Minnesota's North Shore October 4 - 7, 2014

For our last camping trip of the season we headed to Minnesota's North Shore. We stayed at Temperance River state park (probably our favorite state park on the north shore) and one of the few with electric sites.

see the wedding party taking photos below?

We did a hike up to Briton Peak. This is a short hike, but it's all uphill. 

We visited Grand Portage National Monument where there is a fort. During the summer months they re-enact the 1770's and have lots of activity. We got a tour from one of the rangers as he had to open to buildings for us. The visitor center was new since the last time we visited. 

We then headed over to Grand Portage State Park. They also have a new visitor center since the last time we visited and the trail to the falls is handicap accessible. Very nice. We were only 1/2 mile from Canada, but didn't go across as we didn't have our passports with us. 

We stopped at Judge CR Magney State Park. We hadn't ever been in this state park. They do not have any electric sites - they are all rustic and are pretty close together. We hiked the Devil's Kettle trail which is a really nice trail with a few ups and downs and LOTS of stairs at the end!

We also visited the new visitor's center at Tettegouche State Park

We hiked through Split Rock State Park and enjoyed the beautiful view of the lighthouse.

We then stopped at Gooseberry State Park to see the falls. 

William O'Brien State Park September 12-14, 2014

William O'Brien State Park is a great park with lots to do. It's only 10 miles from Stillwater and 15 to Taylor's Falls and Interstate State Park. They have 2 campgrounds - Savanna campground is in the upper part of the park. These sites are a bit bigger and have more privacy. Riverway campground is along the river, closer to the swimming and picnic area and has a really nice trail along the river. However, the sites are pretty open and not real big.

We stayed in the upper campground this time and our site was nice, but a bit uneven. It was super private so that was really nice.

This is the visitor center/trail center. 

 The river flooded this past spring and the water is still really high

We saw a snake in the road while we were biking

This is the road leading to the lower campground. It's great to bike down, but tough to get back up!

Here is a picture of the area just outside the visitor center where they do programs.

Wild River State Park - Labor Day Weekend, 2014

We went to Wild River State Park for the Labor Day weekend. We hadn't been there for 3 years (since before Lady died). I had forgotten how large and private the sites are. It's a nice park with 2.6 miles of paved bike trails, lots of hiking, lots of programs and they have quite a few snakes. They are all not dangerous and the only ones we saw were dead, but apparently they are doing research on them in the park. You can also do canoe trips out of the park and are only 13 miles from both North Branch (outlet shopping) and Taylors Falls (Interstate State Park, shopping and rock climbing).

Here's our site. 

The road in the campground (all of the roads with the exception of the campsites are tarred and in a great shape.

View from the visitor's center

We saw this deer and 2 fawns on our bike ride up to the visitor's center (unfortunately my camera isn't very good and I didn't get a great shot)

 Deck on the visitor's center 

Bike trail

 garden outside the visitor's center

 Front of the visitor's center

Bathrooms in campground

Interpretive trail by the trail center

 Picnic Grounds bathroom and shelter

More of the bike trail passing the picnic grounds

 View from the road in the park - this is the open sky area

Hiking trail along the river

Boat along St. Croix River in Taylors Falls

Views from Interstate State Park outside Taylor's Falls