Are you the owner for this storage? Make it a featured listing and be seen in the top search results!
Superior/South Kawishiwi River
Overview
South Kawishiwi River Campground serves as a premier gateway to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. Located within the sprawling Superior National Forest, this destination provides a rustic yet accessible escape for those looking to immerse themselves in the Northwoods. Unlike more developed commercial resorts, this park focuses on preserving the natural integrity of the landscape while offering a comfortable base for deep woods exploration and outdoor recreation.
Location & Surroundings
Nestled approximately ten miles southeast of Ely, the park sits directly along the scenic banks of the South Kawishiwi River. The surrounding terrain is characterized by dense stands of white pine, balsam, and birch, creating a secluded and peaceful atmosphere. Its position at the edge of the wilderness means visitors often experience the haunting calls of loons and the gentle flow of dark, tannin-rich waters that define this iconic Minnesota region.
Amenities & Park Features
While the setting is wild, the park provides essential comforts including electric hookups at several sites, which is a significant draw for RVers staying in the national forest. Guests have access to vault toilets, drinking water, and a sandy swimming beach perfect for summer afternoons. Each site features a fire ring and picnic table for traditional camping. There is also a convenient boat launch and a historic log pavilion available for group gatherings.
Nearby Attractions & Things to Do
Adventure seekers can launch a canoe directly from the park to explore the intricate waterways of the Superior National Forest. For a change of pace, the International Wolf Center and the North American Bear Center in nearby Ely offer world-class educational exhibits. Hiking enthusiasts will appreciate the proximity to the Kawishiwi Falls Trail, which showcases a spectacular waterfall just a short drive from the campground entrance.
Who This Park Is Best For
This campground is ideal for paddlers and anglers who want direct water access without sacrificing the convenience of an RV. It is a perfect fit for travelers who prefer a quiet, dark-sky environment over the noise of a commercial park. While it accommodates various rig sizes, it is best suited for those who value wilderness proximity and a self-contained camping style, as the amenities favor a traditional forest experience.
Amenities
- Recreational Facilities
- Policies
- Other Amenities & Services
- Recreation Nearby (within 10 miles)
- Facility
- On-Site Rentals
- Sites
User Reviews
Andrew Tagtmeier
Nice campground. Vault bathrooms were always kept very clean. Only real complaint would be there are no lights in bathrooms and very little in way of windows for outside light. Would be nice for some lighting to be installed as it was dark even in the middle of the day.
Debra Roloff
Absolutely beautiful. Well kept and cared for. They are really on top of stuff. Landing and beach are well kept. Would be 5 stars but there is no shower or dumpstation.
Ashley Hammer-Paakkonen
Great campground that is well-maintained. Perfect little beach and boat launch. We loved our stay!
dusty boots
There are some really nice spots for rv's along the river, they were all reserved. Bathrooms were the cleanest I've see, campsite was clean also lot of warnings 4 bears 🐻 so I slept in my car. The pic is of the boat landing
Rachel Sandhorst
Beautiful campground that is kept very nice and clean (even down to the pit toilets!). The location is perfect - close to Ely and the BWCA, on the river, and even with a swimming area! We only stayed one night before going into the BWCA, but we will be back for a longer stay!
Curtis B
Stayed at site #16 (non-electric, first-come/first-serve). There's a small set of stairs leading to the tent pad and fire-pit, which gives a little separation from the road. The site had a couple of good places for hammocks and room for a couple of tents. You can see/hear your neighbors, but overall the campground was pretty quiet. Shout-out to the camp hosts: Probably one of the cleanest vault toilets I've ever seen! We'd definitely go back!
Kris Kelley
We stayed here for 5 nights in site #26 and it was beautiful. We had 32 steps from our site down to the BEST bench in the shore to drink a cup of coffee. The bathrooms were amazingly clean and well stocked. We used the boat launch and the swim beach, both were great!
Jack K
August, 2023: After altogether driving 305 miles (491 km) from the Minneapolis area, we arrived at Kawishiwi River Campground in the Superior National Forest (south-east of Ely, MN) where my friend had reserved campsite #1 for two nights [47.81582°, -91.73029°]. The campsite—which was the only one available the week before—turned out to be quite nice and certainly looked better than the park-provided image. As a bonus, it was an electric campsite and my friend could use one of her many crazy devices, which names and purposes I was not even trying to fathom. And as a double bonus, we had to pay only half of the required fee (i.e., $15.50 per night) due to her Golden Lifetime Senior Pass. In the morning the camp manager, Dan, stopped by in his golf cart to say “hello” and collect the $8.00 for the wood we had grabbed from his campsite upon arrival. The next day we spent close to one hour talking to him and Ellen, the campground host from Florida. They were extremely helpful and congenial people, who enjoyed their jobs. Once we drove to the bridge between the Birch River and Birch Lake, brought chairs and spent a few hours just enjoying the view. We met a very nice gentleman, who just arrived and was about to go fishing. While chatting with him, I noticed plenty of birds of prey hovering above—and then I realized (and he confirmed) they were Bald Eagles! Later we saw several of them flying and sitting on tree branches on the other side of the river. It was the first time in my life I saw so many eagles in such a short time! One of the campsites featured a sizable rock and a huge tree stump. It turned out that just recently this visibly huge tree fell over a camper, while its occupants were there. It was a miracle nobody was killed or injured! Since we were still looking for a nice campsite for the upcoming week, including the Labour Day long weekend, we approached Dan, who suggested that we check out Birch Lake Campground--we did and spent many days camping there. Overall, it was a wonderful experience to stay on that campground!
David R Bosshard
Great Campground!! This was our first trip to South Kawishiwi and there was nothing at all to suggest it shouldn't be 5 stars! Generally, there's electricity at most campsites, but we camped October 20th... and while the electric was disconnected, we were just glad it was open at all! Great views of the river, very large and nicely spaced campsites, well maintained throughout the grounds, and the most delightful privies we've seen ANYWHERE!! Clean and decorated and well cared for, obviously. No services supplied at this time of the year - so the camping was free - but an ex-camp-host from nearby Ely, stopped by anyway and inquired if there were any questions we might have and pointed us to a hand pump with "the best water you'll find anywhere in the north country!!" There isn't a dump station here, but there is just up the road at the Visitor's Info building as you enter Ely. 3 bars of connectivity on our Verizon network.
Denise McMillan
Great sites. Host is wonderful. Reasonable rates.