Kawishiwi Lake Rustic Campground
Kawishiwi Lake is a lovely campground in a birch stand on the edge of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. It provides an excellent campsite for people entering or exiting the BWCAW via the Kawishiwi Lake Entry Point. The BWCAW boundary is the shore of the lake, so motors are not allowed on the lake and if you plan on putting a canoe in the water at all, you will need a day use permit available at a kiosk at the access point.
More like this: first-come in Minnesota · free in Minnesota · tent only in Minnesota
Amenities & rules
| Equipment | Tents |
| Fees | There is no fee at rustic campgrounds. |
Individual sites vary. Confirm on Recreation.gov or with the managing office.
Season & status
| Season | May 10 to October 1 |
| Forest | Superior National Forest |
| Fees | There is no fee at rustic campgrounds. |
| Rules | Maximum of nine people per site. There is space for one vehicle and one towed vehicle (such as a boat trailer). Additional vehicles on the site must park on the spur. No vehicles may park on the grass or where they impede traffic. |
Weather by month
Getting there
| Coordinates | 47.8387° N, 91.1029° W · Directions ↗ |
Fire nearby
- PrescribedWest Twin Point Piles Rx
40 mi from the campground
- PrescribedTwin Shoreline Piles Rx
40 mi from the campground · 14 acres
- PrescribedTwin South Piles Rx
40 mi from the campground
- PrescribedSunfish Rx
45 mi from the campground · 775 acres
Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge. Call the managing office before you drive.
Supplies & services
| Outdoor gear | Tuscarora Lodge & Canoe Outfitters ↗ | 20.6 mi |
Locations © OpenStreetMap contributors. Call ahead; hours change seasonally.
Explore
Video
Campsite - Kawishiwi Lake - The north most campsite on the east shoreline of this lake in the BWCA
Trails nearby
- 1.7 miKawishiwi River-Kawishiwi Ri0.08 mi trail · hiking
- 1.9 miSquare Lake-Kawishiwi River0.08 mi trail · hiking
- 2 miHog Creek Baunder 0.1 mi trail · hiking
- 2 miHog Creek-Hog Creekunder 0.1 mi trail · hiking
- 2.1 miSquare Lake-Baskatong Lake0.2 mi trail · hiking
- 2.9 miKawasachong Lake-Townline Lk0.6 mi trail · hiking
Trail and trailhead records are the Forest Service's. Distances are straight-line to the nearer trail end. Trail conditions are not tracked here.
Public land it sits in
This campground sits inside Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, which overlaps Superior National Forest.
- inBoundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness ↗Wilderness · Forest Service · 816,244 acres
- inSuperior National Forest ↗National Forest · Forest Service · 3,886,760 acres
Each unit is published as a centre point and an acreage rather than a boundary, so this section stands it in for a circle of the same area. Whether a campground is inside, and how far it is from one it is outside, are both approximate.
Other campgrounds nearby
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Reference
Questions people ask
Do I need a reservation at Kawishiwi Lake Rustic Campground?
No. Kawishiwi Lake Rustic Campground is first-come, first-served. Sites are taken on arrival and paid at the fee station.
Source: Forest Service
How much does it cost to camp at Kawishiwi Lake Rustic Campground?
Nothing. Kawishiwi Lake Rustic Campground is listed as free. There is no fee at rustic campgrounds.
Source: Forest Service
Can I bring an RV to Kawishiwi Lake Rustic Campground?
Kawishiwi Lake Rustic Campground is listed for tents only.
Source: Forest Service
What if Kawishiwi Lake Rustic Campground is full?
The nearest public campgrounds are Silver Island Lk Rustic Campgd & Backcountry Sites (8 mi, first-come), Whitefish Lake Rustic Campgd & Timber-Frear Area (8.7 mi, first-come), and Section 29 Lake Rustic Campground (9.3 mi, first-come).
Source: Campgrounds nearby