Southeastern Minnesota, Caledonia MN
I was excited to book this trip; I had only camped in the southeastern part of the state a few times, and that was many years ago. I also wanted to extend the fall season as much as possible. The days I spent at Beaver Creek were late in October, and the forecast for fall foliage was just about at its prime. Minnesota is so wonderful during the changing of the colors; you can be in the North at the beginning of October at its peak and nearly 3 weeks later head to the south and catch it again.
This part of Minnesota is a hot spot for fly fishing. Beaver Creek is nestled in a little valley. Traveling to the State Park has a real Norman Rockwell feel, old farms scatter throughout this Bluffland Region. The park is almost hidden by the corn fields as the park sits so much lower than the surrounding landscape, you drive down into the park almost like coming down from Finland onto the Northshore, just a little smaller of a descent.
Trying to get to Beaver Valley Creek was tricky for me. Siri pointed me to the backside of the park, about 2.5 miles from the entrance on a dead-end road. To make this easy for you, head to Caledonia, it’s the nearest town. The park is just a few miles away, and there are plenty of signs directing you to your destination.
Driving down into the valley of the park is very scenic, and during the fall, when I visited, it was bursting with color. The park is smaller, there is only one road through the park, and all the campsites follow that road.
The first section of sites is electric; I am a tent camper, so I avoid the RV area at all costs.
At the second set of sites, some are VERY close to the road. Make sure to do your research when booking here; otherwise, you will be eating dust! Some of the camping areas in this section were not that bad, but I would really try to book a spot towards the back of the park.
I stayed at site 40, located in the third section of the campground. This area has walk-up and walk-in sites. My site sat above the road, maybe 5 to 10 feet in elevation. These sites were huge, you could see your neighbors because there was no undergrowth which is usually a bad thing, but your neighbors were over 25 yards away. The ground was covered in leaves from the deciduous trees trying to reach out of the valley. I was excited to stay here.
A Note: Avoid site 42 at all costs, this is a cut-through spot for the trail and the bathroom area, and people will be tripping over your tent. NO PRIVACY AT ALL.
The Walk-In sites seemed nice. They provide a wheelbarrow to hike your stuff in, the hike was short, and everyone I talked to was stoked about their spots for the weekend. I personally did not get to check them out closely as they were all booked.
There is no cell reception at Beaver Creek, which is exactly what this park is about, shut everything off, make camp, and relax. This is a hikers' park. When you are here, enjoy climbing the surrounding hills. There are plenty of trails for a good weekend out. These trails are not that difficult, but they are not novice either. You must be careful as these trails are single-track on the steeper parts of the valley. Hiking with Gobee made the trek a little more exciting in these sections. Each hiking trail is about an hour's hike, with good elevation for Minnesota and spectacular views.
I am always careful about letting the Gobee off the leash in State Parks, but there was really opportunity once we got to the top of the valley. The leaves were deep and Gobee would run up and down the sides of the hills darting around trees, disappearing in washout areas covered by leaves. Her head would pop out, she would look for me, and then take off again until she was totally worn out. Beaver Creek Valley in the fall is an amusement park for dogs.
I fell in love with this park and will visit again. There was a trail that was closed so I need to come back and cross that trail off my list. For me, this is a 1, maybe 2 days stay. It is a small park, and the trails are not that long but it sure was relaxing. The campsites are decent, and I highly recommend researching what spot you are going to reserve.
The only downside of Beaver Creek was the wood provided at the Ranger's Station, Rough-Cut Scrap Lumber. It burned super-fast; the pieces were small and did not burn that clean. This type of wood is terrible for cooking over a fire. I am sure this is not a common occurrence I was just unlucky this weekend.
Stay: 1-2 day park
Type of Sites: Drive Electric, Non-Electric, Hike In, Cabins No-Pets
WIFI: 1 bar or none you are on the floor of the small valley.
Wood: The wood was poor, but I am sure it is seasonal
Pets; Yes, must be on a leash
Activities: Hiking, Hiking, and Hiking it can be done in a day or two. It all depends on your activity level for the weekend.
Water: Water was cold 7 out of 10
Site info: Clean and do vary in size quite a bit.
Favorite Sites: 38, 39 and 40
Surrounding Area: You are in Americana County and the State Parks in the area are quite nice, towns are small with limited activities. I am sure with a little research you could find some fun things to do.
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