Okontoe Family Campground and Christian Retreat Center
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Located 28 miles northwest of Grand Marais, Minnesota on the beautiful Gunflint Trail
We are a Christian family-friendly campground and retreat center on 80 acres of pristine wilderness, surrounded by the Boundary Waters and Superior National Forest.
We invite you to turn your busy life off for a while. To open your eyes again to the wonderful creation God’s placed us in. To draw closer to the Lord and know His love for you. To spend time with those with you…or simply time alone.
To leave refreshed, restored and closer to Him and your loved ones.
We welcome you to stay in one of our rustic Retreat Cabins or spacious campsites, and enjoy our small private lake and quiet atmosphere.
What You’ll Find at Okontoe
Family-friendly atmosphere in a wilderness setting
Rustic Retreat Cabins that sleep from two to eight people
Spacious campsites with plenty of trees and privacy—some lakeside, many lakeview
Small, private, non-motorized lake with direct access to two more non-motorized lakes via short portages
Saturday night Community Campfires • Sunday morning Chapel Services
Nearby access to several Boundary Waters entrance points for day canoe trips
Nearby access to the best of Gunflint Trail hiking
Just a half hour from the lovely harbor town of Grand Marais
Who We Are
Okontoe Fellowship, Inc. is a camping ministry to families, church groups and the general public. We provide a place of retreat and prayer in the wilderness of northeastern Minnesota to approximately 600 people each year.
Our primary purpose is to minister the gospel of Jesus Christ to youth, young adults and families in Minnesota, the surrounding states and Canada. Towards this end, Okontoe provides a quiet and peaceful setting, Bible teaching, worship services, retreat opportunities, prayer ministry, encouragement and training.
We offer these to both guests who come here and to those in our internship program. We endeavor to share a life-style of giving, caring for one another, sharing in Bible studies and regular worship in a family-friendly setting.
Our hope is that through these things people’s hearts will be restored, transformed and equipped for the journey before them in life.
What’s New on the Blog:
Have a Successful Prayer Retreat at Okontoe
First, “successful” means different things to different people. Goals for your personal or small group prayer retreat are up to you.There are many reasons why you might want some dedicated time away:You might plan to come…
Gunflint Trail Outfitters for Boundary Waters Day Trips
There are several outfitters on the Gunflint Trail that you can rent canoes from for day trips into the Boundary Waters. During your stay at Okontoe, you have direct access to three small lakes right from…
DIY Hiking Retreats for Spiritual Renewal and Growth
Being a quiet campground with no cell service, Okontoe is an ideal basecamp for a DIY hiking retreat. Not just for the hiking, but to focus on your life with Jesus. Hiking just happens to be…
How to Fully Enjoy Your Unplugged Time Away
Does camping without cell service scare you? It shouldn’t. Here’s how to enjoy your “no-phone” time away! Here at Okontoe you don’t need to worry about not having cell service. In fact, most of our guests…
Every Season in the North Woods Has Its Positives
No matter when during the camping season you come, our area has its beauty—and also some reasons why you may want to choose a different time! It depends on what you’re looking for and how you…
See all our blog posts here
Okontoe Sleigh Rides
We’re sorry, but Okontoe’s Sleigh Ride business (Patten Family Sleigh Rides) permanently closed at the end of the 2015 season. We no longer have the horses, sleighs or gear. (Unfortunately, there are online sources that still advertise them, which we’re not able to control.)