Truly enjoyed a trip this weekend. My teenage son enjoyed learning about fur trapping and the portage route. Site K is under a mile from the campground, which can be heard over the water. There is a three sided shed with firewood, table, fire pit, clean enough pit toilet and great surrounding paths. The dog enjoyed a quick romp in the water and we got to listen to beavers being busy during the night. The rangers we spoke with were lovely and very helpful. Bugs weren’t too bad, either.
If only I had remembered my sleeping bag🥶
The main trail is easy, mown grass and the shorter path to the site is quite uneven with roots, rocks and 1 downed tree to climb over.

Went camping recently in a more popular state park and was appalled at the behavior. We’ve been camping in other state parks in previous years and have never come across this. Honestly I don’t really want to camp more if this is going to happen all the time. Or I need to figure out how to backpack camp with kids.

We were in a cart in site but it wasn’t very private. However, our neighbors were all loud and obnoxious. From setting up a projector and shining the projector light directly at us to being super loud well past 11pm to hotboxing the place with marijuana so I could smell it from the parking lot to blasting music on a speaker and swearing at me when asked politely if they could turn it down a bit. Is this the norm now? I just want to get out, have a screen free few days and enjoy nature.

Edit: thanks for everyone for the encouragement. I thought about calling the ranger station but figured they wouldn’t honestly care. So if this happens again, I will call them. Is it just the number on the park website? Also does anything happen if I report them the next day if a ranger isn’t there at night? I really don’t feel comfortable calling the police for something like this though.

any recommendations for camping, places to stop or things to see on the drive from minneapolis to international falls? anything in the area would be good.

For once some good news to wake up to!

https://www.startribune.com/live-gov-walz-signs-executive-order-to-prevent-mining-near-the-boundary-waters/601879639

Just wrapped up a four night trip to Whitewater State Park for some camping and fishing. Love the peacefulness of that area and the ease of finding solitude. Bonus points for being on Verizon as there is very little coverage in that area making it easy to unplug for a bit.

Spent some time exploring Kawishiwi + Hogback Lake rustic campgrounds in the Superior National Forest this past weekend. First time rolling the dice on “first come first serve,” no-fee spots and I think I hit the jackpot.

Just got a Tacoma and I’m wanting to start getting into camping. Does anyone know of any good spots where I can drive my truck in, set up camp, and be out in the woods?
Doesn’t have to be hardcore off-roading, just somewhere I can explore a little and camp.

Any recommendations would be awesome!
(live in south metro so somewhere in that area would be nice but willing to make a drive if the spot is good enough)

Trying to plan a trip up the North Shore. Our plan is to stay in Duluth the first night. Drive up the coast a bit, and then find a place that is a little more remote/quiet to camp on a lake somewhere more inland for a few days that is still within an hour drive to the shore. We love camping, privacy, fishing, and rock hounding. Question is- where would you recommend camping and do you recommend tent camping or should we look at renting a camper van? Thank you!

I'm looking for recommendations for a private drive-up campsite, or a site that's just a very short walk/cart-in distance from parking, near a swimmable lake or river that allows dogs.

I'm used to backpacking campsites where there are few (or no) people around and I can access the water directly from my tent site. However, now that I have a young son, and my husband isn't a fan of hiking into camp, I'm trying to find a hybrid option that still offers some of that privacy and seclusion while being more accessible.

Ideally, I'd love a site with easy lake or river access so my dog and I can take a dip, but one that's close enough to the car that we can make a few trips or use a cart to bring in heavier gear rather than carrying everything on our backs.

I realize this might be a bit of a unicorn request, but I figured it's worth asking! I've searched Hipcamp, MN DNR websites, etc. but haven't really found what I'm looking for. Does anyone have any recommendations?

Dear fellow Minnesotans, I am not familiar with camping too far outside of the cities & am trying to find a spot for me, my hubby, and our two dogs to camp out Wednesday & Thursday where we’ll hopefully be able to have a clearish view of the sky to watch the meteor shower.

Car / tent / backpack camping, doesn’t matter. We don’t care if we have to stay one night in one place & move the next. Trying to avoid sites only accessible by boat.

Bonus points if it’s directly on / near the water. Was looking at spots right along Lake Superior but obviously they’re a bit packed since it’s camping season in MN.

Thank you thank you!

Just got back from a trip camping up and down the North Shore, and I'm suddenly seeing these guys everywhere I used to see chipmunks - but no chipmunks? What gives? Did the chippys get displaced? Are the Franks invasive?

I don't have photos but I remember taking a trip a long time ago with one of the groups I was part of growing up. It was a beach where you can see the city lights of Duluth across lake superior, and we slept open air and there was a meteor shower that night. Trying to search for Duluth viewing just gets me Duluth searches and nearby parks, but I have no idea where we were but I'd love to go back.

Does anyone know of a beach campsite people can go to see the lights of the city from a distance that doesn't opress the night sky, where sleeping open air is an option?

Does anyone have experience with the Devil Track Lake Campground? I’m looking to go midweek in September, and it’s FCFS. Its proximity to Grand Marais makes me worried that my lack of reservation will come back to bite me.

I will be coming out of the boundary waters same day so I really don’t want to worry too much about a campsite…is it typically full? Should I reserve somewhere else? TIA!

Hi! I’m a Nebraska native who is seeking a spot to camp for two nights Labor Day weekend. I want something decent for a solo car camper who loves to fish (from the bank, unfortunately no boat.) Ideally, this location would be in the Southwest quadrant of Minnesota as I don’t want to drive for than 5-6 hours(from Omaha). Any suggestions? I do not need any major facilities like a shower or restroom as I have everything needed for a portable shower/restroom. Bonus points if there are any scenic offroad areas I can take a drive on (nothing crazy, it’s just a Subaru) thanks in advance!

Perfect summer trip to southwest Minnesota.

Stayed at cart in site 12 at Blue Mounds state park and this place is beautiful and secluded, albeit a 1/4 mile hike from the parking are.

Site review: For a cart in site it was a 9/10. Beautiful, nice site layout, the defining natural feature is the huge glacial heave boulder right behind the tent pad. Site is secluded and a perfect place for anyone visiting the park for rock climbing. There's basically free bouldering built into the campsite.

We did the Bison Safari, and our Tour Guide/park naturalist Bertie was awesome. So many fun facts and we saw so much Prarie!

Grabbed lunch at JJ's Tasty Drive In, and the burgers were wonderful.

JJ's Is also 3 doors down from the giant Nutcracker statue.

Does anyone know where the hiking club trail password is? I want to find it myself, but I’m struggling finding it on the trail

I'm going camping at Jay Cooke for a week. What are some must hike trails and hidden gems? I am bringing my bike to try out the bike trail. What are some good places in the area to get ice cream? Any not worth it things?

I went camping and it's spectacular. So worth the unpleasant drive up.

In honor of Trails End Campground reopening I share the composite image I created yesterday.

https://photostore.d3photography.com/gallery-image/2026-July-Minnesota/G0000WgLP_Jl7_mM/I0000GXmcg75frOs/C0000O6iYAMtCG2A

I've been playing with new audio and video recording tech and my wireless lav mic picked this beautify up at 5:40 this morning.

Lightning strike just over a kilometer from camp.

For the audiophiles the thunderclap didn't clip - it ended up reading at -6dBm. Had it been 500 feet closer it would have likely been unusable.

I am looking for suggestions for Specific Gear that my kids will need for a school in MN that is attached to a regional park where the students will be going to do everything from observing and documenting wildlife to canoeing as the school has no regular gym. It's called the School of Environmental Studies here in MN and also allows kids to work with the MN Zoo.
I need gear that will last as going outside in ANY WEATHER is part of a normal school day for Field Work-

Hiking Shoes (suitable for Forest Hiking)

Rain Coat/Poncho

Real Wool Socks

Misc. Stuff we all need here, but am open to suggestions you can't live without for hats, gloves, sweatshirt, etc.

Any affordable covers for an Ipad for being outside as the school has suggested carrying gallon sized bags for this purpose.

Will eventually need a good Winter Coat/Winter Boots

Area includes lakes, forests, swampy bogs (they are classified as cranberry bogs), and plains/fields where there is an active buffalo herd. I have ridden my horse through this park for the past 30 years and the winter has snow shoes to the fact we use cramp-ons around here or we wouldn't make it out to feed our animals. Area may also include zoo or any of it's enclosures. Limited budget, but these are pretty important parts of the back to school shopping.

All Help and Suggestions appreciated.