I'm plotting a 10-day camping vacation for the first week of September, and I'm leaning towards Minnesota and/or Wisconsin - but I'm stumped for specific destinations. Perhaps if I lay-out what I'm looking for, one of you northern neighbors can help a brother out.
I'll be traveling with two dogs (red heeler and a blue heeler), so seclusion would be good, as I'd like to at least let them offleash for some of the time, and they do alert-bark when strangers approach. Hopefully there will be a nice, extensive trail network nearby for dayhiking, after which we'd return to our campsite and all the creature comforts car-camping provides (loop trails are a plus). Lakeside would be great, too. Probably don't need more than 2 or 3 good area dayhikes, because I'll then move on to another similar site.
What say ye - any suggestions for where a guy and two rambunctious dogs can get away from the crowds and do some easy-to-moderate dayhiking and see some nice sights? I've been to MN's Northshore, and most of the state parks I remember were more crowded than I'd like - however, I will be traveling at the very end of the traditional vacation season, so will that help increase my options? Anything in Wisconsin will be new to me.
Also, will I miss the worst of the bug infestations?
Thanks in advance!
Kenny D, Gobi, and Riley
