Three Parks to Visit in Minnesota
By Ellie Krueger
I’ve never really minded the quiet. While some thrive in social situations, I’ve always chosen to stay home with a book, or sit in the corner and make friends with the dog. I love nothing more than the sweet relief of canceling plans. Honestly, I think that’s the only reason I make plans in the first place.
That being said, isolation gets pretty annoying when you don’t have a choice. In normal circumstances, I’d be happy to disappear into my room with popcorn and Netflix for days on end. By all means, I should be happy that everyone is practicing social isolation. Yay, more introverts! Easier excuses! Less pressure to go outside!
But it’s gotten very boring very fast.
So, in light of the current situation, here are my top three campgrounds to visit when the weather warms up and the global pandemic calms down a bit.
3. Whitewater State Park
The greenery! The river! The...caterpillars?
My family camped near the burbling river (although it was more like a stream, to someone who lives on the Mississippi) for two nights, and while it was certainly beautiful, we noticed something off about ten minutes after we got there: the caterpillars.
Everywhere––and I really do mean every single surface that was left uncovered for a minimum of five minutes––was covered in caterpillars. They were literally falling from the trees above into our hair. We would sit under our tarp and listen to the rhythmic caterpillar-fall, the way you listen to the rain.
Still, I would definitely recommend the park. There was a stunning hike we could access almost directly from our campsite, along the riverside. The campgrounds were a good mix of shady and sunny (ours was on the shadier side, the overhanging branches showering us in caterpillars). We could faintly hear the river from our tent.
Whitewater offers more than just tent-camping, although I couldn’t tell you how the RV or car-camping is. I can say that if you bring your dog, they will love it. Also, if you’re terrified of caterpillars or deathly allergic, maybe this isn’t the site for you.
I visited during the popular season (i.e. summer), and while I enjoyed it greatly, there were also many other people there. They were on the banks of the river, on the hikes, and the campgrounds were very close to one another––although, most camp spaces are. It was very enjoyable, to be sure, but if you want to get away from other people (or if you’re still unsure of how scary the big bad virus will be in summer) this might not be the place for you.
Although we didn’t go in the fall, I’ve heard that it’s beautiful there that time of year. So maybe if that stubborn virus sticks around for the summer…
2. Lake Mariah
Although I have only been here in the winter, and stayed in a cabin and not a tent, Lake Mariah still holds a large part of my heart. The only reason it’s not number one is because of Split Rock Lighthouse, which is probably my favorite place on Earth, and because I have never been here in summer.
That being said, this place is absolutely stunning. There is no shortage of hikes or beautiful views. In the winter, you can cross-country ski, snowshoe, and sled (although my sister would caution against the dangers of sledding in the forest, and she would know).
If you’re looking for some self-isolation in nature, or just a campsite that’s a bit quieter, this would be perfect. There are camping areas that are more communal in nature, but the campsite that my family stayed at was about a thirty-minute hike from where we parked. It was easy to pretend, as my sister and I did, that we were the last humans on the planet.
Some of my favorite memories are of this place. When we were younger, my sister and I used to pretend to be Warrior cats (from that series that was all the rage when we were in elementary school). When we were a bit older, we would build forts, collect firewood from fallen branches, try to sled down sparsely wooded hills, and “discover” new hikes. In the evening, the family would gather around the fire pit and use small pie irons to make “pudgy pies” ––basically caveman grilled cheese.
1. Split Rock Lighthouse
This photo is the view from the campsite my family was staying at. Needless to say, this place takes “ethereal” to a whole new level.
Set on the rocky shores of Lake Superior, Split Rock State Park is a testament to nature’s beauty. Whether you prefer to walk amongst the birch and pines, clamber over boulders on a rocky shore, skip stones, wade out to an island at low tide, or learn about the history of the prominent lighthouse on the bluffs, Split Rock has something for you.
My family has spent time camping at the Split Rock Lighthouse campsites since I was young. In most of the sites, we could clamber directly down from our tents to the shore. My sister and mother would build little rock statues while my dad and I scoured the beach (if it could be called that) for agates and other cool rocks.
Be warned, however: swimming here is not for the faint of heart. Even in midsummer, Lake Superior can chill a person to their bones. My dad and sister used to have “competitions” of who could dunk their heads in the lake first. Nevertheless, on a nice day you could often see people in bathing suits splashing around or sunbathing in rarer areas with a sandier (and less rocky) shore.
So if you’re as bored as I am, or if you need something to look forward to, check out one of these places for a healthy dose of outdoor Minnesota beauty.