Free camping near Tower, MN
Within 25 straight-line miles of Tower, MN there are 94 camps: 91 free, 3 fee. The closest is Lake Vermilion Public Islands, 4.3 miles north of town. The closest one our audit calls free is Lake Vermilion Public Islands, 4.3 miles out.
Who manages them: 93 on the Forest Service; 1 on the BLM.
| Camp | Miles | Cost | Water | Nearest town | Season today |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lake Vermilion Public Islands | 4.3 | Free | — | 5.0 mi to Tower | — |
| Lake Vermilion Site 15 | 5.4 | Free | Bear Creek (stream) | 5.1 mi to Soudan | — |
| Lake Vermilion Site 18 | 6.2 | Free | — | 6.8 mi to Tower | — |
| Lake Vermilion Site 1 | 6.5 | Free | Pine Creek (stream) | 7.0 mi to Soudan | — |
| Lake Vermilion Site 4 | 7.4 | Free | Pine Creek (stream) | 8.0 mi to Tower | — |
| Lake Vermilion Site 5 | 8.2 | Free | — | 8.2 mi to Tower | — |
| Pfeiffer Lake Campground | 10 | Fee | — | 10 mi to Tower | — |
| Pfeiffer Site 2 | 11 | Free | Pfeiffer Lake (water) | 5.4 mi to Forsman | — |
| Big Rice Lake Campsites (3) | 13 | Free | Big Rice Lake (water) | 3.8 mi to Forsman | — |
| Vermilion River Site 2 | 13 | Free | Vermilion River (river) | 11 mi to Wakemup | — |
| Bear Island Lake Site 1 | 14 | Free | Bear Island River (river) | 1.1 mi to Rothman | — |
| Vermilion River Site 1 | 14 | Free | Vermilion River (river) | 9.4 mi to Wakemup | — |
| Bear Island Lake Site 2 | 14 | Free | — | 9.1 mi to Babbitt | — |
| Bear Island Lake Site 3 | 14 | Free | — | 8.7 mi to Babbitt | — |
| Bear Island Lake Site 4 | 14 | Free | Bear Island River (river) | 0.5 mi to Rothman | — |
| Burntside Lake Site 1 | 15 | Free | — | 8.1 mi to Ely | — |
| Twin Lake Site 1 | 15 | Free | Longstorff Creek (river) | 3.3 mi to Burntside | — |
| Burntside Lake Site 2 | 16 | Free | Geraldine Lake (water) | 4.2 mi to Burntside Lake | — |
| Vermilion River Site 3 | 16 | Free | Vermilion River (river) | 8.5 mi to Buyck | — |
| Lake Vermilion Site 19 | 16 | Free | — | 3.0 mi to Wakemup | — |
| Burntside Lake Site 3 | 17 | Free | — | 7.0 mi to Ely | — |
| Burntside Lake Site 5 | 17 | Free | Dead River (river) | 4.3 mi to Burntside | — |
| Burntside Lake Site 4 | 17 | Free | Shipman Bass Lake (water) | 5.0 mi to Burntside | — |
| Johnson Lake Site 1 | 17 | Free | Johnson Creek (river) | 4.0 mi to Rothman | — |
| Whisper Lake Site 1 | 17 | Free | — | 2.3 mi to Rothman | — |
| Birch Lake Site 15 | 17 | Free | Minnow Lake (water) | 2.3 mi to Babbitt | — |
| Birch Lake Site 14 | 18 | Free | Minnow Lake (water) | 2.6 mi to Babbitt | — |
| Burntside Lake Site 6 | 18 | Free | Shipman Bass Lake (water) | 5.6 mi to Burntside | — |
| Birch Lake Site 13 | 18 | Free | — | 2.8 mi to Babbitt | — |
| West Twin Lake Site 1 | 19 | Free | Twin Lakes (water) | 5.4 mi to Burntside | — |
| West Twin Lake Site 2 | 19 | Free | Dead River (river) | 5.0 mi to Burntside | — |
| Vermilion River Site 4 | 19 | Free | Vermilion River (river) | 5.0 mi to Buyck | — |
| West Twin Lake Site 3 | 19 | Free | — | 6.1 mi to Ely | — |
| Birch Lake Site 11 | 19 | Free | — | 7.7 mi to Babbitt | — |
| East Twin Lake Site 4 | 19 | Free | Twin Lakes (water) | 5.5 mi to Burntside | — |
| East Twin Lake Site 5 | 20 | Free | Twin Lakes (water) | 5.7 mi to Burntside | — |
| Birch Lake Site 12 | 20 | Free | South Kawishiwi River (river) | 4.3 mi to Babbitt | — |
| East Twin Lake Site 6 | 20 | Free | Twin Lakes (water) | 5.9 mi to Burntside | — |
| Picket Lake Site 2 | 20 | Free | Picket Creek (stream) | 5.9 mi to Buyck | — |
| Picket Lake Site 1 | 20 | Free | Picket Creek (stream) | 5.9 mi to Buyck | — |
| Birch Lake Site 16 | 20 | Free | Kangas Creek (stream) | 5.1 mi to Babbitt | — |
| Everett Lake Site 1 | 20 | Free | Twin Lakes (water) | 6.1 mi to Burntside | — |
| Picket Lake Site 3 | 20 | Free | Picket Creek (stream) | 5.6 mi to Buyck | — |
| Birch Lake Site 10 | 20 | Free | Kangas Creek (stream) | 5.0 mi to Babbitt | — |
| Astrid Lake Site 2 | 20 | Free | Crellin Creek (stream) | 8.9 mi to Buyck | — |
| Maude Lake Campsite | 20 | Free | Maude Lake (water) | 7.8 mi to Buyck | — |
| Maude Lake Site 2 | 21 | Free | Maude Lake (water) | 8.1 mi to Buyck | — |
| Astrid Lake Site 1 | 21 | Free | Astrid Lake (water) | 9.1 mi to Buyck | — |
| Birch Lake Site 9 | 21 | Free | Kangas Creek (stream) | 5.3 mi to Babbitt | — |
| Fenske Lake Campground | 21 | Fee | Little Sletten Lake (water) | 7.0 mi to Ely | — |
The other 44 inside the circle are on the live map — open it centred on Tower, MN.
Every distance on this page is a straight line from Tower, MN, not a driving distance — a camp four miles out across a canyon can be an hour of road. Cost is the audited three-state verdict on each camp's own record: free, fee, or unpriced where we could not confirm a price. A blank column is a gap in the record, not a statement that the thing is absent. Camps come from state and federal agency records, not from a visit, except the ones marked. Seasons, permits and fire rules change: confirm with the managing office before you go. Found a fee where we show free? Tell us on the contact page.