Camping in the Bemidji area

Guys, I have a good friend that goes up to Medicine lake north of Bemidji a few miles and stays at the lodge every year… Each year he begs me to go along, and it never works out… This year I can make it up there for a few days but his cabin is full and they resort likes you stay the entire week. I am thinking of heading up there for part of the time he and his family are there for a few days and would like to take a tent along and have an electrical hook up to charge my boat at night. I am sure there are campgrounds in the area, but I do not know how the state parks of MN work… Do I need a entry permit, like a window sticker for South Dakota? Is there a good private camp ground in the area? Thank in advance for the help on this. Also, if anyone would like to point me in the right direction to catching a few eyes, pike, or panfish in the area, or preferably on Medicine Lake, that would be wonderful as well.

Here is a link to the campgrounds in the Bemidji area.
http://www.visitbemidji.com/lodging/index.html

Yes you will need a state park sticker to get into them. You can buy short term ones. Here is a link to the Mn State Park information. Reservations are required and there is a link to the reservation system on this site.
http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/state_parks/index.html

Can’t help you with Medicine lake fishing have never been there.

I like the state park up there, really beautifully place and I do believe there is a launch on the lake.

Not much for public (state, federal) campgrounds up that way other than Lake Bemidji State Park on the NE corner of the lake, and probably close to 20 miles from Medicine Lake. There are a number of private campgrounds around that area though and could be worth a call to ask if you can pitch a tent for the weekend. There are a couple of hotels in Blackduck too if you can’t find a tent spot. Drake Motel is very popular for fishermen.

Lots of good lakes up that way. Blackduck is popular for walleyes, as is Lake Bemidji. Swing into Timberland Sports in Blackduck and they might be able to help you out. Take a look at the DNR Recreation Compass and click on the lake and pull up the Lake Finder to look at some fish surveys.
http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/maps/compass.html
http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/lakefind/index.html
(you’ll be in Beltrami county)

http://www.visitbemidji.com/lodging/resorts.html#Campgrounds
Here is a list of privately owned Campgrounds and Resorts, Look into Blackduck, Gull, and Three Island.

Three Island has some good day use areas. For camping to be close Blackduck is going to be your best bet.

If you are really into roughing it here are the rules for county land and you can use the online map to find county land in the area.
http://www.co.beltrami.mn.us/Departments/NRM/Parks%20and%20Rec%20Camping.html

Fox Lake and Gull Lake are both close to medicine. Both great panfish lakes with Gull being a decent walleye lake as well. Most of the parks will not have electric with the exception of Bemidji State Park I believe. Both Fox and Gull would be equipped with electric as they are private campgrounds. I would give either one a call.