Ranger Review of 400th Ave Camp
A glorious little site nested in the trees. So close to the parking area it's a breeze to get to, yet far enough away you'd never guess you were near your car (except for very occasional road noise). Great place to camp with kiddos to get them used to the woods!
Campsite Review:
My husband and I are lucky enough to live easy driving distance from one of the longest (yet little talked about) hiking trails in the country. The North Country Trail (NCT) runs from North Dakota to New York and all the states in between. It spans Minnesota, not far from our home, and so we love to take overnights and day trips to the trail, sometimes with the pooches!
This campsite doesn't really have an official name, but it's literally only about 100 yards, if that, from the parking area at the 400th Ave trailhead in the Laurentian Chapter. Close enough that you can leave non essentials in the car and run back for them if you need to. You could even haul your food back to the car instead of hanging it if you wanted to. Great little stop for thru hikers or section hikers, yet perfect for a quick overnight with the kids, if they were itching to camp somewhere other than your back yard.
It has a great little fire ring with a grate that swings out of the way. A tent pad that's sort of wonky, but you can find a bit of a flat spot if you move closer to the fire. A two sided latrine is just down the path and there is a great big beautiful bench! It looks very new, and it's carved (whittled?) out of a large log of some sort. Solid and gorgeous! There's a little road noise, but not much because it's a logging road, not a highway.
I highly recommend this spot to families and hikers alike!