Warren Holiday Campgrounds in Minnesota
Camp Minnesota: I’m talking with Shannon Mortenson today. She is the City Administrator in Warren, Minnesota. We’re going to talk about Warren Holiday Campground. How’s it going today, Shannon?
Shannon Mortenson: Oh, it’s going very good.
Camp Minnesota: So, how long has the campground been there and how did you guys get started?
Shannon Mortenson: Oh, I do not know how long it has been here. I’ve been Administrator here for four years.
Camp Minnesota: Okay.
Shannon Mortenson: So, I don’t know much of history of it. I know that there are some campers that have been here for over 20 years, so it has been in existence for a while.
Camp Minnesota: So pretty established in the area and in the community there.
Shannon Mortenson: Yes. Yes, it is.
Camp Minnesota: Okay, and what types of camping do you offer there?
Shannon Mortenson: There are full hook-ups – water, sewer, and electricity – or there’s primitive camping. All. I guess all levels of camping. We don’t have any of those drive-through lots for the larger Winnebago-style of campers.
Camp Minnesota: Okay.
Shannon Mortenson: And there is a shower house with showers and bathrooms. There’s a pool – a community pool – very close to the campground.
Camp Minnesota: Oh, nice.
Shannon Mortenson: Tennis courts. Playground. Frisbee. Golf. The golf course isn’t very far from there.
Camp Minnesota: Okay. Is the pool within walking distance?
Shannon Mortenson: Yes, it is. Yeah.
Camp Minnesota: Awesome. Do you get a lot of tent campers there?
Shannon Mortenson: No, not as many as the contained units.
Camp Minnesota: Okay, so mostly RV camping.
Shannon Mortenson: Yes. Yeah.
Camp Minnesota: Okay. And what are the most popular activities in the area there? What’s the main reason that people tend to stay there?
Shannon Mortenson: Because of the golf and the swimming pool. We have one of the nicest and largest swimming pools in the area.
Camp Minnesota: Okay.
Shannon Mortenson: And we are a half hour from Grand Forks.
Camp Minnesota: Oh, okay, sure.
Shannon Mortenson: So, people will camp here and then go to Grand Forks, and go shopping for the day.
Camp Minnesota: Oh, okay. Now, if I was going to be staying at Warren Campground for the weekend and I wanted to head out and check out some attraction in the area, where would you send me, Shannon?
Shannon Mortenson: Oh, within a 15-mile radius, we do have some of the best bird watching in the State.
Camp Minnesota: Cool.
hannon Mortenson: We have the Agassiz Audubon Society, and then there’s impoundment that attracts a lot of wildlife and birds. So, there’s very good bird watching in the area. There’s Old Mill State Park, which is about 20 minutes away, and that just has a lot. You know, some hiking trails and lots of different things to do there. Little swimming hole.
Camp Minnesota: Okay.
Shannon Mortenson: You know, there’s golfing.
Camp Minnesota: Cool.
Shannon Mortenson: There are different golf courses. Biking.
Camp Minnesota: Yeah. And what your favorite way to spend time on the weekend? Since you’re from there, where do the locals go? What do they do?
Shannon Mortenson: Oh, well, golfing. We have a very nice golf course here.
Camp Minnesota: All right.
Shannon Mortenson: You know, our pool, like I said, is very popular. Frisbee golf courses. Just new. It was installed last summer, but that has been growing in popularity.
Camp Minnesota: Yeah. Have you done it?
Shannon Mortenson: I have not.
Camp Minnesota: You’ve got to get over there. It’s a blast.
Shannon Mortenson: I know. That’s what people are telling me. And we’re kind of planning next year to do a staff day and play Frisbee golf.
Camp Minnesota: Oh, it’s really fun. You know, especially if not everybody has went before. You know, everyone’s thrown a disc before, so it’s something that you can get a little bit of friendly competition, but you know, no one is going to just blow away the rest of the pack. You’ll all be kind of figuring it out and you get a little bit of walking; and yeah, it’s a lot fun.
Shannon Mortenson: Yeah. So, like I said, that’s new and just kind of growing in popularity.
Camp Minnesota: All right, cool.
Shannon Mortenson: Yeah, there are lots to do. We have three different Parks in our community. We have Island Park, which is a natural play space park.
Camp Minnesota: Okay.
Shannon Mortenson: Which families could bike to from Holiday. And then it has brand new equipment too. It’s kind of in a little area by itself. There isn’t any streets and stuff behind it or around it, so it’s very good for toddlers and younger kids to go.
Camp Minnesota: Okay, cool. So, it sounds like there’s a little bit of something for everybody there. You can drive about 20 minutes to a half hour, you said, and do some great shopping in Grand Forks. The golfers are going to be happy. You can do some hiking. It sounds like a fun area.
Shannon Mortenson: Yeah, it really is. We have the Snake River. Some people canoe down it.
Camp Minnesota: Oh, cool.
Shannon Mortenson: That kind of depends on the height of the river.
Camp Minnesota: Sure. Now, is there anywhere around there that rents canoes and does drop-offs and pick-ups?
Shannon Mortenson: You know, we don’t have anything in the community yet. We are considering that.
Camp Minnesota: Okay, cool. Well, awesome. Thank you so much, Shannon, for talking to us today about Warren Holiday Campground in Warren, Minnesota.
Shannon Mortenson: Well, thank you for giving me a call.
Camp Minnesota: All right, thanks again.
Shannon Mortenson: I appreciate it. Have a good day.
Camp Minnesota: You too.
Shannon Mortenson: Thank you.
