We recently bought a new-to-us travel trailer and have begun a new family activity of camping.  Our first camping adventure was to Minnesota’s Fort Ridgely State Park, between Fairfax and Sleepy Eye.

Since we’d never camped before, we weren’t quite sure what to expect.  We were pleasantly surprised at the privacy of the sites at Fort Ridgely. The sites were widely spaced with trees between sites.

Our campsite, site 30, was the shadiest of the three nonreservable electric sites.

It was one of the closest to the restroom and shower building, but you still had to go over the river (creek) and through the woods to the restroom. The path is lit at night, but you have to watch your step on the stairs. Can you spot the restroom building through the trees?

Fort Ridgely Creek runs alongside the campground.

Each campsite has a nice picnic table and fire ring.

Because the campground is down near the creek, it doesn’t get as much of a breeze as the prairie area of the state park. It was hot and humid when we were there, so the shade was appreciated. There is one loop of electric campsites and another area with nonelectric sites. A small sandbox is near the bridge to the restrooms; this is also where dumpsters and recycling bins are located.

Fort Ridgely State Park also features a historic fort, a golf course, and a playground/picnic area. The FairRidge Bicycle Trail connects to the park but is not easy to reach from the campground. We found some shady hiking trails thick with butterflies and had fun dipping our toes into the creek.

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