Jay Cooke State Park — Attraction in Thomson Township

The St Louis River churns and bubbles as it rushes , through, over under ,around , and past the ragged and jagged formations of Minnesota geology. This river is far from tame however it pales in comparison to the unbridled ,violence and it's brutishly unforgiving frozen , blue, fingers, clawing at the winters hem of the ol man winter's numbing and burning subzero ache. The frostbiten grip of its long forgotten , not so ancient, past. Making it's way with great haste to that lake. The one they called gitche gumee. Those frigid Waters of that dark ,deep, unforgiving ,and quite, mercilesly cold witch of the north. She welcomes every drop of that root beer colored water into her long suffering long waiting bosom. Soft... these humans of the 21st century have become with their technology and their global positioning systems, with to the minute weather forecasting. I cannot condemn nor do I find fault with the ease of life with which their technology has brought. But as I remember of, and what I knew of the not so distant past .... I understand that I know of a time when things were far more simple however far less forgiving. Hardships. that were told to me when I was young. Hardships that men and women lived through, survived through, sometimes barely made it through. and now will be completely forgotten when my generation no longer breathes the air or feels the cold and bitter cut of balmy, sub-arctic ,breeze.

I love Minnesota I love the cold I love the hot. I even love those damn mosquitoes. If you have the opportunity or the fortune of events to find yourself anywhere along the St Louis River, especially in the vicinity of the Jay Cooke State Park. Whoever Jay Cooke is I don't know. I think it's disrespectful and complete dishonorable, disgrace. In these pathetic names chosen completely discredits the history of the native Americans who we're evidently alive and well and living here before our manifest Glory took over. However I have gotten far from the subject. Jay Cooke state park is a wonderful place to visit. They have modern facilities for showers the campsites are nice not too close not too crowded. And you really don't hear about people going missing from like Sasquatch or whendiigoes. They have the easy to follow well-established trails. The bubbling root beer Waters of the St Louis River are mesmerizing and hypnotizing. And they're full of the beauty of Minnesota. Just a little bit rugged just a little bit untamed. And just a little bit of that frigate beauty of the North. Camp counselors and the park rangers are wonderful people always courteous always kind big smiles and usually always informative to your questions. I must say I prefer the kind of camping where you're dropped off on the side of the highway and you quickly disappear into the woods. But this kind of camping isn't evidently for everyone usually with small kids. The best part of the reason they're so soft nowadays anyway I would recommend Jay Cooke State Park. It's a little piece of rugged beauty filled with fresh air and adventure. Love and lawn chairs darling... Love and...

We recently spent a weekend at Jay Cooke State Park in Carlton, Minnesota and absolutely loved it. The park is stunning with over fifty miles of hiking, biking, snowshoeing, and ski trails weaving through hardwood forests and dramatic St. Louis River gorges.

The iconic swinging bridge over the river gorge is a highlight. It gently sways as you cross, offering spectacular views of the rapids and gorge walls below. It made a thrilling yet safe adventure for our whole family.

The campground is spacious, wooded, and well maintained with options for drive‑in electric and non‑electric sites, plus walk‑in, backpack, and even camper cabins. Each site has a picnic table and fire ring, and the restroom and shower building was recently updated with hot water and clean facilities. Many sites offer good privacy thanks to tall trees and foliage, and some even back right up to the river.

From the campground you can walk easily to the swinging bridge and several trailheads. We saw families roasting marshmallows around the fire, heard nearby campers greeting the day, and paused to watch deer and birds along quiet trails. Scouts praised the cleanliness of the shower building and campground, calling it “brand new shower building with hot water, clean bathrooms and a place to wash your dishes” .

A few things to note: summer can bring mosquitoes so bring bug spray. Some loops can be tight for larger RVs—one pull‑through site is available and maximum RV length is around 60 feet . Cell service is patchy, but the peaceful natural setting more than makes up for it.

Overall, Jay Cooke is a true Minnesota gem. It combines thrilling river views, a memorable bridge crossing, diverse trails, and a comfortable, family‑friendly campground. Highly recommend for a weekend escape...

Jay Cooke is one of our favorites. The campground is large but spread out enough that you are not on top of each other. Beautiful new bathroom and shower facilities with sinks for dishwashing for those of us tenting. The current camp host Alice was very friendly and the campground was clean.

Many sites have enough trees for hammocking or hanging up a few towels on a line if needed. It's close to the swinging bridge, easily walkable, but far enough and across a road that kids from the campground aren't tempted to go over there by themselves. Breezes there help keep off the worst of the bugs most days.

Many picnic tables right off the river, a great spot for picnic lunches. The visitor center could probably raise even more funds by offering more sweatshirt or windbreaker options, many people come and don't plan for the chilly nights.

Wear good shoes for hiking as when the rocks (mostly slate and graywacke) get even slightly wet they can be quite slippery and are the main cause of injury in the park (people climbing wet rocks). Trails are well marked and there are miles of them available. Spots can get a bit boggy (again, the good shoes) and you may need to do some footwork in spots with roots and rocks but it's gorgeous. Loads of plant life, wildlife and...