Campgrounds at Lake Superior, Minnesota

Lake Superior is the largest, coldest, and deepest of the five Great Lakes of North America. Superior is also the largest lake in the world by surface area. Lake Superior is bordered on its north shore by Minnesota and Canada, and on its south shore by Wisconsin. While the lake is too cold to swim in, even in summer, ice climbers flock to the Minnesota side of Lake Superior in the winter to climb numerous frozen waterfalls, and boaters enjoy sailing on the lake in summer and winter. As a popular recreation spot, the North Shore has numerous private and public campgrounds.

Split Rock Lighthouse State Park

Several state parks dot the North Shore of Lake Superior, and all have numerous campgrounds. Split Rock Lighthouse State Park, 48 miles northeast of Duluth, has 20 sites that are walk in or cart in, as well as four backpack only sites and two kayak-in sites. The sites are open from mid-May to mid-October. Some of the sites have showers and flush toilets, while some have pit toilets. The park sells ice and firewood to campers. Reservations can be made by calling the hotline at 866-85-PARKS.

Split Rock Lighthouse State Park
3755 Split Rock Lighthouse Road
Two Harbors, MN 55616
(218) 226-6377
dnr.state.mn.us/state_parks/split_rock_lighthouse/index.html

Tettegouche State Park

Tettegouche State Park, 58 miles northeast of Duluth, has 28 drive-to sites, 13 cart-in sites that are up to .6 miles in from the parking area, six walk-in sites, and five backpack sites, and five kayak sites. The main Baptism River site is open from mid-April to mid-October, and has flush toilets and showers. Tettegouche Camp, a three mile hike-to site on the shores of Mic Mac Lake, has cabin camping that is open year round, and is one of two state parks that maintains heated shower and restroom facilities for winter campers (the other is Gooseberry).

Tettegouche State Park
5702 Highway 61
Silver Bay, MN 55614
(218) 226-6365
dnr.state.mn.us/state_parks/tettegouche/index.html

Superior National Forest

Superior National Forest is partially located on the shores of Lake Superior, and is one of the few places in the continental U.S. where wolves still can be seen. The forest comprises 6,100 mi, of which 695 of that is water only. You can camp anywhere in Superior National Forest, experiencing true wilderness camping off a hiking trail, as long as you follow regulations on fires and bury waste at least 150 from water sources. There are several backcountry campsites in the forest that have a firegrate and pit toilet, such as the Superior Hiking Trail site on the 205-mile Superior Hiking Trail, which follows Lake Superior's shoreline from Two Rivers to the Canadian borer.

Superior National Forest
8901 Grand Avenue Place
Duluth, MN 55808
(218) 626-4300
fs.fed.us/r9/forests/superior/contact/

Article Written By Candace Horgan

Candace Horgan has worked as a freelance journalist for more than 12 years. Her work has appeared in various print and online publications, including the "Denver Post" and "Mix." Horgan holds a Bachelor of Arts in English and history.

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