So we will finish in the afternoon on the GunFlint, get showers at the outfitter and then stop by Trail Center for dinner. We then plan to head back out to the highway and head south toward home in Indiana. We are looking for just a rustic campground (not real far off the highway) that we can stop at, toss down a couple of tents then get up pretty early and continue after a decent night of sleep for a few hours.

Where would be a good place to stop? Nothing that I would need to reserve in advance in case we just keep driving all night for 13 or so hours. It is a sat night so that might make it more difficult.
A bathroom wouldnt be bad but not required. Just a place to get a few hours of sleep after we drive for a few hours.

thanks

Anything right along the shore or 61 will be reservation only. I know of a spot if you're willing to drive a few miles inland (7 to 8). Shoot me an e-mail and I'll send you some coordinates. You'll be able to see it clearly on Google Earth.

About 11 miles up the Sawbill Trail north of Tofte is the Temperance River Campground. It is pretty basic, but it does have pit toilets. Another 11 miles on up the Trail is the Sawbill Campground with more facilities. And Sawbill Outfitters have a shower building.

Going to be tough to find a first come first serve campsite that time of yr on a saturday. The Tettegouchie rest area always has about 10 people sleeping in the parkinglot overnight. That's always an option.

About 60 miles/1 hour past Two Harbors in Wisconsin on 53 is Lucius Woods County Park campgrounds.

Lucius Woods County Park campground link

I live in Indy and drive up to the BWCA a few times a year. Typically I spend the night in Northern WI on my return, not far from 53 or 63.

Speckled: "Anything right along the shore or 61 will be reservation only. "

And, for state park campgrounds, you pretty much need to reserve 120 days in advance... :-(

If you're going inland, get the Superior National Forest map. It has all of the campgrounds. Some are really nice but you'll want to reserve now if you have to. There's others that are first come first serve. Actually you can camp anywhere in the National forest that isn't private land.

Eckbeck campground is a nice spot but it is about 35 miles north of two harbors. We have been staying there for years the night before and /or the night after our trips. It is along the Baptism River and is just north of Tettegouche State park. Several sites are right on the river but some are not, nonetheless it is a place to stay. All sites are non reserveable so it is a bit of chance to get a site on a Saturday night.

I have been there, I would do my homework and try my best to reserve a site somewhere or you might find yourself driving all night. Even hotel rooms will be very difficult to find on a summer weekend in northern MN.

Amnicon Falls State Park is just a couple of miles from the split of Hwy's 2 and 53 south of Superior. They have a few sites that are first come first serve.

Also, right there is, https://www.thesleepyhollowmotel.com/ . A very inexpensive, clean, non-chain motel. By the time you pay camping fees, you are probably halfway to the cost of a room. I keep their number in my phone for whenever I am in that area. I even lucked into a last minute room for one night for Grandma's Marathon a few years back.

If you don't make it as far as Two Harbors, Crescent Lake out of tofte, has first come first serve campsites. They allow reservations on half, and the other half, are FCFS. It's probably not what you're looking for as its well off 61, right by baker lake entry. Pretty lake though. You'll feel like you're in the boundary waters, even though it's car camping.

thanks guys, some good options there.

People are so helpful around here.

When are you going?

There is Burlington Bay Campground in Two Harbors on the Big Lake. Many of the resorts between Two Harbors and Duluth on the scenic route also have campgrounds.

I go inland and a bit north for the free sites. Most of these are 'rustic' aka free/dispersed/unreservable. If you're just looking to throw up a tent next to the car for the night I'm sure there'll be space. This is a straight up capture of a google map search for campground, IIRC, a bit north of two harbors. There are a few further south, but it does thin out quite a bit.

Yeah, we want to go south, on the way back to Indiana.

We will drive all night on Fri June 10th, get a tow Sat morning, Camp for 7 nights (5 men, 3 sons -14,13,12 years old) from west end of Sag down to SArm of Knife, back out on Sag on June 7th.

thanks again

I live in Duluth on a semi-private street. You could pitch tents in my yard if you like. Send me an email if you’re interested.

Just up Hwy 1 from the Eckbeck campground mentioned earlier is the Finland State Forest campground, just outside of the town of, well, Finland. But it's also on the Baptism River, the campsites are much more secluded than Eckbeck, it's only 6 or so miles from Hwy 61, and it's never full. And you're 20 minutes from the Trestle Inn, one of the greatest spots to grab a bite in the middle of nowhere (sorry for no links, but these places are easily found online).

lindylair: "Eckbeck campground is a nice spot but it is about 35 miles north of two harbors. We have been staying there for years the night before and /or the night after our trips. It is along the Baptism River and is just north of Tettegouche State park. Several sites are right on the river but some are not, nonetheless it is a place to stay. All sites are non reserveable so it is a bit of chance to get a site on a Saturday night. "

This is my vote as well. I've stayed here often going to and from accounts on the North Shore and Gunflint Trail. I've never seen it full, even at the peak of summer season when every state park on the North Shore is completely booked.

Eckbeck isn't the most scenic, secluded spot out there and I've been there a couple times when there was a party vibe, but for me it has been a consistently available spot to park my rig for the night.

Here's a little Eckbeck Story from a few years back with pics of the campground.

https://kitchi-gami.com/2019/07/23/highway-61-revisited/

Brian from Wenonah

fsupp: "Just up Hwy 1 from the Eckbeck campground mentioned earlier is the Finland State Forest campground, just outside of the town of, well, Finland. But it's also on the Baptism River, the campsites are much more secluded than Eckbeck, it's only 6 or so miles from Hwy 61, and it's never full. And you're 20 minutes from the Trestle Inn, one of the greatest spots to grab a bite in the middle of nowhere (sorry for no links, but these places are easily found online)."

Thanks for the tip on this one. I may hit Finland instead of Eckbeck next time up there.

fsupp: "Just up Hwy 1 from the Eckbeck campground mentioned earlier is the Finland State Forest campground, just outside of the town of, well, Finland. But it's also on the Baptism River, the campsites are much more secluded than Eckbeck, it's only 6 or so miles from Hwy 61, and it's never full.

FYI: I drove in there last year on a Saturday (non holiday weeknd) and the campground in Finland was full, must be a covid thing because I had never seen it full either. I have stayed here 3 times at least, it is nice.

LindenTree: "FYI: I drove in there last year on a Saturday (non holiday weeknd) and the campground in Finland was full, must be a covid thing because I had never seen it full either. I have stayed here 3 times at least, it is nice."

COVID definitely put a lot more people in the woods these past few years. We'll see if this summer is the same.

Brian

BrianDay: "

LindenTree: "FYI: I drove in there last year on a Saturday (non holiday weeknd) and the campground in Finland was full, must be a covid thing because I had never seen it full either. I have stayed here 3 times at least, it is nice."

COVID definitely put a lot more people in the woods these past few years. We'll see if this summer is the same.


Brian"

Seeing all of the BWCAW permits and state park campground reservations snapped up as soon as available, my guess is that it will be.

You know, I don't know if that's true. I had a hard time in May finding something but Sept looks pretty open. I know its early season but last year late permits were brutal.

OP says he's looking for something mid June.