A dark green Toyota pickup with a roof tent parked in tall dry grass as mist closes in.

Forest Service campground

Clubhouse Lake

Forest Service campground in Chippewa National Forest, Itasca County, Minnesota. 1,359 feet. 10.1 miles from Bigfork.

Managed by
Forest Service Chippewa National Forest
Elevation
1,359 ft USGS elevation model, at the mapped point
Sites
29 29 standard non-electric
Longest rig
45 ft The longest vehicle any site is listed for
Hookups
None listed
Reservations
Recreation.gov
County
Itasca County

Overview

Clubhouse Lake Campground is located on its peaceful namesake in the beautiful Chippewa National Forest. Visitors enjoy the area for its fishing and canoeing opportunities in a scenic natural setting. Clubhouse Lake has limited cell phone service, giving it a remote feeling and offering a tranquil retreat from a connected world. The campground lies off 31 miles north of Grand Rapids, MN and just over 8 miles east of Marcell, MN off of MN State Highway 38 - the nation's first National Scenic Byway, known as "The Edge of the Wilderness."

Recreation

Clubhouse Lake has excellent water quality and is about 90 feet deep, providing great fishing opportunities for northern pike, bass and panfish. Swimming, canoeing and kayaking are very popular activities on the lake. The Rice River Canoe Route starts its journey to the Big Fork River from waters that flow into Clubhouse Lake.

A sandy swimming beach, an accessible fishing pier, and a day use area with horshoe pits are located within the campground at the water's edge.

Facilities

The campground offers 28 reservable sites and 19 first-come, first-served, single-unit campsites. Each site is equipped with a picnic table and campfire ring. Two vault toilets and two hand pumps for drinking water are provided.

The campground is patrolled regularly by Forest Service personnel and Itasca County law enforcement officers.

Natural Features

A beautiful stand of 200-year-old red and white pine trees cover the campground on the western shore of Clubhouse Lake.

Nearby Attractions

The Edge of the Wilderness Discovery Center is located a half-mile north of Marcell. It is a must-see for anyone camping in the area. The brand new facility offers many excellent displays, a gift shop, and several weekly naturalist programs.

The description, directions and fees are the Forest Service’s own words, from its record on Recreation.gov.

What people do here

  • berry picking
  • biking
  • birding
  • boating
  • camping
  • fishing
  • hiking
  • kayaking
  • mushroom picking
  • paddling
  • picnicking
  • scenic drive
  • star gazing
  • swimming
  • swimming site
  • water access
  • water activities
  • water sports
  • wildlife viewing

The land around Clubhouse Lake

The ringed pin is this campground; the others are its nearest neighbours. Switch on forest roads or BLM routes to see the way in.

Interactive map. Drag to pan, scroll or pinch to zoom, and select any point to see which agency manages the land. Arrow keys pan and the plus and minus keys zoom when the map has focus. A list of every state with its share of federal land is on the Explore page.

Map layers

Layers
Base map
Legend

Federal land, by managing agency

  • Bureau of Land Management (BLM)
  • US Forest Service (USFS)
  • National Park Service (NPS)
  • US Fish and Wildlife (USFW)
  • Bureau of Reclamation (USBR)
  • Department Of Defense (DOD)
  • Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA)
  • Other Federal
  • State
  • Local
  • Alaska Native Lands (Patented or Interim Conveyed)
  • Alaska Native Allotment

Federal campgrounds, by agency

  • Forest Service
  • Bureau of Land Management
  • National Park Service
  • Army Corps of Engineers
  • Reclamation, Fish and Wildlife and others

State and local land (USGS PAD-US)

  • State land
  • County and city land
  • Regional agency or district
  • Land trust or conservancy

Gaps with no tint inside public land are private parcels, often old mining claims and homesteads. They are not open to the public.

Dashed clay lines on the base map are unpaved tracks from OpenStreetMap. They show what exists on the ground, not what is legal to drive.

Select any point to see who manages the land.

Boundaries are approximate and land status changes. This map is a planning aid, not a survey or a statement of access. Confirm routes, closures and camping rules with the managing office.

Source: Recreation Information Database (Recreation.gov), record updated February 25, 2026. Elevation from the USGS 3D Elevation Program. Seasons, fees, water and fire rules change; the managing office has the final word.