Camping 2007

Where did this camping season go? Seems like just yesterday we were looking forward to our first trip out for the year. I am not complaining though! We got in some great camping trips this year and visited some new parks that we loved. In all we spent 23 nights in our camper! Some cold, some hot, some wet! Follow me on my tour of memory lane and maybe it will inspire you to check out some of the great MN State parks and beyond next year!

April 2007 - Flandrau State Park, New Ulm, MN
This was a nice park to visit in the "off season" as it was nice and quiet when we were there but we could see it being more of a party campground in the middle of summer. It was a nice get away with a decent campground and nice bathroom facilities. We did some hiking and really enjoyed the trails. There is a man made swim pond and beach that would be fun in the summer time but wasn't open yet in April!

May 2007 - Red Barn Campground, Shell Lake, WI
Chad's parents and brother both have pop-ups so we all met at this private campground in WI for a long Memorial Weekend camping trip. In true memorial holiday fashion the weather was hot and cold all in the three nights we were there. We even had the pleasure of an approaching tornado to add some excitement. We had three sites next to each other and out of the way of others so it worked out nice for our family weekend. The kids had a blast playing together and there was a playground within eyesight of our campers so they were well entertained!

June 2007 - Sibley State Park, Willmar, MN
One of our new favorite state parks. That list keeps expanding! We made a long weekend out of this trip with the Vosbergs. We really enjoyed this trip and this park. Had a lot to do for all ages. We did some swimming in the lake and playing on the beach. Went for a nice hike to the top of Mt. Tom, even if it was 100 degrees! The campground was very nice and pretty good sized too. Great campground hosts that even made popcorn for the campers! This trip was nice too because we had visitors on Saturday (Jill's mom and Brian) and Sunday (Tina's parents) to celebrate Father's Day weekend too! We all had the pleasure of taking the camper down in the pouring rain! Not something we would like to do again!

July 2007 - Custer State Park, Black Hills, South Dakota
We really wanted to have a camping trip where we spent more than 2 or 3 nights! We thought it would be great to have camp set up for a week or more and really be able to enjoy our time! We decided we would head to the Black Hills for our family vacation this year. It was fabulous! We camped in Custer State Park in the Stockade North Campground (Site 30). It turned out to be a great campground and great location. Highly recommend this campground if you are looking for more of a state park feel when you are out there instead of a private campground. We enjoyed our 8 nights there so much and it was a great family trip. We visited caves, museums, parks, beaches, and of course the Faces on the Mountain (otherwise known as Mount Rushmore!). By the end of the trip we had Anna reciting the four president's names! We also took a day and hiked to the top of Harney Peak! It is the highest point in the US east of the Rockies! It was a nice day for a hike and all three of us made it although we swore that would be the last time we carry Anna in the backpack! As much as we enjoyed our trip we were ready to come home and sleep in our own beds though! Anna still mentions the trip every now and again so I think she had fun too!

August 2007 - William O'Brien State Park, Stillwater, MN
Our Labor Day weekend trip was planned late and we thought it would be nice to stay close to home so we chose one of our local favorites. It was a nice long weekend that we spent with Scott, Angie, Emily and Logan. The kids play so good together that we hardly even know they are there. And they made friends pretty quickly with other campers. We did some hiking, swimming, relaxing, eating and shared good campfire conversations!

September 2007 - Mille Lacs - Kathio State Park, Onamia, MN
As far as camping goes and activities that go along with those trips, this is my favorite park within a couple of hours of the Cities. We had a nice fall weekend with Tina's parents! I'll start with the campground. We stayed in the Petega Campground and was so impressed with the sites. Almost all of them are very private and wooded. It is configured in a way that never leaves you far from the bathrooms or the hiking trails. We did a couple of really nice hikes and really enjoyed their interpretive center. They also have a fire tower that you can climb to the top of if you dare and get a nice view of Mille Lacs Lake. There is also a nice swimming area and beach for a summer trip in the future. I am sure that we will be going back!

October 2007 - Temperance River State Park, North Shore, MN
This is nothing better than taking a long weekend to be on the North Shore in the fall when the leaves are peaking! That is unless your travel buddies (The Vosbergs) are sick and can't go and the weather is crappy! We took off Thursday morning and headed up in beautiful picture perfect weather. Stopped at Canal Park in Duluth for lunch and some sight seeing and then headed up to the campground. We love Temperance River State Park! And our campsite was great. We were right across a camp road from Lake Superior and just a stones throw from the hiking trails! Perfect! We got set up and enjoyed our evening. Friday morning got up and going and thought we better get a hike in before the rain starts. The hiking is so phenomenal on the North Shore. We had a great hike and only got a little wet on the way back to our camper. But then the rain barely stopped after that! And then the winds started picking up. They were reporting 50-60 mph gusts which bring in HUGE waves! It was fun to see at first but it became quite daunting hearing and seeing those waves. That along with the camper rocking in the wind made me a little sea sick! Spent most of the day on Friday in the camper and even took a long nap which is probably why Chad and I were up most of the night listening to the intense thunderstorms. We were amazed that Anna never woke once! Saturday we woke to still cloudy and rainy skies. We went for a drive and had lunch in Grand Marias before we decided to pack up and go home a day early. Luckily the rain was light when we got back to the camper and we were able to get out before it started pouring again! In the end, it really was a nice family bonding trip with new and fun experiences! Were we ever surprised when we started driving home in 45 degree weather and it was 85 degrees by the time we got home. What a difference!

So, where will 2008 bring us?!? We can't wait to find out. Want to share your favorite places? Leave us a comment and let us know where we should take our travels to next year!

Tina