The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources has created three handicap access fishing sites on lower Camp Creek, just upstream of its confluence with the South Branch of the Root River at the eastern city limits of Preston, Minnesota. Camp Creek originates in springs just west of Harmony, Minnesota, and flows approximately 12 miles north to its confluence with the South Branch of the Root River. Camp Creek harbors an excellent population of wild brown trout and planted rainbow trout.
The Harmony-Preston branch of the Root River Valley Trail closely follows Camp Creek for the lower 2.7 miles, from the Fillmore St. bridge at Pooler Park in Preston, upstream to the county road bridge where Hunter Road crosses the creek. This stretch of Camp Creek is accessible to fishers travelling the stream and banks on a perpetual easement. Fishers should be aware that only a few reaches of Camp Creek upstream of Hunter Road are covered by fishing easements. These are marked streamside by small markers near the stream banks. Consult the Minnesota DNR trout stream map for further information about fishing Camp Creek.
Wheelchair access to the stream is facilitated by three paved trail extensions in the lower 1200 yards of Camp Creek. The map below shows the location of Pooler Park where vehicle parking is available, and the sites of handicap access points, numbered 1 through 3 on the map (in red). Site one is paved to a point about 6 feet above the river’s surface terminating on the east bank. The pool below the access point is fairly deep (about 5 feet) on the near shore. Site 2 also has a deep pool (about 3 feet) adjacent to, and about 3 feet below the paved surface and the site is well shaded throughout the day. Site 3 has a shallow riffle immediately upstream and alongside the access point, and a shallow pool just below the pavement edge on the northeast bank.