Sinclair Lewis Campground

The Great Outdoors

If you like enjoying the scenery unfold from two wheels, search for an RV in Stearns County, put on your helmet, then saddle up for a long ride on the paved Lake Wobegon Trail, stretching for 65 miles from its western terminus in nearby Osakis to the trailhead in St. Joseph. Along the way, you'll be riding through one of Minnesota's leading dairy counties, past church steeples and monasteries, and into a landscape of deep woods, lakes, and prairies where you have to pedal slowly to appreciate the slipper orchids.If you prefer biking on unpaved trails, find a camper rental near Sinclair Lewis Campground and journey to the Chippewa National Forest where over 40 miles of MTB tracks await. Explore the 13-mile Woodtick Trail in your Sauk Centre camper rental to admire the scenic lakes and wetlands that this auto tour route affords. If you wish to include sandy swimming beaches, hiking, and fishing opportunities on top of paved bike trails, the Norway Beach Recreation Area is worth carving out time for.Sprinkle a bit of history into your wanderings and take your rental RV on a 47-mile drive on the Edge of the Wilderness National Scenic Byway. Slow down on this meandering highway that takes you through a gently rolling region thick with aspen, birch, and maple forests flanking pristine lakes and northern Minnesota's cultural sites.Your visit to Minnesota won’t be complete without seeing the serene headwaters of the mighty Mississippi River. From its source at Itasca State Park, the Mississippi tumbles over low rocks you can walk across without getting drenched, and reap the benefit of a long and happy life (at least according to legend).At the visitor center, learn how the river has shaped the geology and histories of towns and cities that sprang up beside it. Take your Sauk Centre RV rental on a ten-mile Wilderness Drive to see the Bison Kill Site. The park and its surrounding area once teemed with bison, which Native American hunters pursued in huge numbers some 8,000 years ago.

Exploring the Area

The home of the original "Main Street," Sauk Centre and its citizens inspired author Sinclair Lewis' fictional Main Street, the satirical novel about the American small-town life that earned him a literary reputation. Step inside the Nobel Laureate's boyhood home and view period-appropriate antiques while listening to his boyhood stories on guided tours.Palmer House is another town landmark as it’s where Lewis worked as a night clerk and what he referenced in many of his authorial works. To learn the city history, visit "The Old Creamery" building that stood for over 100 years before it housed the Sauk Centre Area History Museum.Sauk Centre is gaining a reputation as a city of murals, and there are several larger-than-life artworks around town that are worth seeing on a self-guided tour. Get a sense of the local community and book a campsite at Sinclair Lewis Campground during the Stearns County Fair and the Sinclair Lewis Days in July, when carnivals, live music, crafts, and car shows attract thousands of revelers.In October, see a different kind of crowd when the Sinclair Lewis Writers' Conference goes underway. December draws snowmobilers to the groomed trails around Sauk Lake to compete in the Snodown Racing Festival.So if you’re looking for waterfront camping near Sauk Centre, give the Sinclair Lewis Campground a try, and you will be delighted by the many activities and adventures found in the area.