Winter Camping

So, it's been a while, but I'm finally getting around to posting about some actual parks. Minnesota has a fantastic state park system and this past winter I visited three of them.

In November I went camping at Tettegouche state park on the North Shore of Lake Superior. Since it was hunting season, all parts of the park inland of Highway 61 were closed. The campsites, however, were open. We took a group site that was easily accessible from a parking lot. There were even carts available to load and transport gear in on well maintained and wide paths. In short, it was only a step more "rustic" than car camping. The site itself was gorgeous. Situated on a 20 foot cliff right on the lake there was a great view of the shoreline, which would have been better had it not been the weekend of the first winter storm of the year (being right on the lake we only got rain). It was nice being able to hear the waves breaking on the cliffs in the night, though as the storm grew in strength the wind became more of a problem, at one point almost taking down one of the tents. At times the waves were large enough to break and send spray up the cliff and well into the site. Still, quite a nice site. Proximity to the highway and other campsites might make for noise problems, especially in summer months when both are more heavily used, but we were the only people there that weekend. It would have been nice if the people in my group had been a bit more serious/less ridiculous/more prepared, but it was still an enjoyable time.

Due to the restrictions from hunting all of the hiking we did was actually in Gooseberry Falls which is located several miles south of Tettegouche. Again, large portions of it were off limits due to hunting, but a much larger area is on the lake side of the highway, providing more opportunity for activity. The day we were there it was raining sporadically, though not enough to keep us inside. The trails are fairly easy but still provide some nice views even in inclement weather. They also have a number of shelters and cabins that make it a good park for the elderly and parents with children to use. We tried to do the free geocaching exercise the visitor center had but it didn't seem to be working properly. Either the people I was with couldn't use the GPS properly or the coordinates were incorrect (or just entered improperly which would go back to improper use). Still, another activity that is good for families. Not even the weather and the waves could keep me from flying my kite though.

In February I went true winter camping with my boyfriend, Andrew, at Afton state park. The sites at Afton are about a mile in from the parking lot and reasonably well spaced from each other. In summer when all are occupied there is probably some crowding, but in winter it is easy to select one that is isolated from other groups (if any) that are present. We entered on snowshoes, not necessary on the walking trails but definitely required to get to and around the camping area. There are also many cross-country ski trails of varied difficulty levels that are heavily used. It is not the quietest park, and certainly not that dark either. It sits on the edge of the Twin Cities metro area and is right next to Afton Alps ski area. Lights from night skiing there as well as the sounds of lift operations cover most of the park, especially areas near the visitors center. At night (at least on winter weekends) there is a candlelight snowshoe/walking trail (most of the path is both, they do divide at one point) as well as free cider and hot chocolate at the center and a fire with marshmallows at the far point of the loop, donations are accepted but not required (and support for the parks is certainly a worthwhile cause).

Our site was nice, we picked one of the farthest ones that was shielded from the sights and sounds of the ski area. Unfortunately my stove pump was broken so we had to cook our dinner over a fire (starting it with dried grass and leaves) but there is firewood available. For a small fee you can have a wood permit and then cut your own at the central area of the campground. Andrew's tent was a little large for winter camping with only two people, but it got the job done. His new snow stakes also worked quite well though the snow might have been a bit too light for optimal performance. Afton is located about 40 minutes from the Twin Cities so it is easily accessible for day/evening trips as well as overnight excursions.