Escaping To Minnesota

[daveandsandyclink]

Sandy and I are traveling up to Minnesota in June for a month long expedition of the area and escape Texas heat and humidity. This will be my first visit up there. I received the tourist information I sent off for. Visiting Voyageors National Park is a must. And Soudan Underground Mine looks interesting. We are likely to camp in state parks and state/national forest areas off the power grid.

Does anyone have a favorite place where you have camped, dined, fished, or visited in Minnesota and would recommend to us?

[fudge_brownie]

Being a former Minnesota resident and tent camper I have some suggestions. First, remember the Minnesota state bird is the Mosquito. Pack and plan accordingly.

My favorite location is Itasca State Park, generally recognized as the premier state park in Minnesota. I always like Ely, not the village, but the area. There are many state and national forest campgrounds in the area. Finally, the North Shore, the area that spans the Lake Superior shoreline from Duluth to Thunder Bay. Numerous state parks in this stretch of Minnesota.

I have a secret campground in Duluth if you send me a personal message. It is a hoot.

[daveandsandyclink]

Hi Paul or Janet,
I am trying to get my blood supply built up to face Minnesota mosquitos and biting black flies. We deal with their cousins, the Texas saltwater mosquito quit often down here. Ledgendary for attempting to drain most of your blood before dawn.
I see that Itasca SP is the headwaters of the Mississipi River and the oldest SP. Hiway 61 along Lake Superior from Duluth to Canada looks inviting.
I believe I will have the folds of my new Minnesota travel map worn open before we return home.
I may PM you for your secret campground.
Thanks for your response.

[emers382]

David

I second the north shore from Duluth to Thunder Bay. We lived in Thunder Bay for 17 years and drove that scenic route many times. There are numerous state parks along there, have only stayed at one and it was OK - Gooseberry Falls. If you do get as far north as Thunder Bay (don't forget your passports) then be sure to take in Old Fort William. Kakabeka Falls Provincial Park is great to stay for easy access to the Fort.

Also be advised that unless it gets very hot in June you are also going to encounter black flies as well as mosquitos!

Adrian

[Jrn56]

David

If you are interested in some canoeing you could camp just outside of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area and take a day trip in. The North Shore along Lake Superior is a very nice drive like others have stated. Taking a walk across the Mississippi at the headwaters in Itasca State park is also a must do. If you spend any time in the Twin Cities you should visit the the American Swedish Intitute Homepage | American Swedish Institute. And of course if you want to go shopping we have the Mall of America. (it hurts me to say that because I hate malls and shopping)

[thoer]

The North Shore of Lake Superior is one of my all time favorite places. All of the MN State Parks are pretty with some excellent hikes that often follow beautiful streams up from the Lake. But, the parks there are very popular and sometimes can be full in June. There are numerous private RV places and some nice National Forest places if the State Park campsites are full.

If you decide to follow the Lake into Ontario, we really enjoyed Sleeping Giant Provincial Park north of Thunder Bay. Lots of beautiful campsites along a lake and some spectacular views of the big lake. (On the attached pictures you can see some of the reclining giant)

We did the Circle Tour of Lake Superior and I highly recommend it to anyone. Ontario Parks are expensive to camp in though.

[daveandsandyclink]

Thanks everyone for your replies and suggestions. We'll have enough unvisited area to explore in Minnesota to stay in the US this time and feed our mosquitos. Besides...I'm taking my friend along and he's forbidden in Canada.

[LeonW]

Dave and Sandy, sorry for the late response -- I got involved in other activities yesterday and didn't get back to this. There is little doubt that the North Shore is one of the nicest places in MN. If you can get a spot in Gooseberry Falls State Park or Tettegouche State Park, you will have lots of nice hiking and scenic views. But they aren't the only spots. Moose Lake SP has lots of things to do. Lindy and I really enjoyed spending 2 or 3 days there a couple of years ago. I have been pleased with all the state parks in MN, and many of the towns have municipal campgrounds that are little gems. Sauk Center (home of Sinclair Lewis) is one of these. If you have any specific questions, don't hesitate to send us a PM and we will help you best we can.

Leon

[daveandsandyclink]

Hi Leon,
I'm writing these places down. Thank You...I am starting to think that perhaps a month in Minnesota will be too short. Maybe we should consider selling the ranch.

[thoer]

Originally Posted by daveandsandyclink

Hi Leon,
I'm writing these places down. Thank You...I am starting to think that perhaps a month in Minnesota will be too short. Maybe we should consider selling the ranch.

And if you come across the border into Wisconsin, we of the Wisconsin Escape Clan can you even more ideas to help you spend even more time up here in the North Woods.

[Jrn56]

Originally Posted by daveandsandyclink

Hi Leon,
I'm writing these places down. Thank You...I am starting to think that perhaps a month in Minnesota will be too short. Maybe we should consider selling the ranch.

David,
We have lived here all our lives and haven't been to all the places we want to visit.
Unless you like snow, I would save the ranch to escape the Minnesota winters. . We have always loved the four seasons in Minnesota but winter is becoming our least favorite. Maybe if it didn't last quite so long.

BTW - Wisconsin is almost as nice as Minnesota.

John

[daveandsandyclink]

Hi John,
On the flip side in my world is 6 months of relentless Central Texas heat and humidity. It's refreshing to get a breath of cool, clean, mountain air, and enjoy a summer campfire. I left the cold and snow of the Colorado front range a few years ago and returned home. Ideally I would like to travel and live between the two. We're planning to visit there and escape August heat.
We love to travel off and visit a state for a month. See, meet, and eat in Rome as the Romans.

[fudge_brownie]

John,
Thank you for the nice compliment on Wisconsin. Having lived and vacationed extensively in both states I believe they are more alike than dissimilar. I favor the northern portions of both states but each have other scenic areas outside of the "North Woods".

We now have quite a contingent of Escapes in Wisconsin. Three have been added in the past year bringing the total to six. Even Minnesota, Scamp territory, is getting quite a few. Anyone keep track in Minnesota?

[Jrn56]

Paul,
There are two Escapes on the map from Minnesota, Leon's and ours but I know there are more. A fellow who was referred by Escape to see our 19 also talked to another Escapee in St Paul and it wasn't Leon's.

[LeonW]

My RV tech guy says that he services a couple other Escape Trailers in St. Paul, but I have never seen them. Eric and Mary were kind enough to show theirs.

[emers382]

We'll have our 5.0 in another eleven days and we are nearly in Minnesota, we can almost see it from our house, and you definitely can from our son's house across town.

Adrian

[tractors1]

I bailed out of those Wisconsin winters in the 70s and enjoy year round camping in more temperate Oregon. BUT ya gotta love rain......our saying is "we don't tan - that's rust."

[Jrn56]

Originally Posted by emers382

We'll have our 5.0 in another eleven days and we are nearly in Minnesota, we can almost see it from our house, and you definitely can from our son's house across town.

Adrian

We consider ourselves part Canadian. Several times when traveling to other states people have asked my wife if she was from Canada because of her accent. Her Grandparents were from Ely Minnesota and that is pretty darn close eh?

[emers382]

Originally Posted by Jrn56

We consider ourselves part Canadian. Several times when traveling to other states people have asked my wife if she was from Canada because of her accent. Her Grandparents were from Ely Minnesota and that is pretty darn close eh?

John and Brenda

Close, eh . Yes but we've never been to Ely. Lived in Thunder Bay and travelled the North Shore but never inland. Have been to International Falls and of course when we go to Thunder Bay now from here we cross through Minnesota from Warroad to Baudette. And we've been across the state both on Highway 2 and I94.

Now we've been living in Emerson we almost feel American at times, I preached at two churches in ND yesterday (I'm a retired pastor) and we just pop over to Pembina ND to pick up packages and gas. And our daughter married a US military man and our six month old granddaughter is American.

The Winnipeg Free Press had a good spread about Minneapolis on Sat. in the travel section focussing on the Foshay building and the great parks, lakes, and trails around the city

Adrian

[daveandsandyclink]

We have made it as far as the headwaters of the Mississippi. Those pesky mosquitos nearly drained us of blood in Itasca SP. Our 5.0 is getting very small as we shelter from 3 days of rain and mosquitos. We are headed for the boundary waters area tomorrow.