Hello everyone - I stumbled on this site today while planning a summer trip and it's been a great resource already. I'm hoping the community can give me a few ideas to help make my first trip this summer a successful one. Here's a little background on our situation:

- Group is me, wife, 3 kids ages 13-16 and a dog
- 4 nights/5 days end of June right before July 4th
- Pulling popup camper and looking for a decent campground. Electric nice to have but not necessary
- Access to a hot shower is important
- Looking at entering from GM
- Would like to spend one day hiking
- Canoeing will be day trip only, so a good location that we can see several different lakes would be awesome

Any thoughts on a good campground location for a base camp would be appreciated. Thanks!

Fall Lake Campground. has hook ups not sure about showers.

Blatz: "Fall Lake Campground. has hook ups not sure about showers. "

Fall Lake is nowhere near Grand Marais. ;-)

I grew up doing what you describe, minus the hot shower. Here are some of my suggestions in no particular order:

1. Flour Lake – https://www.recreation.gov/camping/campgrounds/232429
Keep a clean campsite ...

2. East Bearskin Lake – https://www.recreation.gov/camping/campgrounds/233165
Ditto.

2. Trails End – https://www.recreation.gov/camping/campgrounds/232428
Showers and other amenities available here from commercial operators in the area, plus an eye-opening look at the consequences of wildfires.

Fall Lake campground would by my recommendation also.. they do have showers..

Perhaps pricier than Fall Lake but look at Canoe Country Outfitters who have a base on Moose Lake. Showers, sauna, restrooms with flush toilets, laundry, store, and of course canoes and motor boats to rent. Puts Louisa Falls within a day trip if you want to go to Quetico. Trails for hiking nearby. And a good family run business offering knowlegable tips for fishing and canoe trips.

Sorry, didn’t see the Grand Marais preference... but if you decide Ely... Fall Lake is awesome

Some of the best campgrounds up there on the nicest lakes are rustic, meaning no plumbing, hot showers or electric. If you change your mind about that both Two Island Lake and Crescent Lake are top notch places. Flour Lake is also a great place but no showers.

If electric and plumbing are a must I would encourage you to check out some of the North Shore (Lake Superior) state parks which offer those conveniences. Many of them offer great scenery and some good hiking and lakes abound nearby if you want to drop the canoe in somewhere.

Otherwise I would encourage you to consider the Ely area which offers Fall Lake campground and Bear Head lake State Park with full facilities. Both these and the North Shore campgrounds fill up fast though so I would encourage a reservation somewhere before it is too late. Good Luck.

Sawbill Lake might be a good compromise. The campground is right on an entry point lake and there would be several good day trips from there. The campground does not have power, but Sawbill Outfitters is right there and they have showers. Along the road from Tofte to Sawbill I recall seeing a trailhead for some hiking. And Sawbill Lake it about an hour from GM. I have stayed there several times and it's a good location and the people at Sawbill Outfitters are top notch.

Cascade River State Park is a great campground that we used when our kids were teenagers. They do have showers, electric is an option for a bit extra. Lots of great hiking in the Park. The Cascade Restaurant is right there. From there you can drive to Grand Marais and to nearby lakes for paddling and fishing. Hungry Jack and Two Island were a couple of favorites. Seagull is another great choice if you want to go that far. We really enjoyed that plan. You will need to reserve ahead.

Thanks everyone for the suggestions. We have camped several forest service campgrounds before with some success when we were out in Colorado and Wyoming, so it sounds like we have a few manageable options.

One of my objectives is to stay far enough away from cell service so that my wife and kids have to leave social media behind for a few days and enjoy real life communication. Sounds like this should be easily accomplished!

WHendrix: "Sawbill Lake might be a good compromise. The campground is right on an entry point lake and there would be several good day trips from there. The campground does not have power, but Sawbill Outfitters is right there and they have showers. Along the road from Tofte to Sawbill I recall seeing a trailhead for some hiking. And Sawbill Lake it about an hour from GM. I have stayed there several times and it's a good location and the people at Sawbill Outfitters are top notch."

I was thinking Sawbill too, but didn't know about their electric situation. Definitely no cell service and not too far from Grand Marais. Can rent canoe and put in right from the campground and paddle Sawbill and portage if you want in multiple directions to other lakes.

There are hiking trails along the Sawtooth Mtns that you drive by or near on the way from the lake shore up the Sawbill Trail (the road) to the campground.

Sawbill x 2. No electricity and you pay for the showers but it is a beautiful campground, has a store, and a full service outfitter. Lot of possibilities for day trips.

+Up the Gunflint Trail (County Rd #12)--Entering from Grand Marais.
+Hot Showers (included with campsite)
+Family Friendly
+Hiking Trials
+Several lakes near & adjacent to explore, fish, paddle.
+Shallow swim area behind the lodge for small ones.
+Downstairs lounge/patio makes great burgers, too.
+Pet Friendly
Connectivity may be an issue. :-)
You guys would be a happy fit at Hungry Jack Lodge & Cabins. HERE
Call Forest (owner) to reserve a campsite.

edit: it's not the boonies at HJL but relative solitude is not far away. Rose Lake staircase is a must-do, as is Honeymoon Bluff hike.

Would also recommend Sawbill Lake Campground. Several day trip options from that campground. You can paddle to the north end of Sawbill and get that wilderness feel. You will see other paddlers. There is a wi-fi antenna located at the Sawbill Outfitter's store entrance for making calls but not sufficient for lengthy online surfing. No elec at sites but it's quiet. Clean pit-toilet cinder block restrooms. Centrally located water spigots in the campground. Hot water showers w/towel for $4.50 at the store area. About 2.5 hours drive from Sawbill Lake to reach any put-ins up the Gunflint area, should you have your hopes for the Gunflint. Just before 4th July is perfect timing.

walllee: "Sorry, didn’t see the Grand Marais preference... but if you decide Ely... Fall Lake is awesome"

Me either, must have glossed over the GM

stubborn1: "on:
- Pulling popup camper and looking for a decent campground. Electric nice to have but not necessary
- Access to a hot shower is important
- Looking at entering from GM
- Would like to spend one day hiking
- Canoeing will be day trip only, so a good location that we can see several different lakes would be awesome

Any thoughts on a good campground location for a base camp would be appreciated. Thanks!"

Trail's End- while it is too far from GM to day trip there if its raining- there's enough to do up there and a place to eat if you want. We've seen black bears and moose from the trails end campground.

Day hike to Magnetic rock. Also-a much shorter but well worth trip- is Honeymoon Bluff. Right across from Flour Campground (which is another good one- but takes second behind Trails end)

Day paddle- Seagull has plenty to see, but can get rough. We've done day trips from Trails End onto Seagull and up to Grandpa lake- enough there to get the experience. Also portaged into Moss then to Duncan. Moss isn't inside the boundary- but is a secluded lake.

Hungry Jack Lodge has electrical hookup and showers. You can access west bearskin lake, which has a couple different boundary water entry points. I think Leo Lake has an entry point also. I’ve camped there before, it’s a really nice place.

Based on all the feedback, we are going to give Sawbill a shot. It looks like a good balance of everything we are looking for. The site is reserved and now we can start thinking about what to do during our trip. Thanks for the help.

Sawbill is great. You will have lots of choices for canoeing daytrips right from the campground. West you have Alton and Kelso. East you have the fire lakes. And exploring the north end of Sawbill is also fun.

A great hiking trail not far from Sawbill is Eagle Mountain

stubborn1: "Based on all the feedback, we are going to give Sawbill a shot. It looks like a good balance of everything we are looking for. The site is reserved and now we can start thinking about what to do during our trip. Thanks for the help."

Tofte has a handy, good place to eat:

Coho Cafe and Bakery

The campground and folks who run Sawbill Outfitters are super nice. Each day you choose to go out for a paddle/fishing you'll need to fill out a day-trip permit which is available at the put-in dock. (bring a pen) The permit is required because it is an entry point to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area and USFS wants to keep tabs on usage. Permits are housed in a wooden box at the dock. Fill it out, keep a copy on your person and drop the other copy thru slot in box. Done.

Touristy & quaint Grand Marais, MN is an easy drive eastward on Hwy 61 for day-trip. Good food, good ice cream, good coffee and great views of Superior on the drive. And, great connectivity.