Dispersed camping in the Chippewa National Forest
It has been a while since I dispersed camped in the Chippewa National Forest. I am thinking maybe nine years and that was a pretty bad trip when the go to spot at Shingobee was occupied. I found a rather slanted spot somewhere further into the forest. I was not pleased- but I was on foot and there was little light left to hike further. So what is dispersed camping? It is camping outside of established campground or campsites. In Minnesota, the 2 National Forests and numerous state forests allow it with some stipulations. I believe one of those stipulations is it needs to be a certain distance away from designated campgrounds- state forests it is 1 mile. National forests have similar rules. Generally, dispersed camping is primitive, however I have found a few dispersed sites that are quite comfortable and have a table, a fire grate, and a pit toilet, and are by a lake. More common are sites that are just a pull out from a forest road and nothing more than a clearing to park and maybe