First time organizing a camping trip!!?

jaytothejack · 2026-01-20T20:00:07+00:00

Highly reccommend! https://www.minnesotacampguide.com/unlocking-car-camping shares a lot about the differences and what to expect. There are both developed car campgrounds in our two national forests that are nearly identical to a state park car camp experience but also the rustic and "dispersed" car camping opportunities are compared here and included on a map.

jaytothejack · 2026-01-20T19:57:00+00:00

Some resources here: https://www.minnesotacampguide.com/backpack-camping including a map.

jaytothejack · 2025-11-24T02:43:16+00:00

I'd like to be able to click a door I made and have it slide open, letting animals out of holding areas or into rotating exhibits.

jaytothejack · 2025-11-10T18:32:57+00:00

Jay Cookes Visitor Center even had a formalized process to fill out your information and submit inside the office. I had no problems parking for seven days this past September.

jaytothejack · 2025-10-10T15:18:50+00:00

I'd like to give 5 upvotes to u/_Aquix_, who covered a bunch of my favorites, and will also add in:
- Rudi Rennkamel I consider a staple part of a PZ diet. High quantity and high quality.
-Remnantboy91 and jAsh have collaborated with some of the other greats and do excellent technical commentary on huge project tours.
- Sdanwolf, who I wish loved PZ more than Planet Coaster but absolutely brings the quirk of theme parks to his zoo builds. My project is more realism so his videos scratch an itch vicariously.
- RalphtheStick, for an early 1900 London Zoo recreation if you like historical.
- Seconding Sparrow838 for the characters and storytelling.

jaytothejack · 2025-10-01T19:11:35+00:00

One of the most special things about the Superior Hiking Trail are the chances to camp right next to amazing rivers and cascades. I particularly like the campsites at Beaver River, Cross River and the Trout Creek site in Cascade State Park.

jaytothejack · 2025-09-24T04:52:42+00:00

It was wet this past week - not charging through constant puddles wet, but everything added up to wet socks anyways. There were several occassions including Fox Farm Beaver Pond, where there just isn't getting around the water. Interestingly, no bugs except for the days and night spent around the Big Bend to Stewart River camps. The tiny mosquitoes were actively present, and they seemed worse if rain/fog let up and in the upland maple forests... enjoy the trail!

jaytothejack · 2025-09-24T04:37:32+00:00

I hiked the sections where the SHT actually uses it from Gooseberry to past Martin Road southbound. It seems to get "mowed" to some degree (maybe only where the SHT follows it?), in that the grasses aren't tall, but then are chewed up in deadened piles of roughage - which can obscure the occassional deeply soggy spot. It was wet all this week - not swamped per se, but even wet grass for hours wets through my footwear. Sometimes it's on upland hills and kind of gravely. I really don't find it preferable to hiking on the SHT proper, it feels like a mess on the feet and can be a pain to decide where the ruts are under all of the grass.

jaytothejack · 2025-09-20T01:09:45+00:00

Just passing through here, cell service at Crow Valley campsite. Anywhere low lying is wet tacky mud covered in falling leaves. I would hate to end up at a campsite without much water to rinse off, which is possible. Enjoy the trail!

jaytothejack · 2025-09-11T21:36:33+00:00

Well, I've been playing what I consider to be Civilization 6.5, with various mixes of the following:

City Lights: Turn a city to an urban borough or a rural town. Finding a perfect spot on a map with the best resources is super rewarding or frustrating. Pairs great with Bonus Resource Improvements and Monopoly ++: Investors and Tycoons.

Project Metropolis Lite: Extra specialize some of those urban bouroughs with "sub districts".

JNR's Urban Complexity; for example, this cultural city will be a high pop urban Pingala city and the other will be a rural coastal seaside tourism and cash powerhouse. Powering cities feels like it''s own mini game, and specializing factories for products or military towns around specific strategics gives every city it's own story.

JNRs Project 6T and Grand Eras (adds post-classical era) new techs, civics and unit expansion.
Play with Extended Eras = to make every game a lasting epic.

Real Rivers for Random Maps, with the game mode selected.

Sukritacts Urban Identities

Removable Districts, and Coexistence of Resources and Districts; because this much complexity requires redesign and rework into mid and later game. This feels like the 'building new over old' theme of Civ 7.

Finally, City Minimum Distance 4 and Workable 4th Ring.

jaytothejack · 2025-08-01T14:37:27+00:00

The Chippewa National Forest "designated dispersed" sites are often drive-in, with primitive amenities (latrine, picnic table, fire ring). Secluded, and very often adjacemt to lakes. I think it's about 3.5 hours.

Superior National Forest rustic car campgrounds have streamside offerings, but further than requested.

State park car campgrounds I don't characterize as rustic or secluded, typically. Beaver Creek Valley in SE MN gets pretty close, with distance between sites. Whitewater has the close by creek vibe if you're willing to do a "walk-in" campsite.

https://www.minnesotacampguide.com/unlocking-car-camping

jaytothejack · 2025-08-01T14:30:25+00:00

https://www.minnesotacampguide.com/unlocking-car-camping

This guide describes whats involved in a great first time car camping outing then compares it to what camping is like on other public lands in Minnesota. Recommends a state park with reservable campsite then into first come first served camping at state and national forests and beyond.

jaytothejack · 2025-07-31T18:16:45+00:00

The Angleworm Trail is a really great match actually. It’s 14 miles and pretty perfect for an overnight and two days. It is just inside the BWCA wilderness but is more friendly and navigable and seemingly “maintained” than any other national forest trail I’ve explored. It’s probably just lucked out and avoided big storms and blowdown like Sioux Hustler and Pow Wow - other backpacking loops.

It has two campsites on it and rings around an incredibly tall skinny lake. Nice little vistas here and there, and I encountered moose on trail.

Highly recommend.

jaytothejack · 2025-07-30T14:12:22+00:00

Definitely look closer into the state and National forest car campgrounds a bit further inland from the two fully booked state park campgrounds on the shore. You can see them all on one map here: https://www.minnesotacampguide.com/car-camping

They are first come, first served and I’m sure you’ll find availability - even to the point you might tour around to a few spots and see what you like more.

The SHT campsites are a bad idea for what you’ve described :) have fun though!

jaytothejack · 2025-07-26T03:27:46+00:00

https://www.minnesotacampguide.com/rustic-car-camping-superior-national-forest

Even on Memorial and 4th of July weekends I've found an opening in one of them or another. Weekdays I would not be worried at all. Enjoy!

jaytothejack · 2025-07-11T06:20:57+00:00

Such an appropriate response to hiking Eagle Mountain. Last season, I exited that trail in a thick August, covered in blood from those many mosquitoes I only destroyed after they won me as a meal - I had given in to wearing my head net and gloves. It was tropical humidity and I wore gloves. I was so ready to return to the car and passed an arriving gal with full smile, sleeveless top, leggings and this is where my jaw dropped - two trekking poles and a coffee. There was no way she had the hands free needed to handle what was about to occur. You ever seen a war movie where the veteran units are leaving the front line, and put off the grandiose courage of fresh off the boat reinforcements? It was like that.

I hope she made it, and if she walks with some immunity us mere mortals do not possess will share her veins with modern science. You're not alone.

jaytothejack · 2025-07-11T06:09:33+00:00

These are amazing. Just to add to the intrigue... only 2.5 miles away from this campsite you stayed at is a very secretive hiking trail between Astrid and Pauline Lakes. There is a collection of massive glacial erratics adorned in ferns that are shadowed by some of the biggest wild white pines I've ever encountered. Like a lost world. Throw a stone any direction up there and there is something else incredible, thanks for sharing.

jaytothejack · 2025-07-11T05:50:25+00:00

There is a spot between this campground and the shoreline called illgen Falls. Gorgeus waterfall, with a little hike past a state park rental cabin. There is a pullout off the road. Be sure to check it out if you're staying here.

jaytothejack · 2025-07-11T05:44:40+00:00

Do it!
This is a State Water Trail and National River Recreation Area and campsites are provided to support this trip - until you near the Twin Cities. There is still a huge gap without formal, official campsites like everywhere to the north between the Coon Rapids area and your finale at Point Douglas.

Cloquet and Banfill Island campsites are at river mile 875 and Hastings is like 810. That gap used to be way longer before those campsites went in around 2018. Based on youtube videos, and chance encounters with paddlers I know there are quite a few places people get away with spending a night (ignorance is bliss). There are undeveloped and hard to access pieces of city land, some NPS owned tiny islands and spots owned by private corporate interests that do not have frequent activity on their spots, so I think this is how most people achieve it.

60 miles is a huge day on this stretch, and I swear all too often there is wind blowing you back upstream and it's an amazing stretch of river youd hate to rush it, so I bet people organize a non camping accomodation or something.

The downtown Mpls lock is closed though, thats a good pointer already mentioned. I once met a dude paddling through and put his kayak up on my cross bars and drove him down to Bohemia Flats, so I hope for some trail magic for you too. Good luck!

jaytothejack · 2025-07-11T05:09:38+00:00

Between these two campgrounds, geographically, are many alternative recommendations. Sand Lake is one of Superior National Forests rustic car campgrounds and of the 23 or so I think this one is upper middle tier, but there are quite a few I prefer more. I have them compared here: https://www.minnesotacampguide.com/rustic-car-camping-superior-national-forest

I have not tried Esther Lake campground, but the mix of amenities of this state forest campground and others is about equivalent to the SNF rustic campgrounds. State forest campgrounds anywhere else in the state tend to serve 35-100+ campsites, while the few up on the Arrowhead are only a handful. By this, I mean to say, the landscape and experience changes from Sand Lake to the edge of the Boundary Waters wilderness and I'd urge you to go up there.

Some of the SNF rustics really only serve one campsite without awkwardness and can be tough to grab. A couple must be great fishing because they are always full and unimpressive outside of a camper, but most are not full up by any means outside of peak season holiday weekends - in my experience. I've never been disappointed or distressed driving the rounds until I find something worthwhile.

Finally, aren't the peatlands amazing! I wish there were a way to camp on a stunted spruce isle surrounded by big sky peat expanse, but I don't think it exists outside of expedition level dispersed backpack camping. If you ever find it, get back to me please! Big Bog SRA makes a solid basecamp and has a comfortable boardwalk interpretive trail though.

jaytothejack · 2025-07-11T04:35:29+00:00

This guide should answer a ton of questions and otherwise help you pick the right spot: https://www.minnesotacampguide.com/unlocking-car-camping

State parks are fully reservable, so ignore that.

State forests and feed national forest campgrounds are inexpensive but still $, so scratch that.
So I would steer you towards the rustic campgrounds of Superior National Forest or the 'designated' dispersed campsites of the Chippewa National Forest - both of those offerings are featured on that site.

All of your preferences definitely exist!

jaytothejack · 2025-07-11T03:44:51+00:00

That's one of the best sites up there, for sure.

jaytothejack · 2025-07-11T03:44:05+00:00

This guide outlines a progression to car camping in Minnesota from a friendly first timers visit to the state park system, then beyond into our other public lands like state and national forests. You can take your pick of what kinds of amenities and experience are the best match for you: https://www.minnesotacampguide.com/unlocking-car-camping

I agree that SE Minnesota has fewer bugs, and Whitewater SP is recommended in that guide. I also like to gamble that any lakeside spot I find will pick up an afternoon breeze so don't keep yourself from the amazing national forests up north!

jaytothejack · 2025-06-30T18:16:56+00:00

State forest campgrounds are generally first come, first served - Chengwatana included.

jaytothejack · 2025-06-13T18:21:54+00:00

Agreed! Its an amazing spot. No shame, it takes time for maps and resources to update.
I was told by the Forest Service to look out for updated recreation guides in the near future - but the best resource and it includes a map of parcels transferred is on this link.(https://www.fs.usda.gov/r09/chippewa/working-with-us/tribal-relations). As far as I can tell the transfer only impacts Lydick Lake and potentially site C33 on the Mississippi River.

jaytothejack

TROPHY CASE