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I went on a solo camping outing to Lake Louise State Park this weekend to enjoy some hiking and geocaching. The park is located near Le Roy, MN, just north of the border with Iowa. I was concerned that camping here would be a bad experience as the park is one of the smallest parks in the system and most people I speak with have never even heard of it. But I was pleasantly surprised that with only 20 campsites, the quaint little park it was cute and very well maintained. Along with the Hiking Club trail I completed, I also spent part of my weekend biking on the Shooting Star Bike Trail. I would definitely return to Lake Louise at some point in the future.

Enjoy the photographs (click thumbnails for larger view)..

2015 - Lake Louise State Park, Leroy, MN	2015 - Lake Louise State Park, Leroy, MN	2015 - Lake Louise State Park, Leroy, MN
2015 - Lake Louise State Park, Leroy, MN	2015 - Lake Louise State Park, Leroy, MN	2015 - Lake Louise State Park, Leroy, MN

I went on a solo camping outing to Lac Qui Parle State Park this weekend to enjoy some hiking and geocaching within Minnesota's state park system. Located near Montevideo, MN, the park doesn't have much to offer unless you're into fishing or hunting, but the campground was grassy and well groomed. In all of my state park travels, Lac Qui Parle consistently earns the Most Mosquitoes in a State Park award. If you want to camp here, I strongly suggest you do it early spring or late fall. Any other time of the year will put you in the running for Blood Donor of the Year.

Enjoy the photographs (click thumbnails for larger view)..

2015 - Lac Qui Parle State Park, Montevideo, MN	2015 - Lac Qui Parle State Park, Montevideo, MN	2015 - Lac Qui Parle State Park, Montevideo, MN
2015 - Lac Qui Parle State Park, Montevideo, MN	2015 - Lac Qui Parle State Park, Montevideo, MN	2015 - Lac Qui Parle State Park, Montevideo, MN

Our first family outing in the new travel trailer was at Father Hennepin State Park on the beautiful Mille Lacs Lake. We joined with friends and managed to have a pretty full weekend which included geocaching, hiking, biking, hanging out at the beach, and bowling. This was one of the more enjoyable camping outings in quite some time.

Enjoy the photographs (click thumbnails for larger view)..

2015 - Father Hennepin State Park, Isle, MN	2015 - Father Hennepin State Park, Isle, MN	2015 - Father Hennepin State Park, Isle, MN
2015 - Father Hennepin State Park, Isle, MN	2015 - Father Hennepin State Park, Isle, MN	2015 - Father Hennepin State Park, Isle, MN
2015 - Father Hennepin State Park, Isle, MN	2015 - Father Hennepin State Park, Isle, MN	2015 - Father Hennepin State Park, Isle, MN
2015 - Father Hennepin State Park, Isle, MN	2015 - Father Hennepin State Park, Isle, MN	2015 - Father Hennepin State Park, Isle, MN
2015 - Father Hennepin State Park, Isle, MN	2015 - Father Hennepin State Park, Isle, MN	2015 - Father Hennepin State Park, Isle, MN
2015 - Father Hennepin State Park, Isle, MN	2015 - Father Hennepin State Park, Isle, MN	2015 - Father Hennepin State Park, Isle, MN

Laura and Bart planned a camping trip to Jay Cooke State Park to take the new camping rig on its maiden voyage. While there, we managed to attend two geocaching events, grab the passport club stamp, hiked the four mile trek to the Hiking Club password, and biked a 10 mile geocache power trail. The campsite we had chosen was a little on the cramped side, but the park itself is a wonderful place to visit and is on the short list of places to return.

Enjoy the photographs (click thumbnails for larger view)..

2015 - Jay Cooke State Park, Carlton, MN	2015 - Jay Cooke State Park, Carlton, MN	2015 - Jay Cooke State Park, Carlton, MN
2015 - Jay Cooke State Park, Carlton, MN	2015 - Jay Cooke State Park, Carlton, MN	2015 - Jay Cooke State Park, Carlton, MN
2015 - Jay Cooke State Park, Carlton, MN	2015 - Jay Cooke State Park, Carlton, MN	2015 - Jay Cooke State Park, Carlton, MN
2015 - Jay Cooke State Park, Carlton, MN	2015 - Jay Cooke State Park, Carlton, MN	2015 - Jay Cooke State Park, Carlton, MN

The family headed down to Flandrau State Park for our grand finale to the 2014 camping season. We spent the four day MEA weekend enjoying the spectacular fall weather and gorgeous fall colors. When we weren't hiking or playing along the Cottonwood River, the proximity of the park to New Ulm, MN, gave us an opportunity to visit the August Schells Brewery.

Enjoy the photographs (click thumbnails for larger view)..

2014 - Flandrau State Park, New Ulm, MN	2014 - Flandrau State Park, New Ulm, MN	2014 - Flandrau State Park, New Ulm, MN
2014 - Flandrau State Park, New Ulm, MN	2014 - Flandrau State Park, New Ulm, MN	2014 - Flandrau State Park, New Ulm, MN
2014 - Flandrau State Park, New Ulm, MN	2014 - Flandrau State Park, New Ulm, MN	2014 - Flandrau State Park, New Ulm, MN
2014 - Flandrau State Park, New Ulm, MN	2014 - Flandrau State Park, New Ulm, MN	2014 - Flandrau State Park, New Ulm, MN
2014 - Flandrau State Park, New Ulm, MN	2014 - Flandrau State Park, New Ulm, MN	2014 - Flandrau State Park, New Ulm, MN

As soon as school was out for the summer we hit the road with the camper. Our destination is to one of our favorite locations on the entire planet, the northern shore of Lake Superior. We spent four nights at Temperance River State Park. Located near Schroeder, MN, Temperance River is one of eight jewels along the north shore. Hiking along the shoreline and the cascades of the river is something everyone has to experience in their lifetime.

Enjoy the photographs (click thumbnails for larger view)..

2014 - Temperance River State Park, Schroeder, MN	2014 - Temperance River State Park, Schroeder, MN	2014 - Temperance River State Park, Schroeder, MN
2014 - Temperance River State Park, Schroeder, MN	2014 - Temperance River State Park, Schroeder, MN	2014 - Temperance River State Park, Schroeder, MN
2014 - Temperance River State Park, Schroeder, MN	2014 - Temperance River State Park, Schroeder, MN	2014 - Temperance River State Park, Schroeder, MN
2014 - Temperance River State Park, Schroeder, MN	2014 - Temperance River State Park, Schroeder, MN	2014 - Temperance River State Park, Schroeder, MN
2014 - Temperance River State Park, Schroeder, MN	2014 - Temperance River State Park, Schroeder, MN	2014 - Temperance River State Park, Schroeder, MN

We spent Memorial Day weekend camping at Big Bay State Park. Located near La Pointe, WI on Madeline Island, the park has all of the amenities that interest us such as a swimming beach, paved bike trails, paddling, hiking, and geocaching. We spent four days trapped on the island and enjoyed the company of family and friends.

Enjoy the photographs (click thumbnails for larger view)..

2014 - Big Bay State Park, La Pointe, WI	2014 - Big Bay State Park, La Pointe, WI	2014 - Big Bay State Park, La Pointe, WI
2014 - Big Bay State Park, La Pointe, WI	2014 - Big Bay State Park, La Pointe, WI	2014 - Big Bay State Park, La Pointe, WI
2014 - Big Bay State Park, La Pointe, WI	2014 - Big Bay State Park, La Pointe, WI	2014 - Big Bay State Park, La Pointe, WI
2014 - Big Bay State Park, La Pointe, WI	2014 - Big Bay State Park, La Pointe, WI	2014 - Big Bay State Park, La Pointe, WI
2014 - Big Bay State Park, La Pointe, WI	2014 - Big Bay State Park, La Pointe, WI	2014 - Big Bay State Park, La Pointe, WI
2014 - Big Bay State Park, La Pointe, WI	2014 - Big Bay State Park, La Pointe, WI	2014 - Big Bay State Park, La Pointe, WI
2014 - Big Bay State Park, La Pointe, WI	2014 - Big Bay State Park, La Pointe, WI	2014 - Big Bay State Park, La Pointe, WI
2014 - Big Bay State Park, La Pointe, WI	2014 - Big Bay State Park, La Pointe, WI	2014 - Big Bay State Park, La Pointe, WI
2014 - Big Bay State Park, La Pointe, WI	2014 - Big Bay State Park, La Pointe, WI	2014 - Big Bay State Park, La Pointe, WI

For our final camping trip of the season, we spent MEA weekend at Myre-Big Island State Park. Located in Albert Lea, MN, Myre-Big Island offers hiking, biking, and paddling opportunities. The fall colors were gorgeous and the Hiking Club trail had a pretty good mix of scenery between its prairie and deep wood views.

Enjoy the photographs (click thumbnails for larger view)..

2013 - Myre-Big Island State Park, Albert Lea, MN	2013 - Myre-Big Island State Park, Albert Lea, MN	2013 - Myre-Big Island State Park, Albert Lea, MN
2013 - Myre-Big Island State Park, Albert Lea, MN	2013 - Myre-Big Island State Park, Albert Lea, MN	2013 - Myre-Big Island State Park, Albert Lea, MN
2013 - Myre-Big Island State Park, Albert Lea, MN	2013 - Myre-Big Island State Park, Albert Lea, MN	2013 - Myre-Big Island State Park, Albert Lea, MN
2013 - Myre-Big Island State Park, Albert Lea, MN	2013 - Myre-Big Island State Park, Albert Lea, MN	2013 - Myre-Big Island State Park, Albert Lea, MN

On a weekend road cruise to geocache the state parks in the northwest corner of Minnesota, we used the Red River State Recreation Area as our base of operations. On this cold and rainy weekend, we parked the camper here for lodging as we geocached the weekend away at the northern parks and the greater Grand Forks area. The location of the campground was both a blessing and a curse. It was nice being located in downtown East Grand Forks, MN, on such a nasty cold and rainy day. It provided us with places to hang out while the rain was falling. Though, the noises of town late at night and into the early hours of the morning left most of us restless in bed (traffic, sirens, train whistles). I probably would not camp here again.

Enjoy the photographs (click thumbnails for larger view)..

2013 - Red River State Recreation Area, East Grand Forks, MN	2013 - Red River State Recreation Area, East Grand Forks, MN	2013 - Red River State Recreation Area, East Grand Forks, MN
2013 - Red River State Recreation Area, East Grand Forks, MN	2013 - Red River State Recreation Area, East Grand Forks, MN	2013 - Red River State Recreation Area, East Grand Forks, MN
2013 - Red River State Recreation Area, East Grand Forks, MN	2013 - Red River State Recreation Area, East Grand Forks, MN	2013 - Red River State Recreation Area, East Grand Forks, MN
2013 - Red River State Recreation Area, East Grand Forks, MN	2013 - Red River State Recreation Area, East Grand Forks, MN	2013 - Red River State Recreation Area, East Grand Forks, MN
2013 - Red River State Recreation Area, East Grand Forks, MN	2013 - Red River State Recreation Area, East Grand Forks, MN	2013 - Red River State Recreation Area, East Grand Forks, MN

Our gang spent five gorgeous days last week camping at Scenic State Park. Located near Bigfork, MN, on the Edge of the Wilderness, Scenic State Park is literally one of THE most gorgeous state parks in Minnesota outside of the northern shores of Lake Superior.

The park is very nicely maintained and the park staff were very busy keeping the park clean and picked up. The park offers hiking, paddling, fishing and a swimming beach. We managed to take advantage of just about every feature this park has to offer. The only issues we experienced were fairly minor. The swimming beach is not far away but just far enough away where the kids couldn't wander down to swim on their own. The mosquitoes weren't bad but the biting black flies were out something fierce. In spite of the beach and the flies, I would definitely return to this park to camp again.

I managed to snap a couple hundred pictures. Here is just a sample of our experience.

Enjoy the photographs (click thumbnails for larger view)..

2013 - Scenic State Park, Bigfork, MN	2013 - Scenic State Park, Bigfork, MN	2013 - Scenic State Park, Bigfork, MN
2013 - Scenic State Park, Bigfork, MN	2013 - Scenic State Park, Bigfork, MN	2013 - Scenic State Park, Bigfork, MN
2013 - Scenic State Park, Bigfork, MN	2013 - Scenic State Park, Bigfork, MN	2013 - Scenic State Park, Bigfork, MN
2013 - Scenic State Park, Bigfork, MN	2013 - Scenic State Park, Bigfork, MN	2013 - Scenic State Park, Bigfork, MN
2013 - Scenic State Park, Bigfork, MN	2013 - Scenic State Park, Bigfork, MN	2013 - Scenic State Park, Bigfork, MN
2013 - Scenic State Park, Bigfork, MN	2013 - Scenic State Park, Bigfork, MN	2013 - Scenic State Park, Bigfork, MN
2013 - Scenic State Park, Bigfork, MN	2013 - Scenic State Park, Bigfork, MN	2013 - Scenic State Park, Bigfork, MN
2013 - Scenic State Park, Bigfork, MN	2013 - Scenic State Park, Bigfork, MN	2013 - Scenic State Park, Bigfork, MN
2013 - Scenic State Park, Bigfork, MN	2013 - Scenic State Park, Bigfork, MN	2013 - Scenic State Park, Bigfork, MN
2013 - Scenic State Park, Bigfork, MN	2013 - Scenic State Park, Bigfork, MN	2013 - Scenic State Park, Bigfork, MN