Northshore Camping

[The_Lee]

Does anyone know of any good places to go camping on the Northshore with easy access to bike trails and fishing access?

[yakfisher]

None that allow bayonets but you might want to check out Gooseberry Falls, it is a state park not too far north of Duluth right on the shore.

[Powerstroke]

Any state park along the north shore will have access to the superior hiking trail which should accommodate your bike.

Fishing can be difficult if you're not interested in fishing Superior. Not really difficult, but you'll have to head inland. Gooseberry is the busiest campground on the north shore so what kind of solitude you're looking for may not apply here. I like Split Rock Lighthouse with the hike in and cart in sites.

If you're interested in the drive, I've gone up hwy 2, Hwy 1 and the Gunflint. There are some state forest campgrounds.

[Quetico]

If you are heading to the North Shore between Memorial Day and Labor Day I would strongly urge you to get reservations asap. The state parks are always full. For less crowds find some of the state or national forest campgrounds inland, away from the lake. Amenities are fewer and they tend to be a bit more backwoods, but the crowds aren't there so they are available even during the busiest weekends.

[reelemin]

Split Rock is the only State park park on the northshore with true mt bike trails, and they are good Theres NO biking on the Superior hiking trail.

The further up 61 you go the less crowed it will be. Theres alot of very nice state forest campgrounds up any of the Trails ( sawbill, caribou, gunflint )

Reservation are a must Memorial day to the end of sept.

[Write-Outdoor]

They are working on a trail that will run almost the entire North Shore so do a little searching online for that one and you'll find it. I've stayed at Cascade (further up the trail) and it's a very nice place. You can bike around there and you are close to Grand Marais which is a great access point for fishing whether with a charter captain or heading up the Gunflint Trail to inland fish. Lots of good trout streams that are less pressured that far up Highway 61. The further from Duluth you get the less pressure as a general rule.

But yes...make reservations if on a weekend or holiday!

[rowdyf]

Cascade state park or Temperance river state park. Great scenery and Lutsen Mtns (10-15 min drive) has very nice bike trails. You can take the gondola over to moose mtn, and bike most anywhere.

A few inland campgrounds up the sawbill trail out of Tofte or the Caribou trail...best to get a Superior national forest map and explore. There are a ton of logging roads once you get north of the highway 1 intersection, and most are not drivable with a truck so you can bike away without having to worry about meeting anyone.

[IFallsRon]

There's an OK municipal campground in Grand Marais. It's not far from there to several other state parks that offer plenty of hiking trails and it's not far from Lutsen where you can do some biking.

[Powerstroke]

Thanks for the clarification reelemin on the mtn biking. I was referring to the new mtn bikes trail up there. I wasn't aware they are separate.

[reelemin]

There is a bike trail ( paved ) that will eventually run the whole way from Duluth to Canada. But for know its spuratic on where its complete. Mostly done around the towns and state parks but not all are connected. When its complete ( I think I heard 2010 - ? ) it should be a wonderful rideing trail.

Grand marais has some great mtn bike trails.

[Redlantern]

If you are interested in some trout fishing in lakes and some streams, you might want to head up to Kimball lake campground a few miles off of the Gunflint. It's a forest service campground so I believe it's first come, first serve. They have outhouses and a well for water. In that area, there are mountain biking routes on some of the forest service roads. Not sure if that's the kind of biking you're looking for.

[Write-Outdoor]

If you are into mountain biking there are also some possibilities up the Gunflint Trail. Contact the Grand Marais/Gunflint tourism offices for details and maps. They have some great information they can mail out to you so give them a call.

Once that trail gets completed it will be awesome! I've seen a lot of people biking on the completed stretches in my drives up 61 during the summertime.