Tag: state parks

• Whitewater State Park

  

  Southern Minnesota has beautiful river bluffs. A wonderful place to experience them is at Whitewater State Park near Elba, Minnesota. If Elba is not familiar to you, perhaps you have heard of Rochester or Winona? This park is close to the midpoint between those two Minnesota cities. The Whitewater River carved a landscape that offers a variety of trail types. It also created a valley that no cell service has been able to penetrate yet.

  Tammy Nara

  January 1, 2023

  Hiking, SE Minnesota Hikes, South Minnesota Hikes

  emotional benefits of hiking, minnesota parks, nature, river bluffs, south minnesota, state parks, trails

• Interstate Park, Wisconsin

  

  There are two State Parks with the same name across the river from each other. One is in Minnesota and the other is in Wisconsin. I have walked the trail along the river on the Minnesota side in the past. I looked across to the other bank and saw people over there and wondered what it was like to be where they were.

  Tammy Nara

  May 14, 2022

  East Central Minnesota Hikes, Hiking, north metro hikes, Twin Cities HIkes, Wisconsin Hikes

  enjoy outdoors, loop trail, Minnesota and Wisconsin, mist on river, snow geese, st. croix river, state parks, swans, walking in wisconsin, winter hiking, Wisconsin's oldest state park

• St. Croix State Park

  

  This park is HUGE compared to other Minnesota state parks. At 33,895 acres (13,717 ha) it is the largest Minnesota state park. I was driving there on a Friday afternoon. I knew it would be a challenge to get there before dark.

  Tammy Nara

  November 17, 2021

  Central Minnesota Hikes, East Central Minnesota Hikes, Hiking

  large park with trails, Minnesota hiking, River walk, state parks, trails

• Lake Maria State Park

  

  If you like to hike unpaved loop trails without having to share the trail with bikes, this Minnesota State Park might be for you. You also will not see RVs or car campers. This park has only hike-in campsites and a few hike-in cabins. My husband and I almost camped here once years ago but the mosquitoes convinced us to go elsewhere. This past Sunday was my first time back since that buggy day and I am happy to report that bugs were not an issue at all. Disclaimer: It is mid-September and it has been unusually dry. That explains the change in mosquito population.

  Tammy Nara

  September 15, 2021

  Central Minnesota Hikes, Hiking, north metro hikes, Twin Cities HIkes

  backpacking, Hiking, lake, loop trail, Minnesota hiking, minnesota parks, pond, state parks, trails, wetland, woods

• Crow Wing State Park

  

  This park is between Little Falls and Brainerd, Minnesota on Highway 371. Starting the hike, I had the choice of following the river upstream or downstream, or entering the forest. I chose the forest

  Tammy Nara

  May 12, 2021

  Central Minnesota Hikes, Hiking, Northern Minnesota

  autumn trees, Brainerd area, Central Minnesota, crow wing river, Forest, highway 371, hiking safety, ice after flood, ice booms, ice on trees, Little Falls, Minnesota hiking, Mississippi river, nature walk, Ojibwe and state parks, Ojibwe place names, riverwalk, seasons, state parks