Itasca State Park

[eyemaster]

Has anyone camped there? What campground do you recommend? ALso what time of year is the best?

[IFallsRon]

It's a great place. I like Pine Ridge in the summer as it's an easy bike ride to the beach and playground. Pine loop is generally pretty quiet. Bear Paw works most other times. North of the shower building is more quiet.

[eyemaster]

Can you see the lake from Bear Paw? What time of year have you gone. Want to be there when the mosquitos are not too thick.

[IFallsRon]

You have a view of the lake from most all spots in Bear Paw. We've been there from Memorial to the end of September. The bugs are different every year. One year we ran out of spray and the next had few problems.

[scaup]

I think we have been to Itasca every year for the last 15 years. It is really a great place. The last few years we have been going the last week of July or the first week of August. I agree with IFallsRon's description of bear paw. We stay there for a week with our kids and are occupied everyday. The one thing that you will find different than many other state parks is that it is really, really busy. After spending a few days in the boundary waters it is a shock to go to Itasca but you just have to put it all in perspective. As far as the bugs it really does change from year to year.