Minnesota's State Park For Camping And Lake Fun

One of the world's largest river systems, the Mississippi River, flows thousands of miles from northern Minnesota all the way to the southern border of Louisiana. The river originates in Lake Itasca in Minnesota's oldest state park, then continues to nearby Lake Bemidji. It's here, just 50 miles away from the river's headwaters on the lake's northern shore, that Lake Bemidji State Park awaits — a lesser-known natural wonderland for camping, fishing, swimming, and boating.

As the name suggests, the park centers around the 6,00-plus-acre lake, one of many that gave the Midwestern state its nickname, "the Land of 10,000 Lakes." Formed by glaciers, Lake Bemidji (along with the adjacent town of Bemidji) takes its somewhat unusual name from the lake's orientation to the Mississippi River. According to Minnesota's Department of Natural Resources, the native Anishinabe tribe called the lake "Bemiji-gau-maug," meaning "cutting sideways through or diagonally," a reference to the path that the river takes as it flows through the lake.

Today, Lake Bemidji State Park is a haven for outdoor adventures. In the summer, the park's long, sandy swimming beach is a popular attraction. There's a safe swimming area marked by buoys and plenty of space to set up a blanket and umbrella, plus access to nearby restrooms, an outdoor shower, and shaded picnic areas. 

There's also year-round fishing on the lake: Depending on the time of year, some commonly caught fish include walleye, trout, bass, perch, muskie, crappies, and panfish. The state park's marina features a loading ramp and eight docks, and a limited number of kayaks, canoes, and rowboats are available to rent. You can also cast a line right from the park's dedicated fishing pier, and there's a fish-cleaning house near the base that's free to use afterward. 

Other highlights you won't want to miss include the Rocky Point Overlook, accessible via the Rocky Point Trail, an easy 2-mile loop that leads up into bluffs, offering sweeping views over the water below. For something more educational, learn about local plants and native mosses while strolling past the interpretive displays at Bog Walk Boardwalk, an elevated walkway through a unique ecosystem, or borrow a bicycle from the park office (available on a first-come, first-served basis, and fees apply) and go for a ride along the paved Paul Bunyan State Trail. Learn more about the story of the legendary lumberjack in Akeley, the tiny Minnesota town that's called the "birthplace of Paul Bunyan."

Visitors are welcome to camp year-round at Lake Bemidji State Park. Most of the park's 95 drive-in sites are shaded, and some feel secluded in the woods. Also available are four heated camper cabins, each accommodating five or six people and featuring a screened-in porch, an outdoor fire ring, and a picnic table. All campers can use shower facilities and flush toilets that stay open from mid-May to mid-October (vault toilets stay open year-round). There's free Wi-Fi available throughout the park's campground, and firewood is available to purchase at the ranger station.

The park is open daily from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., and the day-use fee as of this writing is $7 per vehicle. Travelers can find whatever they need, from picnic supplies to fishing tackle, in the town of Bemidji, about 15 minutes away by car. From there, Minneapolis is about a 3.5-hour drive away. Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport, the famously friendly mega airport in the Twin Cities, is a traveler favorite. Find out how MSP took the crown as North America's best for passenger satisfaction.