Rothenburg Campground

The Great Outdoors

Once a vast, rolling plain, pioneers tamed southern Minnesota and transformed it into a lush, productive farmland region. Though most of the lands around Rothenburg Campground are private farms, there are several pockets of wilderness and opportunities for outdoor recreational fun. Nearby Riverside Park has a few miles of hiking trails that follow the contours of Cottonwood River. Many adventurers enjoy embarking onto the river itself in kayaks, canoes, and tubes for a day of floating or fishing fun. Though the river is fairly shallow, its currents are fast, whipping around curves and bends. Fishermen have caught a variety of fish, including catfish, smallmouth bass, and northern pike. They have also reported catching trophy-size walleye fish.Red Rock Falls Park is a tiny park worth mentioning for three unique features: a 30-foot waterfall that has carved a niche into solid rock over the course of hundreds of thousands of years, if not more. The water descends into a hole, which flows into a wide, shallow creek. Downriver, there is a second waterfall that bounces down two ledges in short drops. The creek is heavily lined by lush shrubbery and trees. The third draw is a series of petroglyphs carved into slabs of red rocks that lay flat on the earth. These petroglyphs are estimated to be between 7,000 and 9,000 years old.Photographers and nature lovers will enjoy observing prairie wildlife roaming the open fields around the rock slabs. Rabbits, upland sandpipers, foxes, and small birds are plentiful. The park also holds an annual Starry Night event at which amateur astronomers can set up their telescopes in the park. The light pollution is minimal, and as a result, several celestial objects can be easily observed.

Exploring the Area

Although southern Minnesota is full of sleepy farm towns, there’s plenty of places to visit. Journeying from a distant town to the next is made painless in a motorhome rental. Walnut Grove, the very same town where Laura Ingalls and her family lived, is just a few short miles to the west. Though the original town nor the Ingalls’ family home are no longer standing, the town has a museum that displays a few artifacts, original documents, and various memorabilia used on the television show. Not far from Sanborn, is a replica of a sod house, in which pioneers lived while they waited for wood to be brought in so that they could construct a more traditional home. The Ingalls family, as told by author Laura Ingalls, lived in one for a year.The nearby town of Sleepy Eye, MN, named for a prominent Dakota Native American leader, was the unwitting spark that started the conflict between Minnesota settlers and Dakota and the other local tribes. Visit the Depot Museum to find out how this came to pass.Many towns hold county and town fairs as a way to bring remote communities together. It’s a convenient excuse to get a break from farm work and to have fun. Out-of-town visitors are welcomed with open arms. The Brown County Fair in New Ulm has been held annually since 1866 without fail. Though the events have changed since its inception, it traditionally has carnival rides and games, 4-H contests, and tractor pulls. It’s a terrific way to find local artists and crafters, too. Many set up booths and stands at the fairs.At the end of a long day of sightseeing and adventure, kick up your heels outside a camper rental and watch the stars appear in the inky-black night sky.