It's tough to score a campsite at the last minute in most Minnesota state parks for a summer weekend, but it's easier than it used to be to get lucky. Since 2016, the parks no longer hold back a portion of their sites for walk-up traffic, and they also now allow same-day reservations. You can see what's available and book at bit.ly/mncampcheck. If you can't find a spot in a state park, there are about 40 state forest campgrounds in Minnesota. These campgrounds don't take reservations, renting on a first-come first-served basis, but many of them do not fill up, even in the summer. Private campgrounds are also an option. Each state park's home page has a "places to stay" tab that shows private campgrounds nearby.
JEFF MORAVEC
