Fort Charlotte Backcountry Campgrounds
Open year-round with free permit required. Permits must be requested at least 10 days in advance through the park; no same-day permits issued. Winter campsites are not maintained and snow travel requires snowshoes or skis. Current alert: flooding at Poplar Creek Crossing on the Grand Portage Trail due to beaver activity.
Canoe Loading across from the Historic Site
From Thursday August 7 to Sunday August 10, please load/unload canoes off road near the Grand Portage trailhead sign at the corner of Store and Mile Creek Roads. Please do not cross the intersection with packs or canoes during this time.
Special Weather Statement issued June 11 at 6:40PM CDT by NWS Duluth MN
At 640 PM CDT, Doppler radar was tracking two broken lines of thunderstorms capable of producing pea to penny size hail, wind gusts to 40 mph, and occasional lightning. The first line extended from Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness to 9 miles northwest of Isabella to 6 miles northeast of Brimson to 6 miles northwest of Knife River to near Foxboro. The second line extended from near Ely to Virginia to Floodwood to Aitkin to Brainerd. The lines of storms were moving east-northeast at 30 mph. HAZARD...Pea to penny size hail, wind gusts to 40 mph. Weak, brief tornadoes are possible from these storms as well. SOURCE...Radar indicated. Spotters reported minor wind damage near Iron Junction MN and there were several reports of pea to half-inch diameter hail in the past 2 hours with these storms. IMPACT...Minor damage to outdoor objects is possible. Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around unsecured objects. Locations impacted include... Duluth, Superior, Brainerd, Cloquet, Ely, Big Sandy Lake, Gunflint Lake, Lake Vermilion, Hermantown, Virginia, Baxter, Two Harbors, Eveleth, Proctor, Crosby, Aitkin, Hoyt Lakes, Silver Bay, Gilbert, and Aurora.
About
Fort Charlotte Backcountry Campgrounds are the only overnight camping option within Grand Portage National Monument, located where the historic Grand Portage fur trade route meets the Pigeon River at the U.S.-Canada border. The two campsites occupy ground steeped in history, near the reconstructed North West Company fort where voyageurs once portaged goods around the impassable High Falls. Access requires commitment: hikers face an 8.5-mile trek along the Grand Portage Trail from Lake Superior, while paddlers can approach via the Pigeon River from South Fowl Lake in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. Both routes traverse rugged terrain with significant elevation changes. Each site accommodates up to nine people on tent platforms with picnic tables. Vault toilets are provided, but water from the river and trail sources is not potable. Campfires are permitted only in designated fire rings using dead, fallen wood. All trash must be packed out.
Directions
Fort Charlotte is reached by hiking 8.5 miles on the Grand Portage Trail from the historic depot at Grand Portage Bay on Lake Superior, or by paddling down the Pigeon River from South Fowl Lake. An alternative trail entry point exists where Old Highway 61 intersects the portage via County Road 17.
Amenities
| Water | No |
| Fires Allowed | Yes |
| Toilets | Yes |
| Dump Station | No |
| Wifi | No |
| Pets Allowed | Yes |
| Showers | No |
| Electric Hookups | — |
| Water Hookups | — |
| Sewer Hookups | — |
| Camp Store | No |
| Price | $0 |
Vehicle
| Max RV Length | — |
| Max Trailer Length | — |
| Big Rig Friendly | No |
| Pull Through Sites | No |
Contact
| GRPO_Back_Country@nps.gov | |
| Phone | +1 (218) 475-0123 |
Cell Service
| AT&T | None |
| Verizon | None |
| T-Mobile | None |
Photos
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