CENTRAL PARK CAMPGROUND, CROOKSTON, MN

Our Opinion: Recommend.  Quiet, convenient overnight stop off Hwy 2 in Minnesota.

Date of Stay: August 28th, 2010.

Weather During Stay:  Pleasant summer weather, high 84, low 72 with a breeze.

Site Description:  This small, city owned RV park is situated on the bank of the Red Lake River, one block off of the main street of small Crookston, MN.  Sixteen sites total.  Three are pull throughs with 20 and 30 amp E, the remainder are back-ins, some with E, some without.  All the sites were level.

None of the sites have water or sewer, and we didn’t see an onsite dump station.  Bathrooms are available; get a key when you register with the ranger, who arrives around 6 pm.  We had a picnic table and a fire ring. 

The road is paved; sites are gravel and grass with large trees scattered around.  The three pull through sites are long and spacious, easy in and out with no need to unhook.  The back in sites are shorter, but we could have fit ourselves in by hanging off the back of the pad. 

Rate: $15/night for 30 amps; $10/night no hookups.  Pay the ranger who comes by around 6 pm.

Phone/radio/TV:  Strong Verizon signal for phones and aircard.  No obstacles blocked our roof-mounted satellite TV.  We didn’t bother with the air antenna.  WiFi is included, but we didn’t use it because Verizon worked so well.   Didn’t check for NPR.

Elevation/landscape/terrain: This is a very small campground in Crookston’s very green Central Park. Elevation around 600 ft.  Views are of the park, the other rigs, and some large, old, historic buildings on the edge of downtown Crookston.  Fishing and kayaking possible in Red Lake River; the park has a boat launch ramp, too.

Lighting/noise:  The park itself was dark at night, but the entrance road is lined with bright lights.  Very quiet at night.

Favorite Sites:  We liked our site (7), but either of the other pull-throughs would work just as well. 

Hiking/Walking: Walking through this small town, empty on Sunday morning, was very pleasant. 

Comments:  This was a perfect overnight stop at the end of a longish driving day, with very easy access off of Hwy 2 on the west side of the Red Lake River.  We enjoyed the green park, the small, very clean town, walking along the river… we’d stop again when passing through.