Camping Chronicles II: Sakatah Lake State Park

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My second camping adventure of the summer was to Sakatah Lake State Park, which is between Faribault and Mankato, and I went with my friend Kellie and her family. Living on the prairie, I sometimes forget how much I miss trees. I mean, there are trees down in Worthington, but they are trees that were deliberately planted or that sprang up along rivers/at the edges of lakes. I miss woods, forests, going out an being surrounded by trees. Sakatah Lake is perfect for being surrounded by trees. Our campsite was completely shaded, as were all the trails I went on.

Sakatah Lake also offers a great opportunity for biking. The Sakatah Singing Hills State Trail runs right through the park and - as long as parts are not closed for resurfacing - you can ride straight from Faribault to Mankato on the trail.

What I was most excited for - besides trees - was kayaking and canoeing. You can rent kayaks, canoes, and paddle boats from the park office, which I took full advantage of on my first night there. Sakatah Lake seemed to be a very quiet lake, traffic-wise. I think in the three hours I was out, I saw about five other boats. It probably helps that there is not a swimming beach on the lake (there is a public beach in Waterville, about 3 miles from the State Park). There are, however, a ton of birds. Pelicans, herons, egrets, and pretty much any other water fowl you can name live on the lake. Since the water was high, I couldn't tell if the birds inhabited one or two islands, but there was a constant cacophony of bird caws and calls rising from the island(s). I enjoyed watching the birds come and go and fish for their dinner. This is definitely a much for bird watchers.

Though there is no swimming in the park, there is a great little fishing pier. I found that this was a perfect place to watch the sunset, and I spent a couple of hours sitting by the water and reading while the sun went down. If it's clear evening, I would recommend going down to the pier for sunset. The fish are jumping for dinner, the birds are returning to the island, and the dragonflies and damselflies are fun to watch.

This is a beautiful park, and if you are in the area and have the opportunity, stop by!

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