backpacking in southern Minnesota
Johnny
eb4...@yahoo.com
> Any recommendations?
I don't think there's really any backpacking to be had down here,
unless you mean really short trips! There are some nice state parks,
but I don't know of any that allow backcountry camping. Anyway, I
doubt you'll find a trail over 5 miles long in any of them. There's
the Richard J. Dorer State Forest, but I don't know that it was
backcountry camping. Maybe in the Minnesota River Valley NWR, but
again, I'm not sure about backcountry camping there.
I'd suggest heading north, though you're probably already aware that
the oppurtunities are much greater there.
Note - by "southern Minnesota, I was thinking off the area south of
the Twin Cities.
Erik
Johnny
> unless you mean really short trips! There are some nice state parks,
> but I don't know of any that allow backcountry camping. Anyway, I
> doubt you'll find a trail over 5 miles long in any of them.
Yes, short trips are fine. I've been looking at some park maps and all
of the "walk-in" camp sites are about 50 yards from the parking lot.
I'm just looking for someplace I can spend 2-4 nights and put in 5-10
miles/day. Nothing spectacular.
> There's
> the Richard J. Dorer State Forest, but I don't know that it was
> backcountry camping. Maybe in the Minnesota River Valley NWR, but
> again, I'm not sure about backcountry camping there.
Thanks, will check these out.
> Note - by "southern Minnesota, I was thinking off the area south of
> the Twin Cities.
Yes, me too. I'm looking for a long weekend within a 7-8 hour drive of
Omaha. I'm aware of the options out west (Wyoming, Colorado).
Thanks,
John
cy...@tiny.net.invalid
I believe the rules for the Dorer Forest parts (there are many parts
of it, spread all over) are the same as for other MN State Forests.
Off from all civilization (roads, buildings, etc.) by some distance
and don't be a nuisance when you camp. There are some primitive
campsites on the edges of some, which would make a good first night
stay. In many of the parts of the Dorer there's a lot of private
property, so be wary of trespassing on someone's farm or graze or
woodlot. There's a series of maps of it you can get from the DNR. I
have them somewhere, but I think they're buried in bag in the car.
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Erik Brandt
> > I don't think there's really any backpacking to be had down here,
> > unless you mean really short trips! There are some nice state parks,
> > but I don't know of any that allow backcountry camping. Anyway, I
> > doubt you'll find a trail over 5 miles long in any of them.
>
> Yes, short trips are fine. I've been looking at some park maps and all
> of the "walk-in" camp sites are about 50 yards from the parking lot.
> I'm just looking for someplace I can spend 2-4 nights and put in 5-10
> miles/day. Nothing spectacular.
Hmmmmm ... well, I don't know if you'll find that in southern
Minnesota ... unless you like walking the same 5-10 miles over and
over again!
You mention something with 7-8 hours of Omaha - well, I can suggest
three very nice state parks in southerm Minnesota. They won't fit
what you're seeking, but they are very nice, with 10+ miles of trails
each, and interesting features, and I'll plug them in the event you're
ever nearby.
Whitewater SP - 25 miles east of Rochester. Bluffs and river valley.
Nice rocky points and overlooks. Nice wildlife, too - I've seen deer
every time I've been there. Trout fishing, too.
http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/state_parks/whitewater/index.html
Frontenac SP - on the Mississippi about 70 miles southeast of St.
Paul. Nice trails below the bluffs about above Lake Pepin, a natural
reservoir.
http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/state_parks/frontenac/index.html
Blue Mounds SP - Maybe three hours north of Omaha, in extreme SW MN.
A rock wall rises out of the great plains. There is a herd of bison
there (wild, but in an enclosure). And a ancient rock wall ~1000 feet
long that aligns with the rising and setting sun on the solstices.
http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/state_parks/blue_mounds/index.html
There *is* one state park that's a hard 8 hour drive from you - Jay
Cooke SP just south of Duluth. The St. Louis River flows through it
over exposed bedrock. There are 50 miles of trails, including some
walk-in sites that are a good 4 miles from the nearest trailhead.
http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/state_parks/jay_cooke/index.html
Another hour up the shore you begin running into very nice state parks
every 15 miles or so overlooking Lake Superior and featuring rugged
trails and some walk-in campsites.
And an hour east of Jay Cooke SP, there's the Apostle Islands -
probably a hard 9-hour drive from Omaha. But you'll find nice, large
islands out in Lake Superior that can be accessed by local boats.
Several of the islands could take a few days to explore. And the
islands are wilderness - no vehicles, just the occasional private
property holdings that remain from before it was part of the Park
Service.
http://www.nps.gov/apis/index.htm
Erik