The best Minnesota State Parks for backpacking up north
Whether you’re new to backpacking or more experienced, Minnesota State Parks offer delightful backpacking campsites for everyone.
Features
Beginner’s guide to camping in the Superior National Forest Part II – 3 top campgrounds
Escape the crowds at state and national parks. Learn why you must visit the campgrounds in the Superior National Forest this year, including these 3 favorites for new campers.
Beginner’s guide to camping in the Superior National Forest – Part I
Looking to truly get away from it all and be one with nature? Finding it difficult to land a great campsite in the northwoods? This beginner’s guide is for you.
Tips for camping in bear territory in Northeast Minnesota
“When I started camping in Northeast Minnesota, I worried a lot about bears. Here’s what I learned after hundreds of nights in the northwoods…”
Scientists search for cyanobacteria in the Boundary Waters: Part II
“Soon enough we were afloat again on the other end of the portage — and then we were paddling through green slime. The cyanobacteria in a shallow bay on the west side of the lake was ten times thicker than on Sawbill…”
The ultimate Northeast Minnesota winter bucket list
The arrowhead of Minnesota is spectacular any time of year, but winter is an experience you’ll never forget. In places that can feel quite crowded during summer and fall, you could go miles and miles without seeing anyone else.
What to love about fall camping in Northeast Minnesota
Before you pack away your tent and sleeping bags for the season, consider giving fall camping a try, here are five good reasons…
In search of the North Shore’s best fall colors at Oberg and Leveaux Mountains
Minnesota’s North Shore is full of jaw-dropping fall colors overlooks. Enjoy a tour of two of the best at Oberg and Leveaux Mountains.
5 easy hikes on Minnesota’s North Shore
If you’re looking for some scenic hiking trails in Minnesota, the North Shore offers some of the best options. From easy walks to more challenging hikes, there’s something for everyone to enjoy. Here are some of the top North Shore hiking trails to add to your bucket list.
Aftermath of spring flooding in Minnesota’s Arrowhead
As the high water subsides in northeast Minnesota, some impacts of the spring flood are long lasting. Here’s what you need to know.
5 tips for every beginner camping trip
While there are rules and guidelines everyone should follow, there are many different ways to plan a great camping trip. Check out these tips for beginners and ensure you’ll want to camp again.
Beautiful beginner snowshoe route – George Washington Pines
“George Washington Pines is the best trail I know of for beginner snowshoers. At two and a half miles, it’s short and easy to complete in about an hour. The trail itself is flat, so other than making your way over the banks created by snowplows, there are no challenging hills or obstacles to maneuver.”
Fall Surprises on the Section 13 Cliffs
“That will make a great story,” I thought, as I started my climb to the Section 13 Cliffs on the Superior Hiking Trail. I was only 0.3 miles into my hike and I already had a story to tell.
Young creators know their fish, inspire others to go fishing, combat invasive species
A fish art contest invites K-12 students to learn about fish, fishing, and the threats of Aquatic Invasive Species in their region and around the world.
Snowshoes to Hok skis, exploring the Boundary Waters in winter
Snowshoes, boots or Hok skis? Enthusiasts share tips for heading off the beaten path so you can get the most out of canoe country in winter.
Icy Wonderland
“I could hear the ice shattering like panes of glass as it came ashore… One moment you can see an endless expanse of skim ice and with a shift of the wind it can be gone, waves lapping the shoreline – sculpting ice as far as the eye can see.”
For the Love of Loons
“As twilight descended and the fire settled to glowing embers, the stillness of the night was shattered by the unmistakable tremolo of the common loon. Within moments, loons from other territories and adjacent lakes began to respond, and the air came to life with the reverberating echo that we long to hear…”
Orchids of the Northwoods – Lady’s Slippers and beyond
“It all began by happenstance…The trail was overgrown, littered with fallen boles, when I noticed a glimmering iridescence unlike anything I had seen before. I had stumbled upon on one of Minnesota’s most common orchid species, the stemless (pink) lady’s slipper, glimmering with rain drops…”
Flashback: A New Yorker tried to mine copper inside the Boundary Waters
George St. Clair’s efforts to exercise mineral rights he had inherited set off battles in the courts, the newspapers, and legislative bodies from St. Paul to Washington, D.C.
Boreal Birding in the Bogs of Northern Minnesota
The sun casts its auburn spell on the red osier dogwood of a sedge meadow…we head to a bog that attracts many boreal winter birds to the area, particularly in Cook, Minnesota. Why do they come to the bog? How do they live here? What attracts birds to this habitat in northern Minnesota?