Back to Nature?

After several weeks of city hopping from St. Louis, Chicago, Milwaukee, to Minneapolis, we are glad to go back to nature.

Minnesota is covered with state parks—-all attached to one or more of the state’s 10,000 lakes. Not knowing where to start, I typed “best state parks” into Google. On top of the list for Minnesota was Lake Itasca. Before I had the chance to suggest the park to Adolfo, he found it as well. So, Lake Itasca sounded like a good bet. We hitched the trailer and took off for the park that claims fame for being the headwater of the Mississippi River.

State parks in Minnesota are just starting to open. There is no snow on the ground, but paths are still quite wet, lodges closed, and roads blocked off. Also, up this far north very few trees have started turning green. When we arrived at the Visitor Center I asked about the prettiest hikes. The volunteer ranger responded, “None of the trails are particularly nice at this time of year.” Should we have stayed south longer? I wondered.

We pulled into the only campground that is open at this time of year. Only three other visitors were in the park. We got the only pull-through space! You have no idea how important this is if you have never backed a 30ft trailer into a tight parking space. After settling into our site, we decided to check out the lake and find where the Mississippi River begins.


Lake Itasca is large and surrounded by large pine trees. The Mississippi River, however, is a tiny stream you would miss if it weren’t for the big signs informing you of the fact that you are standing at the head of the largest river in the country.

While there were few people around, we heard some strange noises. It sounded as if there was a good bit of construction going on. We heard the sound of hammers pounding in nails and a motor starting—perhaps a chainsaw. I didn’t pay much attention since this would be the perfect time of year for park maintenance before the crowds showed up in the summer. When walking by a closed visitor center, however, we read some of the signs and learned that the construction sounds were all natural. The hammering was, of course, loud woodpeckers. The chainsaw sound was another bird, the ruffed grouse. I can’t see how this call would be attractive to female grouse. But, I’m not a ruffed grouse.

In the water Adolfo spotted a large creature, not another duck. I took out my binoculars and saw a very comfortable looking beaver. It was moving quickly along the lake, but didn’t appear to be doing any work. Adolfo watched closely through his camera lens and suggested that its tail was doing all the work. He said it looked like the beaver had a propeller behind it.

With all the hammering, chainsawing, and propellers, it just seemed like nature was getting a bit too city-like.