State Park Campground opinions....

[wannabeinely]

Hello all, I'm curious if anyone has any opinions on any of the following campgrounds? Positive, negative, or indifferent

Father Hennepin

Savanna Portage

St. Croix

and

Moose Lake

In the past we usually camped up by Ely in National Forest Campgrounds because we like the smaller and more private camprounds/sites, but this year we want to get out and camp more often so we're looking for some other options closer to home(Big Lake/Monticello) so we don't have to drive 4 hours everytime we go. This summer we will have a 3 year old and 1 year old with so we are planning on doing more 2 and 3 night trips and that is another reason we are looking for places closer to home. FYI we will be sleeping in a tent. Thank you very much and I appreciate any and all opinions.

[Harp]

Of those Moose lake is my pick but get one site in the back newer area they are more speard out with lots of cover brush so you can't see site to site, in the older area is trimmed up suburban camping, nice little fishing lake they have boats and canoes and peer very quiet park. St. Croix is a huge park you just about have to drive miles from place to place but the camping area is full and busy. Father Henn is great if you are gonna fish Mille Lacs all day and crash at night.One you didn't list and is a far less used traffic park is Snake River state park in Pine city great tent park close to home but no showers or flushers, Wild river is nice close well used but very nice showers BR etc..

Hope this helps everybody like different things hiking,kid programs, fishing, roughing it, elec, cabins, Int. centers and showers?

[wannabeinely]

Thanks Harp,

That's great info. Moose Lake sounds like something we'd like and I'll look more into the Snake River and Wild River ones also. I've been using the State Parks Brochure and HSOforum to research all of the campgrounds but it's overwhelming with so many of them and they don't have the type of info you gave. Thanks again and I appreciate it.

[Slothin'02]

Thought i'd toss in my $.02.

Savanna Portage is also very nice. The campsites are fairly spread out and private and there are a few lakes to recreate in/on. You can rent row boats w/ electric motors and there's a nice beach area for the kids. If you get bad weather, there's a nice little town (forget the name) that you can go to...lots of little shops, restaurants and antique stores.

[glenn57]

do they have to be state parks? kandiyohi cty has some nice parks. monson state park by benson is also somewhat secluded. there are also some private campgrouds that are nice. if interested in the private ones let me know via post and i can tell you.

[IFallsRon]

I'd pick Savanna out of the four. It's not so crowded and there's a very nice swimming beach and playground although it's 4-5 miles from the campground.

Take a look at Mille Lacs Kathio. There's an interpretive center, playground, swimming area and walking access to the Rum River for fishing.

Have you checked out the county parks around Annandale?

[minndonn]

My family is familiar with all 4 of these state parks. We live near St Croix and family have/do work there. It is the largest park in MN and has a lot of sites. Therefore it may be easier to get into without a reservation. They were full only once this last summer. The beach has been kind of cruddy because of geese [PoorWordUsage] so many people swim at the canoe landing which is right near the campground. It actually is a nice place to wade there. Also a good lake with shore fishing on both the Kettle and St Croix rivers. Very good tarred bike trail/ rollerblade trail along with hiking trails.

Father Hennepin is primarily a fishing park although the beach is real nice. You will need reservations way in advance. Actually a small park. Has a short tarred bike trail to beach.

Savanna Portage is the park we brought out kids to a lot when they were the age of yours. Campsites are nice. There is a fishing pier right at the campground with plenty of sunfish to catch. Small lake at the campground has trail around it that is short enough for little kids to hike. The beach is on a lake several miles away on a trout lake. The water is colder but also clean. Our kids had fun looking for frogs there and they developed much later than usual so they were able to see them in the stages of growth. This is a great park for little kids. Both lakes are non-motorized (except electric) with canoes nd boats to rent.

Moose lake is a nice small park that has grown up since it was built. The lake is fairly small a weedy for fishing but he beach is nice. We always stopped to swim on our way home from camping further north. A quiet park also nice with kids.

Mille Lacs Kathio is also a nice park with the kids. One of the largest parks in Minnesota (St Croix and Itasca are larger) and they used to have a great naturalist program. I do not know if they have one now. Campground is really spread out, better than most parks. Also can shore fish at the dam near the man made swimming hole.

Finally farther away but my favorite park of all is Scenic near Big Fork. Best shorter hiking trail of any state park.

[sjburnt]

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[irvingdog]

I've been to many state parks. The staff has always been awesome, and the parks have always been as well kept as one could ask for.

What parks have you found to have staff with bad attitudes and sub-par standards?

[IFallsRon]

Generally, you're right about park help being mostly first class.

I'd cite repeated past instances at Kathio and Bemidji but that seems to have changed with budget cuts and a new manager, specifically at Kathio. Park help doesn't drive through the campgrounds like they used to.

[rascalP]

If you don't need showers and modern plumbing, stick to State and National Forest parks as well as county parks. In your area, Birch Lake comes to mind. County parks are harder to find, but State Forest and National Forest campgrounds are easily found on the internet.

rascal

[wannabeinely]

Thanks for all of the info everyone. It helps narrow down our options tremendously. There are a couple that I can eliminate and a couple that I didn't think of. Now I just wish I had enough time to try them all out this summer

rascal

Are you talking about the Birch Lake by Melrose? I forgot about that place. I was there once about 12 years ago for a picnic. That would be a nice drive(less than an hour)for a one or two night stay. I agree and really like the State and National Forest campgrounds up by Ely. The one on the Birch Lake up there is one of my favorites, but I don't like the 4 hour drive for only a 1 or 2 night stay. We'll be heading up to that one again this year for a 3 or 4 night visit.

[vitalshot5]

I like kathio also...plus you can take the rum river down to lake shakopee, which has some nice walleyes in it.....and mille lacs is just up the road.

[rascalP]

wannab,

Yeah, that's the one. Stayed there a number of years ago. Typical state forest campground - wooded and private. We were there to fish. Pillsbury State Forest(W. of Brainerd) would be another to check out -- been on my radar, but never stayed there. St. Croix State Park is nice too. Better with canoes, bikes or horses. It's huge! And if you have a boat, Father Hennepin is tough to beat for fishing Mille Lacs. Sites arn't bad for a S.P.

BTW, I wanna be in Ely too. One of my favorite places in the state!

rascal

[BK19]

i dont think you can go worng with any state park i have been to almost all of them i like lake bemidji the best

[sjburnt]

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