Forum Discussion

garmp's avatar
garmp
Explorer II
Jul 08, 2018

Minnesota sights and doings

Plan on touring Minnesota and have reservations for a rally/reunion outside of Duluth for a couple of days. So we thought we'd see the beginning of the Mississippi River, being from St. Louis, MO and all. Wasn't sure of the weather turning cold so decided to tour what we could before the rally. Turns out the previous week includes Labor Day weekend. Oh Boy! Any way, couldn't get into Itasca SP, so we opted for Lake Bemidji SP for 3 days. Thoughts being a day to tour Itasca SP and a day for the town of Bemidji and area. And then on our way to Cascade River SP after a couple of night en route, before heading down the shore to Duluth and our ultimate goal and eventually home.
My question is: never been here before, what is recommended to see and do along our path? Sights, history, vistas, and or course eateries of the local nature, no franchises, are always a plus. Like to hike but am an asthmatic with bad knees, so hike might not be the proper word.
We did find a few interesting things between Cascade River SP & Duluth, but the rest of the trip is very vague as to what there is available.
  • agb2529's avatar
    agb2529
    Explorer
    Jul 10, 2018
    We love the area around Lake Itasca/Bemidji - camped at both parks many times when our kids were at Concordia Language Village outside of Bemidji. The headwaters is an outstanding place to visit, you'll get a special kick being from STL to be able to walk across the river. If you have bicycles there are great trails at Lake Itasca but your schedule may be a bit tight, it's a huge park with lots to see. Park Rapids and Dorset are neat little towns south of Itasca if you have time. One other recommendation - on your way from McCarthy Beach to Cascade River try to stop at Soudan Underground Mine SP.

    Soudan Underground Mine

    Very cool place, great tour of the old iron mine. Some years ago they were using part of the mine to house targets for particle beams shot from the accelerator at Fermilab near Chicago as part of Tau neutrino research, not sure if that is still going on.

    Also in that general area is Hibbing, home to Bob Dylan's birthplace, the Greyhound Bus Museum, and the largest open pit iron mine in the world.
  • garmp's avatar
    garmp
    Explorer II
    Jul 10, 2018
    Thanks for your help. Our itinerary reads as such in MN. Myre-Big Island State Park (area) (8/28) and winging it. Then reservations at Deparcq Woods Campground FamCamp for 1 night, 8/29. Next 3 night, with reservations, at Lake Bemidji SP (not realizing it was Labor Day weekend). While there spending a day at Itasca SP, a day in and around Bemidji. Then on to Pokegama Dam Campground, love the COE parks, and then on to McCarthy Beach SP, and 1 night reservations in each. On to Cascade River SP for 2 nights with reservations.
    This is where we want to do a bunch more exploring before heading to Buffalo Valley Camping for a PC Reunion/Rally for 4 nights and then home ward.
    Never realized we made so many reservations, blindly, as we did. Very unlike us.
  • Addy15's avatar
    Addy15
    Explorer
    Jul 09, 2018
    So remind me again what is your route. You are starting your Minnesota experience at Myre-BI correct? And that is just an overnighter? Where to from there? Straight to Bemidji? What are the dates you are planning to be in Bemidji SP? What is your route from Myre to Bemidji? And what is your route from Bemidji to Cascade? Where is your Duluth rally? And where to from there? If I know some more information, I can get my brain going with some ideas for you! :-)

    One suggestion I have is to consider the La Salle Lake State Recreation Area rather than Bemidji. Bemidji is a beautiful park and a nice beach area, but the campground is a bit crowded. La Salle is closer to Itasca and is a newer full hook-up campground with very large sites. Looks to have some good availability still for the Labor Day weekend time frame. Just a suggestion.

    Did you figure out how to get your annual permit?
  • garmp's avatar
    garmp
    Explorer II
    Jul 09, 2018
    Thanks for the input and I have been searching the web, but I rather not go by ad agency written blurbs. I was after personal preferences and experiences from the RV community. Been to too many "inspirational scenic wonders" only to realize that camera angles and photoshop can do wonders.
    I will keep searching however. One never knows.
  • Dick_B's avatar
    Dick_B
    Explorer
    Jul 08, 2018
    Do a Google search for `Minnesota tourism' and read what the specialists recommend for their area.

About Campground 101

Recommendations, reviews, and the inside scoop from fellow travelers.14,716 PostsLatest Activity: Feb 10, 2025