camping with a dog – New Age Self-Reliance

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.

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.

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.

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!

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.

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!

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!