Fields by the River

My first time ever as a Hipcamp user and I couldn’t be more happy with the sight.
They had the area all mowed and ready for us and after a quick tour of the place, we decided and asked if we can camp right by the river. Kathryn, Kim and the “boys” were happy to accommodate our request. Definitely will use this camp site again and recommended for all.

Activities: We golfed at Purple Hawk and fished by the river during our stay.

I had a great experience camping here! This is a farmer’s meadow alongside the Rum river. It’s framed by a long row of trees on two sides and it felt very private. There was ample mowed space for camping, a fire ring, and picnic table. I opted for firewood and got a ton! Had enough wood for a fire at night and in the morning.

There is mowed access to the river. The riverbank is mud, not sand/rocks, but it’s nice to walk down to. You could do some shore fishing here.

From a wildlife standpoint, I saw deer in the evening and in the morning along the tree line. Woke to the sounds of sand hill cranes. I didn’t have any issues with animals overnight in camp but I keep a clean (bear aware) camp. I saw signs of raccoons by the river so keep that in mind around camp.

I stayed out of the tall grass and I use permethrin. As such I didn’t see a single tick. For late June the bugs and mosquitoes weren’t bad at all!

The meadow runs East-West and I think on a clear night would allow for great stargazing!

You are on your own for going to the bathroom, but if you’re a tent camper tired of the busy and noisy state parks, this is a small price to pay for having this field all to yourself! Be sure to leave no trace!

The site is within earshot of cars in the distance and farming, but it wasn’t an issue. Not bad at all and one would be hard pressed to find a campsite anywhere in central MN that was completely silent. I did hear roosters crowing in the distance when I woke up which was also nice.

Consider leaving your Eno hammock at home for this site. This is camping in a field and there weren’t any accessible trees for hanging a hammock. Same for down by the river.

If I were to change anything I’d suggest blazing a second trail to the river (if the property allows). I really wanted to explore more of the river and I think it’s a real asset to this site. Especially if there might be some good hammock trees upstream!

Lastly, the hosts were great! They met me in their side-by-side and I followed them down past the farm and through the fields to the site. They were really helpful - thank you!

Kathryn and Mike were incredible hosts. They responded right away with my silly requests and even delivered eggs to the campsite from their chickens just up the hill.

The rustic views are breathtaking! The sites are staggered with mixed deciduous woods and grassy meadows all set along the Rum River.

All this beauty naturally brings wildlife. Within just a few hours I’d already seen and heard ducks, sand hill cranes, geese, an owl, bald eagle and two deer.

We completely enjoyed our time at “Fields by the River,” and would recommend a stay with them to anyone.