U.S. Forest Service · Superior National Forest · Isabella, MN

Mcdougal Lake Campground

McDougal Lake Campground provides easy access to a wide variety of recreational activities including hiking, boating, fishing, picnicking and swimming within the central part of Superior National Forest. Superior National Forest, located in northeastern Minnesota's arrowhead region, is comprised of three million acres. The forest spans 150 miles along the United States-Canada border. Visitors can find recreation opportunities year-round, including travel in the famous Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. The one-mile hiking trail and campsites 17 and 19 were closed in 2021 due to impacts from the Greenwood Fire and will be closed until further notice.

Partly reservable 21 sites From $18 per nightPets okFires okTents only

Some sites take reservations on Recreation.gov. Others are first-come, first-served.

More like this: first-come in Minnesota · reservable in Minnesota · tent only in Minnesota · pets allowed in Minnesota

Check availability on Recreation.gov ↗

Photos courtesy of Chad Lefevere, Megan I, Megan · Recreation.gov

Site mix

Standard, no hookups		17
Walk-in		4

Some sites take reservations on Recreation.gov. Others are first-come, first-served. For the first-come sites, arrive early on a weekday and take what is open. The booking page shows which of the reservable sites are open. The first-come playbook

Site guide

21 sites in 2 loops. Tap a filter to narrow the list; the map follows.

Site	Loop	Type	Entry	Fits, ft	Surface	Shade	Water / sewer	People / vehicles	Fires
17	McDougal Lake CG - North Loop	Standard	Back-in	15	Gravel			9 / 1
18	McDougal Lake CG - North Loop	Standard	Back-in	30	Gravel			9 / 1
19	McDougal Lake CG - North Loop	Standard	Back-in	25	Gravel			9 / 1
20	McDougal Lake CG - North Loop	Standard	Back-in	30	Gravel			9 / 1
21	McDougal Lake CG - North Loop	Standard	Back-in	25	Gravel			9 / 1
1	McDougal Lake CG - South Loop	Standard	Back-in	45	Gravel			9 / 1
2	McDougal Lake CG - South Loop	Standard	Back-in	25	Gravel			9 / 1
3	McDougal Lake CG - South Loop	Standard	Back-in	35	Gravel			9 / 1
4	McDougal Lake CG - South Loop	Standard	Back-in	25	Gravel	Partial	No / –	9 / 1	Yes
5	McDougal Lake CG - South Loop	Standard	Back-in	35	Gravel	Partial	No / –	9 / 1	Yes

Per-site records as published by the managing agency on Recreation.gov. Blank cells mean the agency listed nothing for that site. Check-in 2:00 PM, checkout 12:00 PM.

Amenities & rules

Equipment	Tents
Pets	Allowed
Campfires	Allowed, subject to restrictions
Fees	$18.00/night for one vehicle and one trailer. Additional vehicles or trailers on the site require an additional $9.00 fee to be paid. If you make a reservation online, you may pay the fee in advance with your reservation fee. Otherwise, the fee can be paid in the fee tube at the campground.

This comfortable facility provides 13 first come, first served and 8 reservable campsites that are either drive-in sites suitable for RVs and trailers or hike-in sites for tent campers. Campsites are private and separated by woods. The facilities include water from a solar powered pump station and vault toilets. The one-mile hiking trail was closed in 2021 due to impacts from the Greenwood Fire and will be closed until further notice.

Individual sites vary. Confirm on Recreation.gov or with the managing office.

Season & status

Season	May 9 to September 30
Forest	Superior National Forest
Booking	Some sites are reservable through Recreation.gov.
Fees	Single Site: $18/night. Long Term: $504/season. Long term site: Fee is for entire season
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 require additional half fee and must park on the spur. No vehicles may park on the grass or where they impede traffic.

Superior National Forest recreation page ↗

Weather by month

NOAA climate normals →

The line is the average temperature and the bars are average precipitation at Isabella 14W, 6 miles from the campground at 1,740 feet, station USC00214077 in the NOAA monthly climate normals for 1991 to 2020. Precipitation totals about 30 inches a year. The shaded span is the published season, May 9 to September 30.

Getting there

McDougal Lake Campground is located on Forest Road 106, 10 miles west of Isabella, Minnesota. From MN-61, turn onto MN-1 at Illgen City and follow to Isabella. Proceed 10 miles west of Isabella to Forest Road 106. Turn left and continue a half-mile to the campground entrance.

Nearest town	Isabella, Minnesota
Coordinates	47.6425° N, 91.5328° W · Directions ↗

Supplies & services

Outdoor gear	Boundary Waters Outfitters ↗	19.2 mi
Dump station	Dump station ↗	27.6 mi

Locations © OpenStreetMap contributors. Call ahead; hours change seasonally.

Explore

Video

McDougal Lake Campground - Superior National Forest, MN

Trails nearby

Forest Service trail data →

0.3 mi
McDougal Lake
0.9 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike
0.6 mi
Bandana Spur B
0.3 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike, ATV and 1 more
1.7 mi
Deep Clover Pit
0.2 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike, ATV and 1 more
1.9 mi
Stony River
1.5 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike, ATV and 1 more
2 mi
Stony River Spur A
0.5 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike, ATV and 1 more
2.1 mi
Gegoka Flathorn Connector G
0.5 mi trail · hiking, horse, bike, snowshoe and 1 more

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

On Wilderness Atlas →

This campground sits inside Superior National Forest.

in
Superior National Forest ↗
National Forest · Forest Service · 3,886,760 acres
7.4 mi
Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness ↗
Wilderness · Forest Service · 816,244 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

FS · MN

Little Isabella River Campground

Partly reservable5 mi

FS · MN

Sand Lake Rustic Campground

First-come7.4 mi

FS · MN

Eighteen Lake Rustic Campground

First-come8.8 mi

FS · MN

Divide Lake Campground & Backcountry Sites

First-come13.1 mi

Natural features

The 323-acre McDougal Lake is surrounded by a thick forest of birch, maple and pine and sits at an elevation of 1,800 ft. The area is peaceful, rustic and begs for relaxation. One unique feature of the lake is the wild rice growing within it. Birds and wildlife frequent its shores.

Recreation

Kids will love the sandy swimming beach within the facility. A boat ramp and shoreline access provide anglers the opportunity for a leisurely afternoon of fishing for walleye and northern pike.

Nearby

Numerous outdoor recreation opportunities lie within Superior National Forest's 77 lake access areas, 13 fishing piers, 10 swimming beaches and 22 picnic areas. The forest is also home to three scenic byways.

Guidebooks for Minnesota

We earn a small commission if you buy through these links. It does not change what we list.

Best Tent Camping: Minnesota
Tom Watson, 2018
Find at Bookshop.org
Backroads and Byways of Minnesota
Amy C. Rea, 2019
Find at Bookshop.org
Hiking Minnesota
Mary Jo Mosher and Kristine Mosher, 2019
Find at Bookshop.org

Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.

Reference

Questions people ask

Do I need a reservation at Mcdougal Lake Campground?

For some sites. Some sites take reservations on Recreation.gov. Others are first-come, first-served.

Source: Recreation.gov

How much does it cost to camp at Mcdougal Lake Campground?

$18.00/night for one vehicle and one trailer. Additional vehicles or trailers on the site require an additional $9.00 fee to be paid. If you make a reservation online, you may pay the fee in advance with your reservation fee.

Source: Recreation.gov

What time is check-in at Mcdougal Lake Campground?

Check-in 2:00 PM, checkout 12:00 PM.

Source: Recreation.gov

How many sites does Mcdougal Lake Campground have?

21 sites, including 17 standard sites without power and 4 walk-in sites.

Source: Recreation.gov

Can I bring an RV to Mcdougal Lake Campground?

Mcdougal Lake Campground is listed for tents only.

Source: Recreation.gov

Are pets allowed at Mcdougal Lake Campground?

Yes, pets are allowed at Mcdougal Lake Campground. Leash rules apply.

Source: Recreation.gov

Can I have a campfire at Mcdougal Lake Campground?

Fires are allowed in the provided rings under normal conditions. Maximum of nine people per site.

Source: Recreation.gov

Is there cell service at Mcdougal Lake Campground?

FCC coverage maps show AT&T 4G LTE at the campground point. Terrain changes that from one site to the next.

Source: FCC Broadband Map

What is there to do at Mcdougal Lake Campground?

Kids will love the sandy swimming beach within the facility. The Recreation section on this page has the rest.

Source: Recreation

What is the nearest town to Mcdougal Lake Campground?

Isabella, Minnesota. Numerous outdoor recreation opportunities lie within Superior National Forest's 77 lake access areas, 13 fishing piers, 10 swimming beaches and 22 picnic areas.

Source: Getting there

What if Mcdougal Lake Campground is full?

The nearest public campgrounds are Little Isabella River Campground (5 mi, partly first-come), Sand Lake Rustic Campground (7.4 mi, first-come), and Eighteen Lake Rustic Campground (8.8 mi, first-come).

Source: Campgrounds nearby