by Dennis Dalman
editor@thenewsleaders.com
Once upon a time, on hot summer days, people would flock to Benton Beach Campgrounds east of Rice to swim in Little Rock Lake or soak up sun on its beach.
Nowadays, some people go there, look around and ask, “Where’s the beach? What happened to the beach?”
Answer: There is no beach. That’s why the campground’s name is now – officially anyway – Benton County Campgrounds. About 10 years ago, the lake became so unswimmable due to algae growth, the beach was closed and a tall natural vegetative buffer was allowed to grow where there once was a beach.
But isn’t the lack of a beach a disappointment?
Apparently not – at least not for the extended Larry and Ronda Bednar family who think the campgrounds’ many pluses more than make up for the lack of a beach – so much so that who needs a beach? The Bednars, who hail from the Pierz and Hillman areas, love to stay at Benton County Campgrounds; they’ve been camping out there every summer for the past five or six years.
On a recent weekend, 16 members of the Bednar clan and a few relatives hunkered down on two campsites on the grounds. They arrived in two campers – a white Nomad owned by Larry and Ronda and a firetruck-red Ice Castle owned by their son, Justin, and his wife, Hayley, who brought their three young children – Mason, Jaydon and Ryland, who just turned 1.
Others who came to camp were the Bednars’ daughter, Alicia, and her husband John Gunther, and their daughter Calli. Another Bednar daughter, Mindy Bednar, came with her young son, Weston.
Ronda’s niece, Stacy Tretter, brought her two children, Kayleen and Kalin; and Lily Stangl of Sauk Rapids, Ronda’s great-niece. Ronda’s nephew, DJ Hoheisel, was also a guest.
One more camper came along – Axel the campground mascot, a black Shih Tzu.
Once at the campgrounds, the Bednar clan found their two camping spots and began to unpack and set up for a happy weekend. They put up an awning at the Nomad; they placed a large living-room-style rug under the awning; they took out a bunch of chairs; and then they relaxed for awhile as the antsy kids dashed off to the nearby playground.
Mornings began with breakfast – cocoa for the kids. Larry fried more than 100 slices of bacon on his gas grill while wife Ronda beat up a big batch of pancakes she fried on her electric griddle. Then daughter Alicia fried a bunch of eggs after which Ronda made toast on the griddle. Then the hungry campers sat down in chairs and at the picnic table to enjoy the heaping helpings of food, along with fresh-brewed coffee and cool drinks – even a few post-breakfast Bloody Marys.
“This is a very clean park,” Ronda said. “That’s just one thing we like about it. The public bathroom is always very clean, and it has showers, too.”
Ronda’s sister from Rice, who stopped to visit the clan, teased them.
“You call this roughing it?” she asked, as she pointed to all the creature comforts: faucet water right by the campers, a big playground a stone’s throw away, horseshoe pits, a softball field, a volleyball court, a basketball court and a fire pit.
“Yes, we do know how to rough it,” Ronda said laughing.
During the weekend, the children delighted in playing in the park: swinging on the big swingset, going down the spiral slide, playing beanbag toss, flinging horseshoes and playing baseball.
Ronda got a kick out of seeing several other children in the park come running with their baseball bats when the games began.
Some of the children romped about in the campgrounds, exploring the natural world. Kayleen and her little friend Lily came back to the campsite, showing off to everyone a green caterpillar she’d found clinging to a leaf.
All of the children’s activities were well within sight of the Bednars’ camp sites.
“It’s easy to keep an eye on them,” Ronda said. “And that’s another reason we’re actually kind of glad there’s no beach here. We never have to worry about the kids getting in the lake.”
Everyone in the extended Bednar family agree about Benton County Campgrounds.
“Oh, yes,” Ronda said. “We like it very much.”
Background
Benton County Campgrounds is a 30-acre park located 2.5 miles east of Rice just off of CR 2 on the north side of Little Rock Lake.
It contains 44 sites for RVs, with places also for tent camping. Aside from the amenities listed above, it also has electrical hook-ups, a dump station, picnic shelters for rent, a Lakeview Center for weddings and other events, an 18-hole disk golf course, lots of trees and plenty of open spaces for recreation. Firewood bundles can be purchased for $7 each, and ice is available at $2 for a five-pound bag.
To stay at the campgrounds costs $20 per night for two adults, kids with parents free. Additional adults who stay at a site are charged $4 per night. Sites can also be rented weekly for $120 or monthly for $400.
Pets are welcome, but they must be on a leash at all times.
Check-in time is right after noon, and check-out time is right before noon.
No reservations are required, and occupancy is first come, first served.
For more information, call 320-393-3420 or visit www.co.benton.mn.us/Parks/Benton_Beach.php.
Children enjoy the slide at Benton County Campgrounds. Starting from top are Kayleen Tretter, Lily Stangl, Mason Bednar and Kalen Tretter (Kayleen’s little brother).
Plenty of tall trees and shade make Benton County Campgrounds welcoming, even on the hottest days. In the background is one of the Bednars’ two camping sites, complete with Vikings awning. The tent is also theirs.
Stacy Tretter, who lives in Hillman, prepares to toss a horseshoe at Benton County Campgrounds. In the background is her son, Kalen.
Ryland Bednar, who just turned 1 year old, clutches his snack (a squashed pancake) in his left hand while “driving” a kiddie car his mother bought at a garage sale in Rice during their camping trip nearby in Benton County Campgrounds.
Children start their day with a hearty breakfast. From left to right are Jayden Bednar, Lily Stangl, Calli Gunther (leaning forward), Kayleen Tretter and Mason Bednar.
Justin Bednar holds his son, Ryland, who was recovering from surgery to remove his adenoids as he turned 1 year old during his stay at Benton County Campgrounds.
Kayleen Tretter shows off the green caterpillar she found clinging to a leaf in Benton County Campgrounds.
At Benton County Campgrounds, Ronda Bednar pours out onto her electric griddle pools of batter for breakfast pancakes.
Larry Bednar, the patriarch of the Bednar clan, turns bacon to crisp it up nicely on his trusty gas grill he always brings to campsites. His wife, Ronda, can be seen in the background, making pancakes.
