselves. We felt very comfortable in the Stuga, especially with the help of the heaters. And our ten-year-old loved the "dreamer" and the "screamer," two different swings that live up to their names, one offering a calm swing and the other, an exhilarating soar through the air. We're looking forward to coming back when there's some snow!
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Amanda
October 2025
2 nights at Balsam Ridge Retreat
This hipcamp was so relaxing. There is so much detail in every part of this camp done for each site it is welcoming. Your in a residential area but feel as if you have been transformed to northern woods where there is no one around. Iy is beautifully lit up at night and so many things you see and do. Loved spending time with my daughter canoeing the pond. Eating supper in the outside longe area. With the little stove to keep us warm on those cold nights. Carpet ball was fun! Never played that before. Owls, little red squirrels, just everything is beautiful. Thank You Linda and Chris.
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Kayla
October 2025
2 nights at Balsam Ridge Retreat
Stayed in the Stuga mid October. The cabin and campsite in general surpassed expectations. Was pleasantly surprised with the cozy (adjustable) heat, the in-cabin stove and refrigerator. The community hut by the pond felt very thoughtful and inviting.
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Amy
October 2025
1 night at North Shore Hermitage
This was absolutely more than I anticipated it would be. What a friendly family, amazingly friendly dogs, and welcoming atmosphere. Even the kids help with the guests! We felt very welcome, the firewood was endless, and Molly and her husband have thought of everything. You could need. Everything from an umbrella in case it rains to a toothbrush, just in case you forgot. One. Homemade bread was waiting for us and that was completely a surprise and absolutely wonderful! I can't say enough good things, but this family and this property and this rental is a delight. Very private feeling yet welcoming atmosphere. Thank you!
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Eve
October 2025
Weekend Trip to North Shore Hermitage
We had a wonderful stay! The cabin was comfortable and Molly was so welcoming. We loved meeting her animals (Hank and Stella were the most precious lovely dogs!), enjoying the scenery, and being able to relax and refresh. Everything was perfect! Can’t wait to come again.
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Emily
October 2025
Weekend Trip to Amnicon Adventures & Retreats
I really enjoyed this campsite, it has truly breathtaking views of the lake and you can’t beat a beach fire! It was very peaceful, even with the other cabins being occupied. We ended up arriving later than planned so it was dark, and still the maps, signs, and trails were very easy to follow. The lodge with the showers and sauna is a HUGE bonus. The cabin and outhouse were very well maintained and very clean, my entire group commented their enthusiasm on that. Overall a great spot and I can’t wait to plan another trip back!
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Andrea
October 2025
Weekend Trip to Amnicon Adventures & Retreats
Super cool spot. Everything was clearly set up and clean. The beach alone was worth the stay.
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Dustey
October 2025
Weekend Trip to Balsam Ridge Retreat
This was our second time at Balsam Ridge and our first time at the Stuga. Linda and Chris are exceptional hosts and have fully converted us into Hipcampers.
The Stuga is roomy and comfy, we loved hanging out by the firepit overlooking the pond. Balsam Ridge’s location can’t be beat, it feels very private while in the Hipcamp area but it’s so close to basically anything you might want to do in Duluth.
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Marley
October 2025
Weekend Trip to Balsam Ridge Retreat
We feel right at home every time we visit! We are so grateful for Linda and Chris’ hospitality and warmth. We can’t wait to go back!
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Jeremiah
October 2025
Weekend Trip to North Shore Hermitage
This is an amazing Glamp! A hidden gem for sure! Molly was super nice and informative about the land and places that were close by to visit. Her dogs are really friendly and it was fun to meet the sheep and see Kevin run around! We loved her flower bouquet and enjoyed some fresh produce from the farm. If you're headed up this way, definitely spend some time here. It's very quiet and peaceful. We would stop again! 11 out of 10 stars
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Bailie
October 2025
Weekend Trip to North Shore Hermitage
This site was everything we needed and more. Molly is an amazing host! She really made us feel at home, and made sure we knew and had everything that we needed. Such a fun stay and so much to see near by. We had an amazing time and would definitely come back. Thank you Molly!
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Luke
October 2025
Weekend Trip to Amnicon Adventures & Retreats
This place is just spectacular. It was our second time and we enjoyed it even more this time around! I love how secluded and alone we felt the whole time, having that big beach to ourselves was incredible. Nothing beats having a fire on the shore of Lake Superior with a killer sunset in the background. Can't thank you all enough! See you next time.
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Bobbi
October 2025
With pets
Met Ann when I arrived and she is a very kind and friendly host and was easy to connect with through messenger before the visit. The land is simply beautiful and has a variety of habitats to hike through and you feel at peace in the country but close to Duluth for restaurants and activities.
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