Recreation area

Joyce Estate

Chippewa National Forest · Minnesota — managed by USDA Forest Service

Open recreation area — no reservation needed

About this campground

As you stroll through the grounds of the Joyce Estate imagine the roaring twenties, the time of prohibition and women's suffrage. Imagine how unusual it was in its day, an isolated 4,500 acre resort with 40 buildings including its own golf course, private telephone line and airplane hanger. Heir to the Joyce Family fortune originating in part from lumber taken from northern Minnesota via the Itasca Lumber Company, David Joyce of Chicago built the estate from 1917-1935. Due to excellent railway connections from Minneapolis and Chicago, and its scenic beauty, the Grand Rapids area became nationally known as a major resort area. The Joyce Family used it until 1972. Through its heritage and interpretive programs the Chippewa National Forest manages this site which is eligible for the National Register of Historic Places.   Information Flyer

Getting there

From the intersection of County Road 60 and State Highway 38, go 1 mile east. Take County Road 335 north, then east until you reach the parking for the Trout Lake Tract. The hike into the Joyce Estate is approximately three miles from the parking entrance to the Trout Lake Tract.

Nearby federal campgrounds

Explore more Minnesota camping

Joyce Estate doesn't take campsite reservations — but plenty of nearby Minnesota campgrounds do, and we'll alert you the moment a sold-out site opens up.

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Details from Recreation.gov's official RIDB catalog. Conditions change — confirm with the managing office before you go. Not affiliated with Recreation.gov or any federal agency.