Midwest Road Trip - Part Three - Park Rapids, MN to Buffalo Gap Campground

Park Rapids, MN to Camp Wilderness

Up in the morning with the rising sun.  I checked out of my hotel in Park Rapids and laid in a course for Camp Wilderness which was only 17 miles away. 

We lived in North Dakota and Minnesota for about 9 years total while I was growing up. For most of that time I was involved in Boy Scouts, and I went to Camp Wilderness for summer camps as well as for counselor-in-training camps… which is still summer camp but you learn how to be a counselor for younger scouts.  I was hoping to get into the camp property and wander around for a while. There’s a “No Trespassing” sign at the main gate, but the gate was open with no one around. I trespassed and drove down the lane to the main administration buildings.  I wanted a visitor pass or at least some permission to be there, but there was no one around here either.  I mostly wanted to see the waterfront, some of the camp sites, and the amphitheater thing. 

Instead I got these shots from the main entrance, plus a selfie for Elisabeth.  I could hear loons calling in the distance as I rolled back out of the camp. They were everywhere and it brought back memories of the nights while camping at this place. It was fun going there back then and today it was enough to have paid a visit, even briefly.

Breakfast at Mantrap Lake

Lake Mantrap is only a mile or two from Camp Wilderness.  It has a campground too, and I was going to try staying here until I decided I wanted a hotel room last night.  It would have been a great option though.  There were only 3 or 4 sites taken out of about 25 or so that I noticed as I looped through it.  I parked back near the boat launch area for the lake and opened the tailgate to start making something to eat.

While I boiled water for coffee and oatmeal I could hear loons calling again as they flew over the lake.  Here's a couple recordings of them.

Loons calling near Mantrap Lake

About 30 minutes later I was done with breakfast and began to pack up.  There's a line of houses on a road between Camp Wilderness and the Mantrap Campground where I was, and one of the residents was out walking is dog, Ernie.  I didn't catch the owner's name, (I'll call the owner Jim I guess) but I met his dog and shared some Old Trapper jerky with him.  Jim and I chatted about the lake and the weather and my trip out here for a few more minutes and then they continued their walk.

 Lake Itasca was about another 40 minutes down the road.  Let's go.

Lake Itasca - Mississippi headwaters

Once I got into Lake Itasca park I followed the main road going northish along the lake.  There were a few places to turn off the road and get pictures around the lake.  On my way to the first one I spotted some young fawns in the road and got this hasty blurry picture of them before they disappeared.

 I pulled off at one of the scenic area things to check out the lake for the first time and get these pictures.

I left and cruised the rest of the way to the parking area for the visitor center and Mississippi headwaters.  And here it is. Lake Itasca feeds the Mississippi headwaters right here. The Mississippi gets 2/3 of its volume from groundwater downstream, but it begins right here.  I've been here at least once before either with family or for a scouting trip.  It looks about like what I remember though, very peaceful and serene.  It was relaxing to wander around and get these shots.

"Jim" (because I forgot his name, too)

 On my way back to the truck I met a retired couple from Mississippi.  They were taking pictures of each other in front of the visitor center and I asked if they'd like me to take a picture of them together.  I snapped a few for them and while handing back their phone "Jim" asked where I was from.  I told him, and he said they were from Mississippi.  We shook hands as I told him, “Hey, they've got the start of your river down that path!” Yuk yuk. We chuckled.  They live near where the Mississippi river meets the gulf and wanted to see where it began.  It was a fun quick visit.

Michael Martin McFly

Minnesota is all about moose and loons. When I planned this trip I wanted to get something related to one of those animals; mug, t-shirt, stuffed animal, the usual tourist souvenir stuff.  After my visit to the headwaters I noticed the gift shop and went looking for something to spend money on.  They had a row of stuffed animals on the top shelf.  I picked out this guy and a couple round stickers.

 Back to the Future came out while we were living in Minnesota so I came up with the full name of "Michael Martin McFly the Moose" as a silly mashup tribute name to Mr. Fox and the franchise. For the rest of the trip I kept my phone handy to get pictures of this guy in action.

Minnesota Highways

With my bucket-list visits for Minnesota finished I checked out the map for a route to Fargo, ND.  I would have been happy to stay in this area for a week, but I had to get moving.  I followed some amazing peaceful highways on my way to Detroit Lakes and on into Fargo. 

Drive across North Dakota - Fuel in Bismarck

In Fargo I followed signs for I-90, the scenic driving was over for now.  I considered getting back to Bismarck and camping another night at Ft Abe Lincoln, but it was still early in the day and instead decided to push across the state and get closer to Montana.

 A couple days ago on the way out I drove through Theodore Roosevelt national park where I got my first pictures of the trip.  This is in the western part of ND and sounded like a good target for tonight.  I plotted a course to Buffalo Gap Campground and engaged the propellers.  A few hours later I was in Bismarck again.  I jumped off the interstate long enough to refuel and clean the bugs off the windshield.  After that quick pit stop I rejoined westbound traffic and waved buhbye to Bismarck.

Theodore Roosevelt National Park

Less than two hours later I was in Theodore Roosevelt National Park.  I saw signs for this rest area/gift shop/visitor center and took the next exit.  I made it here about 10 minutes before the gift shop closed and I knew I wanted a mug of some sort from this trip.  I bantered with the girl getting ready to close the store for a minute, then chose this mug, paid and headed back outside to walk the paved trail and get some pictures of the area.

As soon as I left the gift shop I ran into another retired couple who were taking pictures of each other in front of this sign. 

I offered my services as a photographer and snapped off a few pictures of them and handed back their phone. Two more friends made.

I then grabbed these shots during my own stroll around the area.  After about 20 minutes of stretching my legs I hopped back in the cab and ticked off the last dozen miles for the day.

Buffalo Gap Campground

Last week while I was planning this part of the trip I knew that most of the reservable campgrounds in the park were already full.  I had also found Buffalo Gap campground and learned that the sites here are first come first served only.  This was one of my only options had I not stopped in Bismarck for another night.  The last resort was the Flying J truck stop where I bought a shower a few days ago.  I really didn't want to sleep in my truck in a parking lot, though.

 I took the exit for Buffalo Gap campground and hoped for the best.  The campground had two different loops and each of them had RV sites with power and water and also primitive sites with just a firepit and picnic table.  I was in luck here.  It was right around 6pm and most of the campground was empty.  Out of 40 or so sites only 5 or 6 were taken.  I picked one of the primitive sites that also had a primitive site on either side of it.  I didn’t want to be close to an RV site in case more people showed up later.

I had my left-over pizza, snacks, and my laptop so I got comfortable and started up the 4 hour long version of Dances with Wolves.  This was the perfect setting for this movie; one of my favorites.

While my movie played in the background I took some pictures and flew my drone around the area.  The county sheriff drove through the camp and a few minutes after that the camp host walked by making her rounds.  She greeted me and we chatted for a minute and then she went down to the next visitors.  I was glad to have already paid and hung my receipt in the windshield.  During the evening another couple RVs showed up and a truck with a tent-camping family, but otherwise the park was empty and quiet, except for the noise of the interstate.

Buffalo Gap Campground

At around 11pm my movie ended and I closed the laptop.  I had one more beer in the cooler and I enjoyed it while watching the stars as broken clouds drifted by. I zonked out around midnight with the occasional distant rumble of a big rig charging into the night. 

Tomorrow Marty and I climb to 11k feet to cross Beartooth Pass.