State Park / State Forest
Near Carlton, Minnesota: $25–$35/night, rigs to 40 ft. Open April through October. Book 120 days ahead via MnDNR portal.
State Park / State Forest
Managing authority
Near Carlton, Minnesota
How much does camping at Jay Cooke State Park Campground cost, and when is it open?
Jay Cooke State Park Campground near Carlton, Minnesota (State Park / State Forest) — camping fee $25–$35/night, season April through October, RV size limit Up to 40 ft. Reservations: 120 days ahead via MnDNR portal — book direct through the official channel.
The numbers
Fee range
$25–$35/night
Season open
April through October
RV size limit
Up to 40 ft
Reservation window
120 days ahead via MnDNR portal
The insider read
St. Louis River whitewater rapids. Swinging suspension bridge across the river. Closest large state-park camp to Duluth (20 min).
Original analysis from PickRV — synthesised from public sources you can verify, pulling the operational details competitor guides typically skip.
Verify at dnr.state.mn.usOn site
Book it right
PickRV doesn't handle campground bookings — reserve direct through the official channel so policies and cancellations flow through one record.
Opens reservemn.usedirect.com
Every fact above is sourced from the managing agency's canonical page. Cross-check fee, season, and size limit before you depend on them.
Match the campground's size limit and hookup level to a vehicle category, then plan the rest of the trip.
Keep exploring
Near Altura
StateInsider tip · Trout-stream camping — Whitewater River runs through the park. No mosquitoes (one of the rare bug-free MN parks due to clean spring-fed water). Limestone bluffs.
Near Maple Plain
PrivateInsider tip · Closest full-hookup camp to Mall of America (40 min). Quiet despite the Minneapolis-area location. Pet-friendly off-leash field is the rare amenity.
Near Kabetogama
StateInsider tip · Voyageurs NP itself is 40% water — only boat-in campsites within the park. Woodenfrog State Forest is the closest drive-in camp; rent boat in Kabetogama to access NP loop.
Near Park Rapids
StateInsider tip · Headwaters of the Mississippi — wade across the river where it starts. Oldest MN state park (1891). Pine Ridge loop has the full-hookup big-rig sites; Bear Paw is the quieter loop.
Nearby & related
Sourced costs, campground directories, and the places worth a detour — the next layer of Minnesota trip planning.
Before you go
Minnesota rules
Verified 2026-05-10