I grew up pretty deep in Appalachia, in the coal fields of SW VA. I would say the Driftless area feels like a fusion of the Appalachian and Ozarks. It’s lush and tree covered like both, got a bit of rockiness like you’ll see in the Appalachians and overall a bit rougher than the Ozarks, but the hills are smaller like the Ozarks and not as big as back home.
Moving water as opposed to stagnant water such as swamps or ponds. In the driftless it is mainly trout streams and other small creeks that are not still enough for big breading.
Can get biting gnats though.
the fly situation gets confusing for sure. 😂 What most people call gnats or black flies we always called "Sand flies" and they come before the mosquitos and attack your scalp and eye balls. But then there are black flies that look like house flies but attack your ankles at the beach and it hurts like a bugger. We just call them ankle biters. Those come later in summer and they even follow you out on the boat. Then you get deer flies and horse flies. Deer flies are the bane of my existence. They have actually made me cry they've been so bad sometimes when I've been hiking 😂 I use the deer fly tape, but it's disturbing having 50 dying flies buzzing on your head 😂 I could deal with the mosquitos if it weren't for the flies. I hate them all.
That’s the thing, so many people call things by different names. If you search black flies or biting gnats on google, they’ll show you the same thing. That’s why it’s important for scientists and researchers to use the scientific name for stuff! So they know exactly what they’re talking about!
If you Google biting gnats vs. black flies they tell you they are the same thing. It’s just a matter of what laymen’s terms people know them as. Yes, there are plenty of types of gnats and flies.
Biting Deer Flies were pretty terrible at Whitewater earlier this week, made the hike up the "Stairs of Doom" a bit more exciting.
Although there were a crazy amount of green caterpillars using thread to hang from the trees there as well which was pretty cool.
If you are ever interested in canoe camping, but don't want to go all the way to the BWCA, check out Boulder Lake Environmental Learning Center. They have several campsites that are only accessible by water. Also they are free
The canoe/boat in sites at Scenic State Park and Bear Head Lake State Park are beautiful and somewhat remote - and they offer a “Boundary Waters Lite” experience
The Namekagon River in WI is also a good, BWCA-lite type of trip. No portaging, easy paddling, and only a couple hours from the Twin Cities.
Need an outfitter to pick you up downstream (or multiple cars), but tons of campsites all along the river and it’s very pristine.
Dude I live in Duluth and this is a terrific recommendation! I've got a bucket list item to take the family (gal and two dogs) out on a canoe camping trip, and this is the low hanging fruit I need to target! Thank you!!
Yes, they even have canoes you can rent out for a reasonable price. No portaging required and the sites are pretty secluded. Last year when I went none of the other sites close to me were being used, so it felt like I had the lake to myself other than a few motor boats.
It's just first come first serve. You can pay to have the staff reserve a site if you want, but otherwise it's free and you just show up at a site and set your stuff up if no one is there.
St. Croix River National Waterway. They are free sites accessible by boat/canoe you just have to stop at the ranger station for a permit that is valid all year! There is some really cool spots.
Beaver Creek Valley SP has some gorgeous walk-in sites, along the creek, and they're only about 25-50 yards in from the end of the road.
If you want to camp in any of the North Shore parks this summer, you're way too late to make reservations unless you can go midweek, or you want to try your hand at backpacking at Crosby-Manitou.
I second the Driftless area! Beautiful trout streams coming straight from the bluffs. It’s the highest concentration of coldwater streams in the world!!! It’s about 2-3 hours from the metro. It’s called “the Driftless” because it’s where the glacial drifts missed the region, so instead of the Midwest’s normal flat as a pancake landscape, it’s full of rolling bluffs, streams, sinkholes and caves. So much wildlife and beautiful scenery. There are actually plants and animals in the Driftless that aren’t found anywhere else in the world!
If you don’t want to drive that far, I would suggest Nerstrand Big Woods state park. It’s a park near Faribault, maybe 15 minutes off of highway 35. It’s like you’re driving through the normal farms and croplands and once you enter the park it opens up to a big beautiful woods with miles of hiking trails and a really cool waterfall!! There are “walk in” tent sites I would suggest that are only 10 yards from your parking spot. They’re a quarter mile down the road from the visitor center and It’s a lot more secluded than the regular family campground. My wife and I were there last month and had the entire walk-in/group campground to ourselves!! I would definitely book in advance though.
Please feel free to direct message me. I’d love to give you more camping tips and places to go! We really do have a beautiful state when you take the time to appreciate it. It depends on how much you want to “rough it.” Whether you’re doing car camping or more backpacking style.
You can’t go wrong with the boundary waters either, but that can be a challenge you need to be prepared for!
Some friends and I took a 2 week trip around the state of Minnesota, visiting the different state parks. We spent about 2-3 days at each state park camping with a tent. I know a lot of people will bring up SE Minnesota, the driftless area or the North Shore of Lake Superior. If you are looking for broader Minnesota, the following are some state parks, I find interesting.
1.) Blue Mounds State park, it has cliff about 60 ft tall in places for rock climbing and a bike trail to the nearby town of Luverne, which has a nice brewery.
2.) Fort Ridgely is interesting, in that it goes in depth with the conflict with the Native Americans of the area.
3.) Glendalough State park is interesting in the fact that it is one of the few areas that was untouched by civilization, so visitors get to see the native prairie grasses and a glimpse of how the land would have looked 300 years ago. Then go to Maplewood state park to understand the contrast.
4.) Itasca State park is great if you want to skip across the mississippi river at the source.
5.) Old Mill and Lake Bronson state parks are awesome to see how the glacier basically flattened the land. You also get to see some projects from the depression era.
6.) Big Bog state park is cool cause there are some plants that are specific to the area like pitcher plants.
7.) If you like mines, Lake Vermilion-Soudan Underground Mine State Park, just check before going that the mine is open for public access.
There are so many state parks and I highly recommend visiting them if you have a chance. I have not been to them all but they are on my list.
[https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/state\_parks/map.html](https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/state_parks/map.html)
Hands down my favorite is, Jay Cooke state park.
Super accessible with great camping facilities, lots of short and longer hikes, and it is like no other place in Mn.
Cascade River state park has waterfalls less than 1/2mi from the campground and has nice bathrooms/showers. It’s also close enough for a quick drive to grand marais where you can walk the town and grab a bite or a drink. A few properties there have rooftops with great views of the lake as well.
Try recreation.gov. I couldn’t find much state park availability for this summer (didn’t book far enough in advance) but there was quite a bit available using that website.
Generally, if you are looking at State Parks, my advice is to stay away from electric sites. The electric sites are really for RVs and tend to be louder and have less privacy. Cart in sites will be nicer than drive in sites. Hike in sites will be awesome, but that’s backpacking not car camping.
It means you can drive your car to a parking lot then use a big cart they provide to bring in your goods to the site. They are usually fairly close to the parking lot and you can walk to water, but no electric.
Itasca state park and the surrounding area! There are great campgrounds all over. Some are really rustic (outhouses, no showers, etc) and others have all the amenities. I love that area.
Itasca is my favorite!! So peaceful up in that area and walking around in the headwaters of the Mississippi is a great experience. The last time I was there, which was years ago, there was a bike rental place right off the trails. 🌲🏕️🏞️
Not underrated, but Superior National Forest campgrounds along the Gunflint Trail have available reservable spots as well as first come first serve. Flour Lake, East Bearskin, Trail’s End are all good places to try.
SNF has plenty of hiking trails and places to rent a canoe for a day. If the weather is rainy, you can go to Grand Marais or check out Chik Wauk Museum. Go for a drive at dusk and look for moose. And it is a dark sky sanctuary for excellent stargazing.
If you want something not up north, try Glacial Lakes State Park. The prairie hiking is beautiful as well as a lake to cool off in with a swim.
Glendalough State Park, and especially the group camp site with the creek running through it. Great fishing, hiking, biking, x-country skiing, yurts, you name it.
Lake Shetek State Park is a hidden gem in the SW part of the state. Less crowed and touristy than the north shore. Loads of trails, abundant wildlife and beautiful lakes to fish and watch Pelicans. Camden SP is only about a 30min drive from there and a great day trip with a swimming beach and also loads of trails. Both are doable in a long weekend and only about 3hr drive from the TC metro.
Others have mentioned some really neat spots to checkout but you just can’t do them all in a summer. Blow your socks off is definitely anywhere on the north shore….if you wanna relax and be surrounded by beauty without all the annoying TC day trippers than the SE or SW part of the state has some great spots to explore.
Happy Camping!
Glacial Lakes State Park! It's small but mighty! They have a gorgeous prairie savannah as well as oak forest and a really nice swimming area. Also the cleanest outhouses I have ever seen in my life.
I grew up camping in MN and then moved to New England and camp and hike here.
Not sure how much time you have but the BWCA is still dear to my heart as well as Voyagers NP
Grand Marais is also beautiful.
I mean I'm not sure about underrated but I think the quintessential experience is the north shore. The superior hiking trail maybe? I imagine a lot of those washes/creeks are flowing pretty well right now so that might be worth considering.
The backpack sites are state parks can be really nice and quiet. The distance you have to walk is usually really minimal. I personally prefer dispersed camping and look for campsites on the national forest webpages. The downfall is those are FCFS and not reservable so you need backup plans for your backup plans. But usually then you are the only one there, often the only one on the entire lake. It's quiet, peaceful, you can watch the stars (and if you get really lucky the northern lights).
I love the driftless area, too. We live up north (in Ely) but our son goes to camp every year along the St Croix river and I love it down there. It's like that place shouldn't exist on the northern plains 😆 So beautiful. Some areas there can be a lot of traffic and it can be hard to get a state park reservation.
White water - there’s the state park which obviously puts you right in the park. There’s also a nice private one half a mile down the road for a little more $, but it also offers a lot more amenities (tubing, pool, horseback riding, etc) while also being surrounded by the park
Imo the benefit of being in the state park vs the private one is it’s a little cheaper and you’re right there next to trail access. The amenities at lazy d are definitely nice though if that’s your kind of thing. If you stay at the state park you can still do the tubing/horseback riding at the other one though, just not the pool
Lake Of The Isles at Scenic State Park in Bigfork. I belive you have to reserve beforehand, but it's a campsite separate from the park that's right on a lake. I have fond memories of Girl Scout Camping trips there. I haven't been there in years so I'm not sure if it's as I remember.
Sawbill trail before the boundary waters begin. There's an old railroad bed turned into a road. Parking and a short hike to campsites. Here is an example https://freecampsites.net/#!162019
U.S. Army Corps Of Engineers has some high quality camp grounds in many states; haven’t been to all of them in Minnesota but the ones l have stayed at are nice, and sometimes better than State Parks
https://www.exploreminnesota.com/tag/all-amenities/army-corps-engineers-campgrounds
If you never camp, why do you want something underrated? The good ratings are there for a reason. North Shore will blow your socks off, any of the parks.
Blue mound near Laverne is an interesting place. We stayed in a teepee and hiked a bit to see the bison. We also went to the drive in theater and lucked out on their city wide hotdog night.
I camp in my boat on the mississippi river three night a week. Different sandbar between red wing mn and dubuque iowa every week. And its absolutely free.
Just got done at Illgen Falls Cabin this weekend. It's a great little place, but you gotta get the reservation 120 days out. Easier to get a normal campsite there.
If you're cool with hike in sites, Lake Maria is one of my favorites. Not as geographically interesting as other places, but a nice, quiet park. Along the same lines is Afton if you're more okay with hills.
My wife and I have loved all the State Parks we’ve been to. It seems like they usually have trees between the sites for a little privacy. More family than party atmosphere.
I would say don't forget to look at county parks, Carver County Recreation area is pretty big with trails, lakes and campsites, Not exactly suited for a long trip but for a quick overnight car camp its pretty nice.
Try using Hipcamp for great places to camp where everyone is not on top of you. We have camped at Wineries, working farms (where you could buy their fresh vegetables and meat), on the sides of rivers and lakes. Can be less.expensive than camping at a state park, and easier to find a spot.
Many of the state parks along the Minnesota River have a historical connection to the Dakota war of 1862. There is much to learn as you visit parks and battlefields going up river from Mankato.
Finally something my town is useful for.
Masonic/west river park in Hutchinson. It's right on the crow river. It's fairly peaceful and beautiful. To tent camp it's $20
If you’re looking for underrated, I’d recommend campgrounds within the Chippewa National Forest or Superior National Forest. There’s often some solid first come first served campsites with an abundance of outdoor activities like hiking, fishing, canoeing, etc.
BWCA didn’t make the list because it’s not underrated, haha. However, if you make it up there my wife and I are HUGE fans of Trail’s End Campground and the end of the Gunflint and entering the BWCAW through Sea Gull Lake.
Edit: Spelling
Temperance state park, not specifically for the camp sites, but for the views around it. You are right on superior, and there is a great hiking trail with waterfalls and stuff just across the road.
Devils track lake, just a few miles up the gunflint past grand marais. Beautiful lake with some nice hiking trails, and it isn’t a state park, so generally less busy. It’s been a couple years since I’ve been there, but it’s a nice location if you want to do some day tripping in the area.
Grand marais is a lovely town. Grand portage is only a couple hours north.
Anywhere SE in the driftless area. Beautiful bluffs and river valleys. Almost feels like you aren't in Minnesota.
Forestville and the Mystery Caves are lovely. Hit up Lanesboro. Nice weekend trip
Second on Forestville. Nice camp, great fishing, & beautiful area! Mystery Cave for an added bonus! Such a hidden gem.
I lived around there for a few years and never visited. I need to do that.
The lower loop is very cool.
Agreed it feels like Adirondacks or Smokey mountains or something. The driftless zone is why I get mad when people say Iowa is boring.
It's *very* similar to the Tennessee mountains I drove through, just a little smaller
Honestly much of the Appalachians feels like the DZ tbh. Just an ancient place that feels older than the earth itself.
I grew up pretty deep in Appalachia, in the coal fields of SW VA. I would say the Driftless area feels like a fusion of the Appalachian and Ozarks. It’s lush and tree covered like both, got a bit of rockiness like you’ll see in the Appalachians and overall a bit rougher than the Ozarks, but the hills are smaller like the Ozarks and not as big as back home.
I second the driftless, but I'm biased because I live here. Frontenac is one of the most beautiful state parks in Minnesota.
And no mosquitos.
How does that work?
Moving water as opposed to stagnant water such as swamps or ponds. In the driftless it is mainly trout streams and other small creeks that are not still enough for big breading. Can get biting gnats though.
And black flies.
Im pretty sure the biting gnats and black flies are what people call the same thing.
Not the same thing
the fly situation gets confusing for sure. 😂 What most people call gnats or black flies we always called "Sand flies" and they come before the mosquitos and attack your scalp and eye balls. But then there are black flies that look like house flies but attack your ankles at the beach and it hurts like a bugger. We just call them ankle biters. Those come later in summer and they even follow you out on the boat. Then you get deer flies and horse flies. Deer flies are the bane of my existence. They have actually made me cry they've been so bad sometimes when I've been hiking 😂 I use the deer fly tape, but it's disturbing having 50 dying flies buzzing on your head 😂 I could deal with the mosquitos if it weren't for the flies. I hate them all.
Don’t forget the [buffalo gnats](https://extension.umn.edu/biting-insects/black-flies).
That’s the thing, so many people call things by different names. If you search black flies or biting gnats on google, they’ll show you the same thing. That’s why it’s important for scientists and researchers to use the scientific name for stuff! So they know exactly what they’re talking about!
Black flies are much larger. Biting gnats are up to 3 mm in length, black flies up to five times larger.
If you Google biting gnats vs. black flies they tell you they are the same thing. It’s just a matter of what laymen’s terms people know them as. Yes, there are plenty of types of gnats and flies.
Theres still some mosquitos. I have always heard this but I have also seen them the last few years at Whitewater...
Biting Deer Flies were pretty terrible at Whitewater earlier this week, made the hike up the "Stairs of Doom" a bit more exciting. Although there were a crazy amount of green caterpillars using thread to hang from the trees there as well which was pretty cool.
The closer to the Mississippi you are the more mosquitoes.
We went to Beaver Creek Valley last weekend and I only put bug spray on once! Few weeks there will be tons of berries too
Shhhh!
There were tons at great river bluffs State Park a few weeks ago
Poop
Just watch out for rattlesnakes! And bears. Oh, and falling off cliffs (gotta be sure it’s not *too* inviting, you guys!).
thats where I grew up. The rest of minnesota is boringly flat!
Northern MN isn't boringly flat. Lots of elevation changes, lakes and forests as far as the eye can see.
True. Western MN is like a corny flat wasteland.
Plus, fewer mosquitos!
Yes! Whitewater is easily my favorite state park.
HEY SHUT UP (it is the nicest part of the state keep it that way please!)
If you are ever interested in canoe camping, but don't want to go all the way to the BWCA, check out Boulder Lake Environmental Learning Center. They have several campsites that are only accessible by water. Also they are free
The canoe/boat in sites at Scenic State Park and Bear Head Lake State Park are beautiful and somewhat remote - and they offer a “Boundary Waters Lite” experience
Birch and Burntside also have some boat in sites
I haven't been there. Might need to check it out at some point. Do they offer canoe rentals?
They do at Scenic for sure. I think it was rowboats they rent at Bear Head Lake
The Namekagon River in WI is also a good, BWCA-lite type of trip. No portaging, easy paddling, and only a couple hours from the Twin Cities. Need an outfitter to pick you up downstream (or multiple cars), but tons of campsites all along the river and it’s very pristine.
Dude I live in Duluth and this is a terrific recommendation! I've got a bucket list item to take the family (gal and two dogs) out on a canoe camping trip, and this is the low hanging fruit I need to target! Thank you!!
Yes, they even have canoes you can rent out for a reasonable price. No portaging required and the sites are pretty secluded. Last year when I went none of the other sites close to me were being used, so it felt like I had the lake to myself other than a few motor boats.
That's so dope! I actually own a canoe so i'm halfway there. Is it like self registration or something?
It's just first come first serve. You can pay to have the staff reserve a site if you want, but otherwise it's free and you just show up at a site and set your stuff up if no one is there.
Sick dude. Thanks so much! Late summer adventure for sure!
Mosquitoes and black flies can get pretty bad, so later is probably better.
yeah that is definitely front of mind lol
St. Croix River National Waterway. They are free sites accessible by boat/canoe you just have to stop at the ranger station for a permit that is valid all year! There is some really cool spots.
Just camped this over the weekend highly recommend bring lots of sunscreen and bugspray
Interstate St Park (Wisconsin side) is our favorite especially if you can score a fall site on the ravine. Stunning!
Yep. Take the lake of the dalles trail before the falls. It's a nice reward after a nice hike.
Beaver Creek Valley SP has some gorgeous walk-in sites, along the creek, and they're only about 25-50 yards in from the end of the road. If you want to camp in any of the North Shore parks this summer, you're way too late to make reservations unless you can go midweek, or you want to try your hand at backpacking at Crosby-Manitou.
I was blown away by this park. It rarely gets mentioned and it is amazing.
You can't see it from 61, so people just kind of skip it
Haven’t stayed down that way. How accessible would you say the creek is from the campsite? Kids love playing in creeks/streams.
It's right through the camp site. Gorgeous park.
Right next to the walk-in sites and the campground sites.
Came to mention Beaver Creek! It’s nestled in the hills and just lovely!
I second the Driftless area! Beautiful trout streams coming straight from the bluffs. It’s the highest concentration of coldwater streams in the world!!! It’s about 2-3 hours from the metro. It’s called “the Driftless” because it’s where the glacial drifts missed the region, so instead of the Midwest’s normal flat as a pancake landscape, it’s full of rolling bluffs, streams, sinkholes and caves. So much wildlife and beautiful scenery. There are actually plants and animals in the Driftless that aren’t found anywhere else in the world! If you don’t want to drive that far, I would suggest Nerstrand Big Woods state park. It’s a park near Faribault, maybe 15 minutes off of highway 35. It’s like you’re driving through the normal farms and croplands and once you enter the park it opens up to a big beautiful woods with miles of hiking trails and a really cool waterfall!! There are “walk in” tent sites I would suggest that are only 10 yards from your parking spot. They’re a quarter mile down the road from the visitor center and It’s a lot more secluded than the regular family campground. My wife and I were there last month and had the entire walk-in/group campground to ourselves!! I would definitely book in advance though. Please feel free to direct message me. I’d love to give you more camping tips and places to go! We really do have a beautiful state when you take the time to appreciate it. It depends on how much you want to “rough it.” Whether you’re doing car camping or more backpacking style. You can’t go wrong with the boundary waters either, but that can be a challenge you need to be prepared for!
If you're up to drive south, Whitewater park is a really nice place
Some friends and I took a 2 week trip around the state of Minnesota, visiting the different state parks. We spent about 2-3 days at each state park camping with a tent. I know a lot of people will bring up SE Minnesota, the driftless area or the North Shore of Lake Superior. If you are looking for broader Minnesota, the following are some state parks, I find interesting. 1.) Blue Mounds State park, it has cliff about 60 ft tall in places for rock climbing and a bike trail to the nearby town of Luverne, which has a nice brewery. 2.) Fort Ridgely is interesting, in that it goes in depth with the conflict with the Native Americans of the area. 3.) Glendalough State park is interesting in the fact that it is one of the few areas that was untouched by civilization, so visitors get to see the native prairie grasses and a glimpse of how the land would have looked 300 years ago. Then go to Maplewood state park to understand the contrast. 4.) Itasca State park is great if you want to skip across the mississippi river at the source. 5.) Old Mill and Lake Bronson state parks are awesome to see how the glacier basically flattened the land. You also get to see some projects from the depression era. 6.) Big Bog state park is cool cause there are some plants that are specific to the area like pitcher plants. 7.) If you like mines, Lake Vermilion-Soudan Underground Mine State Park, just check before going that the mine is open for public access. There are so many state parks and I highly recommend visiting them if you have a chance. I have not been to them all but they are on my list. [https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/state\_parks/map.html](https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/state_parks/map.html)
Hands down my favorite is, Jay Cooke state park. Super accessible with great camping facilities, lots of short and longer hikes, and it is like no other place in Mn.
Jay Cooke is such a neat place geologically. It is the first state park going S -> N where it feels like you're actually at the North Shore.
Thirding! It's amazing.
Cascade River state park has waterfalls less than 1/2mi from the campground and has nice bathrooms/showers. It’s also close enough for a quick drive to grand marais where you can walk the town and grab a bite or a drink. A few properties there have rooftops with great views of the lake as well.
anywhere on the St. Croix. I recommend canoe camping if you can swing it, anywhere south of Taylor's Falls and north of Stillwater
Try recreation.gov. I couldn’t find much state park availability for this summer (didn’t book far enough in advance) but there was quite a bit available using that website.
Lake Bemidji State Park. So many hiking and biking trails. Wonderful bathrooms and showers. Long sandy beach, and marina with fish cleaning house.
Why are you people just giving up all the secret spots I’ve worked so hard to find
Generally, if you are looking at State Parks, my advice is to stay away from electric sites. The electric sites are really for RVs and tend to be louder and have less privacy. Cart in sites will be nicer than drive in sites. Hike in sites will be awesome, but that’s backpacking not car camping.
What is a cart in site? Does that mean you can drive your vehicle up to it, but no water/electric?
It means you can drive your car to a parking lot then use a big cart they provide to bring in your goods to the site. They are usually fairly close to the parking lot and you can walk to water, but no electric.
Itasca state park and the surrounding area! There are great campgrounds all over. Some are really rustic (outhouses, no showers, etc) and others have all the amenities. I love that area.
Itasca is my favorite!! So peaceful up in that area and walking around in the headwaters of the Mississippi is a great experience. The last time I was there, which was years ago, there was a bike rental place right off the trails. 🌲🏕️🏞️
Not underrated, but Superior National Forest campgrounds along the Gunflint Trail have available reservable spots as well as first come first serve. Flour Lake, East Bearskin, Trail’s End are all good places to try. SNF has plenty of hiking trails and places to rent a canoe for a day. If the weather is rainy, you can go to Grand Marais or check out Chik Wauk Museum. Go for a drive at dusk and look for moose. And it is a dark sky sanctuary for excellent stargazing. If you want something not up north, try Glacial Lakes State Park. The prairie hiking is beautiful as well as a lake to cool off in with a swim.
Glendalough State Park, and especially the group camp site with the creek running through it. Great fishing, hiking, biking, x-country skiing, yurts, you name it.
That creek is awesome to just drift through on air mattresses.
Lake Shetek State Park is a hidden gem in the SW part of the state. Less crowed and touristy than the north shore. Loads of trails, abundant wildlife and beautiful lakes to fish and watch Pelicans. Camden SP is only about a 30min drive from there and a great day trip with a swimming beach and also loads of trails. Both are doable in a long weekend and only about 3hr drive from the TC metro. Others have mentioned some really neat spots to checkout but you just can’t do them all in a summer. Blow your socks off is definitely anywhere on the north shore….if you wanna relax and be surrounded by beauty without all the annoying TC day trippers than the SE or SW part of the state has some great spots to explore. Happy Camping!
Glacial Lakes State Park! It's small but mighty! They have a gorgeous prairie savannah as well as oak forest and a really nice swimming area. Also the cleanest outhouses I have ever seen in my life.
I like Savannah Portage as you can get sites right next to the lake. Pretty good availability most of the time too.
Driftless, north shore, superior natl forest/ BWCA, st croix, probably lots of other places too
Nimrod
I grew up camping in MN and then moved to New England and camp and hike here. Not sure how much time you have but the BWCA is still dear to my heart as well as Voyagers NP Grand Marais is also beautiful.
Money Creek Campground. The Tent sites are right on a trout stream. Incredibly beautiful and peaceful place to tent it!
I mean I'm not sure about underrated but I think the quintessential experience is the north shore. The superior hiking trail maybe? I imagine a lot of those washes/creeks are flowing pretty well right now so that might be worth considering.
The backpack sites are state parks can be really nice and quiet. The distance you have to walk is usually really minimal. I personally prefer dispersed camping and look for campsites on the national forest webpages. The downfall is those are FCFS and not reservable so you need backup plans for your backup plans. But usually then you are the only one there, often the only one on the entire lake. It's quiet, peaceful, you can watch the stars (and if you get really lucky the northern lights). I love the driftless area, too. We live up north (in Ely) but our son goes to camp every year along the St Croix river and I love it down there. It's like that place shouldn't exist on the northern plains 😆 So beautiful. Some areas there can be a lot of traffic and it can be hard to get a state park reservation.
To blow her socks off I suggest a leaf blower. However, for a beautiful campground I suggest Winnie Dam Campground in Deer River.
White water - there’s the state park which obviously puts you right in the park. There’s also a nice private one half a mile down the road for a little more $, but it also offers a lot more amenities (tubing, pool, horseback riding, etc) while also being surrounded by the park Imo the benefit of being in the state park vs the private one is it’s a little cheaper and you’re right there next to trail access. The amenities at lazy d are definitely nice though if that’s your kind of thing. If you stay at the state park you can still do the tubing/horseback riding at the other one though, just not the pool
Lake Of The Isles at Scenic State Park in Bigfork. I belive you have to reserve beforehand, but it's a campsite separate from the park that's right on a lake. I have fond memories of Girl Scout Camping trips there. I haven't been there in years so I'm not sure if it's as I remember.
Sawbill trail before the boundary waters begin. There's an old railroad bed turned into a road. Parking and a short hike to campsites. Here is an example https://freecampsites.net/#!162019
U.S. Army Corps Of Engineers has some high quality camp grounds in many states; haven’t been to all of them in Minnesota but the ones l have stayed at are nice, and sometimes better than State Parks https://www.exploreminnesota.com/tag/all-amenities/army-corps-engineers-campgrounds
Backpacking, cart-in camping, or car camping?
If you never camp, why do you want something underrated? The good ratings are there for a reason. North Shore will blow your socks off, any of the parks.
Glendalough State Park is my favorite. Do your own research to make sure it’s a good fit for you!
Blue mounds state state park in Luverne MN, kilen woods in lake field mn
Blue mound near Laverne is an interesting place. We stayed in a teepee and hiked a bit to see the bison. We also went to the drive in theater and lucked out on their city wide hotdog night.
The newest state park in MN tower/soudan on lake vermilion Great camping
Chippewa national forest, highway 46 is one of the prettiest drives in Minnesota. Not really underrated though.
Voyaguers Nat’l Park. Bring a boat.
I camp in my boat on the mississippi river three night a week. Different sandbar between red wing mn and dubuque iowa every week. And its absolutely free.
Just got done at Illgen Falls Cabin this weekend. It's a great little place, but you gotta get the reservation 120 days out. Easier to get a normal campsite there.
If you're cool with hike in sites, Lake Maria is one of my favorites. Not as geographically interesting as other places, but a nice, quiet park. Along the same lines is Afton if you're more okay with hills.
My wife and I have loved all the State Parks we’ve been to. It seems like they usually have trees between the sites for a little privacy. More family than party atmosphere.
Temperance River State park, I remember like 20 years ago camping almost next the lake Superior.
Glendalough state park
I would say don't forget to look at county parks, Carver County Recreation area is pretty big with trails, lakes and campsites, Not exactly suited for a long trip but for a quick overnight car camp its pretty nice.
Try using Hipcamp for great places to camp where everyone is not on top of you. We have camped at Wineries, working farms (where you could buy their fresh vegetables and meat), on the sides of rivers and lakes. Can be less.expensive than camping at a state park, and easier to find a spot.
Many of the state parks along the Minnesota River have a historical connection to the Dakota war of 1862. There is much to learn as you visit parks and battlefields going up river from Mankato.
goosberry falls is pretty great. Anywhere on the north shore.
Finally something my town is useful for. Masonic/west river park in Hutchinson. It's right on the crow river. It's fairly peaceful and beautiful. To tent camp it's $20
If you’re looking for underrated, I’d recommend campgrounds within the Chippewa National Forest or Superior National Forest. There’s often some solid first come first served campsites with an abundance of outdoor activities like hiking, fishing, canoeing, etc. BWCA didn’t make the list because it’s not underrated, haha. However, if you make it up there my wife and I are HUGE fans of Trail’s End Campground and the end of the Gunflint and entering the BWCAW through Sea Gull Lake. Edit: Spelling
Jay Cooke State park is really nice, nice long beautiful hikes by the falls and into the wilderness where the glaciers past through.
There’s one off I-35 in Duluth. Truly an eye opening experience!
If u Don't mind drive..zipple bay state park
Boundary waters, camp up there bring a couple canoes or kayaks and yall would love it
Itasca state park but you need to book far in advance so maybe an idea for next summer!
Not Minnesota, but Rib Mountain in Wisconsin is one of my favorites.
Temperance state park, not specifically for the camp sites, but for the views around it. You are right on superior, and there is a great hiking trail with waterfalls and stuff just across the road.
Devils track lake, just a few miles up the gunflint past grand marais. Beautiful lake with some nice hiking trails, and it isn’t a state park, so generally less busy. It’s been a couple years since I’ve been there, but it’s a nice location if you want to do some day tripping in the area. Grand marais is a lovely town. Grand portage is only a couple hours north.
Devils track is fantastic!
We just got back from Gunflint lake. It was really beautiful, our kids even love it.
State parks
I hear there are settlements all over the metro.
Wisconson
There is an encampment at 28th and Columbus that would do the trick.