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

Forest Service horse camp

Cut Foot Horse Campground

Forest Service horse camp in Chippewa National Forest, Itasca County, Minnesota. 1,366 feet. 5.4 miles from Squaw Lake.

Reserve on Recreation.gov
Managed by
Forest Service Chippewa National Forest
Elevation
1,366 ft USGS elevation model, at the mapped point
Sites
33 33 equestrian non-electric
Hookups
None listed
Reservations
Recreation.gov
County
Itasca County

Overview

Cut Foot Sioux Horse Camp is located northeast of Lake Winnibigoshish. Over 120 miles of forest roads and recreation trails surround this scenic campground, making it a favorite location of campers with horses. The campground will be first-come, first-served for the entire 2025 season.

The Chippewa National Forest and the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe work together to co-steward resources - making the Forest a great place to recreate as well as a special place where cultural and traditional resources are protected and preserved and the Band’s treaty rights are respected.

Recreation

Many miles of trails pass through or begin at Cut Foot Horse Camp, leading horseback riders, hikers, and mountain bikers through the Cut Foot Experimental Forest. Several trails are also open to off-road vehicles. Research areas are designated by various markers. Please leave the markers as you find them.

Facilities

Unique campgrounds like Cut Foot Horse require certain restrictions to maintain water quality, minimize soil erosion and lessen any impacts on vegetation. Special attention has been paid in designating the site for horse camping.

Several single-unit campsites are available, most of which are accessible. Each site is equipped with a picnic table and campfire ring. Hitching racks, picket lines and manure pits are located throughout the campground. Vault toilets and a solar-powered drinking water cistern are provided.

There is no campground host on site. The campground is patrolled regularly by Forest Service personnel and Itasca County law enforcement officers.

Natural Features

The campground lies within the Cut Foot Experimental Forest, managed in part by the North Central Research Station in Grand Rapids and the Chippewa National Forest. A mature stand of red pine covers the area, with oak and birch trees dotting the forest. The campground has nice shade and good privacy between sites.

Nearby Attractions

Boating, swimming, and fishing are popular activities on Big and Little Cut Foot Sioux Lakes and Lake Winnibigoshish. These lakes and several others are within a few miles of the campground.

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

What people do here

  • biking
  • boating
  • camping
  • fishing
  • hiking
  • horse camping
  • horseback riding
  • hunting
  • wildlife viewing

The land around Cut Foot Horse Campground

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

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.

Nearest campgrounds

Camping near

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.

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