Minnesota’s Newest State Park Campground | Split Rock Lighthouse – Shipwreck Creek!

Minnesota State Parks has a new campground and we were lucky enough to grab a spot this summer in our A-Frame camper! We’ll briefly cover it’s amenities and new features to give you a preview before you head that way. Split Rock Lighthouse State Park is one of the most popular parks on the north … Continue reading Minnesota’s Newest State Park Campground | Split Rock Lighthouse – Shipwreck Creek!

Hiking Southern Minnesota – Part 2: Pipestone National Monument, Split Rock Creek and Lake Shetek State Parks

Continued from part 1: Kilen Woods, Fort Ridgely and Blue Mounds State Parks! The prairie has a unique beauty and history that I am still learning more about. I’m also realizing the importance of knowing our history, in order to learn from it and avoid repeating it. So, if you are like me, and history … Continue reading Hiking Southern Minnesota – Part 2: Pipestone National Monument, Split Rock Creek and Lake Shetek State Parks

Backpacking and Day Hiking on the North Shore – Part 2: Split Rock, Palisade Head and George Crosby Manitou State Park.

How do you describe the beauty of a place where heaven and earth join seamlessly?   Or the mind trap of telling yourself over and over again that this massive body is not the ocean or an endless sea?  Or the magnetic-siren-pull of her waters that make you want to jump in and crash like … Continue reading Backpacking and Day Hiking on the North Shore – Part 2: Split Rock, Palisade Head and George Crosby Manitou State Park.

North Shore S24O (Sub-24 Hour Overnight) | Split Rock

TRIP DETAILS  LENGTH +/- 5 miles on the Split Rock River Loop and around Split Rock State Park DIFFICULTY Easy to Moderate: elevation, roots, rocks, bugs at dawn and dusk. DATE  August 10, 2019 MAIN FEATURES  Panoramic overlooks of Lake Superior, the historic Split Rock Lighthouse and a never ending series of ups and downs through the forests of … Continue reading North Shore S24O (Sub-24 Hour Overnight) | Split Rock

Minnesota North Shore Weekend! Part 2: Tettegouche State Park, Superior Hiking Trail and a BEAR at camp!

Continued from Part 1… Split Rock to Beaver Bay TRIP DETAILS LENGTH 11 miles:  camped at Tettegouche State ParkDIFFICULTY Moderate, elevation and sun exposureDATE August 9, 2020MAIN FEATURES Classic Superior Hiking Trail up and down elevation with spectacular views of Lake Superior.  We parked a car in the rear lot of Cove Point Lodge, which connects directly to a 2 … Continue reading Minnesota North Shore Weekend! Part 2: Tettegouche State Park, Superior Hiking Trail and a BEAR at camp!

Hiking Southern Minnesota | Part 1: Kilen Woods, Fort Ridgely and Blue Mounds State Park

The garden is bursting and these late summer days are filled with working at home and in the yard. I’m writing this post on a family trip to another beautiful MN State Park, in a cute little rental camper, early in the morning while everyone is still asleep. No work or chores for a few … Continue reading Hiking Southern Minnesota | Part 1: Kilen Woods, Fort Ridgely and Blue Mounds State Park

Hitting the Half Way Mark | 53 miles on the Superior Hiking Trail: Tettegouche to Two Harbors!

TRIP DETAILS  LENGTH 53.2 miles Tettegouche State Park to Two Harbors DIFFICULTY Challenging: elevation, roots, rocks, snow and mostly mud DATE  May 14-17, 2019 MAIN FEATURES  Panoramic overlooks of Lake Superior, inland lakes, and a never ending series of ups and downs through the forests of Minnesota’s North Shore. It’s about time for a trip report!  If you have … Continue reading Hitting the Half Way Mark | 53 miles on the Superior Hiking Trail: Tettegouche to Two Harbors!

Escape to the Woods: Our North Shore Tiny House Adventure!

Im writing this on a gray Minnesota day, with a belly full of coffee and a Tobie’s Cinnamon Roll as big as my head by my side.   Since returning from our Superior Hiking Trail 100 Mile Hike, I have been working on slowing down a bit and recalibrating.   Don’t worry, I have some projects coming … Continue reading Escape to the Woods: Our North Shore Tiny House Adventure!

Backpacking in Isle Royale National Park: Part 1

I’m pretty stoked to finally get to share about our backpacking trip last year to Isle Royale National Park! There a ton of resources out there to help you plan your trip, but my perspective is of a thrifty Scout Leader that went with a large group of youth backpacking for a week. The trip went … Continue reading Backpacking in Isle Royale National Park: Part 1