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Unlocking Minnesota's Car Camping Landscape

                                A Series of Outings | Ways to Camp #1 to #5

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The car campground is often stocked with services and amenities, allowing an outdoor experience that remains familiar to your habits at home. Those associated with the most popular parks and lakeshores are busy base camps and home for the whole weekend, or longer. More nomadic adventures are better when linked together with overnights at scenic and comfortable campsites. Some trips are meant to hit the end of a long, unmaintained road - if only for one night.

No matter your style, the Ways of the Car Camper include many benefits. Maximum capacity for toys and equipment. A backup shelter should things hit the fan. Fast and easy access to local area attractions, amenities or resupply runs. An immediate exit strategy.

This series of adventures organizes the Ways of the Car Camper into a sequential order, beginning with the most beginner friendly car camping experience. From the first time camping at a Minnesota state park, then beyond - this guide defines six distinct car camping experiences,  and encourages you to participate in them all.  The reward for achieving a confident and comfortable night outdoors in each of the six Ways to Car Camp is the total unlocking of Minnesota's public land car camping experiences.

Outing #1 A Night, or Weekend in a Modern State Park Campground | Way to Camp #1

  • Full Amenities, High Fee, Reservation, Most People, Most Development

Outing #2 | An Amenity Rich Alternative: A Modern National Forest Campground | Way to Camp # 3

  • Full Amenities, Moderate Fee, No Reservation, More People, More Development

Outing #3 | A 'Rustic' (But All You Really Need) State Forest Campground | Way to Camp # 2

  • Moderate Amenities, Low Fee, No Reservation, More or Less People, Less Development

Outing #4 | Remote & Rustic Superior National Forest Campground | Way to Camp #4

  • Minimal Amenities, No Fee, No Reservation, Less People, Minimal Development

Outing #5 | 'Designated' Dispersed Campsites of Chippewa National Forest  | Way to Camp #4

  • Minimal Amenities, No Fee, No Reservation, No Other People, Minimal or No Development

Outing #6 True Dispersed Car Camping | Way to Camp #5

  • No Amenities, No Fee, No Reservation, No Other People, No Development

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Never been camping before?

​We're going to keep as many comforts as possible on this first one.

Outing #| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 || 6

A Night, or a Weekend in a Modern State Park Car Campground | Way to Camp #1

Full Amenities. High Fee. Reservable.  Most People. Most Development.

Of the 75 state parks and recreation areas across Minnesota 61 of them have modern, developed drive-in car campgrounds.

Managed by the Department of Natural Resources Parks and Trails Division, these campgrounds tend to be what people envision when we mention the word "camping".  ​The most amenity rich, and most highly developed campgrounds are going to be those 'destination' or 'core' state parks that are designed to accomodate large, high density groups of participants. High use creates high impact and the immediate surroundings will be less natural. This is campground camping. 

Well distributed across the state, and these three recommendations are in closer proximity to the Twin Cities but well worth a little road trip.

Interstate | State Park

  • 37  drive-in campsites (22 with electricity)

    • A scenic and spacious campground tucked between the river and rocky bluffs.​

    • Campground access to St. Croix River paddling.

    • Hiking trails on basalt bluffs and along cliffs, with unique ancient geology.

    • Down the street from Taylor's Falls amenities.

William O. Brien | State Park

  • Riverway Campground: 60 drive-in campsites (37 with electricity)

    • Shaded but open and airy, less private.

    • Great access to St. Croix River paddling, swimming and wading.

  • Savanna Campground 54 drive-in campsites (34 with electricity)

    • Fairly well screened with brush for privacy and not too dense.​

    • Some sites have a wide open wetland stargazing opportunity adjacent.

Whitewater| State Park

  • 148  drive-in campsites (87 with electricity)

    • Minneiska: Removed from river.

    • Upper Cedar Hill: Spacious sites, well spaced, shady but airy. 

    • Lower Cedar Hill: A handful of sites are close enough to hear the running water.​

  • 6 walk-in campsites

    • Running water can be heard from walk-in sites.​

  • Hike craggy terrain of The Driftless region.

  • Fish for trout in Whitewater River.

Modern Minnesota State Parks:

Approach |​ Minnesota State Parks

There are three categories of Minnesota state park; destination, core and rustic. The most amenity rich, and most highly developed campgrounds are going to be the destination or core state park campgrounds that are designed to accomodate large, high density groups of participants. High use creates high impact and the immediate surroundings will be less natural. This is campground camping. There is a difference in vibes between the largest destination parks campgrounds, smaller core state parks and those in the rustic class, but only two state parks do not have bathrooms with running water; Franz Jevne and Scenic.

Best Use: Set up a weekend base camp. Include lounging, cooking, eating and drinking stations. It won't be quiet and private anyways, so invite family and friends. Bring activities. Have a bike or a kayak. Plan to leave your campsite to explore adjacent park features, trail systems and other programming. Maybe take a drive to nearby points of attraction before returning to a robust camp. 

​​

  • Located in the 'front country' and broadly accessible off of main, paved roads.

  • Supported, by resident campground host, local law enforcement and park staff at a campground office or visitors center.

  • Close proximity to park's attractions, recreation facilities and programming. 

  • Communal, with many shared spaces (bathrooms, drinking water, playgrounds, beaches, etc.)​

    • Not very private.​

​​

  • Not a place for solitude. Lots of these campgrounds have tent sites adjacent to each other in open areas with direct sight lines to each other.

  • Not a place for quiet, despite the existence of 'quiet hours'. 

 A campout in the state parks... complete. 

That was comfortable?

Let’s keep the modern amenities of a developed car campground… but head deeper into the northwoods and avoid the heavy competition of the state park reservation system.

Outing #| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 || 6

An Amenity Rich Alternative: A Modern National Forest Car Campground | Way to Camp #3

Full Amenities. High Fee. No Reservation.  Many People. Much Development.

Our two national forests are managed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture with a 'multiple-use' mission; to balance commercial resource extraction, nature and resource conservation or preservation and robust outdoor recreation development. ​

Superior National Forest is a 3.9 million acreage of mixed conifer-hardwood forest punctuated by ancient bedrock exposures and pristine lakes. This vast swath of the Minnesota Arrowhead is home to the Iron Range, the Boundary Waters Wilderness Area and 23 national forest car campgrounds with 597 campsites

Chippewa National Forest is 666 thousand acres of sopping wet north central conifer-hardwood forests, wetlands and recreational waters. It hosts several of the state's largest lakes, the source of the Mississippi River and 21 national forest campgrounds with 660 campsites

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The vast majority of national forest car campgrounds are more rustic, lacking some modern amenities (see Outing #3).

Here on Outing #2, there are a handful of national forest car campgrounds with fully modern amenities.

  • Superior: Fall Lake Campground, South Kawishiwi Campground, Whiteface Reservoir Campground

  • Chippewa: Norway Beach Campground (Chippewa Loop has electricity).

CHIPPewa National Forest

  • Norway Beach (Wanaki Loop)

  • 37  drive-in campsites

  • Chippewa Loop offers electric sites

  • No showers.

Superior| National Forest

  • Fall Lake

    • all modern amenities​

    • high demand, some first come first served

  • vegetated and well screened privacy between sites

Superior| National Forest

  • South Kawishiwi

    • some electric​

    • no showers

Modern National Forests in Minnesota:

Approach |​ National Forests in Minnesota

​The U.S. Forest Service within the Department of Agriculture manages national forest lands for harvesting timber and preventing forest fires, as well as developing infrastructure and access to outdoor recreation. Unlike a national park, or the National Park Service, the Forest Service's investment in public recreation amenities is moderated in comparison. Amazing camping experiences are to be had in the national forests, through more rustic means than the heavy development of state and national parks.

Best Use: Set up a robust weekend campsite basecamp. Secure your campsite and leave it for day trips, driving to nearby trailheads or points of attraction - though these features are significantly more limited than typical state parks. The national forests are best used to support seasonal mushroom and berry pickings, or with a boat of somekind. Boating, fishing and paddling are almost always directly accessible from these campgrounds.

  • Not a place for solitude. Lots of these campgrounds have tent sites adjacent to each other in open areas with direct sight lines to each other.

  • Not necessarily quiet, despite the existence of 'quiet hours'. ​​

  • Fewer to none specific points of attraction, entertainment or programming.

    • The forest, lakes, rivers and maybe nearby hiking trails invite you to structure your own activities and interpretation.​

  • Supported; by resident campground host, local law enforcement and park staff at a campground office or visitors center.

  • Modern national forest campgrounds are 'front country' accessible, but many are more remote drives - perhaps even on unpaved roads.

  • A campground; with many communal amenties (bathrooms, drinking water, playgrounds, beaches, etc.)

 Outing 2... complete. 

Can you be comfortable without electricity, flush toilets and hot showers...

especially if it means a smaller campground with less people?

Outing #| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 || 6

“Rustic” but All you Really Need, State Forest Car Campground | Way to Camp #3

Minimal Amenities. Low Fee. No Reservation. Some People. Minimal Development.

Unlike state parks, our state forests and their campgrounds are geographically concentrated to the forested regions of Minnesota. They are absent from the western and southern prairie counties. But elsewhere, they range from eastern deciduous Big Woods biome to the coniferous boreal forests of the North. 

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources manages state forest lands with a 'multiple-use' mission. This includes timber harvest for state revenue, conserving wildlife habitat and water quality as well as outdoor recreation - from hunting and fishing to camping and paddling.  There is less development of infrastructure and amenities than most state parks, appropriately. 

For this next trip, if you can become comfortable and satisfied with the amenities of a “rustic” or “primitive” campsite (by state park standards) you’ll be unlocking the core car camping experience and greatest number of campsites on Minnesota's public lands.​ This campground description applies to:

  • all of 22 state forest car campgrounds,

  • almost all fee car campgrounds in the Superior and Chippewa National Forests.

  • the Minnesota state parks designated as 'rustic', which include;

    • Beaver Creek Valley, Carley, Charles A. Lindbergh, Franz Jevne, George Crosby Manitou, Greenleaf, Judge C.R. Magney, Kilen Woods, Lake Louise, Monson Lake, Old Mill and Schoolcraft.

Finland| State Forest

  • Eckbeck, in Finland State Forest

    • 31 drive-in campsites​

    • A semi wooded peninsula surrounded by a loop of the Baptism River. 

    • Outer ring sites are well-spaced apart, even though broad sight lines don't allow lots of privacy.

  • A very close base camp to Highway 61 and exploring along the North Shore of Lake Superior.

Kabetogama| State Forest

  • Woodenfrog Campground

    • 59 rustic drive-in campsites​

      • Very wooded, well-screened vegetation for privacy. ​

      • A peninsula surrounded by huge lake, but no open views or sightlines from campsites.

  • This state forest campground offers a car camp base for exploring the mainland amenities of Voyageur's National Park, who doesn't offer any car campgrounds of their own. 

Richard J. Dorer| State Forest

  • Kruger

State Forests in Minnesota:

Approach |​ State Forests in Minnesota

​Best Use: ​Comfortable overnight pit stops. In a few places (the North Shore, southeast, along the St. Croix) these campgrounds can make a quality multi-day basecamp for exploring the surrounding area. Otherwise, these campgrounds serve very well as a one night stay while road tripping the state or entering and exiting boundary waters paddling trips. 

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  • Accessible, but often on unpaved gravel roads and lots. 

    • Many are in large areas of state forest, and reasonably remote from town or city services. ​

  • Unlikely to have any staff support. No resident campground host. Patrols by agency staff or local law enforcement not expected.

  • While a handful of state forest car campgrounds are popular and busy (near the North Shore or St. Croix river), many of them see light demand and light occupancy. ​​

  • No programming or specific points of attraction. Generate your own activities, education and entertainment.

  • Minimal development of recreation infrastructure.​​​​

    • A boat launch or landing at nearby lakes of rivers is common.

    • Hiking trails and systems are less present or less maintained.

 Outing 3... complete. 

So, you’re comfortable with ‘rustic’ amenities. You've gained confidence in skills and equipment.

Are you ready for a bit more wild, natural and remote setting? How about we do that. And do it for free.

Outing #| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 || 6

A Free Night in the Superior National Forest, Rustic and Remote | Way to Camp #4

Minimal Amenities. No Fee. No Reservation. Few People. Minimal Development.

One of the better kept secrets in all of Minnesota public land camping are to be experienced on this outing.

 

The Superior National Forest maintains 18 rustic campgrounds with drive-in car campsites. They only include a few of the most basic amenities, but are completely free to use. This is an opportunity to explore some of the most wild and remote region of the state

Keep the most necessary comforts of a maintained campsite while exploring the more remote corners of Minnesota. 

Harriet Lake| Rustic

  • 6 campsites total

    • some in more sun or full sun​

    • some more shady

  • These pine barrens feel like western alpine meadows, especially during wildflower blooms. 

  • A lake with dock and boat launch is behind the meadows, but not super close to the campsites.

silver Island Lake| Rustic

  • 8 campsites total

    • metal fire rings with cooking grates​

    • outhouse vault toilet

  • A communal feeling driving loop surrounding a boat launch. 

  • Somewhat partitioned and screened by cedar and spruce. 

  • Site #5 has a personal dock on a stunning, wide open northern lakeview.

Baker Lake| Rustic

  • 5 campsites​

    • metal fire rings with cooking grates.​

    • outhouse vault toilet

    • solar powered potable water

  • The surrounding pine forest feels like old growth. The open subcanopy from on top of a large hill affords glimpses of the surrounding lake. 

  • Wide gravel boat launch on lake, and an entry point into the BWCA.

Rustic Camps in Superior National Forest:

Approach |​ Rustic Campgrounds in Superior N.F.

​Best Use: A secluded, remote and simple retreat. Testing your backcountry camping skills with the security of the car. Some of these make great weekend destinations, and many others function pragmatically as a single night stay while touring.

  • Reasonably accessible, but considered remote.

    • The Forest Roads approaching these campgrounds are well-graded gravel roads but winter weather and severe rain can close them at times.

    • Several have final approaches where minimum maintenance roads offer challenging driving for non AWD vehicles.

  • Unlikely to have any staff support. No resident campground host. Patrols by agency staff or local law enforcement not expected.

  • These are very limited occupancy 'campgrounds'. Sometimes there are only 2, at most there are 8 campsites.

    • Fewer people means less disruption. You may even have the whole place to yourself.

    • Fewer people can also become awkward, if any unlikely conflict arises.

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  • Intended to serve as rustic base camps to access adjacent lakes and rivers. 

    • Most of these have a primitive boat launch and/or dock adjacent to campground. ​

    • Paddling and fishing are typical activities to pursue here. Hiking trails are very limited. No other programming or recreation infrastructure present.

 Outing 4... complete. 

You really want to be dispersed camping? All alone?

 There is one more option before we go completely off the beaten path...

Outing #| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6

'Designated' Dispersed Drive In Campsites in the Chippewa National Forest | Way to Camp #4

Minimal Amenities. No Fee. No Reservation. No Other People. Minimal Development.

Before you head off to true dispersed camping experiences, we have one more unique outing. And an opportunity to explore the other national forest in Minnesota. The Chippewa National Forest maintains a collection of over 30 designated "dispersed" drive-in campsites. The Forest calls these "dispersed" campsites, but they are in specific locations. Why not take the solitude and free nightly rate, and keep a few basic campsite amenities?

battle point| D28

  • Wide open views of Cut Sioux Lake and across Lake Winnibigoshish.

  • But an unattractive shoreline for swimming or wading.

  • Adjacent to a dirt road, but not a busy one.

  • Small space for 1 or 2 tents.

  • Rock fire ring. 

  • No toilet.

Orange Lake| M7

  • A scenic wooded glen with views of little lake. 

  • Good shoreline access to wading or swimming.

  • Picnic table, metal fire ring and pit toilet. 

First River lake| D32

  • A remote and private area of open ground below the pines. 

  • Adjacent and watercraft accessible to the calm and quiet First River, and a scenic viewshed.

  • Rock fire ring, pit toilet, picnic table. 

  • And a tiny makeshift dock.

"Dispersed" in Chippewa National Forest:

Approach |​ Rustic Campgrounds in Chippewa N.F.

This collection of campsites includes sites approachable by car, boat and backpack. Explore them all in greater detail with Minnesota Camp Guide's Chippewa National Forest Guide to (Designated) Dispersed Camping.

Best Use: ​Having a remote and secluded campsite all to yourself. Practicing backcountry camping with the security of the car. Some make great weekend destinations to support boating, paddling and fishing on some of Minnesota's most interesting lakes including Trout, Winnibigoshish and Leech.​

  • Reasonably accessible, but considered remote.

    • The Forest Roads approaching these campgrounds are well-graded gravel roads but winter weather and severe rain can close them at times.

    • Several have final approaches where minimum maintenance roads offer challenging driving for non AWD vehicles.​

  • Unlikely to have any staff support. No resident campground host. Patrols by agency staff or local law enforcement not expected.

  • These are typically individual occupancy campsites. You may still fit multiple tents or vehicles into many of them. 

    • Being alone can be the desire. It can also be a little nervewracking.

    • Folks are unlikely to attempt to share these sites, unless they are ones at boat landings or river access.​​​​​

 

  • Intended to serve as rustic base camps to access adjacent lakes and rivers. 

    • Most of these have a primitive boat launch and/or dock adjacent to campground. ​

    • Paddling and fishing are typical activities to pursue here. Hiking trails are very limited. No other programming or recreation infrastructure present.

 Outing 5... complete. 

That right there? Not a campsite. 

You disagree? Well, go ahead and make your own way...

Outing #| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6

True Dispersed Car Camping in State and National Forests. | Way to Camp #5

No Amenities. No Fee. No Reservation. No Other People. No Development.

Literally, off the beaten path. Despite some confusing language from the Chippewa National Forest, true dispersed camping is the practice of picking and choosing your own individual campsite in the undeveloped areas of our public lands. In Minnesota, and when approaching this by car, this opportunity is acccessed by more than 2,500 miles of roads and thousands of minimally maintained spur roads used for forestry management in our state and national forests. Just to be clear, there is no dispersed camping, no camping outside of designated campsites in state parks, national parks or the BWCA wilderness.

A vehicle with all wheel drive and significant ground clearance will certainly increase your access to these opportunities, and there are many chances to find logging clear cuts, inactive gravel pits and the like to pull over and set up camp, free of charge.

  • Your camp must be 150 feet away from roads, trails, buildings, water bodies and other designated campsites.

  • You are not allowed to park motor vehicles anywhere it may impede traffic, harm vegetation or soils.

  • Minnesota state forests dispersed camping rules.

  • U.S. National Forests in Minnesota have the same rules.

When scouting dispersed camping opportunities, determine the boundaries of private, state forest and national forest land with the DNR's Recreation Compass. The large print national forest maps are a great resource for this task also. 

battle point| D28

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  • Wide open views of Cut Sioux Lake and across Lake Winnibigoshish.

  • But an unattractive shoreline for swimming or wading.

  • Adjacent to a dirt road, but not a busy one.

  • Small space for 1 or 2 tents.

  • Rock fire ring. 

  • No toilet.

Orange Lake| M7

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  • A scenic wooded glen with views of little lake. 

  • Good shoreline access to wading or swimming.

  • Picnic table, metal fire ring and pit toilet. 

First River lake| D32

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  • A remote and private area of open ground below the pines. 

  • Adjacent and watercraft accessible to the calm and quiet First River, and a scenic viewshed.

  • Rock fire ring, pit toilet, picnic table. 

  • And a tiny makeshift dock.

"True" Dispersed Car Camping:

Approach |​ Dispersed Car Camping

​Best Use: Doing something extra adventurous and not spending a dime for it. ​ Creating a base camp for hunting and foraging in deep woods. The quest for a totally unknown and super scenic campsite, all to yourself is a fun one. But, dispersed camping is often the backup plan to the backup plan, if all other campsites you've visited are occupied and the sun is on it's way down. A very pragmatic overnight stay with the intent to continue traveling the next day. 

​​

  • Considered remote. Reasonably accessible, to borderline inaccessible by motor vehicle.

    • Many, if not most forest and fire roads will eventually deteriorate in quality the farther down them you explore. Expect rocks, ruts, pits, ditches, water holes, fallen trees, etc. These places are playgrounds for all-terrain and off highway vehicles after all.

  • ​Lack of water.

    • It's not hard to find a dispersed campsite, but one adjacent to good water access - or a scenic view - is harder than you might think. ​

  • No amenities of any kind.

    • Unless, you move into a spot that's popular with parking hunting season camp trailers and RVs. Then you may find a fire ring and some log furniture left behind.

  • Total solitude.

  • ​Free. 

  • Quite adventurous. 

  • Having "secret" spots is pretty great. 

  • Greater chance for uninterrupted night sky or wildlife encounters. 

☑ Outing 6... complete. 

Conclusion

Congratulations! 

 

Your ability to make camp confidently and comfortably across our public lands system unlocks an incredible outdoor recreation landscape. Consider the possibilities...

 

  • Use state forest campgrounds to avoid competitive reservations or save a little money. 

    • Access Voyageur's National Park from Woodenfrog and Ash River State Forest campgrounds.

    • Explore the Driftless region's Richard J. Dorer State Forest.​

 

  • Explore the vast Arrowhead region and Superior National Forest.

    • If the North Shore state parks are booked, you know how to leverage the inland national forest campgrounds;

    • Car camp right on the edge of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. Find a great overnight stay when kicking off or returning from your paddling trip.

​​

Go Deeper.

It's likely that somewhere along the way, a trail or a piece of water beckons you to leave the car behind. The skills and equipment required to unlock some of these car camping experiences are the exact same backcountry camping skills required to leave the front country roads and trailheads for even greater public land access in Minnesota.

  • Unlocking Minnesota's Backpack Camping Landscape

  • Unlocking Minnesota's Paddle Camping Landscape

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Happy Camping.

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