Anyone have any info to share about this campground? Would it be a good place to camp w/ the wife and kids? I like that it appears to be more rustic than a state park and that there are quite a few sites right on the lake.

We are looking for a place close enough to home because we don't have a big enough window of time to get up to the bwca or even to the North Shore like we were originally hoping to do. My wife works until 3:30 on a Thursday so the kids and I would go up in the morning to set up camp and she would drive up by herself after work. She could probably get to Rock Lake by 5:30 and we'd have an hour and a 1/2 drive home on Sunday.

Thanks!

Rock lake is nice. Good bass fishing. Campground has about 6-8 campsites right on the water... That's what you want but they can fill fast.. Might be slower this weekend because of moon dance jam? Other sites are like normal state park stuff. Good sand beach next to boat launch. Campground took storm damage last year but it's cleaned up & open now:)

Thanks for the info. Sand beach for swimming would be a hit as well as fishing for the kids. I'm hoping that getting there early on a TH morning would help us beat the weekend warriors for a lake site. If we don't get one it's no biggy as we wouldn't have a lake site if we went to one of the closer state parks either.

It's a good lake to paddle around too. Usually not too much boat traffic... Good sunny fishing from the launch dock or wading around shore. Have fun.

Check maybe,they might of had some tree damage this last storm? I would think they will be open by weekend anyhow? Nice beach.

camp

I camped there with my son when he was young, ten years ago. My folks live in the area, so we decided to camp there because it was convenient. It's not what I would call a step above a state park though. Pretty basic car camping. We did have a site right on the lake. Had a raccoon walk right up to us a minute after we finished dinner and he was not deterred from us without some fairly dramatic scaring off. Fishing was pretty slow. A few sunnies. Not sure where you're driving from, but there must be better campsites to target.

Check out the Wadena County Parks, which are just a little farther west and have camping options on the Crow Wing River. Pretty much the same setup as State Forest Campgrounds, but might be more lightly-used and are right on the river, which has some great paddling.

There's an outfitter in Menagha who runs shuttles up and down the river.

Crow wing river is a river made for canoeing and very light travel. Clear water fair fishing.

Ducks, I assume you are aware of Ann Lake campground. A buddy and I camped there first night on an extended car camping trip last fall and thought it was pretty nice. Maybe too close though?

quote mc2mens: Not sure where you're driving from, but there must be better campsites to target."

We are next to Monticello and my wife works in Maple Grove..... MilleLacs Kathio is nice but we want to try something new. Wild River and Interstate do not appear to have swimming options for the kids. We hike a lot at Lake Maria so we don't want to camp there.

Cuyuna looks interesting and the only sites not booked yet are the walk in sites which would actually be nice since they are more private. Great bike trails and I've heard there are places to swim in the mine pits???

Finding a campground with lake sites is difficult.

quote thistlekicker: "Check out the Wadena County Parks, which are just a little farther west and have camping options on the Crow Wing River. ."

Any suggestions on a specific one? I looked at the website and a few of them look like they are an open area without any space and/or trees in between campsites.

quote lindylair: "Ducks, I assume you are aware of Ann Lake campground. A buddy and I camped there first night on an extended car camping trip last fall and thought it was pretty nice. Maybe too close though?"

Yep, too close as we spend a lot of time near there hiking in the Wildlife Refuge. It wouldn't feel like we went anywhere :) Plus, that campground gives my wife the creeps ;)

Thanks for the info and suggestions everyone. I appreciate the input.

Crow wing State park south of Brainerd now has a nice tarred bike trail going from the park along the Mississippi river.
Heck they even caught a alligator on the trail last week. About 2 feet long. 2nd one this week caught in the area. I suppose somebody didn't want them let them go.

quote Pinetree: "Crow wing State park south of Brainerd now has a nice tarred bike trail going from the park along the Mississippi river.
Heck they even caught a alligator on the trail last week. About 2 feet long. 2nd one this week caught in the area. I suppose somebody didn't want them let them go."

hahaha. I had heard about the first one. Crazy!!!! While looking at Crow Wing on the the dnr website is when I ran across the info for Rock Lake. There are a couple of available sites at Crow Wing that are off by themselves that look appealing.

Hey ducks,

I have spent a lot of time at Rock Lake as I grew up a few miles from there. It is very rustic, no running water but there is a hand pump. The beach is pretty nice and doesn't get much use. I would recommend bringing bikes to ride from the campground to the beach area and around the loops, there are also some trails in the woods that are not maintained for bikes but are ride-able.

There is often not much firewood around but sometimes it is sold by some locals on the road in. Since it is a state forest, you can cut any dead or down wood for a campfire. The whole area is mostly fair game for firewood collection.

As stated, the lake sites fill up fast and many are now closed to regenerate. There is a carry in site just off the entrance if you wanted a bunch of seclusion. Site 26 is actually my favorite, it is on a loop off the main road but in a corner with some nice Norway pines.

Have fun!

A friend of mine yesterday on the bike trail by Crow Wing park was going at a fast clip and looked up and a sow black bear was crossing the trail,his front wheel just barely touched the hair on the side of the bear with his wheel-close call and said he got scared as heck. The cubs were on the other side of trail. The sow than hurried back and got the cubs to climb a tree.
He had to go back home the same trail later. He said he LOOKED REAL CAREFUL.

This last week there has been turkeys,deer,bear and a alligator on the trail in the same area and of coarse bald eagles overhead.

Pinetree.... quite the variety of wildlife around there!

quote DeterminedOrange: "Hey ducks,

It is very rustic, no running water but there is a hand pump. The beach is pretty nice and doesn't get much use..


Have fun! "

D.O. that sounds perfect!!! Thanks for the specific campsite info and general campground info. I appreciate it!

Thanks for all of the help everyone. We ended up having to cancel the trip because my dad was in the hospital for a while. Hopefully we can get there another time.

Hey Ducks!

I've been on the Crow Wing River many times -- If you want specifics about the area, let me know! Very friendly, clear waters, sandy bottom, and well worth the effort to paddle!

quote hawleycanoeguy: "Hey Ducks!


I've been on the Crow Wing River many times -- If you want specifics about the area, let me know! Very friendly, clear waters, sandy bottom, and well worth the effort to paddle!"

Great river to canoe.