Camp Maiden Rock West Campground

The Great Outdoors

Campsites at the Camp Maiden Rock West Campground are just five minutes’ drive from the Sakatah Lake State Park, which sprawls across 842 acres at a natural widening of the Cannon River. Its name is a Dakota word meaning “singing hills,” and the park is traversed by the Sakatah Singing Hills State Trail, a 41-mile-long multi-use rail-trail that connects Faribault and Mankato. Aside from hiking and spotting the park’s resident deer, mink, coyotes, and squirrels, the park also has a fishing pier where you can cast a line and a public boat ramp with canoe rentals.Just north of Sakatah Lake is the Townsend Woods Scientific and Natural Area, which was created to preserve a remnant Big Woods sugar maple forest of ecological significance. The canopy is dominated by large red oaks and sugar maples, while marsh marigolds, bloodroot, and wild ginger ignite the ponds in spring. Free birdwatching tours are regularly conducted by naturalist guides in the Townsend Woods Scientific and Natural Area, offering up-close encounters with warblers and woodland birds of all forms.If you’re traveling with kids, head east to the River Bend Nature Center, which lies on the southeastern edge of Faribault along the banks of the Straight River. It was established in the 1970s to educate the public about Minnesota’s natural world, with an interpretive center, miles of hiking trails, and seasonal programs conducted throughout the year. Follow one of the trails that wind through the center’s wetlands, forest, and prairie where endangered dwarf trout lilies grow and explore the Windows of the Wild backyard bird habitat or visit in the winter when the area transforms with skiing, snowshoeing, and snowmobiling trails.

Exploring the City

Campsites at the Camp Maiden Rock West Campground are just five minutes' drive from Morristown, where you’ll find a small supermarket for stocking up on grocery supplies. There’s also a gas station here if you need to fill up your RV rental and a tavern where you can grab a bite to eat. A ten-minute drive in the other direction is Waterville, where you’ll find a more extensive choice of services, restaurants, and bars.Morristown campers are just a short drive from Faribault, which is home to the historic Paradise Center for the Arts. It’s been renovated, with a concert space and an exhibition gallery where works by local and regional artists are showcased. After visiting the Paradise Center for the Arts, head across the road to Heritage Park, where you can stretch your legs with a walk along the banks of the Straight River.The Camp Maiden Rock West Campground makes a good base for exploring the “twin cities” of Minneapolis and St. Paul, which lie around an hour’s drive to the north. They’re renowned for their scenic parklands and excellent museums, such as the Science Museum of Minnesota and the Minnesota History Center. Admire the contemporary artworks on display at the Walker Art Center and stroll through the adjacent Minneapolis Sculpture Garden, which is home to Claes Oldenburg’s famous "Spoonbridge and Cherry.” You can learn about the region’s industrial past at the Mill City Museum or delve into the country’s Civil War history while admiring the murals of the Minnesota State Capitol. If you need a retail fix, the immense Mall of America has you covered, with more than 500 retail stores and its very own theme park at Nickelodeon Universe.Whether you want to explore the museums of Minneapolis and St. Paul or get active in the lakeside parks of southeast Minnesota, book an RV in Rice County and start planning your next vacation.