Lake Bemidji State Park is one of the best places in Bemidji to visit for a day trip, and is also a woodsy economical place to stay if vacationing in the area. The park is an oasis of well preserved old growth northwoods forest, which you can experience on foot or by bike on miles of trails along the lake, into the woods, and on boardwalks into the bogs. There are naturalist programs, boat and bike rentals, and easy access into town. There are good showers and bathrooms, and a nice beach. It is a very family-friendly opportunity. That being said, though the park itself rates 5 out of 5, the camping options only rank a 4 for the most part. As previous reviewers have mentioned, if a high-quality secluded tent camping experience is what you are after, this is not it. The majority of the campsites are extremely small and very close together with no privacy. There is a canopy of tall trees shading the campground, but most sites are open and dont have much vegetation to screen between sites. If experiencing the northwoods is your main goal, the location and access is great, especially if you are rv or trailer camping. However, if you want something a little more secluded, there are several options: reserve campsites in the loop furthest from the lake (sites in the 90's) as they are much larger sites and very wooded compared to the loops closer to the lake, though be aware they are best for tenting, dont have electric hookouts and have a bit of a walk to get water or showers etc. Some additional "off the beaten path" options at the park are their new camper cabins, located off on their own near the trailhead for the bogwalk trail, and also the group camps. There is one large group campsite, the Lavinia group site, that is completely off on its own away from the campground, and would be perfect for scout groups, family reunions etc. It would host quite a large group, but group would have privacy from the rest of the campground. The other older group campsite is also located away from the main campground, though right at the trailhead for the bike path; though the campsite itself is very scenic and beautiful, and a perfect setting for a small group, it would have passing trail traffic during the day which is something to consider.
