Army Corps of Engineers · Minnesota
Leech Lake Rec Area
Army Corps of Engineers · Minnesota, United States
- Sites
- 78
- Hookups
- 74 electric, 78 with water
- Season
- May 1 to October 14
- Max RV length
- 138 ft
- Group sites
- Yes
- Drinking water
- Yes
- Restrooms
- Yes
- Showers
- Yes
- Dump station
- Yes
- Laundry
- Yes
- Pets
- Yes
- Elevation
- 1,316 ft
- Dark sky
- Bortle class 1
- Cell coverage
- Verizon weak · AT&T good · T-Mobile none (carriers' 4G LTE filings to the FCC, 2025-12; not measured here)
- Lake
- Mississippi River Headwaters - Leech Lake
- Nearest town
- FEDERAL DAM
- Address
- 01217 FEDERAL DAM DR. NE, FEDERAL DAM, MN, 56641
- Phone
- 218-654-3145
- Activities
- Badminton, Boating, Camping, Day Use Area, Fishing, Interpretive Programs, Other Recreation Concession Site, Picnicking, Ranger Station, Shuffle Board, Visitor Center, Water Access
78 numbered sites are mapped one by one - open the site map to pick yours.
About
Overview
Leech Lake Recreation Area is located in the heart of the Chippewa National Forest in Federal Dam, Minnesota on the Leech Lake River.
The area is best known for its fishing and boat access to Portage Bay on Leech Lake, a famous perch, walleye and musky fishery.
Recreation
Boating, canoeing and fishing are very popular activities. Anglers will find walleye, perch, bass, northern pike and musky, where every cast has the potential to yield a trophy.
Miles of scenic hiking trails meander around Leech Lake, including the Soo Line, Heartland and North Country National Scenic Trails.
Facilities
This campground offers 73 wooded sites with electric hookups, including eight sites with full hookups. Additionally, there are four primitive walk-to tent sites. A group day-use picnic shelter with electric is available, as well as two mini-picnic shelters.
Amenities include flush toilets, showers, drinking water, laundry facilities, a dump station, boat ramps and overnight boat mooring.
Campers enjoy the park's basketball, volleyball, badminton and shuffleboard courts, as well as the horseshoe pits. Younger campers love the playground areas.
Natural Features
Leech Lake has 316 miles of shoreline and encompasses 14 natural lakes. A mixed forest of elm, ash, maple, basswood, birch, aspen and pine covers the area.
Wildlife is abundant around the lake, where campers commonly hear the tell-tale call of loons out on the water.
Charges & Cancellations
Customers may cancel their reservation prior to arrival both on-line and through the call center. A $10 service fee will be withheld from any refund for a cancellation. A customer who cancels a reservation the day before or on the day of arrival will pay a $10.00 service fee AND forfeit the first night's use fee (not to exceed the total paid for the original reservation). Cancellations for a one-night reservation will forfeit the entire amount paid and will not be subject to an additional service fee. If a customer wants to switch dates that are entirely outside of the original reservation dates, there is a $10 change fee.
Weather, month by month
| Month | Typical high | Typical low | Coldest night | Hottest day | Years with a night below 32°F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 16° | 0° | -25° | 39° | 11 of 11 |
| February | 20° | 1° | -26° | 43° | 11 of 11 |
| March | 36° | 20° | -9° | 62° | 11 of 11 |
| April | 42° | 31° | 15° | 70° | 10 of 11 |
| May | 62° | 44° | 32° | 82° | 1 of 11 |
| June | 72° | 58° | 45° | 87° | 0 of 11 |
| July | 78° | 64° | 53° | 90° | 0 of 11 |
| August | 76° | 62° | 55° | 91° | 0 of 11 |
| September | 70° | 57° | 42° | 83° | 0 of 11 |
| October | 54° | 41° | 26° | 69° | 3 of 10 |
| November | 37° | 27° | 7° | 59° | 9 of 10 |
| December | 26° | 16° | -18° | 45° | 10 of 10 |
Mid-month figures from 2016–2026 of daily weather at this spot (ERA5 reanalysis via Open-Meteo, CC BY 4.0), in °F. Typical is the median; coldest and hottest are the extremes seen.
Nearby campgrounds
- Winnie Campground - USFS · USDA Forest Service · 13 mi · 34 sites
- Stony Point · USDA Forest Service · 13 mi · 63 sites
- Tamarack Point Campground · USDA Forest Service · 15 mi
- Winnie Dam Campground - USACE · Army Corps of Engineers · 15 mi · 22 sites
- Mabel Lake · USDA Forest Service · 15 mi · 21 sites
All public campgrounds in Minnesota · Every state and province · Facts read from the operator 2026-07-16. Confirm fees, rules and current status with the operator before you go.