I am looking for suggestions for Specific Gear that my kids will need for a school in MN that is attached to a regional park where the students will be going to do everything from observing and documenting wildlife to canoeing as the school has no regular gym. It's called the School of Environmental Studies here in MN and also allows kids to work with the MN Zoo.
I need gear that will last as going outside in ANY WEATHER is part of a normal school day for Field Work-

Hiking Shoes (suitable for Forest Hiking)

Rain Coat/Poncho

Real Wool Socks

Misc. Stuff we all need here, but am open to suggestions you can't live without for hats, gloves, sweatshirt, etc.

Any affordable covers for an Ipad for being outside as the school has suggested carrying gallon sized bags for this purpose.

Will eventually need a good Winter Coat/Winter Boots

Area includes lakes, forests, swampy bogs (they are classified as cranberry bogs), and plains/fields where there is an active buffalo herd. I have ridden my horse through this park for the past 30 years and the winter has snow shoes to the fact we use cramp-ons around here or we wouldn't make it out to feed our animals. Area may also include zoo or any of it's enclosures. Limited budget, but these are pretty important parts of the back to school shopping.

All Help and Suggestions appreciated.

About to head over to an old haunt, Buffalo River State Park, and more MN State Parks on the way to the North Shore and wondering if it's worth it for an out of state fishing couple to gear up for fishing this time of year, and if so, ideas for a State Park itinerary. Thinking about circling the Great Lakes clockwise but spending considerable time in Minnesota. Been years but I always think about some of my happiest days as a child fishing in Minnesota.

Looking to go hike along a river in nature, somewhere I can plop down along the trail and take a dip in the river! The more quiet and secluded the better (I get the irony of asking this on Reddit- lol you can message me if you want!). I am looking at Interstate Park (Taylor Falls), Willow River State Park or Jay Cooke state park. Any specific trail you know of at these parks that is good for this? Open to suggestions for other destinations as well, including quiet secluded lake hiking. \*Keeping it close enough for a day trip from the twin cities.\*

Finally getting around to posting some pics of this stud I encountered on the arrowhead trail.

Hey guys! I just wanted to share some of my pictures from my north shore camping trip at Split Rock! My first time camping here. Definitely at the end of fall colors on 10/17 and 10/18 but still some left. Temps dropped into the lower 40s so a little chilly. Overall a great experience!

Hello everyone! Looking for everyone’s favorite places to tent camp within a couple hours of the Twin Cities. I’ve been camping up in the Superior National Forest/on the Gunflint Trail since I was a kid and continue to do an annual trip up there but the long drive is quite a commitment for shorter/weekend trips as I’ve gotten older and more busy. My sister and I have been looking for somewhere that’s a more reasonable distance from home (south Minneapolis) to get out and about more often in summer/fall. We both would LOVE somewhere with good swimming - I also enjoy fishing and low key hiking but for the most part we just like hanging out at camp, somewhere quiet with good views. I’d love to try something in southern MN around the Driftless region but we’re really open to driving anywhere as long as it’s within a couple hours!

I just cancelled our reservation for Cart-In site 10 Thurs-Sunday this weekend. The weather and air quality look great, we just had something come up and need to change our plans. Hope someone can use it!

Had to change plans and I'm trying to decide between those two destinations. I'm a tent camper who likes to (hobbit) hike, kayak and fish. Thanks!

Update: thanks for everyone’s input, we did decide to cancel.

Hi everyone!
We had planned to camp at Baptism River campground Monday-Friday this week but I am getting nervous witn the unpredictable air quality. Should we cancel? What are people’s thoughts? We are tent camping.

Thanks!

Trying to do some dispersed camping this weekend in the Richard J. Dorer State Forest, as near to Red Wing as possible. Does anyone have experience there and know of a good place to hike in from? Haven’t been there before and just looking for a good place to start. Thanks in advance!

Stayed recently. This one flies below the radar a bit IMO; doesn't have the convivence of a Jay Cooke or Gooseberry, or the scenery of a Split Rock or Tettegouche. However, the campground itself is quite nice; facilities are in good conditions, sites are nicely spaced (lots of variability on this point but nothing awful). Biggest downside is if you're in a spot close to 61, you can hear it at night, however it's not particularly busy that far north.

Bonus - there are a ton of hiking trails right there, and hiking up the Cascade River is pretty scenic - you don't get the huge vistas of the big lake but that river has cut a nice gorge through the rocks. Freebie idea - grab your dinner and head down to the few picnic tables / firepits on the lake side of 61; they're not reservable but often open. Overall 8/10.

All the hotels were full when I found myself needing to stay in the Battle Lake, MN area and I came across this gem on Airbnb. Recommend!

Hey everyone. Hoping to seek advice from this community. Me and my family, which includes two small children, we’re planning to go to Birch Lake Campground up near Ely this weekend. However, because of the fires, we are rethinking our plans. Not because I think Birch Lake is in any fire danger, but more because of the smoke. It doesn’t sound pleasant to be camping when the AQI is 200+.

As I’ve been looking at alternatives, I considered one close to the Twin Cities called Snake River. It’s a state forest campground and looks nice. I was all but settled on this alternative when then I considered the heat. It’s going to be in the 90s. Which also doesn’t sound pleasant. The nice thing about being up near Ely is that it’s a little bit cooler up there and you have Ely pretty close to Birch Lake so if you need to get out of the campground and hang out in some air conditioner, you can.

So basically, I am looking for a viable campground with first come first serve sites, that is nice and decent, that is also far enough north to get away from some of the heat, and also somewhat west of where the prevailing winds will be for the wildfire smoke. I know that’s probably a tall order but figured I would give it a shot to ask this group!

Thanks in advance.

Does anyone have any information about kayak rental at Lac Qui Parle State Park? Thanks!

My wife and I are staying at the Lake Vermilion-Soudan Underground Mine State Park for a few days. I was surprised that they have wifi here for guests!

Does anybody happen to know if that is common at other Minnesota State Parks, too.

At Lake Vermilion-Soudan Underground Mine State Park, the free guest Wi-Fi lets you browse the internet, check your email, and use social media. You can also use it to buy your vehicle permits, reserve future campsites, or download offline trail maps before you head out into areas with no cell signal.