Is Ridge & Birch Campground first-come first-served or reservation?

Ridge & Birch Campground accepts online reservations. We recommend booking in advance, especially during peak season (typically summer weekends). Use campsite alerts to get notified when spots become available.

Are there showers at Ridge & Birch Campground?

Yes, Ridge & Birch Campground has shower facilities available for campers. Check the amenities section for details on hours and any fees.

Is there cell service at Ridge & Birch Campground?

Cell phone service at Ridge & Birch Campground is generally available. Cell service is available. Coverage may vary by carrier and exact location within the campground.

Are dogs allowed at Ridge & Birch Campground?

Pets are not allowed at Ridge & Birch Campground. This policy helps protect local wildlife and other campers. Consider nearby pet-friendly campgrounds if traveling with animals.

What amenities are available at Ridge & Birch Campground?

Ridge & Birch Campground offers: Showers, Potable Water, Dump Station, Electrical Hookups. See our detailed campground page for the full list of facilities and features.

What activities can I do at Ridge & Birch Campground?

Popular activities at Ridge & Birch Campground include Hiking, Fishing, Biking, Boating, Wildlife Viewing. The surrounding area offers plenty of outdoor recreation opportunities for all skill levels.

Ridge & Birch Campground

3.50

8 reviews

Top 23% in MNSummer

Summer Destination

Featured in:Summer Camping Minnesota

Real-Time Availability

Select a month, then check for open campsites

Quick Facts

Price

Varies

Booking

Reservable

Sites

Varies

Season

Year-round

Cell

Has Service

Pets

No Pets

ElectricShowers

Book on Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (Minnesota State Parks)Official Website

Real-Time Availability

Select a month, then check for open campsites

Quick Facts

Price

Varies

Booking

Reservable

Sites

Varies

Season

Year-round

Cell

Has Service

Pets

No Pets

ElectricShowers

Book on Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (Minnesota State Parks)Official Website

Ridge & Birch Campground

No fees available

Campsite Fees

Advance reservations are charged a non-refundable reservation fee (typically $10 via call center / $8 online). Reservations are required for all...

No paid fee categories listed.

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Minnesota State Parks

Provider

888-646-6367; 651-296-6157 (general); Reservations: 866-857-2757

I manage this campground

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Campground Map

Ridge & Birch Campground

No map location available

Weather at Ridge & Birch Campground

Best Time to Camp at Ridge & Birch Campground

Summer brings Ridge & Birch to life with warm days perfect for hiking lakeside trails and water adventures on Lake of the Woods. Fair warning: the same lush Northwoods environment that makes this place beautiful also supports healthy populations of mosquitoes, gnats, and black flies during peak season—pack your bug spray and screen tent. While Zippel Bay offers year-round opportunities including winter cabins and cold-weather activities at the park, check current seasonal availability for Ridge & Birch Campground specifically when planning your visit.

Best

Summer(Jun-Aug)

4.5 / 5

Top 23% in MN

Warm summer temps; swimming, canoeing, kayaking and fishing peak in July.

Planning Tips

About Ridge & Birch Campground

As twilight settles over Lake of the Woods, your adventure at Ridge & Birch Campground is just beginning. Join evening naturalist programs, wander moonlit trails, and gather around crackling campfires under Minnesota's vast northern skies. Reserve your campsite in advance, with same-day options sometimes available for spontaneous getaways.

Drive-up campsites (some with electric hookups), backpack site(s), and heated cabins are present according to source material.

Weather and SeasonsSummer brings Ridge & Birch to life with warm days perfect for hiking lakeside trails and water adventures on Lake of the Woods. Fair warning: the same lush Northwoods environment that makes this place beautiful also supports healthy populations of mosquitoes, gnats, and black flies during peak season—pack your bug spray and screen tent. While Zippel Bay offers year-round opportunities including winter cabins and cold-weather activities at the park, check current seasonal availability for Ridge & Birch Campground specifically when planning your visit.

Natural Features and SceneryRidge & Birch Campground immerses you in the quintessential Northwoods experience that draws visitors to Minnesota's far north. Towering pines and birch trees create a forested canopy over gently rolling terrain, while Lake of the Woods—one of the largest lakes in the United States—sparkles just beyond the treeline. The setting captures that classic North Country feeling: peaceful wooded campsites balanced with stunning water views that remind you why you came to the wilderness in the first place.

Scenic ViewsSupplementary reports note lake views from some sites and wooded, secluded surroundings.

Best Campsites

Curated by campers, for campers

Reveal picks

Reserving a campsite

Tents

Tents are allowed

RV vehicles

RV vehicles are allowed

Primitive

Primitive camping is not allowed

Reservable

Reservations are allowed

Reservation PlatformsOnline reservation system and call center (866-857-2757)

Best CampsitesSupplementary visitor notes highlight a few favored sites for solitude and larger groups (examples cited in reports include site #2 for quiet and lake views, and sites 12 and 28 for larger parties).

Need help booking Ridge & Birch Campground?

Reservation tips, booking windows, and free cancellation alerts.

Minnesota State Parks Guide

Booking tips & windows

When to Book

Find your booking window

Cancellation Alerts

Free alerts for this campground

Amenities available

Amenities reported in source materials include showers, drinking water, toilets, picnic tables, a sanitary dump station, electric hookups at some sites, food lockers, a market, trash service, and firewood availability. Sites and cabins are reservable.

Showers

Potable water

Electricity hookups

Dump station

Picnic tables

Cabin Lodging

I manage this campground

RV details

Activities you can enjoy

Typical Northwoods recreation with trails, lake access and abundant wildlife; noted activities include hiking, fishing, canoeing/boating, biking and wildlife viewing.

Hiking

Fishing

Biking

Boating

Wildlife viewing

Planning your trip?Check out our camping packing checklist

Policies & Safety

Hazards & AlertsVisitor reports mention heavy insect activity (mosquitoes, gnats, black flies), potential black bear presence, narrow and hilly roads that can be challenging for large rigs, and occasional nighttime wildlife noise near tents.

No Flush ToiletsFlush toilets are not available at this campground. Expect vault or pit toilets only.

No Water HookupsSite-level water hookups are not available. RV campers should fill freshwater tanks before arrival; check the No Potable Water note above if applicable for drinking water.

Trip Planning Tools

Set an AlertGet notified when sites open up Check WeatherHistorical weather data Gear for This TripMatched gear recommendations Packing ListCustomizable checklist

Questions & answers

Researching this campground? Ask anything — other campers and our team will weigh in. No visit required.

Tips from campers

Short heads-ups about the road in, gear quirks, timing, and more. You don't have to have been here to share what you know.

Reviews

From Booking Sources

3.5

8 reviews

Mixed Reviews

Ridge & Birch Campground has mixed reviews, placing it in the bottom 85% of campgrounds based on reviews

Visitor sentiment is generally positive: reviewers praise the relaxing Northwoods setting, lake views and several favored sites; complaints center on heavy biting insects, occasional wildlife noise and narrow roads that challenge large rigs.

Review Summaries

Based on 8 reviews

What Campers Love

Secluded Northwoods atmosphere, lake vistas of Bear Head and Blueberry Lakes, spacious and relatively private sites (non-electric loop), and specific highly recommended sites (site 2; sites 12 and 28...

Based on 8 reviews

Outdoorithm Community

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Go if

Tent campers and smaller RVs who reserve site 2 or the non-electric loop early will get the secluded Northwoods feel this place is known for, birch canopy, lake views, evening naturalist programs included.

Skip if

Large rigs will struggle on the narrow, hilly access roads, and anyone who can't tolerate serious mosquitoes, gnats, and black flies in peak summer should wait until the shoulder season or skip it entirely.

Campgrounds

Zippel Bay State Park

Ridge & Birch Campground

About Hungry Horse Reservoir

Context for the broader area surrounding Ridge & Birch Campground, sourced from the federal Recreation.gov rec-area record.

<A HREF="https://www.usbr.gov/projects/index.php?id=255">Hungry Horse Dam</a> is on the South Fork of the Flathead River, 15 miles south of the west entrance to Glacier National Park and 20 miles northeast of Kalispell, Montana. The dam was built as part of the <A HREF="https://www.usbr.gov/projects/index.php?id=337">Hungry Horse Project</a> to provide hydroelectric power and flood control. At 564 feet, the dam is the 10th highest in the U.S. In addition to static and interactive exhibits that cover local area history and the construction of Hungry Horse Dam, the Visitor Center offers free tours of the dam's crest. The visitor center is closed for the summer 2004 tourist season. The damsite is in a deep, narrow canyon. Hungry Horse Reservoir is located high in the Rocky Mountains, less than 30 miles from the Continental Divide and is surrounded by more than 25 mountain peaks. The reservoir is about 34 miles long and 23,800 acres and offers excellent opportunities for fishing, boating, water skiing, and swimming. Available fish species are cutthroat trout, bull trout, and whitefish.The surrounding mountains are popular big game hunting areas and several of the small tributaries have their headwaters in nearby alpine lakes. The area is managed by the Flathead National Forest.

Directions

Take U.S. 2 about 20 miles northeast of Kalispell.

Download area map (PDF)