Tag: trails
-
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.
-
Carver Park Reserve
I first wrote about this park in September of 2020. Over the past couple years I have returned multiple times to explore it further. It is a gem of Southern Minnesota between the towns of Victoria, Waconia, and St. Bonifacius. Driving 45 minutes southwest from my studio in Minneapolis will get me there (if traffic is running smoothly).
-
Superior Hiking Trail: Jackson Lake Road to Judge Magney State Park
The Jackson Lake Road Trailhead is miles off Highway 61 near the town of Hovland, Minnesota. We kept thinking, “Did we miss it?” Finally we found it, just a small pullout, no bathrooms or pit toilets. It was big enough for three vehicles. The first thing we noticed when we got out of the car was the mosquitoes! We were thankful for our bug hats. There were also lots of berry bushes, but it was too early for berries. We were there in mid-July, 2022.
-
Sand Dunes State Forest
First of all, if you are looking for information about Sand Dunes National Park, this is not it. Sand Dunes State Forest is in Minnesota. You will not find huge flowing waves of sand here, but you will find miles of good hiking that is not too crowded. If you have horses, this is also great for trail rides.
-
Hikes: North Metro
Looking for a trail to explore near Minneapolis or St. Paul? I have found some great ones in the Northern Suburbs. Minnesota, USA is a great place for getting outside. This page is a work in progress. There are more posts here at paintandhike.com that fit in this category, and more
-
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.
-
Moose Lake State Park
your legs. It is just off the freeway and has just over 5 miles (8 km) of really nice trails arranged in loops that let you choose your distance. The ranger station has a geological history center.
-
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.
-
Nerstrand Big Woods State Park
Solo camping trips. If you have never done one I highly recommend it. Unplugging from everyone and everything for a defined amount of time can be so healing. If you have lots of “stuff” in your emotional backpack it can get intense. I’ve unpacked and re-packed all that many times. This trip was just me enjoying re-connecting with the woods.
-
Oakdale Nature Preserve
This is 200 acres of forest, lake, and marsh that has many paths, both paved and earth-surfaced. A beautiful “Discovery Center” has modern restrooms, an art gallery, outdoor classroom spaces, covered picnic area, free parking, and a historical restoration of a 19th century schoolhouse. Other Oakdale parks are nearby. I am sure it would be possible to create a longer suburban hiking route that would have minimal road-walking. On Friday I enjoyed just wandering the loop trails, talking with my friend, and soaking up the spring sunshine. One of our discussion topics was racial justice.
-
Langton Lake Park, Roseville, Minnesota
This is a small park with a paved trail that loops around a small lake. The loop is only .6 miles (1 km). There is a spur trail that is about .5 miles. The last time I was here, I had a few hours to wait for my car to have work done. I made 3 loops around the lake and went out the end of the spur trail and back.
-
Fort Snelling State Park
After I dropped off my mother at the Minneapolis airport, I decided to find the closest place to go for a long walk. I did not know that this park was closed for most of the summer. Flooding was the issue. It is located at the place where the Mississippi River and the Minnesota River […]
Paint and Hike 