About South Kawishiwi River
Number of accommodations: 21
Campground Amenities
-
Potable Water -
River Access
Seasonal information
2026 Season availability
Sites & Availability
21 Sites Available
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Site Details
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21 Sites Available
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Reviews (116)
What Guests Are Saying
South Kawishiwi River is a beautifully maintained campground with well-spaced, clean sites and friendly camp hosts who ensure excellent upkeep, including impressively clean vault toilets. Visitors appreciate the peaceful atmosphere, great water access for canoeing, and lovely swimming spots nearby. While there are occasional issues with mosquitoes and site sizes, the overall experience is highly positive, making it a favorite destination for campers.
What Guests Are Saying
South Kawishiwi River is a beautifully maintained campground with well-spaced, clean sites and friendly camp hosts who ensure excellent upkeep, including impressively clean vault toilets. Visitors appreciate the peaceful atmosphere, great water access for canoeing, and lovely swimming spots nearby. While there are occasional issues with mosquitoes and site sizes, the overall experience is highly positive, making it a favorite destination for campers.
Review Summary
Robin J
VerifiedDecember 7, 2025 β’ Stayed at: 004, Loop: SOUTH KAWISHIWI RIVER
Sites are well spaced and maintained very well.
Mark H
VerifiedSeptember 17, 2025 β’ Stayed at: 023, Loop: SOUTH KAWISHIWI RIVER
I had a very peaceful stay. Itβs a quiet and well kept campground.
Linda L
VerifiedAugust 20, 2025 β’ Stayed at: 002, Loop: SOUTH KAWISHIWI RIVER
This is by far one of my most favorite campgrounds to stay at!! So beautiful and secluded!! The campsites are always clean and the outhouses are the cleanest I have ever used. Also, the camp hosts are very personable and respectful of privacy. Very nice!!! π€©
Michael J
VerifiedAugust 19, 2025 β’ Stayed at: 008, Loop: SOUTH KAWISHIWI RIVER
This park is a gem! Great water access on site - we canoed 2 of our 3 full days. Great campsite! Campground hosts we were very nice people and kept the park in great shape - including super clean bathrooms!
Debra F
VerifiedAugust 18, 2025 β’ Stayed at: 014, Loop: SOUTH KAWISHIWI RIVER
The campground hosts were dedicated to making everything just right including the vault toilets which were decorated and scented. The river is nice to rent a canoe for only $20 for 24 hours. 10 miles to Ely and grocery stores and showers at the wilderness outfitters.
Brenda R
VerifiedJuly 28, 2025 β’ Stayed at: 022, Loop: SOUTH KAWISHIWI RIVER
Site 27. The lake view and steps down to first platform awesome. Then there are steps all the way down to the river. Hosts are over the top nice and we both winter in FL. They let me stay in this site as it turned into FF so I didnβt have to move. Park is wonderful and very clean. No flush toilets or showers but has electric. Water fill is in parking lot by the lodge. Went on to Fall Lake (nice) and Bear head State park. Recommend staying at SKR. Will return.
Michael H
VerifiedJuly 23, 2025 β’ Stayed at: 028, Loop: SOUTH KAWISHIWI RIVER
The outhouses were extremely clean, nicest I have seen.
Mira T
VerifiedJuly 22, 2025 β’ Stayed at: 011, Loop: SOUTH KAWISHIWI RIVER
Our site was beautiful and private. There is a lovely swim spot nearby and the camp hosts were friendly. Great spot, just come prepared for bugs if you're traveling in the summer.
Andrew P
VerifiedJuly 16, 2025 β’ Stayed at: 002, Loop: SOUTH KAWISHIWI RIVER
Campground is nice and the vault toilets are well cared for. Most sites have good privacy. The swimming area is great! The river was much warmer than anticipated. Unfortunately, the mosquitoes swarmed all of the time.
Mark H
VerifiedJune 26, 2025 β’ Stayed at: 023, Loop: SOUTH KAWISHIWI RIVER
Vine Wally like this particular campground. It always clean and well kept. The vault toilets are the nicest in the national forest campground system. haha They really do keep them clean. Cell service depends on carrier and campsite. T-Mobile works pretty well.
Location South Kawishiwi River
Address:
Kawishiwi Ranger District
Ely, MN, 55731
United States
From Ely, Minnesota, travel about 10.3 miles south on State Highway 1 toward Lake Superior. Turn left onto the campground road.
Latitude & Longitude: 47.8156 / -91.7314
Elevation: 449 feet
Policies & Rules
| Category | About |
|---|---|
| General |
Traveling within the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness requires a permit; day use requires a self-issued permit; overnight use requires a permit from the quota system. |
| General |
Beach and picnic areas open from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily. |
| General |
The South Kawishiwi River Campground holds a pavilion for rent (site 33) that can accommodate up to 26 people. The site also has an outdoor cooking area with a large grill and two picnic tables. See site 33 for more information. |
| General |
Off-road and all-terrain vehicles not allowed during camping season. |
| General |
During the walk-in season please contact the Superior National Forest for information. |
| General |
Please Note: One towed vehicle per single camping unit will be allowed for no extra charge if it can be parked completely on the surfaced area and does not create a safety hazard. Examples of towed vehicles include a boat trailer or a car towed by a motor home. Two motorcycles are considered one vehicle.
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| General |
Reserved Sites will be held until check out time (NOON) the day following your arrival date. Sites must be occupied by the checkout time of that following day to hold a reservation or the site will be forfeited and released to other guests. Once your reservation start date has begun, neither the Recreation.gov Contact Center nor the campground manager will be able to modify your reservation. |
| General |
Refunds: Refund requests made through www.recreation.gov will be charged a $10 processing fee. This fee is retained by the reservation service contractor along with the non-refundable reservation fee. All requests for the return of the non-refundable reservation fee and the cancellation fee will be declined by the campground concessionaire as they did not receive these fees (these are the fees retained by the reservation contractor, a different entity). |
| General |
Don't move firewood: To limit the spread of invasive tree-killing pests, firewood from outside the area is not permitted. Some states have quarantines and may confiscate your firewood. Please help protect our forests from invasive species by obtaining your firewood at or near your camping destination and burning it on-site. Visit dontmovefirewood.org for more information. |
| General |
superior Click here to learn more about Superior National Forest. |
