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
No available sites
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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
Jeff P
VerifiedOctober 5, 2020 β’ Stayed at: 030, Loop: SOUTH KAWISHIWI RIVER
Hit fall colors at peak Great park and the area is fantastic
Tom J
VerifiedOctober 2, 2020 β’ Stayed at: 010, Loop: SOUTH KAWISHIWI RIVER
Terry camp host was helpful and friendly
The roads were dusty
William S
VerifiedOctober 2, 2020 β’ Stayed at: 026, Loop: SOUTH KAWISHIWI RIVER
Second time in three weeks that we camped. I love the campground and all that it has to offer. Instead of bringing my canoe this trip we decided to rent one from the campground. This was the first time that my girlfriend was ever in a canoe, she absolutely loved it. The only issue I have and I brought it to the attention the campground host, is that people in motor boats show no courtesy in people with canoes. I think the forest service has some jurisdiction in implementing a no wake zone in front of the campground.
Ronald G
VerifiedOctober 1, 2020 β’ Stayed at: 031, Loop: SOUTH KAWISHIWI RIVER
Beautiful campground! Very well maintained! Sites are spacious and private. Host did a wonderful job keeping restrooms spotless! Will definitely plan on coming back next year!!
Diana Q
VerifiedSeptember 30, 2020 β’ Stayed at: 005, Loop: SOUTH KAWISHIWI RIVER
We had a great experience. The campsites are well maintained and spread far away from one another, so camping felt private along with sharing the beauty of the woods, the lake and wilderness. Very clean, quiet and it was clear that visitors showed respect for the campground and surrounding outdoor and recreational activities (fishing, boating, hiking, etc.).
Carl R
VerifiedSeptember 29, 2020 β’ Stayed at: 005, Loop: SOUTH KAWISHIWI RIVER
Beautiful area. Well maintained. Sites give good privacy.
Robert W
VerifiedSeptember 23, 2020 β’ Stayed at: 030, Loop: SOUTH KAWISHIWI RIVER
Really nice campground, nice facilities, great access to nearby points of interest. However, it would be nice to locate a second trash facility near the entrance of the camp/group lodge. The camp host did an amazing job making the vault toilets the best experience they could be considering the circumstances. This resulted in the nicest vault toilet that I've seen, though little is to be done about the odiferous matter at hand.
Daryl S
VerifiedSeptember 17, 2020 β’ Stayed at: 027, Loop: SOUTH KAWISHIWI RIVER
The host does an excellent job keeping the park in order and bathrooms spotless
Jose C
VerifiedSeptember 6, 2020 β’ Stayed at: 014, Loop: SOUTH KAWISHIWI RIVER
Loved how shady and private the lots were. Terri, the host, was amazing. She was always available to answer questions and to help us with canoe rentals, etc. The area is gorgeous and surrounded by other parks for hikes and numerous outdoor activities.
William S
VerifiedSeptember 3, 2020 β’ Stayed at: 028, Loop: SOUTH KAWISHIWI RIVER
Last time I was camping here was when I was a kid. Campground was well kept and the restrooms were clean and sanitized. Easy to back into and get setup. We brought my canoe, but because my girl friend has never been in one, it never went into the water because it was a bit windy for a first time paddle. I will be going back later this fall, to do some grouse hunting, and heading to some hidden lakes in the area.
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.
|
| 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. |
