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.

LEBANON HILLS CAMPGROUND, APPLE VALLEY (TWIN CITIES AREA), MN

Our Opinion: Recommend.  A park-like campground in an urban area with a rural feel.

Date of Stay:  August 17 through 21, 2010.

Weather During Stay:  Warm and humid, highs around 80, lows around 70. 

Site Description:  This campground occupies a small part of a very large county park, with lakes, biking, hiking, and equestrian trails, and a couple nice playgrounds. The campground has sites of all kinds: 58 FHU (20/30/50 amp), 23 E (20/30 amp) only, and 11 tent sites with no utilities.  Some of the sites in the E only loop are suitable for large rigs.  Most sites are back-ins; 3 sites are pull-outs along the loop road.

Roads in the FHU loops are paved.  All sites are manicured dirt/gravel, as are the roads in the non- FHU loops.  All sites have a large, heavy picnic table and fire ring.  FHU sites have less shade, but all sites are surrounded by thick green grass.

The majority of the sites are reasonably spacious, some VERY spacious, others not so much.  The non-FHU sites have a lot of shade and privacy.

We were in the FHU loop, site 48.  Good voltage, adequate water pressure, the site was long and spacious - just one complaint: it wasn’t level!  About half of the FHU sites are sufficiently sloped that large motor homes either used leveling blocks in addition to jacks, or were jacked so high that their front wheels were off the ground.  It is hard to figure out why such a lovely, modern campground would not have leveled the big, spacious campsites adequately.

All loops had nice bathhouses.  A dump station is near the entrance/exit.  The campground uses a central dumpster with separate cans for paper and “mixed” recycling (I like to see recycling at a campground).

Rate: Varies by type of site: FHU - $32.14/night; E only, $26.78/night; No hookups - $18.21/night.  Tack on an extra $7 if you want to make a reservation.  We got in on a mid-week special, so paid half price for our FHU site on the weeknights - nice!

Phone/radio/TV: Good Verizon signal for the aircard and phones.  WiFi is included in the camping rate, but we didn’t need or use it.  No obstacles for our roof-mounted satellite, and over a dozen channels on the antenna including several PBS stations.  NPR is available at 91.1 and others.

Elevation/Landscape/Terrain:  Elevation is around 1,000 feet, with green, slightly hilly terrain.  Views are of other rigs, thick grass, and big green trees.

Lighting/Noise:  Several streetlights are left on all night; fortunately none were right next to us.  There is some traffic noise, but not more than is expected in an urban environment.  The campground is not far from the Minnesota Zoo, where LOUD summertime concerts lasted until around 10:30 pm on two of the nights we visited.

Favorite Sites:  We didn’t make a list, but would ask for a level site if we called for a reservation, probably site 44.  There are a couple of sites that were less desirable than the majority (2 and 53) - shorter and tighter - and it appears they don’t use those unless the campground is full.  Our site faced mostly north, nice when the weather is hot.

Hiking/Walking:  Excellent!  A one-mile mown grass hiking trail leads from the east loop of the campground to another section of this large park with miles and miles of hiking trails (hiking/ biking, and equestrian trails are separated in this park, a nice touch).

Comments: We came to this park to visit friends and Costco (we’d been out in the boonies too long!).  If you need/want to be in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area, this is a very pleasant campground.  For a campground map, visit the website: Lebanon Hills Campground.

LAKEHEAD BOAT BASIN, DULUTH, MINNESOTA

Our Opinion: Recommend.  Asphalt parking lot with great views in a fascinating location.

Date of Stay: August 11 through 16, 2010.  We came back for another six days August 22 through 27, 2010.

Weather During Stay:  Warm, muggy summer weather (the locals all claim it is unusually hot).  On our second visit, it had cooled off considerably, with highs in the low 70’s and upper 60’s.

Site Description:  Don’t come expecting a campground.  RV parking (no tents) is on long, rather narrow, asphalt lots used for boat storage in the winter.  Twelve sites (in a single row backing up to a little used road) have FHU (50/30 amp).  In another long row, eighteen sites have W/E (20/30/50 amp).  A few dry camping spaces are also available.

Sites can accommodate rigs to 40’ with room for slides and awnings.  In a few sites, we saw even longer motor homes.  Room to maneuver is tight, and the access roads to both rows of sites dead-end, so we’ve watched many big rigs back quite a LONG way down the limited access road upon departure.  If you have a big rig, don’t plan to come here if you are not confident of your maneuvering ability.

The RV sites face the small Lakehead marina and out across the harbor to the hills of Duluth.  On our first visit, we were in site 13 of the W/E row, closest to the entrance.  Most sites are fairly level, and each has a picnic table. 

On our second visit, we stayed in site 3, a FHU site.  Here the access road is not as tight and congested, so maneuvering is a tiny bit easier.  All the FHU sites are completely flat; several of the W/E sites slope somewhat.

Dump station, bathhouse and laundry (one washer, one dryer) on site.  Showers/bathrooms are private, small, poorly ventilated and humid.  Electricity was reliable in hot weather.  Good water pressure – so good, in fact, that you absolutely need a pressure regulator.

Rate: $34/night for FHU; $29/night for W/E; $25/night dry camping.

Phone/radio/TV:  Good Verizon signal for phones and aircard.  No obstacles to block our roof-mounted satellite TV.  Nine channels on air antenna.  No cable TV.  NPR broadcast on 92.9 and 100.5.  WiFi is available (for a fee?), but we didn’t need it.

Elevation/landscape/terrain: At lake level, this is a flat, asphalt parking lot with utilities on the perimeter.  Views are fascinating: the activities of boaters in the small marina, the Aerial Life Bridge, huge freighters entering and exiting the Duluth harbor, pleasure craft, sailboats, and beyond to the green hills of the city of Duluth. 

The view from the W/E sites is superior to the view from the FHU sites, so the convenience of the sewer and the slightly easier access is a tradeoff.  For a short stay, we’d return to the W/E sites – better view, lower rate.

Lighting/noise:  Typical marina sounds, and the occasional loud blasts from a freighter and the answering blasts from the bridge.  Very dark at night with a beautiful nighttime view of the lights of Duluth and the illuminated bridge.

Favorite Sites:  Sites in each row were all very similar.  Site 13 is at the beginning of the W/E row, which we found very convenient.  However, the sites closest to the restroom and showers (at the beginning of the row, where we were) are somewhat sloped.  Those closer to the end are flatter, and have the best view of the bridge.  Of the FHU sites, those closest to the office probably have the best views – 3 through around 7.

Hiking/Walking: Excellent.  Perhaps a ¼ mile to the bridge, and on beyond to Canal Park (restaurants, movie theatres, tourist attractions), the Lakeshore boardwalk and the Bayside trail. 

Comments:  We came for the annual Blues festival, not knowing what a fascinating spot this would prove to be.  We would be likely to return next time we visit Duluth (as you can see above, we did just that, a week later!), though parking and departing can be somewhat challenging.  If you like boats and especially the big freighters, and like to walk, this is a great spot to park.   Friendly, interesting, mellow owners, and you can receive mail and packages.  Don’t come expecting campground amenities.  Nearest grocery store is a couple of miles away.