State Forest · Minnesota
Mantrap Lake Campground and Day-Use Area
State Forest · Minnesota, United States · in Paul Bunyan State Forest
- Sites
- 38
- Cost
- $17 per night, taxes included
- Drinking water
- Yes
- Restrooms
- Yes
- Elevation
- 1,549 ft
- Dark sky
- Bortle class 1
- Cell coverage
- AT&T good · Verizon good · T-Mobile none (carriers' 4G LTE filings to the FCC, 2025-12; not measured here)
- Phone
- 218-699-7251
About
The campground is adjacent to the public landing. The campsites are considered "primitive," designed to furnish only the basic needs of the camper. The campsites consist of a cleared area, fire ring, and table. Vault toilets, garbage cans, and drinking water are available.
Mantrap Lake is a designated muskie lake. The campground and day-use area also offer swimming, water access, fishing, a dock, five picnic sites, and nature trails (1mi).
38 primitive campsites (36 drive-in), 2 of them accessible. First come, first served for individual sites; pay the camping fee online on the day you arrive, or at a state park ranger station. Managed from Itasca State Park (218-699-7251). In Paul Bunyan State Forest.
Weather, month by month
| Month | Typical high | Typical low | Coldest night | Hottest day | Years with a night below 32°F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 16° | 0° | -25° | 41° | 11 of 11 |
| February | 19° | 2° | -28° | 46° | 11 of 11 |
| March | 37° | 20° | -10° | 63° | 11 of 11 |
| April | 43° | 30° | 14° | 73° | 10 of 11 |
| May | 63° | 44° | 29° | 83° | 1 of 11 |
| June | 73° | 57° | 44° | 89° | 0 of 11 |
| July | 79° | 63° | 52° | 90° | 0 of 11 |
| August | 76° | 62° | 54° | 92° | 0 of 11 |
| September | 70° | 56° | 41° | 84° | 0 of 11 |
| October | 53° | 40° | 23° | 70° | 3 of 10 |
| November | 37° | 26° | 3° | 59° | 9 of 10 |
| December | 26° | 15° | -19° | 46° | 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
- Gulch Lake Campground and Day-Use Area · State Forest · 8 mi · 6 sites
- Akeley City Park & Campground · City, County & Regional Parks · 10 mi
- Hungryman Lake Campground and Day Use Area · State Forest · 12 mi · 14 sites
- Itasca State Park · Minnesota State Parks · 18 mi · 223 sites
- Shell City Landing Campground · State Forest · 19 mi · 19 sites
All public campgrounds in Minnesota · Every state and province · Facts read from the operator 2026-09-17. Confirm fees, rules and current status with the operator before you go.