This page contains affiliate links. Read our complete disclosure here.
Remember my first blog where I encouraged stepping out of your comfort zone? This week’s blog post is about some friends of ours who did just that!
My brother Phil and his girlfriend Aly mustered up the courage two weekends ago to accompany us on what was their first backpack camping trip. We were eager to show some newbies the ways of the backcountry. In Minnesota, we know the weather is always up in the air! Just as we were ready to get out of the car and begin our hike, Phil said, sipping his Starbucks, “I’m scared for Sprout’s safety.” (Sprout is their dog). I knew he was using Sprout as a defense to get out of the rain-soaked hike we were about to endeavor. I said they already got this far, no going back now… And hiking we went.
It didn’t take too long to get into site #16 at Lake Maria State Park, a quick 3/4 mile hike in. However, water puddles, muddy patches, rain, and plenty of mosquito bites made for a rough hike in as first-time backpackers.
Swatting at the bugs, I set up the hammock and tent to make our camp. Andy and Phil set up our screen tent. Had it just been Andy and me, we would have passed on the screen tent (since it’s bulky for a backpacking trip). Thanks to our first timers, we brought it for their comfort (and ours).
Check out a video tour of our site!
We spoke with the state park office employee who said mosquitoes had been terrible the last few weeks with all the rain that had fallen. She also mentioned that we were lucky to miss the deer flies that were all around the park a few days before we arrived.
It’s a good thing we had plenty of bug spray to protect us. We also spray our camping clothes with permethrin before we hit the trails. It lasts for about 6 weeks after spraying. We spray our camp gear roughly 3 times throughout the summer camping season.
I was happy Phil and Aly got out on the trail with us, but they ended their camping weekend early. A rainy, buggy hike in and sleeping in a hammock had been enough of a backpacking experience for them… And they hiked out at 6 am on Saturday morning. I told them we can try again when mosquito season is over!
Andy and I love the camping experience for the nature, peace, and tranquility of the environment, but most of all…we love the food that can go with camping. We choose to spoil ourselves when we do state park camping. It is much less of a hike in than other backcountry camping, so we pack more heavy and ‘real’ food.
Saturday morning’s breakfast menu: Sweet Potato Scramble w/ Bacon Tacos!
Bacon 
Fried Tortilla 
Eggs 
Scramble 
Mmmm 
Coffee
Add fried bacon. Throw in a corn tortilla (highly recommend frying in bacon grease). Top with condiments of your choosing… Cholula hot sauce is one of our faves! Backpacker tip: we like to grab extra packets of condiments at any gas station/food joint to spice up food on the trails. Makes for light-weight, tasty flavor enhancers – a backpacker’s ideal.
After breakfast, we hit the trails for a day of hiking. Lake Maria’s trails can change based upon the area of the park you’re in. Some of the trails weren’t kept up due to flooding in parts from all the rainfall the last half of this summer. We tried hiking down one and couldn’t get too far because of the overgrowth on the trail.
On the trail, we noticed lots of these berry bushes…
We weren’t sure if they were edible or not. Later on, we asked a park ranger and turns out they are blackberries. We even saw a few people prepared to pick berries – baskets and buckets in hand – on our drive out Sunday. So, keep in mind friends, there’s a berry sweet treat waiting for you on the trails of Lake Maria!
Andy and I love the adventure that camping and hiking bring us. Hiking through the rain, getting dirty, setting up in different weather patterns and time of day creates part of the journey, which is all part of the experience. Treating ourselves to an ice cold beer after an outdoor adventure makes the experience even more enjoyable. It’s always a priority to finish the beer we bring in (less weight to carry out).
For others, it seems crazy and miserable to be hiking at night in the rain. I respect anyone for giving the backpack experience a try and stepping out of their comfort zone onto the rainy trails.
While I was hiking, I wanted to avoid the large mud puddles so I walked along the side close to the growth of the plants. While walking along the side, green sticky pods from the plants got all over my pants. They are tough to get off and took so long.
I learned from this that it is important to respect the trail and its surroundings. When we don’t respect the trail, the trail will speak to us. What the trail was saying to me: sometimes it’s rough, but stay on the trail and you’ll be at peace with nature. After that happened, Andy said he was walking straight thru the mud puddles and he avoided the green sticky pods. My response to the trail: I appreciate what you have to offer right here at this moment, and I will walk thru your mud puddles.
Respecting the trail helps the ecosystem that is surrounding us in nature. To learn more about the ecosystem, we hiked thru the interpretative trail section, a mile-long trail which provides hikers with information on plants/animals/habitats within the park. Highly recommended, as it gives a good perspective on how all nature’s beauty is so connected.
Camping brings peace, nature, and adventure into our lives. It’s a gift we love and want to share with others. What’s your adventure and gift that’s calling? Go on and spread it to the world.
We hiked close to 5 miles on Saturday and ended the day with a delicious campfire dinner. It consisted of calzones, which we prepare ourselves at home, wrap in foil, and freeze, as well as brats. S’mores after dinner of course!
Peace, love and hike thru life!
Andy and Sarah