Tuesday June 17th, 2008

Following Schoolcraft it was quite a long drive from there to Big Bog. This recreation area is located on MN 72 by Upper Red Lake. I was interested in actually seeing Red Lake since it's hardly visible when one drives beside it on MN 1. I stopped first at the park office which is on the east side of the road and got a map and the all important passport stamp. The campground is over here and was almost full...surprising for a weekday. On the south side of the campground are a few cabins for rent as well as a couple tent sites. Most of the sites in the northern end had campers (since they are mainly electric). From the campground you turn south on MN 72 and then immediately west on the road to the beach and picnic area. Here is a very short trail that has interpretive signs and an observation deck. There were a lot of boats out. Red Lake isn't very attractive, so it's not exactly a photographer hotspot.

After getting back into the car I drove the 9 miles to the northern unit of the park. This has the mile long bogwalk. The trail goes halfway around Ludlow Pond which is an old gravel pit and then the bogwalk begins. The walkway has a mesh appearance in order to allow sunlight to reach the plants underneath it. So the mile long walk isn't terribly exciting unless you're into bogs. I'd say the bogwalk at Lake Bemidji is probably the perfect length. I did learn some things though as I walked along reading the signs. Don't think I'd rush back to Big Bog anytime soon, but it looks to be quite the place to go fishing!

Upper Red Lake	Ludlow Pond at the northern unit
These flowers were all along the bogwalk	I think this might be where they tried to put a road through a long time ago according to the sign.