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If you’re looking for a late spring or early summer adventure at Itasca State Park, consider an overnight trip at a backcountry campsite.

These campsites can only be accessed by foot and require that you carry all of the gear you need in a backpack, hiking some distance into the wilderness to your campsite. This form of outdoor recreation is known as backpacking.

Itasca State Park has 11 backcountry campsites, each of them a hidden treasure in their own right, but none of them quite so spectacular as backcountry campsites No. 3 and No. 4, located along the shore of beautiful Hernando DeSoto Lake and offering total tranquility deep in the Itasca forest.

The Hernando DeSoto Lake campsites can be reached in multiple ways, allowing you to choose your own adventure.

Contributed/ Heather Funk

One option is to park at the DeSoto Trail trailhead, located on Wilderness Drive, and hike four miles to your campsite, enjoying a long stretch of the old-growth, red and white pine forests Itasca State Park was established, in part, to preserve.

Another option is to hike a section of the famed North Country National Scenic Trail, a rugged, single-track trail that takes you on a moderately hilly journey through the forest and culminates in a winding path along the shorelines of Morrison and Hernando DeSoto Lakes. Park at the NCT trailhead on County Highway113, hike three-quarter miles on connection trails before intersecting with the NCT, then continue another two miles to your campsite for a total hike of approximately 2.75 miles.

The third option is to harness your inner explorer and portage your watercraft 0.5 miles on the DeSoto Lake Trail. This trailhead is also located along County Highway 113 on Itasca’s southern boundary. Paddle across Hernando DeSoto Lake to your campsite on the opposite shore.

Planning your camping trip for late spring to early summer should help you avoid the plague of pesky insects typically encountered later into the warm season, but you still shouldn’t leave your bug repellent at home.

There are important considerations to be made when packing for a backcountry outing.

Weather can vary dramatically in this season, so plan ahead for potentially cold and wet conditions. Conventional backpacking wisdom encourages a three-layer clothing system to prepare you for the changing conditions you may encounter: a breathable, moisture-wicking base layer, an insulating mid-layer and a waterproof outer layer. Also pack at least two pairs of socks, so you always have a warm, dry pair.

Contributed/ Heather Funk

Warmer daytime temperatures can dip dramatically overnight. Make sure your sleeping bag is rated for comfort at the lowest temperature you will encounter. A sleeping pad of some sort is an essential piece of gear, insulating you from the ground and preventing the cold from seeping directly through your sleeping bag.

Keep in mind that Itasca State Park is home to black bears, raccoons and other small creatures, which if given an easy opportunity, may raid your backcountry picnic.

Avoid encouraging these encounters by storing your food and other scented items responsibly inside a bear canister or the bear-proof food lockers provided at your campsite.

In addition to food lockers, all backcountry campsites offer an in-ground fire ring, a cleared area to set up your tent and a primitive latrine (toilet paper not included).

All campsites are located near a natural water source, but the water must be filtered before it is safe to drink. Pack in what you can reasonably carry for drinking and cooking and plan to filter the rest.

Backcountry camping at Itasca State Park requires careful preparation and can be challenging, but it is also a very unique and rewarding experience.