Frontenac State Park — Attraction in Florence Township

We really enjoyed this park! We camped in mid June and the weather was great, slight breeze most of the weekend and overcast with temps in the mid 70s, low 80s. It was very humid and it rained one of the nights. Our campsite was fairly covered by the canopy of the trees as were most of the sites but not all. There are some restrictions on where you can hang a hammock due to some campers pushing the limits of smaller trees. The sites were fairly close together and little in the way of seeing the entire site(only downside).

At the entrance there is a gift type shop and activities for the kiddos, but we did not buy any. Wood was relatively well priced and they had ice available as well. They just built a new bathroom building by the site's with showers, outdoor sinks, etc but due to some issues they were closed. Beautiful facilities none the less.

The park is fairly well sized with quite a few trails. The kids (boys 6,8) and I hiked close to 13 miles of the trails and saw plenty of wildlife (deer, fox, birds, eagles, hawks, insects, etc) to keep them entertained along the way as well as benches in many spots to rest where elevation was an issue. The birdsongs were awazing and it was a great opportunity to show the kids how to stop and listen to the music of nature along the way. Lots of flowers and there is a good combination of tree covered hiking paths as well as hiking in the fields. We hiked in the morning to avoid the direct sun of the afternoon, but the breeze from the river and valleys cooled us as we walked. There are some spectacular views of the river along the bluff trails, upper and lower, as well as in the prairies. Most trails are on their map but some are newer, as with all of the other state parks in MN, the Avenza app allows you to GPS your progress on the official state park maps.

As it got humid, it did start to get really buggy but the breeze was solid the entire time. Along the lower bluff path where we were somewhat sheltered from the wind, the mosquitoes were starting to get thick by the time we left. Sunscreen and bugspray are a must here! The paths that connected near the campsites were fairly close so I left the boys wander at their leisure, we did have some ticks so walking in the long grass is not recommended but necessary to get some close up pics of the flowers! There are opportunities to see and find cool rocks if that's your thing as well. We did not swim but I heard there's an area to do it and saw others swimming in the lake.

All and all I would recommend this park if you have kids or you just...

Frontenac state park campground is in a beautiful and stunning state park. The price to stay there is cheap and it has great amenities. The bathrooms are brand new, very modern, and very clean. That’s something I’m very picky about and I was pleased. There’s wells for drinking water, sinks to wash dishes, and shower bathrooms as well. The sites themselves are pretty roomy and you have a good amount of privacy from your neighbors. They are probably the most private sites I’ve stayed at before. The layout of the park and campground is also well planned and easy to navigate. The drive up to the campground is very scenic and there are many places to hike. The office is very nice and staff is super friendly. The hours are different every day so you have to check online when you go to check in or buy firewood, ice, etc. The prices in the office are also pretty good. It’s also close to many towns and small cities as well as an hour drive from Minneapolis so there’s tons to see. There’s Frontenac, Old Frontenac, Florence Township, Lake City, Winona, and Red Wing to explore close by. I would definitely recommend this park and I would...

The paths are mowed and the bathroom facilities are kept clean. But a better park name might be "Sumac State Park. " I'm disappointed at the forest management. Sumac trees are crowding out all others and becoming invasive. Instead of a diverse ecosystem it's becoming a sumac colony. The lower bluff View Trail also had no views of the water due to trees blocking the way. The campsites also very close together.

The cart in sites are a 10 minute walk one way and are a good option for more isolated camping but not recommended for beginner campers due to the 20 minute walk (round trip) from car to campsite if you forget something in your car.

In summary, sumac State Park is worth the drive if you are within an hour's driving distance, but it is not a destination stop IMO

P. S Cart In Site 6 has no shade trees. Would not recommend CI6 in the summer. P. P. S. There are several picnic tables placed under nice shade and there is a good bathroom for registered campers with hot showers. P.P.P.S. the coldest waters for campers is found at the sinks on the side of the bathroom building at...