What we’re about
Welcome to the Minnesota Camping Meetup. If you are a beginner camper with no or very little experience or an experienced camper with lots of experience you are in the right place. Come join us and make new friends while enjoying the great Minnesota outdoors. We will have 8-9 camping trips every year. I will try to schedule two backpacking trips if there is interest. The rest will primarily be in group campsites. There might be an occasion where we are in regular drive in campsites.
If all you are looking to do is to sleep in a tent and hang around the campsite, no problem. Feel free to do that. If you would like to get more of a nature experience you will have the chance. Most trips will have two outdoor activities. Hiking will usually be an option. Biking (road, trail and mountain) will be available on many trips. Water activities (swimming, canoeing, kayaking, stand up paddle boarding, fishing) will be featured on the July and August trips.
We have some regular campers in the group. This means you are camping with people you know and seeing familiar faces. No need to worry about camping with a bunch of strangers every time. We are always happy to have people join us again and again and become regulars themselves.
We are looking forward to you camping with us.
Upcoming events (2)
See all- Sawbill Lake CampgroundNeeds location
Is there any interest in a mid-May camping trip to Sawbill Lake Campground? I have been doing some research about this area for a BWCAW trip. I am looking at moose reports, fishing reports, scenery pictures and getting excited about the area. Sawbill Lake is in the Boundary Waters. To get there you take a left at Tofte and go about 30 miles.
There is an outfitter / concessionaire at the campground (Sawbill Outfitters). They rent canoes (1, 2, 3 people) and paddle boards. Someone asked them online about trails and the answer was that there are trails in the area.
This is the weekend after Mother's Day/ Fishing. Opener.
They don't have a groupsite. We would have to get our own sites or share. Campsites are $20 a night plus $8 reservation fee for up to 9 people (no tent limit other than space). Only one vehicle is aloud with a second for $10 (extra) per night.
If there is enough interest we can make this a sure thing and reserve our campsites.
- 2025 Camping TripsNeeds location
I have been looking at dates and locations for camping trips. I would prefer to camp at group sites but some of the best parks don't have group sites, they are really hard to get or they are not that great. Please comment on these trips to give me feedback. Click on the links in the description for more information. The trips with two beginning dates would be Thursday to Sunday or Friday to Sunday, your choice.
If a link doesn't work or goes to the wrong place let me know.
May 30-Jun 1 This is the weekend after Memorial Day. I am looking at parks that have paved biking trails in addition to hiking trails.. Some of the parks I am looking at are Lake Louise, Sakatah Lake and Jay Cooke. Lake Louise is a small park close to the Iowa border. The Shooting Star State Trail paved bike trail goes through the park. Sakatah Lake is a small park west of Faribault. The Singing Hills State Trail goes through the park. Jay Cooke is by Carlton. Jay Cooke has more hiking trails and a paved trail that connects to the Munger State Trail. We would stay at the group site for Lake Louise and individual sites for Sakatah Lake and Jay Cooke.
Jun 19/20-22 or 26/27-29 Temperance River/Tettegouche? I would like to go up to the north shore. Temperance River doesn't have a group site and the group sites at Tettegouche suck. Temperance River would be my first choice. The Gitchi-Gami State Trail goes through the park. Sawbill Lake is about 35 minutes away. There is an outfitter there that we could rent canoes from. My former chiropractor said he always saw moose there. I am putting Tettegouche out there just as another option. Tettegouche has suffered some flood damage and will need to be evaluated next spring if trails have been repaired.
Jul 17/18-20 Bearhead Lake/ Scenic? During the hot summer months of July and August I would like to go to Bearhead Lake and Scenic State Parks. It doesn't matter which park we go to in either month. If you have a preference, post a comment. Both parks are in the top 5 of state parks. They are both fantastic parks. Both parks have group sites but we will be in drive-in sites. Bearhead has 14 miles of trails. The Mesabi Trail is nearby. The swimming beach is a short distance from the campground. Scenic also has 14 miles of hiking trails. Both parks have kayak, canoe, paddleboard and boat rentals. Scenic has two campgrounds. We would be in the Lodge campground which is close to the swimming beach. Both parks are awesome.
Aug 14/15-17 Bearhead Lake/ Scenic - See above for comments about the parks.
Sep 11-14 BWCAW Looking to do a two night trip in the BWCAW. We would camp close to the entry point the night before. Then two nights in the boundary waters.
