Hobo Park Campground

The Great Outdoors

Lake Minnewaska is undoubtedly the prime recreation area when you book an RV in Pope County. However, there are plenty of other places to explore, including Glacial Lakes State Park just a few miles to the south. It’s primarily used for camping, but a two-mile loop hike attracts a significant number of day hikers looking for a relatively easy route and some beautiful views from its overlook.While not a strictly natural display, the University of Minnesota’s West Central Research and Outreach Center is a beautiful place to wander around if you have even the slightest interest in renewable energy and sustainability. The grounds are meant to showcase the potential of solar and wind energy along with organic farming through electric charging stations and a splendid garden to stroll through while your electric vehicle charges. It’s only 20 minutes' drive from Starbuck and makes for a great picnic or rest stop when you’re traveling to points farther west.Pomme de Terre Park lies just south of the outreach center and has some fantastic walking trails surrounding its namesake lake. It’s quite popular with anglers fishing for walleye and muskie, and with two boat ramps, getting out on the water is easy. Two sandy swimming beaches are great just for lazing around on a hot summer day too. Should you feel the need to hit a few balls around, the Pomme de Terre golf course is only a couple miles south on Highway 9.

Exploring the City

There’s not much to do in Starbuck, aside from fueling up your rental RV, picking up supplies at its small grocery store, and eating at the handful of diners and bars near the center of town. For anything else, you’ll need to travel to the other end of the lake, where the town of Glenwood is located. Glenwood has the Pope County Museum, which, although small, has some interesting exhibits regarding the often-overlooked Native American tribes of Minnesota.More attractions can be found about 20 minutes' drive to the north of Glenwood in the larger town of Alexandria. This is where you’ll find the Legacy of the Lakes Museum, an entire museum dedicated to the lake culture that’s made Minnesota famous. One of the more fascinating sections is devoted to racing boats of the early and mid-19th century, complete with motors, hulls, and detailed stories of how boat racing became such a popular sport in Minnesota.Just a few steps away is the Runestone Museum, a beautiful small town museum focused on the culture and everyday life of people living in central Minnesota. This is a great place to take the kids when you’re camping at Hobo Park Campground as many of the exhibits are interactive, and the little ones are welcome to touch everything. Its most famous piece is a rock with an inscription said to date back the 14th century, with many area residents weighing in on the validity of the claim. However, there are quite a few less controversial exhibits covering topics like World War II, Minnesota pioneer life, and music throughout the ages.