Eric and I visited Afton State Park January 16-17, 2015. Established in 1969 and surrounding the Afton Alps Golf & Ski Resort, this state park is about 45 minutes southeast from the Twin Cities area, near the Minnesota/Wisconsin border.
This was my and Eric’s first “winter camping” experience. We rented one of the beautiful cabins, named White Pine, sitting just off of the St. Croix River in the South Camp area. I would highly recommend giving a cabin a try at least once, even if you prefer the traditional tent camping method of visiting our parks. They are beautiful. And CLEAN! The first Minnesota State Park to offer this, another non-tent option for camping at Afton State Park, added just at the beginning of this year, includes the rental of a Yurt. This park also has 1 canoe site and a whopping 28 backpacking sites! Perfect for anyone who wants to experience a “woodsy” park near a big city.
Recreation
Afton State Park offers some of the best opportunities around the Twin Cities area for the outdoor adventurers all-year long, including geocaching, hiking (also has a 1.5 mile plowed walking trail in winter), biking, snowshoeing, horseback riding, cross country skiing, fishing, backpacking, camping, swimming, and sledding.
Wildlife
Typical wildlife include birds (hawks, waterfowl, bluebirds, and meadowlark, to name a few), deer, fox, squirrels, badgers, and turkeys.
Itinerary
Day 1: We arrived not long after our check-in time of 4pm. Parking, potable water, and a vault toilet were no more than 500 feet from the cabin. We also had electricity, which was helpful at night, but also a distraction when the neighbors had their lights on.
After setting up our cabin and making ourselves at home, we immediately put on our winter gear (snow pants included) and headed outside to a nearby winter hiking trail. We hiked about 2 miles, and decided to head back to the cabin since it was getting dark. We had a “typical” camping meal, including hot dogs and baked beans over the fire and s’mores for dessert.
After dinner, we warmed up for a few minutes inside and played a couple board games. We played two of our favorite two-player games: The Rivals for Catan and Love Letter. When we warmed up, we went back outside and started a fire. The stars were beautiful. Eric downloaded an app on his iPhone called NightCap Pro, which allowed us to take fun night-time shots of the sky and our surroundings.
Day 2: As this was our last day here, we had a quick meal of cereal for breakfast, and wanted to head outside again. Being only a one-night stay, we spent most of day two playing in the snow and on part of the 6 miles of winter hiking trails. The main trail we stayed on was Deer Valley Loop, which totals 3.5 miles for hiking and snowshoeing.
Future Plans
Even though Eric and I only spent one night at Afton State Park, we fell in love with its landscape and beauty. One night was not enough, especially in the winter. Next time we visit this park in the winter, we will definitely be bringing snowshoes for the trails, and downhill skis to visit Afton Alps.
We are excited to visit Afton State Park again, and can’t wait to see its beauty in the summer months. Our plan is to visit again with hiking shoes on to get lost in the park’s 20+ miles of trails. Rather than stay in a cabin the second-time around, our plan is to stay in one of their many backpacking sites next time we’re here.
Until next time…
Cost Breakdown
Daily Park Admission: $5 (we have an annual pass for $25)
Cabin (1 night): $70
Food: $15.50 (total)
- Hot dogs (Oscar Meyer): $3
- Baked beans (Bush’s): $3
- S’Mores: $6 for all items
- Cereal: $2
- Milk: $1.50
- Water: FREE (we use refillable water bottles)
Gear Brought
- 2 burner camping stove
- Mess kit
- Hot dog and marshmallow roasting sticks
- Sleeping bags & pillows
- Snow pants
- Snow boots
- Winter coat
- Base layers
- Sweatshirt
- More packing tips from the MN DNR
Misc. Info
Year Established: 1969
Distance from Minneapolis: 31.3 miles
Nearest Large Airport: Minneapolis-St. Paul International, 25.2 miles
Nearest Grocery Store: Less than 10 miles
Avg. Temperature During Visit: High of 33* | low of 15*
Permits: Required both to enter park (with a vehicle) and stay overnight
GPS Address: 6959 Peller Ave S – Hastings, MN 55033
Fun Fact: This park currently doesn’t offer any drive-in or camper camping–only cabins, a yurt, group sites, canoe, and backpack sites! A great opportunity to experience a camping method you’ve never tried before! Okay, there are two fun facts: Afton State Park has so much to offer that they even have a newsletter!
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