Hey guys, looking for a camground within 3 hours of TC. Hoping to take my family for a long weekend in August and need something that has activities that will keep the kids occupied. It would be nice to take the boat with for fishing etc but not necessary. Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks

Consider the state park in Taylors Falls, MN., it's about 1.5 hours from Prior Lake. The park itself offers scenic hiking trails. There's a scenic boat tour of the river gorge. Horseback riding is available in the area. On the Wisconsin side just South of St. Croix Falls you can rent canoes and float down river several miles and get a van ride back. Mini golf is about 2 miles back towards Center City from the park. The Wild Mountain Ski resort about 8 miles north of Taylors Falls used to have a summer slide setup on the ski slope but I don't know if they still have it. About 4 miles East of St. Croix Falls on Hwy 8 is a wild life park. If you bring the boat go back toward the TC about 10 miles to Center City and there's a couple of lakes for fishing or if your comfortable boating on the river you can put in on the St. Croix above the dam and run several miles north, but it does get shallower up there. The ramp at the Lions Park just North of St. Croix Falls, is nice and the ramp on the MN side North of Taylors Falls is a little steeper. Depending on when your going, the Polk County Fair in St. Croix Falls is coming up sometime in Aug., and they have a summer town celebration in Taylors Falls also, but I think that would be a very crowded time.

I just checked for the Polk County Fair and their website says it's July 24 - 27.

For a quiet weekend away with the fam, we used to go to St. Croix State Park. There is a fair amount to do. The river is a bit shallow up there for most boats. But they rent canoes and theres plenty of fishing to be had. Some really decent trout streams.

When I checked last year, Wild River Stables had quit giving rides, citing insurance rates as the culprit. Maybe it's changed this year. Wild Mountain not only has dry rides like the alpine slide and go carts but an awesome waterpark. Not as good as Valleyfair but us northerners are easily amused. There is a great little mini golf course next to the drive-in in Taylors Falls. Interstate park is nice to visit and if you do any rock climbing, make sure to bring your gear. There is a boat tour of the area on the river if that might interest you. Also, Osceola offers a train ride of some sorts that I've never been on but it might be worth looking into. If you are going in mid-August, Almelund has a threshing show going on. I know, I'm a hick, but it might be interesting for you or your family.
The little bar in downtown Sunrise offers canoe rentals as well as tubing rental. I've gone tubing there before myself. While it's not as good as the Root river in South East Minnesota, it's a lot more family friendly than the Apple River in Wisconsin.
Whatever you choose, I hope you and the family have a great time.

Redlandtern: Living in North Branch do you or anyone in your family recall a farm just North of Taylors Falls where the owner ran a summer ride called the "Otter slide"? This was in the early to late 1950's and was probably gone by 1960. For .05 you'd ride down a steep hill on a wooden sluce sitting on a gunnysack and at the bottom launch into a pile of hay. It was a great ride! I apologize for getting off topic here.

Try the Army Corps of Engineers campground in Cross Lake(on Cross Lake). It is right in town so you can walk to pretty much everything (Dairy Queen, Restraunts, Grocery Store, Bait Store).

Echo, I'm not originally from here. I moved here twelve years ago. I wonder if that farm you're talking about turned into Wild Mountain?

You might check on the camp (RV) ground located on the Rum River in Isanti, can't remember the name right now, but we have reservations in Aug. with our grand kids. They have canoe rental,tubing,sounds like there are lots of thing for the kids to do (I hope). If I remember right the Rum River has good mallmouth fishing