It will be a cold Memorial Day weekend but that won’t keep hardy Minnesotans from heading out to local campgrounds.

Thursday, May 24, 2001

It will be a cold Memorial Day weekend but that won’t keep hardy Minnesotans from heading out to local campgrounds.

Brookside Campground in Blooming Prairie, Beaver Creek Trails near Dexter and KOA campgrounds in Hayward are booked up for the first holiday weekend of the season. Camping for many is an RV, but there are die-hard campers who still pitch their tent and cook their food on an open fire.

Bill and Carol Sheely, owners of Beaver Creek Campgrounds, have eight couples work for them to keep their grounds running smoothly. They offer a medley of activities at Beaver Creek.

"We have a huge game room, a big TV, pingpong table and a dance area," Carol Sheely said. "No matter what the weather is this weekend, we have lots of activities for everyone."

If the rain quits this weekend, campers at Beaver Creek can enjoy miniature golf, fishing, a petting zoo and swimming.

The KOA Campgrounds in Hayward had a few tent sites available as of Wednesday afternoon.

"We’ve been open for a month," owner Mike Calow said. "We have a nine-hole golf course, a swimming pool, wading pool and a nine-acre nature trail in back of the property. This is full of geese muskrats and over 35 different varieties of birds. This is an oasis on the farm. People are going to camp whatever the weather is when the season opens. They just want to get out and be with nature."

Brookside Campground has no space available for any new campers this holiday weekend. Owners Steve and Becky Braaten offer wagon rides, horseshoes and have a heated pool.

"We are full for this weekend," Becky Braaten said. "We will be having a dance Sunday night with a DJ. We only have dances on holiday weekends."

Call Sheila Donnelly at 434-2214 or e-mail her at newsroom@austindailyherald.com.