Wanaki Loop

Overview

Wanaki Loop is part of the Norway Beach Recreation Area, at the southern shores of beautiful Cass Lake in north central Minnesota. The campground is a perfect location for family camping, with excellent boating and fishing opportunities.

Recreation

Cass Lake offers many recreational activities, including boating, canoeing, water skiing and swimming. Anglers fish for walleye, northern pike, perch and trophy muskie. A boat ramp is located within the campground.

Star Island, in the middle of Cass Lake, is a unique feature of the Chippewa National Forest. Six miles of trails wind around the island, which is home to 199-acre Lake Windigo.

Hiking and biking trails are available in the area, including the Migizi Bike Trail and the Norway Beach Trail.

The Norway Beach Visitor Center is nearby. This building, with its magnificent fireplace, is a monument to the talents and craftsmanship of Civilian Conservation Corps enrollees. Programs and displays depict Dakota and Ojibwe heritage and the area's flora and fauna.

A variety of special events are held at the center throughout the year. A kid's fishing day is held in June, Bald Eagle Day is sometime in July, and Smokey Bear's birthday party is held in August. Interpretive programs are offered every Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, from Memorial Day through Labor Day.

Facilities

The campground offers single-family sites. Flush and vault toilets, showers and drinking water are provided.

Natural Features

The campground is situated on the banks of Cass Lake, in a forest of mature red and white pine trees. Some sites have lake views and are near the loop's sandy beach.

Cass Lake is the largest of eight lakes that make up the Cass Lake Chain of Lakes. The lake covers nearly 16,000 acres and has 27 miles of forested shoreline and sandy beaches.

Nearby Attractions

The town of Cass Lake is located four miles west of the campground, offering restaurants, a bank, grocery and hardware stores, a movie theater and museum.

Camp site features

Across 25 camp sites:

Fire pit: all 25 sites
Pets allowed: all 25 sites
Longest RV: 60 ft
Largest party: 8 people

Directions

From Cass Lake, Minn., take U.S. Highway 2 east for 4 miles, to the Norway Beach Recreation Area. Turn left and follow the campground road until the signs indicate the Wanaki Campground.

Stay Limit

Check in from 2 PM, check out by 1 PM.

Reviews

29 reviews

5 stars

4 stars

3 stars

2 stars

1 stars

Ruth A

Loop:Wanaki Loop

Site:

Reviewed 3 months ago

Weekend can be busy, noisy boats,and tight space but weekdays are quiet. Clean water to swim i Clean water to swim in.

Robert D

Loop:Wanaki Loop

Site:

Reviewed 3 months ago

Enjoyed this campground alot. Enough that we changed sites 3 times during our stay! The first site was only available for 2 nights but it was a gem so we took it knowing we would have to move. The second site was shady and not ideal for solar, so we stayed there a couple of nights and then moved to a third site. The sites were nice and roomy for our class A. Lake access was good, not great. But the lake is gorgeous. Clear water, sandy bottom, shallow. We really enjoyed it alot.

Bill B

Loop:Wanaki

Site:

Reviewed 3 months ago

We've been camping in the Wanaki Loop annually for many years. We choose that loop because we enjoy the sounds of nature, kids having fun camping and the overall quiet times versus electric/generator sites. We were very disappointed that there were several large RV/campers that ran their generators the majority of the time while we were there. It says on the website that generators are allowed but for short periods of time. If they need to have that kind of camping, they should go to the electric sites in one of the other loops (Norway or Chippewa). On a positive note. Joyce was an excellent Camp Host. She keeps the bathrooms clean and is very attentive to the needs of the campers.

Nicholas M

Loop:Wanaki

Site:

Reviewed 3 months ago

Very nice campground as always (25+ yrs), though the use of generators in a “non electrical loop” is getting out of hand. We choose the non electrical out of wanting to unplug and have peace and quiet. There are loops with electrical if you are a family that absolutely cant live without AC or your gaming systems. We saw a camper with a TV, box fan, and mini fridge. Stay at home if you cant live without that or feel the need it as a luxury while camping. Will still be coming back year after year, but this has started to be a drawback prior to not having any.

Nicholas M

Loop:Wanaki

Site:

Reviewed 3 months ago

David O

Loop:Wanaki

Site:

Reviewed 3 months ago

Excellent time No smoke No bears Fab weather Restrooms/showers clean Quiet neighbors See you next year!!

Availability

See the Camp Sites section below to find detailed booking availability.

Reserve