Winter camping may be just the vacation adventure you need to reconnect with nature. Serene scenes of fresh snow and a crackling fire are the stuff of peaceful dreams. If you dress for the weather and plan accordingly, you can enjoy a unique travel experience without traveling far. Afton State Park in Minn. and Willow River State Park in Wis. are open year-round for camping and other seasonal activities. Afton State Park has rustic backpack campsites, camper cabins with heat and electricity and two 7-person yurts with firewood, indoor wood stoves, skylights, bunkbeds, tables and chairs. Willow River State Park has 30 unplowed walk-in campsites; 12 have electrical hookups.
A few winter camping tips from the Sierra Club:
- Dress in layers
- Stay dry
- Bring a cold weather rated sleeping bag and pad
- Steep coffee grounds in boiled water, then tap the pot to settle grounds
- Pack extra containers for late night bladder relief (gross, but useful)
Afton State Park
6959 Peller Ave. S.
Hastings, Minn.
dnr.state.mm.us
Willow River State Park
1034 County Highway A
Hudson, Wis.
dnr.wisconsin.gov
