Campground

College of Wilderness Knowledge-Birch Bend Camp

Pierz, Minnesota

5.0(8+)

About

Birch Bend is a 231-acre private, relatively primitive campground in central Minnesota. The campground is on a lightly developed lake, close to 30 feet deep, with sandy beaches and a variety of fish. The camp is maintained by its members as a campus for outdoor youth education and for member camping. It has about 25 campsites for use by both groups and families, including large group campsites, smaller group areas, picnic tables, and fire rings. There is no electricity, and water is supplied from two wells with hand pumps. The water is tested annually for bacteria and nitrate by the State of Minnesota. Most of the camp is heavily wooded, with an open-air pavilion, picnic tables, and a storm shelter. The lake is a 129-acre recreational lake with little boat traffic, and there is a swimming beach with a raft offshore that visitors may use. The facility is available for use by Scouts youth groups, who must agree to follow and enforce all safety requirements of the Scouting America as published in the current version of Guide to Safe Scouting and that all swimming and boating activities will be conducted in accordance with safe Swim Defense and Safety Afloat. There is no fee for camping at Birch Bend, and groups are expected to participate in a service project while at Birch Bend.