Need a place to bed down for a night.

[Gutterbird 10]

Our troop is heading up to northern Minnesota in a few months for a week of camping. It will be a multi-day drive for us and we are needing a place to stop for the night. We're planning on the Eau Claire Wisconsin or Rice Lake Wisconsin area for the overnight. Does anybody know of a camp site where a group of about 25 scouts and scouters can camp for the night in the above listed area's? I have also heard of church's opening their doors to scouting units for the night, any thoughts? Any help or ideas would be great.

 

[clemlaw 55]

I'm not sure exactly what your route is from Eau Claire to Rice Lake, but it probably puts you not too far from Fred C. Anderson Scout Camp:

 

http://www.nsbsa.org/Camping/Facilities/FredCAndersen/Default.aspx

 

I have seen out-of-council units pull in for an overnight on the way to somewhere else, so it wouldn't be the first time. They do have cabins as well as camp sites.

 

Edited to add: If you definitely need to go through Rice Lake, that's not a good choice, since it would add close to 100 miles to your drive.

 

But if you're coming on Interstate 94, you're going to northern Minnesota, and you can modify your route a little bit, it would be a good choice.

 

If you're interested in information on Minnesota State Parks that would be along your route, feel free to send me a message. Most of them have group camp sites that would accomodate your group, or else you could get about 3 or 4 sites in the regular campground.

 

(This message has been edited by clemlaw)

[Venividi 35]

If your troop's chartering organization is a church, check for a congregation of that denomination in that area. They may let you sleep in their basement or fellowship hall (if they have one).

[Gutterbird 10]

Thanks for the input. Our final destination are the boundary waters on the Canadian/US border straight north of Duluth. I am thinking we will take 94 to Eau Claire then head north towards Duluth and the boundary waters.

[NealOnWheels 73]

My troop used the YMCA in Eau Claire one night on our way to the Boundary Waters.

[clemlaw 55]

If there's a YMCA in Eau Claire, that might be a good choice.

 

If you decide to stay at "Fred C.", you would take I-94 a bit further west, and get off in Hudson (the last exit before Minnesota), and the camp is about 15-20 miles north of the freeway. Then, you would probably want to cut over to I-35 and take that north to Duluth. It would probably be almost the same mileage as your route through Rice Lake.

 

Fred C. Anderson has cabins with bunks and a full kitchen, and also has more rustic cabins where you would just sleep on the floor. I think those have a two-burner stove, but no kitchen.

 

I'm not normally a fan of "cabin camping", but that would probably be a good choice for a stop on the road.

[Stosh 3452]

Just north of Rice Lake are two BSA camps

 

Phillips and Spearhead(Chippewa Valley and North Star Councils).