Home › States › Minnesota

Camping in Minnesota: campsites, permits and passes

Camping in Minnesota starts in one of a few places: Minnesota State Parks for state park campsites, Recreation.gov for federal campgrounds, or free dispersed camping on National Forest land. Here's where to book each, plus permits, passes and licences.

Most people go to:

State park campsites

Minnesota state park campgrounds are booked through Minnesota State Parks ↗. Book as early as you can for summer and holiday weekends, and check each park's page for cabins, yurts, group sites and pet rules.

National parks in Minnesota

• Voyageurs National Park

Campgrounds in national parks are booked on Recreation.gov. See every park, monument and historic site in Minnesota on the National Park Service Minnesota page ↗.

National forests and free camping

Minnesota's national forests include Superior, Chippewa. Developed campgrounds are booked on Recreation.gov (some are first-come, first-served), and most national forest land allows free dispersed camping away from developed sites, usually for up to 14 days. Check the forest's rules and any fire restrictions first.

Permits and lotteries

• The Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness requires entry permits, booked on Recreation.gov.

Fishing and hunting licences

Licences for Minnesota are sold by the Minnesota DNR ↗, online or at local retailers. Rules and seasons differ by species and water, so check before you go.

Passes

The America the Beautiful pass covers entrance fees at national parks and many federal lands in Minnesota. State parks usually sell their own day or annual passes; see Minnesota State Parks.

Best time to camp in Minnesota

Late May to early October. Fall colour weekends book up early; winter camping is possible in some parks with heated cabins or yurts.

Questions

Packing checklists

Nearby states (Midwest)