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A white Tacoma with a camper shell parked on a rise above a broad, empty basin under building cloud.

Forest Service campground

East Seelye Bay

Forest Service campground in Chippewa National Forest, Itasca County, Minnesota. 1,314 feet. 6.9 miles from Squaw Lake.

Reserve on Recreation.gov
Managed by
Forest Service Chippewa National Forest
Elevation
1,314 ft USGS elevation model, at the mapped point
Sites
13 13 standard non-electric
Hookups
None listed
Reservations
Recreation.gov
County
Itasca County

Overview

East Seelye Bay Campground is located 20 Miles north of Deer River off Highway 46 and 4 miles west on Eagle Nest Road (FR 2198). East Seelye Bay has 13 first-come, first-served campsites, a picnic area, swimming beach, boat ramp, and parking area.

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

Opportunities for fishing, swimming and boating on Lake Winnibigoshish abound. The Cut Foot Sioux National Recreation Trail runs past the campground and along Seelye Point, it is an unpaved trail used for hiking and horseback riding. The East Seelye Point Trail also runs through the campground, and there is easy access down the road to the Simpson Creek Trail system.

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
  • canoeing
  • day use area
  • fishing
  • hiking
  • horseback riding
  • kayaking
  • mushroom picking
  • paddling
  • scenic drive
  • star gazing
  • swimming
  • swimming site
  • water access
  • water activities
  • water sports
  • wildlife viewing

The land around East Seelye Bay

The ringed pin is this campground; 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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