I've never been to the BW in winter, and while I don't think I'm quite ready to take the plunge into winter camping just yet, I've been thinking about staying at one of the MN state parks in that part of the state that has cabins open year round and doing day trips/hikes from that base. Probably Bear Head Lake or one of the parks along the north shore.

Anyone ever stayed in those state park cabins before? What were they like? I'm not expecting luxury obviously, and would actually prefer a more rustic experience than staying in a motel, but it would be nice if it was cleaner than a fleabag motel room.

I have. They are great. There are two bunks across from each other in a small cabin with table, wood burner and unheated porch. I was in one just last month but I can't remember if there was electric baseboard heat or not. I like them a lot. But have not stayed in winter. Enjoy!

On my last trip I was headed to a conference but there was a state park nearby . It was great compared with a hotel.

I haven't stayed at Bear Head SP, but have used a few of the cabins.

Haven't used them since I got my dog as pets are not allowed, other wise I would use them a lot this time of year for Pheasant hunting.

They are very basic;
There's an enclosed porch, a sleeping room with bunk beds, and mattresses.
Most are electric heat, I think all at Bear Head SP are.

All cooking is done outside, so you may want a tarp to have some shelter.

I think you will enjoy your plan very much. Two other advantages, the cabins will have lights a bonus when it is dark at 4:00 pm. It will also beat the pants off a tent if a storm blows up.

The Tettegouche cabins are really cool and give you a taste of winter camping since you have to haul your gear a couple miles via toboggan or backpacking. They are expensive though.

The state park camper cabins are awesome! My family have stayed in several parks in the winter and have always had delightful experiences. We've also stayed in the various iterations of the cabins, which have been improved over time. As mentioned above, they typically have two bunk beds, and the lower bunks will have at least one double bed, but most have two doubles, while the upper bunks are all singles. The bunks all have thick mattresses, so we usually bring sheets and comforters instead of sleeping bags. Most cabins also have electricity as well as a large screened-in porch, though as also mentioned, you have to cook outside on the picnic table or on the fire grate.

One of our favorites, though, is the cabin at Savannah Portage. It's older, not that well insulated, and doesn't have a porch or electricity, but it sits alone on one of the two campground loops, and so you have the park largely to yourself because no one else is staying in the campground. That's particularly true at night, when the few day users have left, and it's not uncommon to hear wolves in the distance. You're also very close to several groomed ski trails.

Many of the newer cabins (with electricity and porches) sit in a cluster away from campground loops and have their own vault toilets nearby. We've very much enjoyed staying at the cabins at Jay Cooke, Glendalough, Whitewater, and Bear Head Lake. The cabins at Tettegouche are unique, and you'll have a great time there for the reasons stated by another commenter. But you need to be on the spot to snag a reservation because they are popular. And as they are over 100 years old, they're drafty, so you need to keep feeding the wood-burning stove to keep the cabin cozy (the cabins have gas heaters that warm the cabins to 40 degrees, or so, but no warmer).

Whatever you decide, the cabins are an excellent way to spend a winter weekend or longer.

We love the cabins at Lake Vermilion SP. Have stayed at them several times in winter. They are a bit larger than standard camper cabins and have a few extra amenities like a counter area and a covered standing height outdoor cooking area. They also have a heated bathroom block nearby.

nsuo: "We love the cabins at Lake Vermilion SP. Have stayed at them several times in winter. They are a bit larger than standard camper cabins and have a few extra amenities like a counter area and a covered standing height outdoor cooking area. They also have a heated bathroom block nearby."

The cabins at Lake Vermillion SP are super nice! They are very new as well, do a quick google search and you can see some pictures.