An Adventure in Winter
Lately, it has been too cold out for adventures in the woods, I’m talking really cold…feels like -66* cold. It leaves me longing for a wonderful trip we took last year, in search of a winter camping spot. This search led us to Walker, MN at the beginning of Chippewa National Forest to Shingobee Recreation Area.
To start out our day it was a long and beautiful road trip, the first road trip with our pup, Mora. It’s tucked to the side of the highway and has a nice big sign to mark the entrance, we went down the drive a bit and parked. We could already see another group there, who had brought their dog along as well. We were right by an information bulletin, which was handy so that we could line up our map with the one posted. Once we figured out where we were off we went on our adventure to find the campsite.
Hiking In Shingobee
The trek to the campsite was a lot more intense than I was expecting. The trails to the camp are intermediate but adding the snow to that was a whole new level. This was the first time I had gone winter hiking add a 6-month-old pup into the mix, it was hard (side note: the waist leash I mention *here* is a lifesaver). The Forest Service does a wonderful job with Shingobee though, and they maintain the trails even during winter. This led to easily marked trails, that were grated in some areas to really give you a break.
The hill-filled, 2-mile hike was extremely rewarding when we found the campsite. A primitive site tucked back off the trail and nestled under some giant pines. Absolutely beautiful when snow covered. A quick break for us and the pup and we were ready to head back up the hills. We needed to make it back to the car by dark, which thankfully we did. A wonderful end to the perfect winter adventure.
Final Thoughts
Shingobee is a nice little spot in the forest. The area is open all year round and offers so many activities! Just a few of which are hiking, cross country skiing, a sledding hill with a warming hut, primitive camping, bird watching, and hunting. Pretty much anything for an outdoor enthusiast any time of year. Shingobee is a truly beautiful recreation area, taken very good care of by the Forest Service. If you end up near Walker, MN it is a must see…better yet make it a destination.