The weather that we have been experiencing is anything but predictable. One day it is in the 70’s and the next it barely reaches 50 with a hurricane-type wind. Most folks will just say that it’s Minnesota and we have to expect that. I agree that the weather can be very unpredictable this time of year, but it sure gets old.
I am anticipating heading to the cabin before I go to the Minnesota Governor’s Opener on the 13th. I see by the snow depth chart on the DNR website that most of the snow is now gone across the state so it should be an ice-free opener, at least in the southern part of the state.
I was reading about camping fees for state parks and state forest campgrounds on the DNR website. A state park sticker costs $35.00 a year and is good one year from the time of purchase. Vehicle permits: One-day and year-round vehicle permits are available at park offices when they are open. If the office is closed, a QR sign nearby will direct you to purchase your permit online. Cell signal and WiFi access vary from park to park - we strongly recommend you buy your permit before you leave home!
Firewood: Firewood is available at most park offices when they are open. (Check the park's "Amenities" web page to be sure.) If a park sells firewood but the office is closed, you can use the Yodel app to make your purchase. Not all parks sell firewood - if you need to bring firewood in from outside the park, please follow DNR guidelines on firewood. Only certain firewood is allowed on DNR lands to avoid transmitting invasive pests.
Ice: Ice is available in the summer at many park offices when they are open. (Check the park's "Amenities" web page to be sure.) Ice is not sold online. If the office is closed, you will need to bring ice from home or purchase it outside the park.
Campgrounds in state forests
State forest campgrounds do not require state park vehicle permits and do not sell firewood or ice.
State forest campgrounds do not take reservations - all sites are first-come, first-served. Use the Yodel app to pay your campsite fee or follow the instructions on signs in the campground to mail in your fee after your stay.
I still have that dream of spending a night in a tent on one of the free National Forest campsites on Spider Lake. I have had that plan in place for a couple of years. So far, it has only been a plan as each time that I had planned to do it either the weather or a lack of a boat has put the plan on hold. I am not getting any younger or any more agile so this should be the year.
I am still looking forward to sitting around a campfire at night and roasting hotdogs while swatting mosquitoes, ha ha! Getting up at the crack of dawn and heading out for some early morning fishing is my idea of a great time. There is nothing better than being on the water as the sun starts peeking over the treetops on the eastern shore. I have caught many walleyes in the early morning on Spider Lake. I hope to make that a reality once again. I don’t believe that there is a better feeling than fishing in the early morning while the loons are calling to inform me that it is time to catch some fish.
Until next time: I can’t wait to get up north to the cabin and see if everything survived the winter. This is always a special time for me. Once I get everything put away I will have time to relax and enjoy the moment.
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