Frontcountry camping means staying in a developed campground—often called “car camping” or “drive-in camping.” Most sites are accessible by vehicle, though some, like those at Split Rock Lighthouse State Park, are cart-in. In the Ely area, frontcountry campgrounds include South Kawishiwi River, Fenske Lake, and more. It’s a great way to introduce kids—or anyone new to the outdoors—to camping. In contrast, backcountry or “remote” camping includes trips into the BWCAW and similar experiences, such as the Circle Route outside of the BWCAW, which you can read about in our Spring & Summer Guide here. For a base frontcountry packing list, click here.
Our youngest child’s first camping trip was when he was two weeks old. I was restless on maternity leave and needed to get out of the house and into the woods. We chose a campground that was close to our South St. Paul home at the time–Nerstrand Big Woods State Park. It was a quick two-night trip. Despite the forecast calling for light overnight rain, a huge thunderstorm rolled through and it poured the entire night, flooding our campsite and sending us fleeing to the truck. Our oldest slept in the backseat, the baby slept on me, and my husband and I talked, watching the storm fade with the dawn and eating cold breakfast burritos.
