Echo Lake (Minn)

Host was very helpful and friendly, though you never know whether you'll ever see a given host again in the future.

The road in seems well maintained, not steep anywhere and a smooth ride.

My campsite was spacious and private; I normally don't bring my dog when I haven't been to a specific campground before because I'm never sure whether she'll be able to have enough space away from other dogs. This would be a safe campground for even shy or nervous dogs provided (as always) that other dog owners are being responsible. You'd definitely have better luck here than at many crowded campgrounds.

That said, there are signs up that food needs to be secure from bears, so maybe don't bring the dog...? There are definitely black bears in this region though I've never been overly concerned.

There's no getting away from incessant generator noise at any remote campsite. This site is no different. Someday someone will invent air conditioners that can run on solar. Until then...get used to dawn to dark generator noise.

The site has good quality drinking water at a pump shed. The only garbage dump is at a boat landing down the road, not on-site. Toilets are your typical one-hole vault toilet.

The lakefront paths were well maintained and the play area was nicely mowed. There's a small beach as well, though the lake itself is kind of grassy and shallow.

Finally: bugs. It's a forest service campground on a lake in Minnesota. There are going to be lots of bugs. You would be kidding yourself to think otherwise. Bring DEET, Thermacells, everything in your arsenal.

Good on privacy, but sites are big enough for campers but have no power hookup -if you like quiet, maybe find somewhere more rustic or tents-only.

Camp ground is great. The only negative is you need another bathroom by the group campsite.

We love to go to Echo Lake, that being said, the group site is in poor condition. Much of it is in a low lying area that gets wet and swampy. The grass, weeds and brush are usually overgrown. This camp site needs some attention. We're not expecting much, we know we are going to the woods. However, we don't like paying for a group site and then having everyone huddle in one corner of it because the rest is under water or extremely muddy. It needs some fill. Overall, the rest of the campground is good. Love the hiking trails, beach and playground area, berry picking. Be sure to stay away from the playground up by the campsites, its a major deteriorating hazard!