Would greatly appreciate ideas on camping in Minnesota and South Dakota. Brandee
Let me give what I have compliled:
We have traveled US 2 in ND and my son has many times and to Glacier once. IMHO, US 2 might be a good route for crossing the state, and there is a very nice state park off ND 5 which is north of US 2.
Lake Metigoshe State Park
Therefore, I will give places on and near US 2 and some not so near as well, just so you have choices.
Off of North Dakota Hwy 5, Lake Metigoshe State Park which is on the border with Canada about 10 miles north of Bottineau, ND. A very nice campgound in the woods (hard to find in ND at times) and up in some hills called the Turtle Mts. All very pretty, nice lake with bike/hiking trail, boating, fishing.
Lake M SP It is not far from the International Peace Garden on the U.S. and Canadian border.
PeaceGarden.com It is even closer to the
Turtle Mountain Indian Reservation. For a
List of ND Tribes.
Also off ND 5 near Great Falls,
Icelandic State Park was one my son wanted to go to, but I can not remember if he did or not.
There is also Turtle River State Park located 22 miles west of Grand Forks on US 2.
Turtle River It is nice, but not as Metigoshe, IMO.
Icelandic State Park is located 5 miles west of Cavalier, ND, on Highway 5; it sounds nice, but we never made it to it.
More in the middle of the state, north northwest of Minot off Hwy 5, my son liked the
Mouse River Park which is located 15 miles west of Mohall.
If you need a campground in Bismarck or Mandan and if you can get into General Sibley Park my son said it was really nice, but was filled up when they were there.
General Sibley
They stayed at a small place in Mandan. Colonial Motel & Campgrounds 4631 Memorial Hwy, Mandan - (701) 663-9824 We had passed by it in 2007. It is in a commerical area, not very resort like from the entrance off Memorial Hwy, however later on we rode by the back side on a bike path and it looked good. As it turned out it had water, electric and sewer hookup for $19. The bike path leads accross the river and by the zoo and a nice park. On the Google map, the location is off in this map. Motel is on the other side of the over pass close to 46th Ave.
From the web site Gen. Sibley is $20 with water and electric but the setting is much better. Closer to the river. Both have trees. At Colonial the sites are very close together. Sibley they are space out. Sibley has over 100, Colonial maybe 20. It did not fill up while my son was there.
Fort Lincoln State Park also has a nice campground & neat things to see (It was where Gen. Custer was living before he went on his last ride):
4480 Fort Lincoln Rd
Mandan, ND 58554
(701) 667-6340?
Fort Lincoln
In July of 2007, we stayed at the KOA Bismarck, over priced and dusty. We had passed the Colonial campground but it did not look very inviting from the entrance, but seemed OK from the back. Not a bad price with water, electric and sewer for $19.
On the western side of North Dakota, Theodore Roosevelt National Park is very worthwhile to see. A great place for seeing Bison, even in the campground at times. The colorful Little Missouri River Badlands provides the scenic backdrop to the park & home to a variety of prairie plants and animals including bison, prairie dogs, pronghorn, elk, mule deer and wild feral horses. The South Unit entrance is in Medora, ND. Medora is accessible via Interstate 94 Exits 24 and 27 in North Dakota. Medora is 133 miles west of Bismarck, ND and 27 miles east of the Montana state line. The Painted Canyon Visitor Center is located 7 miles east of Medora on I-94 at Exit 32.
Camping
Cottonwood Campground - South Unit
Cottonwood
Juniper Campground - North Unit
Juniper
Things to do
Our stop at T Roosevelt North 2009 which is not far from Williston and is less visited than the South unit.
Also on the west edge of ND by Williston,
Fort Union Trading Post Historic Site (no camping) is neat to see, my son said.
My son had lived in Minot for the past 7 years. There are some RV parks in town as well as a Wal-Mart that allows over-nighting.
The Three Affiliated Tribes located on the Fort Berthold Reservation in Midwest North Dakota is near by as well at
New Town you will find the
Four Bears Casino. But never stopped other to get gasoline. For the Mandans, on the way from Minot to Bismarck,
North Dakota Lewis & Clark Interpretive Center is very neat as well as other
Historical Sites in the area.
There are many campgrounds by lakes at
Glacier National Park .
Such as
Many Glacier and
Two Medicine and I believe
Sprague Creek. Also
St. Mary is close to St. Mary Lake but not right on it as I remember.
We have been able to visit Glacier twice, each time we have stayed in the park, which IMHO is always the best place to stay (in the parks). Both times we have stayed over by St. Mary and just off the Going to the Sun Hwy. But my son stayed down by Many Galaciers and then over on the westside as well. All are neat. On the last trip we spent a few days at Waterton Nat'l Park in Canada before going down to Glacier, nice up there as well.
Waterton
There are many campgrounds at
Glacier National Park and
Map_Listing of Campgrounds.
I believe I would try one of these on our next visit
Many Glacier and
Two Medicine and
Sprague Creek.
As for Camping near the Mall of America, my daughter lived in Eagan, MN for 2 years some years ago. A neat county campground near Eagan was Lebanon Hills
Campground 12100 Johnny Cake Ridge Road in Apple Valley MN. It would not be to far to drive to the Mall from there. Apple Valley is about 20 miles south of the Twin Cities and just 10 minutes south of the Mall of America (at least that is what the zoo web site has listed). Not sure of a closer one. It is close to the neat MN
Zoo as well.
Directions to Zoo
Lebanon Hills
Visitor Center and Park
IMHO it would be more fun going to the zoo than visiting the other zoo. Ha! But is worth seeing, it is large with a small amusement park inside, in the center section. Perhaps even larger than when we there last, about 6 years ago, maybe today or at least close. I enjoyed seeing the place. Even did some shopping, MN does not charge a sales tax on clothing & shoes, which can save you some cash. A nice place to do some serious walking for sure. But it was a zoo the last time we were there. I believe it was on a Labor Day Monday. Not the best planning for going, but it was a side trip.
Speaking of zoos, in St. Paul there is a really nice small
ZOO. Located in Como Park.
But Lebanon Hills Campground would be the place I would choose to visit the
Twin Cities.
http://www.casitaclub.com/forums/index.php...ic=13432&hl Carousel San Paul, MN
http://www.rv.net/forum/index.cfm/fuseacti.../1.cfm#23574754 Twin Cities
I believe they allow overnighting at the Cabela's in Owatonna, MN
http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/template...;rid=2146251080
As well as in Rogers, MN
http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/template...ail*left*rogers
We have been able to visit Galacier twice, each time we have stayed in the park, which IMHO is always the best place to stay (in the parks). Both times we have stayed over by St. Mary and just off the Going to the Sun Hwy. But my son stayed down by Many Galaciers and then over on the westside as well. All are neat. On the last trip we spent a few days at Waterton Nat'l Park in Canada before going down to Glacier, nice up there as well.
Waterton
There are many campgrounds at
Glacier National Park and
Map_Listing of Campgrounds.
I believe I would try one of these on our next visit
Many Glacier and
Two Medicine and
Sprague Creek. Also
St. Mary is close to St. Mary Lake but not right on it as I remember.
If you plan on visiting Custer State Park &
Mount Rushmore it would be neat to go as well to the
Devil's Tower Nat'l Monument use exit 185 I-90 by Sundance, WY and then return to I-90 by Moorecroft.
Also you will be going by
Badlands Nat'l Park in South Dakota before you get to Mount Rushmore area. We have not gone to the South Dakota Badlands, but have enjoyed the North Dakota ones by and in the
T. Roosevelt Nat'l Park and
Teddy R's North & South Units.
If you have time, try taking a detour to Devil's Tower off I-90 at Sundance & taking US14 to Route 24 to the Park, then return to US14 but go toward Moorcroft & I-90 & on to Rapid City. About a 24 miles detour.
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Black Hills-Devil's Tower-Cody WY-Yell'stone/Tetons-T.Roosevelt Plus ***
I found all the above in my "files", hope somethng will be of help to you.
Some places one can get out and camp once it gets a little warmer (and it will not be much longer) and some would be good to do now as well: 
DesertHawk- Las Cruces, NM USA 
RE: "ideas on camping in Minnesota or South Dakota, I have plenty of favorites." May not be needing these anytime soon, but who knows. My son in law is from the Twin Cities, but they are in Tucson now. My son & his family had been living in Minot, ND, we had camped in the Custer area several times, but they have moved to Alaska last Aug. We many not be up in that area again, but as I said one never knows.
Prairie Schooner
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