About this campground
Looking for a great picnic spot? Sit here next to the old Ranger Station along Little Cut Foot Sioux Lake and imagine the life of the early rangers. Listen for the last calls of the loons and enjoy the fall colors along the lake. The original Cut Foot Sioux Ranger Station is one of the oldest surviving buildings in the eastern Forest Service region. Constructed in 1908, it is the first ranger station established on the east side of the Mississippi River. The ranger station gives us a glimpse of the remote setting and living conditions of early managers of the Minnesota National Forest. In 1974, the original Cut Foot Sioux Ranger Station was placed on the national Register of Historic Places. In 1994, the cabin was dismantled and logs that were beyond repair were replaced. The Interior was patterned after the description left by Elizabeth Flint in her book The Pine Tree Shield. The book describes life of an early ranger and his wife. Reconstruction of the cabin was completed in 1998.
Getting there
The Old Cut Foot Sioux Ranger Station is located 17 miles northwest of Deer River, Minnesota off Highway 46. Turn east on the Old Hatchery Road (just north of the Cut Foot Sioux bridge) and follow the gravel road to the Old Ranger Station sign. Park in the area provided and walk a short distance to the site.
Explore more Minnesota camping
Old Cut Foot Sioux Ranger Station 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.
Browse Minnesota camping →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.