If we can survive the honeymoon, the actual marraige should be a breeze.

May 8, 2007 7:29 PM

Road-trip filter. I am in the process of planning a rather ambitious honeymoon. He and I are canoeing in the Boundary Waters area of Minnesota for a week, which is exciting enough, but we are also planning to drive there. From Mississippi. And tent camping on the way.

I have done this one other time many years ago (the trip, not the honeymoon), so I know it's do-able. As it has been so long, and I unfortunately saved none of my prep notes from the last time, I am turning to the Green to try to help me find some good tent camping options for the trip up and back.

We plan on taking three days to drive there and another three for the trip back on what is essentially a straight north/south shot from Hattiesburg, MS to Ely, MN. Since we have so little time, we will have to sacrifice the scenery of the Great River Road for the quicker highways/interstates. Anyone out there know of any good camping not too far off the main roads? Primitive is fine, we won't need hookups or other amenities, but we would like to be legal--no pitching a tent on Farmer Jones' land. Would prefer no KOA's either, but if you happen to know of a particularly good one, toss it out there.

Let me know if there's some major piece of info I've forgotten to tell you. I always seem to overlook something when I craft these questions.

posted by thebrokedown to travel & transportation (6 comments total)

Missouri has a ton of great state parks. In the southern part of the state, I highly recommend Johnson Shut-ins, for a great natural waterpark and neighboring Elephant Rocks for lots of fun scrambling around and bouldering.

Babler State Park is another nice one just outside of St. Louis.
posted by chrisamiller at 7:46 PM on May 8, 2007

Yellow River in northeastern Iowa is great.
posted by jpdoane at 9:48 PM on May 8, 2007

Thank you to both of you.
posted by thebrokedown at 10:23 PM on May 8, 2007

I have never camped that far west in Wisconsin, but you might want to look for something in Chequamegon National Forest, a few hours south of Duluth. Then you would still get to BWCA/Quetico during the day.

I went rock climbing at Devil's Lake State Park near the Wisconsin Dells once. That wasn't too bad.

And I think I once camped at Jubilee College State Park in Illinois, just west of Peoria. We might have gone there because it was the best camping near Chicago in Illinois. But I was in college, so who knows what was going happening.

Peoria's probably too far north for a day's drive from Hattiesburg. What about Shawnee National Forest in southern Illinois?
posted by billtron at 10:28 PM on May 8, 2007

Oh, and enjoy the boundary waters. They're frackin awesome. here's an essay my dad wrote about the place on my grandfather's hunting club website.

If you can, on your way home stop by the House on the Rock. I haven't decided if it's more surreal or dadaist.
posted by billtron at 10:38 PM on May 8, 2007

Devil's Lake (near Lake Delton, in Wisconsin) is beautiful, but very loud and crowded unless you stay in an out-of-the-way site. If you decide to stay there, be sure to ask for a site which is not in the large, flat tent area near the lake, but rather one which is up in the bluffs. You will have much more privacy and a better night by far.
posted by yomimono at 6:56 AM on May 9, 2007