Tag Archives: Camping

To share the love of camping and being in nature is a beautiful thing that can spread love and create memories for families and friends.

Eight Camping Food Brands To Try This Year

When it comes to camping food, we usually grab the usual Mountain House or Back Packer’s Pantry. While we have started branching out with the likes of Alpine Aire, Peak Refuel, and Omeals to name a few, we are always on the lookout for something tasty. These are the eight camping food brands to try this year!

  1. Next Mile Meals – This brand started out when the owner wanted to be Keto while on the trail. They offer wrap fillings like Deli Roast Beef and Buffalo Style Ranch Chicken to heartier meals like Chicken Broccoli Casserole and Italian Beef Marinara. These are a little pricier at $14 a package( which is one serving) and few, but tasty-looking options.
  2. Outdoor Pantry – I want to eat everything Outdoor Pantry has to offer. There are a variety of offerings from unique meals like Beef and Lamb Gyros and Chicken and Waffles; to the classics like Beef Stroganoff and Biscuits and Gravy. Outdoor Pantry also has snacks like freezer dried pumpkin pie slices and chees curds. Prices range from $4.99 to $14.95 to fit any budget, Outdoor Pantry is a good fit for the adventurous.
  3. Packit Gourmet – Packit Gourmet is a family-owned operation based out of Texas and one of the most appealing things about this brand is that they have snacks. Meals range from All-American Works Burger to TexMex Breakfast Tacos. The assortment of snacks, drinks, and desserts are great too – Queso, Margaritas, and Cheesecake. Pricing per package ranges from $5.99 to $13.99.
  4. Cache Lake – Cache Lake has some delicious-looking meals, but you have to put in the work – there is no adding water to a bag and waiting ten minutes here. However, Cache Lake is the most affordable on the list – some meals come in at $2.50 for a 2 serving package. Cache Lake’s most appealing offering is definitely their Fryin’ Pan Bread with flavors like caramel, pizza, garlic, cinnamon, and more. Don’t forget to check out their entrees either and finish off with banana cream pie.
  5. Wise Food – This is the most affordable make-in-a-bag meal on the list – $8.49 a package which is two servings. Wise Food has all the usuals like Chilli Mac, Alfredo and Creamy Chicken Pastas. Being on Amazon also makes ReadyWise more available to consumers.
  6. Back Country Cuisine – This brand is from New Zealand and offers meals like Creamy Carbonara, Honey Soy Chicken, and Lamb fettuccine at their $9.49 price point. Back Country Cuisine also offers some gourmet options like Coq Au Vin and Lamb Risotto at $15.95. If looking for a sweet treat there is always Banana Smoothie or Carrot Cake with Custard.
  7. Bla Band– This is a Scandanavian brand. Bla Band offers Make-in-Bag meals like Taco Stew, Beef and Potato with Bernaise, and Wilderness Stew with Rice. While Ready to eat meals like Swedish Meatballs with Creamy Potatoes and Pasta Carbonara are also some things Bla Band offers. Prices are also reasonable from $4.38 to $8.67. These meals seem hearty and comforting.
  8. MaryJanesFarm – This brand is organic and another small business where recipes are perfected at home. MaryJanesFarm has everything you could want to eat in a day: hot cereals, fry bread, chili mac, and even peanut butter blondies to finish. The prices are reasonable for organic starting at $5.36 a serving.

Why These Eight Camping Food Brands

These eight camping food brands offer a unique selection of meals on a variety of budgets. There is a food or snack option on this list for anyone, vegetarian or not. Let us know in the comment section down below if you have tried any of these brands or meals listed here! Which one was your favorite? Which one should make it on the next Caroline’s Taste Test?

 

Top Five Mountain House Meals

I love Mountain House, so much that coming up with my top five Mountain House Meals was a difficult task. Mountain House Meals are quick and easy to make, as well as clean up. Not only that but they are delicious and sometimes a warm meal is just what you need. Here are my top five Mountain House Meals.

  1.  Lasagna with Meat Sauce – The noodles are cut into bite-size pieces so you don’t have to try and break up the lasagna in the pouch. Mountain House’s meat sauce has good chunks of ground beef and isn’t too tomatoey. Also, one can’t go wrong with melty mozzarella cheese. Mountain House’s Lasagna with Meat Sauce is sure to be a favorite.
  2.   Biscuits in Gravy – Number two comes in with this hearty breakfast staple that is sure to fuel you for outdoor adventures. The gravy has a perfect creaminess to compliment the soft biscuits.
  3. Chicken and Dumplings – Something about a warm, creamy sauce over some type of bread just makes for the ultimate comfort food. The Moutain House Chicken and Dumplings are also loaded with vegetables to help round out the meal.
  4. Chili Mac with Beef – Chili Mac with Beef is a classic, and for good reason too. Mountain House’s Chili Mac with Beef as a spicy tomato sauce that adds some good flavor to the noodles with big chunks of ground beef. This one is sure to please everyone on your camping trip.
  5. Chicken and Mashed Potatoes – This is another classic, and simply is what it is – chicken and mashed potatoes. It’s a good comfort meal for a cold night, delicious, and warms a person right up. This Mountain House meal is also gluten-free, for those with dietary restrictions.

 

These Mountain House meals are all classics, but Mountain House is always coming out with new flavors. Let me know in the comments what your favorite Mountain House meals are, or if there’s another brand you want us to check out.

 

 

 

Six Games I Want to Take Camping This Year

Another day with temperatures below 0 degrees Fahrenheit has me dreaming of six games I want to take camping this season. While I enjoy camping, another hobby I have is board gaming. What is a better way to pass the time than playing a board game, and why can’t we enjoy board games outside? Well, I have news for you, there are games you can bring camping with you!

Check out this video here for games we have taken with us. Small games are great to bring with you camping, and most small games are inexpensive. The six games I want to take camping this year all come in at under $20! That makes them great to give as a gift for the camping gamer in your life.

1. Point Salad

This is an entertaining card game for 2-4 players, where you will draft cards. These cards will represent different vegetables and scoring scenarios, and as you go you create your “point salad.” This is a quick game, made up of a deck of cards, making it a good choice for camping.

2. Bang the Dice Game

A dice chucking western game, the plays in under 30 minutes. You’re just rolling dice, trying to be the last one standing.  This is another quick game and the components are dice and a few cards making this game portable and compact for travel.

3. Shards of Infinity

This is a head-to-head deck builder for the competitive ones out there.  Very portable, thanks to being a deck of cards, you build your deck and battle your opponent for the victory. The art on these cards is amazing and adds to the theme, making this a game I hope to get lost in.

4. Kingdomino Duel

This is a roll-and-write strategy game, where you roll four dice and use them to fill in your kingdom. Certain dice rolls will earn you special abilities, possibly leading you to victory. While the game consists of dice, a writing utensil, and a pad; you could laminate the sheets off the pad and lighten your load further.

5. Taco VS Burrito

Taco VS Burrito looks like a super funny game, that would be a great way to pass the time. You take turns picking cards with gross foods to make your taco or burrito with, there are also cards that help score more points. It just looks like a fun way to pass the time.

6. Age of War

Another dice chucking game on the list, because they are portable, fast-paced, and fun. In Age of Wart, you and your opponent are batling to conquer each other’s castle. This game plays in under 30 minutes.

 

I am so looking forward to picking up these six games that I want to take camping this year! Have you played any of these or brought them camping with you? What games do you love to bring camping? Let me know in the comments below!

Three Minnesota State Parks To Visit This Summer

January is about the time of year I get the “itch.” Winter just seems to drag on with it’s cold and dreary, and I long to be at a Minnesota State Park. So, while I dream of summer days, here are three Minnesota State Parks on the must-see list for this summer. Check out our review for Itasca, Glacial Lakes, and George H. Manitou.

The cascades at George H. Crosby Manitou State Park from the bottom

1. Tettegouche State Park

Tettegouche is a Minnesota State Park gem.  The waterfalls here are Tettegouche’s claim to fame, with a few along the Baptism River and lots of gorgeous cliffs. While there are multiple waterfalls in the park High Falls, at 60 ft, is the biggest waterfall and a tourist draw. The landscape also makes Tettgouche a great stop for Rock Climbing, which would be an adventure on its own. While waterfalls themselves are enough to put this state park on my list, the wildlife is a bonus.  Home to Peregrine Falcons, the fastest birds in the world diving up to 224 mph. One may also get a chance to see a Northern Flying Squirrel while on the trails in Tettgouche State Park.

2. Minneopa State Park

Minneopa translates to water falling twice, referencing the two-tier waterfall in the park (apparently there is a theme of waterfalls here).  The pictures of the hilly terrain covered with woods and river cutting through looks straight out of a fairy tale. There is also the Seppmann windmill that was completed in 1864 and used to make flour out of wheat. This windmill is designed after the windmills in Germany and a very cool piece of history. While windmills and waterfalls are reason enough to give this Minnesota State Park a visit, Minneopa has it’s very own Bison Conservation Herd. A Bison Conservation Heard is reason enough to check out this state park in southern Minnesota.  Currently, this Bison herd has about 25 members and 331 acres to roam! There are special days and times to take the Minneopa Bison Drive so take a look at the schedule before you go.

3. Soudan Underground Mine State Park

The coolest part of Soudan Underground Mine State Park is that you can get a tour of Minnesota’s first iron ore mine. Aside from that attraction, there is a lot of wonderful wildlife to be on the lookout for such as black bears, timber wolves, and fishers. The Soudan Underground Mine State Park buds up to the Kabetogama state forest. While there are lots of places you can camp in state forests there is a special campsite here. Hinsdale Island is a primitive campsite only accessible by the waters of Lake Vermillion.

Let me know what are the top three state parks on your list to visit this summer? Which activity on this list excites you most? Let me know in the comment section below.

I can’t wait to get out this summer hiking among waterfalls, gazing at buffalos, and touring an iron ore mine!

Outdoor Vitals tent set up at Itasca State Park
Outdoor Vitals tent set up at Itasca State Park

 

Hiking and Camping Christmas Gifts for Women

Christmas shopping (gift-giving in general) can be hard. I’m sharing with you today some last-minute ideas for Christmas gifts for the women or girls in your life who love hiking and camping. Breaking these gifts down into three categories, we will look at Stocking Stuffers, Hiking gifts, and Camping gifts (you could also check out our women’s camp comforts here for more ideas.)

 

Stocking Stuffers

Stockings were my favorite thing as a child at Christmas, and when I think of stockings, I think of overflowing with lots of fun gifts. Stocking stuffers can add up quickly, so this list keeps all stocking stuffers under $25.

  1. Freeze-dried food, specifically, a dessert can be spendy and hard to justify purchasing for yourself, making it a great gift. You can also adjust it to fit your giftee’s taste. I recommend the Creme Brulee from Back Packer’s Pantry.                                                                                                                                                                      
  2. Headlamps are also very useful, you honestly can’t have enough, we keep them all around the house for different purposes. This one from Foxelli is a gorgeous blue with a tree print, finding one that fits their style helps personalize the gift.                                                                                                                                
  3. Hiking socks, you can’t go wrong when gifting good quality hiking socks. Darn Tough is a brand we know and love, with a lifetime warranty.  Made from merino wool, they keep your feet dry and far from smelly. Again, these socks come in so many colors it make s it easy to fit the person you’re gifting’s taste.    
  4. Headbands are always a great gift to through in an active woman’s stocking, they’re fun and keep hair and sweat out of your face.                                                                                                                                               
  5. If you love the great outdoors there is one thing for sure, you can’t have too many water bottles. This bottle from Nomader is sturdy, so you feel like you’re actually using a water bottle, yet you can roll it up to save space in your pack if needed.                                                                                                                       

 

Hiking Christmas Gifts

It can be hard to find a Christmas gift for the hiking enthusiast in your life, but here are a few ideas to get you a start.  For this gift section, all these last-minute gifts are under $40.

  1. A journal or even a book can be a wonderful gift. The journal will help your hiking enthusiast keep track of all the wonderful places they venture to and the cool stuff they get to see. When it comes to picking a book, there are just so many options…is your hiking enthusiast a lover of stories looking to be inspired, or are they trying to learn a new skill like foraging? Check out this logbook for tracking one’s own adventures:                                                                                                                                                                       The Lost Art of Reading Nature’s Signs features a lot of cool facts about the world around us:                                                                                                                                                                                                  She Explores is a masterpiece that pieces together inspiring essays from many women about their own journey, as well as gorgeous travel photography:
  2. Binoculars are great to have on hand when hiking, so you can enjoy nature at a distance. Binoculars also tend to be one of those things that people do not buy for themselves making it a great gift.
  3.  A new daypack in fun colors paired with functionality is always a great gift. This 40L daypack from Venture Pal features a waterproof pocket and a sternum strap.                                                                     
  4. A packable, waterproof blanket. Having a blanket you can lay in the ground while you stop and take lunch, or wrap around yourself if it’s a bit chilly is always welcomed. This one from JJ Cole Outdoors is large (5 foot by 5 foot) and weighs in at only a pound.                                                                                             
  5. Trekking Poles, these are something hikers might not even realize they would need or like.       

 

Camping  Christmas Gifts

When it comes to finding Christmas gifts for a camper, there are so many options! On this list, each item comes in under $40.

  1. Enamel cups, seriously, there is just something about them that feels right when camping. There are so many cute ones too, it’s hard to narrow it down:                                                                                            
  2. Camping chairs are always nice to add to someone’s collection. They can take one along if it will be just them, or they could even be used at home when having outdoor gatherings:                 
  3. A Luci Light is one of the best portable lanterns. Deflates so it takes up no space, and it is solar-powered, I never go on a camping trip without one.                                                                                                
  4.  Camping games are sure to be on every camper’s list.  Here I focused on outdoor games like bag toss and yard dice. However, we have this video talking about our favorite board games to bring with camping.     
  5. Two words, Pie Irons. If they don’t have one already, they’ll LOVE it, if they do have one already, they’ll still LOVE it. If they haven’t experienced the tasty joy of a pie iron, or maybe they’re looking to be more creative, through in a recipe book for endless, tasty enjoyment.                                                           

 

 

Happy Gifting!

Hopefully, this list sends you on your way to a fun gift-giving season (all though these gifts could be given for birthdays as well!) If you are looking for Christmas gift ideas for guys make sure to check out Kory’s video here!

First Aid Kits for Dogs

When It comes to Prepping we often think of first aid kits; categorizing them by illness or injury, but rarely do we hear of first aid kits for dogs. Certainly, this has crossed my mind over the last few weeks, pulling out first aid kits, making sure they are stocked. What about Mora (our dog), what about other people’s dogs, do they have kits? So I decided to break down our kit and share it because we all know how important our dogs are, and keeping them safe is a huge priority!

Starting out we will go through the basic at-home kit. We will cover a few things to add to the kit if you are hiking, camping, or in the field with your dog at the end.

Main Kit

Wound Care

  • Inflatable collar – these are great to help keep your dog from licking a rash, incision, or infection. Having an inflatable one saves you room in your kit as it packs down small. The Kong Cloud comes in sizes xs-xl.

  • Deodorizing bath wipes – these can help you clean up a cut so you can get a closer look, or help get rid of dander buildup causing irritation to your pet. Nature’s Miracle is a great brand and is alcohol-free.

  • Styptic Powder – great for if you accidentally cut the wick of their nail. It will stop the bleeding right away, styptic powder comes in both unmedicated and medicated to help relieve pain.

  • Saline wash – the works best to clean out wounds and get them ready for prep.

  • Liquid bandage – for minor cuts. Nutri-vet is the one in our kit. It seals up the cut to prevent dirt or bacteria from getting in. It creates a waterproof film and tastes bitter to prevent licking.

  • First aid spray – similar to a liquid bandage, because it protects the wound from dirt and bacteria. This uses collagen to help stop the bleeding and promote healing. I have on hand one from Pet-Ag and has Bittrex in it, deterring licking and biting of the wound. Once dry, you can pair with a nonstick dressing on larger wounds.

  • Nonstick dressings – buy a box of your preferred brand and split the dressings between your first aid kit and the dog first aid kit. Putting them in both kits instead of storing them in one or the other, ensures you have what you need when grabbing either kit.

  • Bitter Bandage – you can use any self-adhering wrap, but again the bitterness deters dogs from chewing their injury. Nutri-vet is the brand I have on hand.

  • Pain medication – the most common option for this is aspirin. Nutri-Vet makes this in different sizes and doses according to pet size. While another option is a company called Licks, which has many supplements, including a pain reliving one that comes in liquid treat form.

  • A muzzle – muzzle training is a good thing to do with all dogs, because in the case of an emergency when they are in pain, you don’t know how they’ll react. A muzzle can be a good way to keep everyone safe and get your dog attended to faster. If they are muzzle trained prior, it will make muzzling in an emergency less stressful and better all around.

 

Other First Aid Items

  • Eyewash and Ear wash  – there are many products for either or (Nutri-Vet ear cleanse is my preference, Burt’s Bees saline eyewash is my preferred eye rinse.) However, I recently discovered a product that is antimicrobial and made for both ears and eyes, saving you space in your kit. This dual-purpose solution is Theracyn Antimicrobial Ear and Eye Wash.

   

  • Pet Pectillin – this helps to relieve diarrhea for your dog and replaces electrolytes they’ve lost from having diarrhea.

  • Canned pumpkin – this helps with the opposite problem. If your dog has constipation a tablespoon of pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling) will help get things moving. Another option is to keep powdered pumpkin on hand and mix it as needed. That way, you won’t waste any either.

  • First aid book pertaining to dogs – consequently, having a quick reference to guide you through situations can be very helpful in stressful moments. They come in pocket guides for a quick reference or larger books for more in-depth knowledge.

                   

 

 

For On The Go

When creating a first aid kits for dogs when you’re in the outdoors (hiking camping, in the field training or hunting) I would grab the wound kit as a base (minus the inflatable collar). Also, to the wound care kit, add the following:

  • A safety vest- this makes your dog high visibility and lets others know that what they see moving through the woods is not a threat or prey.

  • Boots – you can use these as a preventative measure to keep your dog from hurting their paws on rocks or very hot surfaces. Furthermore, you can also slide the boot over and injury on their foot to prevent them from messing with it.

Hopefully, this break down of our dog-geared first aid kit helps you get started on your own! If you already have a first aid kit for your dog, how similar is it to ours? Is there anything missing from our list that you would add?

canister stove for camping

Canister Stoves for Camping

Food is always on my mind when prepping for camping. The minute I start planning a trip, it’s usually “mmm, what are we going to eat?!” With food being such a big part of the experience making sure you are able to make it is pretty important! My favorite way to cook our food while camping, second only to fire, is a canister stove.

Canister stove for camping

Stoves for Camping.

Sure, there are many types of stoves: alcohol, canister, solid fuel, woodburning and even solar-powered. Each fuel type has its pros and cons, which is a lot to unpack and we will save that for another day! Today, we are going to dive into canister stoves, and what makes them a great choice for your outdoor kitchen!

Space Saver

Canister stoves can be packed inside things already packed, such as a pot! This means you don’t have to find the room for a cooking container and a stove. A built-in perk to this (as if having more room in your pack wasn’t enough!) is that when prepping for a meal, just pull out the pot and the portable kitchen is ready to go!

Weight

We all know that space and weight are two things that are highly treasured when it comes to your pack! Canister stoves along with their space-saving convenience, are lightweight! A great stove when weight is a big concern is the BRS 3000T! This tiny stove heats quickly. The BRS 3000T is small, light, and also has three pot support legs with teeth that do a great job stabilizing pots.

Convenience

Honestly, this is the category that makes the canister stove a real winner for me. Canister stoves are so easy to use! All that is needed is the stove and the fuel canister. A great starter stove is definitely the Etekcity, this stove even has a piezo ignition so you don’t HAVE to carry a lighter (even though it’s always good to have one on hand!) Another perk to drop in the convenience category is that when it is raining, you can actually put this stove inside your vestibule. Ensuring a nice warm meal in the wet and chilly rain.

Cons

Everything has a con to balance out the pros, and the canister stove is no exception. There are three major cons that come along with canister stoves:

  • There can be issues with stabilizing the pot/pan that you are cooking with.  The pot/pan can make it unstable depending on what size they are and the weight that added to the pot/pan. Generally, pots are easier to stabilize on this stove type. Issues can be avoided by knowing beforehand what will be prepared on the stove, finding a flat spot to place the stove, and above all paying attention.
  • One downside to a canister stove is that the canister is a set amount. The amount cannot be adjusted for longer trips, to compensate you will need to bring another canister. Which takes away from the space-saving advantage.
  • Canister stoves can also be finicky when the temps drop below freezing. This fuel type is not ideal when winter camping, as it is not reliable to give flames. Winter camping is when reliability is non-negotiable.

 

Canister Stoves are a Great Choice for Camping

While canister stoves have their cons: stability, set amount of fuel and not being ideal for winter the pros balance these out. You can also compensate these cons by planning your trip so you are prepared with the right amount of fuel, know what the temp will be and having the right pot or pan for the job!  The overall size and weight, and above all convenience of a canister stove cannot be beat!

canister stove for camping

Make sure to share stories of using your canister stove, as well as recipes down below!

 

 

Ready to GO! What Should You Keep in Your Pack?

Sometimes, you catch the feeling of adventure on a whim. What should you keep in your pack, ready to go for such an occasion? That is what we are going to break down today.

I preach planning your camping adventures often, and about a month in advance. I talk about planning how long it will take to get to your destination, what activities you want to do, which campsite will be home for the weekend. However, there are moments where you just want to go with the flow, live life to the fullest and go on an unplanned adventure. Even while being spontaneous, a little bit of planning can definitely help make your adventure a fun one that goes smoothly. This is a hack for us that we use, mainly in the summer so that when the mood strikes we just have a few things to add to our pack and off we go. So…

Keep These in Your Pack to be Ready to Go

 

Make Sure to Store These Out of Your Pack

  • Sleeping bag, storing it compressed will ruin the loft
  • what should you keep in your pack Sleeping pad (I prefer self-inflating pads, and these should be stored expanded and not compressed.)
  • what should you keep in your pack Food, it just helps you keep an eye on expiration dates to store elsewhere. And if there happens to be a hole in the packaging you won’t get any ants crawling into your pack for a snack.
  • Knives, knives require maintenance and leaving them in your pack is an easy way to forget about them. Your knife is an important tool so making sure it is taken care of decreases the risk of it breaking or being damaged. It also allows you to change it up.
  • Flashlight or headlamp. This seems like a great idea, but you need to keep the batteries charged. Neither of these will do you any good if you get to camp and the batteries are dead.
  • Sunblock or Bug Spray, just in case they break open. You don’t want that stuff all over your pack.

 

There you have it! Storing these items in your pack will make it so you can throw in a few extras and spend more time enjoying your adventure! Make sure you check out our other camping lists here to make sure you grab everything you need. Let me know in the comment section below what you always make sure to have packed!

Glacial Lakes State Park in Minnesota

Glacial Lakes State Park

Arriving

Two weeks ago we loaded up the jeep and headed to Starbuck, Minnesota. We were prepared for a camping experience a little out of our element. For the reason that Glacial Lakes State Park is a magical place where Minnesota prairie lands  (only 1/10 of 1% of the original prairie remains) and the central hardwood forest meet. Also, Glacial Lakes State Park is located in the Leaf Mountains.

Hiking In

In order to get to the hike-in sites, you will park at the horse camp. Along the edge is a large map showing all four sites, we chose Kettle. The park has 16 miles of hiking trails, it is about 2 miles to hike to Kettle Lake.  The park is very hilly and being prairie there is no shade, making it more difficult than your normal 2-mile hike. While mosquitos and biting flies were not bad, the ticks were awful, we had to stop along the way to pick some ticks off ourselves and the pupper.  Along the trail prairie dogs, ducks, geese, Great Egrets, and even a garter snake greeted us. Coyote scat was along the trail, and they are known for being in the area. However, we had no sightings of them.

Geese at Glacial Lakes State Park
Geese at Glacial Lakes State Park

Kettle Lake Campsite

Upon arriving at the campsite you will note a small, newer portapotty close by and that the campsite is pretty open to the trail. This could cause some privacy issues, but this is a quiet park and we did not experience that. In fact, we did not encounter anyone else along the trail. Further, the campsite is nestled along the bottom of hills along Kettle Lake. This creates a beautiful, serene view from your chair or tent. While enjoying the beauty of the lake, you will see many of Kettle Lake’s residents. This includes a busy muskrat who spends all day swimming back and forth, geese, ducks, pelicans, and more Great Egrets.

Kettle Lake At Glacial Lakes State Park
Kettle Lake At Glacial Lakes State Park
Kettle Lake At Glacial Lakes State Park
Kettle Lake At Glacial Lakes State Park

 

Enjoying Camp

Turkey Dinner Mountain House was our very filling and delicious supper. You have the choice of ordering wood delivered to your campsite, but since this is a prairie we just used our canister stove for all meal preparation. Kory got to try out his new water filtration set up, and we used Kettle Lake as our source of water instead of hiking in the extra weight. We enjoyed playing with our dog, each other’s company, and just the beauty of nature before heading off to dreamy slumberland. Mid-May is still fairly cold at night, temperatures were around 40 degrees. We woke up early with the help of our dog, Mora, made a quick breakfast and broke down camp.

Kettle Lake
Kettle Lake
Mora at Kettle Lake
Mora at Kettle Lake

Heading Home

The hike back to the jeep seemed a lot quicker than the hike in. Many waterfowl still made their appearance in the morning, and the ticks were not quite as bad. We found the temperature was great for hiking out, around 60 degrees, the sun was bright and we were gifted a few small breezes to help keep us cool. Leaving the park was as easy as coming in.  Once we were home we combed through ourselves and Mora and found quite a few more ticks.

Final Thoughts

Glacial Lakes State Park is a beautiful and unique park. Lakes fill this magical crossroads of prairie and hardwood forest. Trails in this park are moderate because of how hilly they are. You will find entertaining wildlife at camp and along the trail. We will definitely visit Glacial Lakes State Park again, truly the only downside was the plethora of ticks (so make sure you have your bug protection like permethrin.) Overall this park is a 4 out of 5 from us!

 

Planning a Camping Trip

If you’re reading this chances are you love camping, and would like to go on as many camping trips as possible. Life is busy, so to fit in a camping trip it helps to plan! As much as I love the idea of an impromptu trip to the forest, I know that for me it wouldn’t end up happening. Here are a few tips on how I plan out camping trips.

Pick your days in advance!

Pick a block of days about 4-6 weeks in advance for the camping trip. I pick which days we are going BEFORE  narrowing down where we’re headed. Knowing just how much time helps me pick somewhere within a reasonable distance, and not one that is going to put us on a time constraint and stress us out. We planned on 3 days and 2 nights for our George H. Crosby Manitou trip, the furthest trip we’ve taken. We were able to account for stopping to see some of the touristy sites and grabbing some food, while not feeling rushed.

Small cascade at George H. Crosby Manitou State Park

Where will the camping trip be?

Picking where you are going to go camping gets narrowed down quite a bit when you know just how many days you have for your camping trip. If you only have time for a quick overnighter, pick a new spot or even a favorite one within an hour of home. This ensures time for stress-free setup and tear down. If you have half a week? Travel to the other side of the state and take in those sites. When picking a campsite and we have more time on our side I like to pick places with things we have never seen. Two examples would be Itasca State Park has the headwaters of the Mississippi, while George H. Crosby Manitou has a secluded and gorgeous waterfall.

Itasca State Park, Mckay Lake

Pick Your Gear!

You’ve decided where? Great! When you are going to a hike-in site, you’re going to need lighter gear and to fit it all in your pack. If car camping with the whole family, you can bring all the entertainment and the big luxury tent. Bringing your dog? here are three things that will make the trip even better. Another thing to think of when picking your gear is the forecast. Take a look as you get closer, but also remember that weather changes and to be prepared. Our store has tons of gear ideas for beginners and experts!

Mora at Itasca State Park

All in all, camping is a great way to enjoy the outdoors by yourself or with those you love. The best way to do that is to plan and be prepared!! Let me know in the comments below your tips for planning a camping trip!

 

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