South Kawishiwi River

Kawishiwi Ranger District, Ely, Minnesota, United States
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Picture of log building.
Picture of rock-lined path and log building.
Picture of road with sign.
Picture of trail in the woods.
Picture of campsite.

Featured amenities

River Access River Access
View all amenities

About South Kawishiwi River

South Kawishiwi River Campground is located in Superior National Forest near the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, about 10 mi from Ely, Minnesota. It offers fishing, boating and other recreational activities in a relaxing outdoor setting. The campground has sites with and without electric hookups, as well as one group day use area great for family picnics, birthday parties and other gatherings of up to 35 people.

Available sites

21 total sites
RV Sites 21 sites Check Availability

Activities & Attractions

Nearby

Boating

Boating

Spring Summer Fall
Fishing

Fishing

Year-round

Seasonal information

2026 (Current year)

2026 Season availability

Current season
Upcoming seasons
Past seasons
Closed periods
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Currently closed

Campground Amenities

Most popular amenities

River Access River Access
Water and Hygiene

Water and Hygiene

  • Potable Water
Water Access

Water Access

  • River Access
Missing information?

Rates, Sites & Availability

Select check-in and check-out dates to see real-time availability for each site.

21 Sites Available

Site
Price
🚐 001, Loop: SOUTH KAWISHIWI RIVER RV
Pet Friendly · 30 amp · Gravel
🚐 002, Loop: SOUTH KAWISHIWI RIVER RV
Pet Friendly · 30 amp · Gravel
🚐 003, Loop: SOUTH KAWISHIWI RIVER RV
Pet Friendly · 30 amp · Gravel
🚐 004, Loop: SOUTH KAWISHIWI RIVER RV
Pet Friendly · 30 amp · Gravel
🚐 005, Loop: SOUTH KAWISHIWI RIVER RV
Pet Friendly · 50 amp · Gravel
🚐 006, Loop: SOUTH KAWISHIWI RIVER RV
Pet Friendly · 30 amp · Gravel
🚐 007, Loop: SOUTH KAWISHIWI RIVER RV
Pet Friendly · 50 amp · Gravel
🚐 008, Loop: SOUTH KAWISHIWI RIVER RV
Pet Friendly · 50 amp · Gravel
🚐 009, Loop: SOUTH KAWISHIWI RIVER RV
Pet Friendly · 30 amp · Gravel
🚐 010, Loop: SOUTH KAWISHIWI RIVER RV
Pet Friendly · 30 amp · Gravel
🚐 011, Loop: SOUTH KAWISHIWI RIVER RV
Pet Friendly · 30 amp · Gravel
🚐 012, Loop: SOUTH KAWISHIWI RIVER RV
Pet Friendly · 30 amp · Gravel
🚐 014, Loop: SOUTH KAWISHIWI RIVER RV
Pet Friendly · 30 amp · Gravel
🚐 022, Loop: SOUTH KAWISHIWI RIVER RV
Pet Friendly · 30 amp · Gravel
🚐 023, Loop: SOUTH KAWISHIWI RIVER RV
Pet Friendly · 30 amp · Gravel
🚐 026, Loop: SOUTH KAWISHIWI RIVER RV
Pet Friendly · 30 amp · Gravel
🚐 027, Loop: SOUTH KAWISHIWI RIVER RV
Pet Friendly · 30 amp · Gravel
🚐 028, Loop: SOUTH KAWISHIWI RIVER RV
Pet Friendly · 30 amp · Gravel
🚐 029, Loop: SOUTH KAWISHIWI RIVER RV
Pet Friendly · 30 amp · Gravel
🚐 030, Loop: SOUTH KAWISHIWI RIVER RV
Pet Friendly · 30 amp · Gravel
🚐 031, Loop: SOUTH KAWISHIWI RIVER RV
Pet Friendly · 30 amp · Gravel

Reviews

372 reviews

Summary

AI generated

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.

Based on guest feedback

4.6

Overall rating

Based on 372 reviews

Write a review
5 stars 70.2% (261)
4 stars 19.6% (73)
3 stars 7.5% (28)
2 stars 2.7% (10)
1 star 0.0% (0)

Showing 372 reviews

Verified Only
Sort by: Oldest First
Newest First Oldest First

Logan C

Verified

February 7, 2022 Stayed at: 003, Loop: SOUTH KAWISHIWI RIVER

Nice campground and our family enjoyed the swimming beach very much.

Helpful

Logan C

Verified

February 7, 2022 Stayed at: 003, Loop: SOUTH KAWISHIWI RIVER

Nice campground and our family enjoyed the swimming beach very much.

Helpful

Sharon M

Verified

May 30, 2022 Stayed at: 001, Loop: SOUTH KAWISHIWI RIVER

Great camp host, he was friendly & did a good job.
The bathrooms were very clean.
Little flying bugs I believe were gnats where unbearable. I didn't want to be outside even with deep woods off bug spray.

Helpful

Sharon M

Verified

May 30, 2022 Stayed at: 001, Loop: SOUTH KAWISHIWI RIVER

Great camp host, he was friendly & did a good job.
The bathrooms were very clean.
Little flying bugs I believe were gnats where unbearable. I didn't want to be outside even with deep woods off bug spray.

Helpful

Sharon M

Verified

May 30, 2022 Stayed at: 001, Loop: SOUTH KAWISHIWI RIVER

Great camp host, he was friendly & did a good job.
The bathrooms were very clean.
Little flying bugs I believe were gnats where unbearable. I didn't want to be outside even with deep woods off bug spray.

Helpful

Steven V

Verified

May 31, 2022 Stayed at: 028, Loop: SOUTH KAWISHIWI RIVER

The campground host Dan was a stand up guy. Great service and very helpful.

Helpful

Steven V

Verified

May 31, 2022 Stayed at: 028, Loop: SOUTH KAWISHIWI RIVER

The campground host Dan was a stand up guy. Great service and very helpful.

Helpful

Steven V

Verified

May 31, 2022 Stayed at: 028, Loop: SOUTH KAWISHIWI RIVER

The campground host Dan was a stand up guy. Great service and very helpful.

Helpful

Teresa C

Verified

June 23, 2022 Stayed at: 029, Loop: SOUTH KAWISHIWI RIVER

Our site was beautiful, probably the nicest we’ve ever had (terraced from RV parking, steps down to fire ring & picnic table, more steps down to the lake with a perfect fishing spot, gorgeous view of the lake,) the camp host was very nice, bathrooms immaculate (and so nicely decorated 😊) and the park, in general, was so lovely and clean, but the mosquitos and black flies were so thick we couldn’t enjoy being outside, they invaded our motor home & we got bitten so badly, we had to end our stay a day early. We talked with a local man who was bringing his boat in and he said this is the time of year the bugs are especially bad, so maybe we’ll come back in the fall.

Helpful

Teresa C

Verified

June 23, 2022 Stayed at: 029, Loop: SOUTH KAWISHIWI RIVER

Our site was beautiful, probably the nicest we’ve ever had (terraced from RV parking, steps down to fire ring & picnic table, more steps down to the lake with a perfect fishing spot, gorgeous view of the lake,) the camp host was very nice, bathrooms immaculate (and so nicely decorated 😊) and the park, in general, was so lovely and clean, but the mosquitos and black flies were so thick we couldn’t enjoy being outside, they invaded our motor home & we got bitten so badly, we had to end our stay a day early. We talked with a local man who was bringing his boat in and he said this is the time of year the bugs are especially bad, so maybe we’ll come back in the fall.

Helpful

Location & Directions for South Kawishiwi River

Kawishiwi Ranger District, Ely, MN 55731 United States

Elevation: 449 ft

Getting There

From Ely, Minnesota, travel about 10.3 mi south on State Highway 1 toward Lake Superior. Turn left onto the campground road.

Nearest town

Ely, MN - 12 mi

About 17 min to downtown

Policies & Rules

Arrival & departure

  • Beach and picnic areas are open daily from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.
  • Contact the Superior National Forest for information during the walk-in season.
  • Reserved sites must be occupied by the day after arrival or they will be forfeited.
  • Visit the Superior National Forest website for more information.

Local regulations

  • Permits are required for travel in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness.

Amenities

  • Site 33 at the campground offers a pavilion for rent, accommodating up to 26 people, with an outdoor cooking area and picnic tables.

Vehicles & parking

  • Off-road and all-terrain vehicles are prohibited during camping season.
  • Each camping unit may have one free towed vehicle if parked safely; additional vehicles will incur a nightly fee.

Cancellation policy

  • Refund requests incur a $10 processing fee and the non-refundable reservation fee will not be returned.

Fires & fuel

  • Firewood from outside the area is prohibited to prevent invasive species.

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Nearby destinations

Explore destination

Ely

8 mi away

City
Explore destination

Isabella

22 mi away

Day trip
Explore destination

Embarrass

24 mi away

Day trip

Last updated: October 7, 2026

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Explore Ely, MN

Population: 3,240

Nearby city: Duluth, MN

Approx. 73 mi away (straight-line distance)

Elevation: 1,470 ft

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