Myre Big Island State Park May 10-13, 2010

Myre-Big Island State Park is located just outside of Albert Lea, Minnesota. There are 2 campgrounds. The upper campground is newer, the sites are more grassy and the bathrooms are fairly new with the family style bathrooms. However, the sites are more open and if it's windy you will definitely feel it. The lower campground is on an island - the sites are very wooded. There is a walking path that you can take to walk around the entire island and they have tarred bike/walking trails that take you to the picnic area. They used to have an intrepretive center, but that is closed up.

Our campsite

bike trail to the picnic area

campground road on the island

Bathrooms on the island campground

The Spam Museum is located in Austin, Minnesota. It's an interesting place and the museum is done very well. It's very hands on so for children, they have quite a few activities.

Whitewater State Park May 8-9, 2010

Whitewater State Park is located in southern Minnesota about 25 minutes east of Rochester. It's in a valley so we didn't get cell service and we only got 1 channel of TV. The campground is beautiful -big sites, lots of hiking, fishing and biking. This park doesn't have any mosquitos so that's a real plus too!

bridge in the picnic area


bathrooms in the picnic areas



Picnic area

Campground sites in the lower campground (no electricity here)

Whitewater River that runs through the park

View from the top of one hiking trail - it's a big climb, but the views are worth it (plus you can get cell service)

Steps going up or down from the top of the hiking trail

Picnic area

Bird viewing area from inside the ranger station. You can hear the birds inside and watch them. They also get a few raccoons in the evening.

Our campsite

Temperance River State Park - September, 2008

Temperance River State Park is located up on the North Shore of Minnesota on Lake Superior. It is the only state park that offers electric sites that can fit bigger rigs. They have many sites that are really big and almost all sites are very private. You can bike on a very nice bike path down to a little store and museum as well as bike on the main road (there is a shoulder and many bikers). There is also a ton of hiking to do in the park. Just up the road is Lutsen ski area where you can ride the gondola in the summer. This state park is a bit out of the way as far as towns go, but the scenery can't be beat.

Baker Park Campground - July, 2008

We visit Baker Park campground at least once a year. It's part of the Hennepin County Parks system and is very neat, clean and well run. The sites are nice and grassy and the bathrooms always very clean. There is a 6.1 mile paved trail that you can bike or walk on that runs through a nature preserve. They also have a paved trail that runs all the way round the campground. The beach and picnic area are located down the hill from the campground and are open to the public and quite busy in the summer months. They also added a few camping cabins in the Fall of 2009.

Father Hennepin State Park July, 2008

Father Hennepin State Park is located on Lake Mille Lacs. There are a lot of campers who fish as the campground is located right on the lake. The sites aren't the biggest, but they are adequate. The campground is located just outside the town of Isle. You can bike or walk into town and there is a bike path that starts in town and you can bike for about 35-40 miles on this trail if you'd like. It's a flat trail (an old railroad path).

The Bathrooms



Campsites

Sibley State Park (April 9-11, 2010)

We headed to Sibley State Park this past weekend. The weather was unseasonably warm (in the 60's). The bathrooms weren't open yet and there was no water, but there were about 17 other campers.

Fishhouse - looking towards the lake from the campground


picnic/beach area


picnic/beach area

Mount Tom trail

Mount Tom

Interpretive Center

Interpretive Center

Bike path trails

Here's our campsite