Hennepin Canal Lock 22 Campground

I payed for a two night stay, but incoming storms combined with the overnight experience had me leaving after one. I have mixed feelings about this place. My stay was on a Saturday night, and my dog and I were the only ones camping there. The picnic tables were in a bad state, with boards missing and deteriorating wood, so it could use some upkeep. The grass was nice and green, though, and looked very pretty and well kept. I had no firewood, so when it got dark, I buttoned up my tent, and the dog and I settled in. It was quite dark there. Shortly thereafter, the security guy drove up near my tent, and bellowed out to me like a sheriff trying to apprehend a suspect. It was a little unnerving. He was nice enough when I finally got the dog and I back together to step out to his truck and pay the fees. Yet, this was just the beginning of a long and unnerving night. Apparently this is a favorite haunt for the local late-night scene. For as rural as the area seems to be, there were a surprising number of cars just passing through the parking lot, starting at about 10:30 pm or so. Some stopped to use the bathroom, others just drove through. At around 11:30 a group of young men parked in the lot to go sit at a picnic table by the canal and hang out. Before they did, they spent a good bit of time shining their lights at my tent, and walking too close around it. There is plenty of space there, so there was no need for this. As they got too close, my dog started to let out a series of low growls and soft barks, so I guess this finally sent them on their way to the picnic table. They left around 1:30 am. In the end, I just felt harassed by the locals, so didn’t have the good time resting and relaxing that I’d hoped to. It would be a nice place to camp if it were more welcoming to campers. Perhaps a weeknight stay would be a little better.

The first time I came through this area was on my bicycle as I rode from Chicago to the Mississippi and beyond. This time we drove here for a weekend getaway. We found ourselves alone - well except for the early morning fishermen. This canal corridor experience is a wonderful gift of history that you can explore under your own power.

There is a large open area for tent camping but no real space for rv's. We set up in the parking lot and nobody asked us to move. There is a camping area next to the parking and a smaller area across the canal. A pit toilet and water pump can be found. There were just a few picnic tables and campfire rings. It seems more suitable to a group or communal camping. However we found nobody else there. Having the entire space to ourselves was relaxing. The farm across the canal did get some visitors through the day and evening. Some walked away with bags of goods. The highway can be heard in the distance but the sound of water through the lock washes it away.

We hiked both directions along the canal. Imagine a flat trail with the canal on one side and farmland on the other. It would be hot in the middle of summer with a big sun but it was perfect on this cool day. We encountered nobody on the trail except for that farm dog we heard warning us to continue on our way.

I would highly recommend this if you are traveling through on your bike or need a quick, inexpensive stay for the night. There are some other campgrounds in the area that are more inviting if you are looking for a camping experience with more options.