Weekend camping Minnesota
 

I'm would like to do some weekend bike camping before starting a tour. Was wondering if anyone was familiar of some good places to go that are 75 miles or less from the NE St Paul suburbs..I was thinking about Wild River State Park or St Croix State Park..understand there are bear warnings so thought about a bear keg as a precaution..
Any thoughts or experiences in the area I'm considering..also thought about Red Wing but understand HWY 61 can be bad..now I'm starting to ramble.....
Thanks
Keith

Haha, somebody in WBL. :D I went to WBLAHS in the 80's. How I would love to be visiting Cup'n'Cone right now...

I never followed the river North of O'Brien, myself.

Red Wing is a great destination; cross over to the Wisconsin side and take gorgeous state highway 35 to avoid US 61.

If you can get to Hinkley you can use the Munger trail. Which goes to Duluth 70 miles of asphalt.
http://files.dnr.state.mn.us/maps/st...brochure06.pdf

PDF file

Minnesota Riding
 

You may want to condsider a two day ride to Winona. Park you car in Redwing, cross the Mississippi River bridge and hook up with Highway 35. It approximately 75 miles to Winona, camp and/or motel options available. Ride Highway 61 on the way back. I've found 61 to be a "good" ride. Wide shoulders no issues with traffic..

If you haven't been back, the Cup n' Cone is now next to Caribou Coffee..best of both worlds!

Thanks everyone, may go north and south!

If you want to have a shorter ride, for whatever reason, there is camping in Lebanon Hills Regional Park (just south of Eagan) and also at Rice Creek-Chain Regional Park (near Lino Lakes) and at Bunker Hills Regional Park (my choice for an easy overnight, because of where I live, north of Coon Rapids). If you need route advice for any of those spots let me know.

For longer jaunts the east side has pretty much been covered but if you go west, especially out the Luce Line Trail (Rail To Trail), you come to Winsted and Cokato, MN where you can camp at Collinwood Regional Park and Campground or at Baker Park Reserve near Long Lake just off the Luce Line to the north.

All of these places have shower and camping facilities that are remarkably similar to what you find at most state parks. There is a fee in each case - for instance $14 a night at Bunker Hills. None has an entry fee for cyclists but they do have daily or yearly use fees for cars driven into the park. Not sure whether Lebanon Hills has a vehicle fee.

I expect to do a night or two this month in one or two of these places just as a fun shakedown cruise before heading out for real.

In the pdf you can see all the trails in MN.

Downtown WBL has perked up a lot since I lived there. I was supposed to be there this week, carefully timed to be after the warblers arrive but before the mosquitoes hatch, but sadly I had a schedule conflict. :(

Thanks! never thought of a regional park..

Thanks wheel, it's a good resource...