Gooseberry Falls State Park Camping: The Complete 2027 Minnesota North Shore Campground Guide

Gooseberry Falls State Park camping puts you a short walk from one of the most visited waterfalls in Minnesota. The park sits on Highway 61 about 13 miles northeast of Two Harbors, where the Gooseberry River drops over the Upper, Middle and Lower Falls on its way into Lake Superior. The DNR calls it the "gateway to the North Shore," and for many families it's the first stop on a trip up the coast.

This guide covers the campground, RV limits, group and kayak sites, winter camping, reservations and what to do once you're set up.

Gooseberry Falls State Park: The Basics

• Address: 3206 Highway 61 East, Two Harbors, MN 55616.
• Phone: 218-595-7100.
• Operator: Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR).
• Park hours: 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily. The Joseph N. Alexander Visitor Center and Nature Store are open 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
• Vehicle permit: You need a state park vehicle permit to camp or park in the park lots. You don't need one to park at the visitor center wayside lot.
• Trails: 20 miles of hiking, including a 1-mile accessible trail from the visitor center to the main falls.

The park's stone and log buildings were built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s, including the 300-foot "Castle in the Park" retaining wall. The falls themselves run over basalt lava flows that are about 1.1 billion years old, and those same flows are where Lake Superior agates come from.

The Gooseberry Falls Campground

The campground sits on the lake side of Highway 61 near the mouth of the river, so you can walk to the Lake Superior shoreline and the Picnic Flow from your site.

• 69 drive-in sites, many of them wooded.
• No electric sites. Every site is non-electric, so bring a power bank or a solar charger.
• 3 pull-through sites.
• 4 accessible sites, two of them near the restrooms.
• Showers and flush toilets in season. Vault toilets are open year-round.
• Dump station for registered campers only, usually open from early May to mid-October.

Shower Building Status

The Lower shower building, including its flush toilets, showers and picnic shelter, is closed for rehab work. The Upper shower building and the vault toilets stay open. In a normal year the shower buildings open the first week of May, and the Upper building stays open through the third weekend in October. Check the park's alerts page before you go.

RVs

The RV length limit is 40 feet, measured from the front of the tow vehicle to the back of the trailer. There are no hookups. With only three pull-throughs, check each site's specifications on the reservation website before you book. Please don't use the park dump station unless you're camping there. The DNR points everyone else to the dump stations in Two Harbors and Silver Bay.

Group Camps

There are three tent-only group camps, each for up to 50 people. They share a parking area, rustic toilets and nearby drinking water, and they're open in the snow-free months.

• Birch Ridge Camp: two level camping areas.
• Pebble Creek Camp: the closest to Lake Superior.
• Nestor Grade Camp: accessible, with a large, open, grassy area.

The Kayak Site

There's one first-come, first-served kayak site for paddlers on the Lake Superior State Water Trail. You can't drive to it. Lake Superior is cold and changes fast, so this site is only for experienced sea kayakers.

Winter Camping at Gooseberry Falls

Camping is open year-round. After the first snowfall the campground roads aren't plowed, so every site except 42, 43 and 44 becomes walk-in or ski-in only. Stop at the visitor center to arrange a winter site.

Winter nights on the North Shore regularly drop below zero, so this isn't a trip for summer gear. Read our winter camping guide and how to stay warm camping before you go. The payoff is 12 miles of groomed classic ski trail, snowshoeing anywhere off the groomed trails and frozen falls with hardly anyone around.

Gooseberry Falls Camping Reservations

Book through the Minnesota DNR reservation system at mndnr.gov/reservations, or call 866-857-2757. Sites open up to 120 days in advance, and summer and fall-color weekends fill early. The DNR adds a non-refundable reservation fee to advance bookings, and drive-in sites in Minnesota state parks fall roughly in the $20 to $35 range. Check the DNR fees page for current rates.

Shoulder-season weeknights in late May, June and September are the easiest to get. Late September and early October bring peak fall color and the biggest crowds.

Things to Do at Gooseberry Falls State Park

• The Upper, Middle and Lower Falls. These are the park's main draw, a short paved walk from the visitor center. The falls are biggest during spring snowmelt.
• Fifth Falls. Hike upstream along the river through evergreen and birch forest.
• Superior Hiking Trail. From Fifth Falls, a spur connects to the SHT. The restored section runs north of the park toward the Split Rock River Wayside.
• Gitchi-Gami State Trail. A 2.5-mile paved section links the lower picnic area to continuous paved trail all the way to Silver Bay.
• Agate Beach and the Picnic Flow. Watch ore boats, waves and the moonrise over Lake Superior from the old lava flow.
• Wildlife. The park has recorded more than 225 bird species, and the North Shore flyway makes spring and fall migration especially good.
• Split Rock Lighthouse. The next state park up Highway 61 is about 7 miles away.

Tips for Camping at Gooseberry Falls

• Pack layers in July. Lake Superior keeps the shore cool, and summer nights can drop into the 40s.
• Watch for fall hunts. In November 2026 a special deer hunt closed the trails north of Highway 61 from Nov. 7 to Nov. 22. The falls area and the lakeside trails stayed open. Wear blaze orange during hunts.
• Plan for flooding in spring. Snowmelt can close the river trails in April and May, and some campsites still have snow on them then.
• Buy firewood at the park. Gathering wood is against park rules because it spreads tree-killing insects.
• Expect crowds at the falls. Visitor center parking often fills on summer days, so walk over from your site instead of driving.
• Store food. Black bears live in the park, so keep food in your vehicle.

Planning more of the Upper Midwest? See our Wisconsin camping guide and Devil's Lake State Park camping.

Recommended Gear

A few things make a North Shore trip easier:

• Coleman Sundome Tent. Its full rainfly handles Lake Superior storms, and it pitches quickly on a wooded site.
• Teton Celsius Sleeping Bag. Even summer nights get cold on the shore, and a cold-rated bag is essential from September on.
• Black Diamond Spot 400-R Headlamp. There's no site electricity, so you'll want it for the walk to the vault toilets and the shower building.

For everything else, use our camping checklist and how to set up a tent guide.