Okontoe Family Campground and Christian Retreat Center
Come camp, rest, fellowship and enjoy our pristine wilderness setting on the Gunflint Trail in northern Minnesota.
Our cabins are open through October 31st • Campsites will reopen in May 2026.
We look forward to hosting you, your family and friends, or your group then!
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 (7:30 pm) • Sunday morning Chapel Services (10:00 am)
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:
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Your Church Can Have Its Family Camp at Okontoe
Want to bring your church’s families to the Minnesota northwoods for a week of outdoor activities, fellowship and worship? Consider planning a Family Camp like one Twin Cities church did in August 2025. We’ll tell you…
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5 Delicious Wild Berries of the Gunflint Trail
Do you ever plan your trips around berry season? That can mean fresh goodness in your pancakes and camp granola! We’re usually at Okontoe several times during the camping season so we don’t necessarily plan trips…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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.)