Lac Qui Parle State Park

This park was confusing to get to at first, but there was some really cool "stuff" at the park and I think it would make a great weekend trip for families. There are different sections of the park and an adjacent wildlife management area. There are also 2 campgrounds, one that is established and another where it appears there is an attempt to restore the oak savanna landscape.

The park is around a lake formed by a dam on the Minnesota River. Within the park the Lac Qui Parle River intersect the Minnesota River.

There is not a whole lot of hiking at this park, and most of it is concentrated in the Lower Unit. Because there is substantial amounts of restoration going on in the park, a system is being created where by our grand children will be able to hike at Lac Qui Parle State Park through Oak Savannah. For now there are some trails through the forest.

We also noticed a number of people fishing from a bridge over the Minnesota River in the park. I there for must assume, given the numbers, that there is some good fishing there.

As we were walking through the forest we saw a number of deer, rabbits, and other things to excite a dog.

Upper Sioux Agency State Park

And so begins my posts related to the parks visited over the 4th of July long weekend, 2007. The trip we planned basically took us to a number of parks in West Central Minnesota, and then on to Itasca State Park. As is often the case when I visit a number of parks, there is never enough time at each park, some park presently surprise, while some don't offer the type of outdoor activities or amenities that interest me. Since I figured that we would be driving well over 1000 miles I decided to rent an economy car. That worked out great, and I saved a ton of money, but as it turns out the car had no cruise control, which can get a little draining.

The first park visited was Upper Sioux Agency. This was a park I found to be very nice, but perhaps in need of some additional funding. There is a wealth of history surrounding this park, and the rangers can guide you towards some outstanding resources.

The hiking club trail in the park forms a loop through a variety of terrain in the park. The trail begins near the picnic area and follows a ridge line to the Yellow Medicine River. Interestingly, no one knows what exactly the Yellow Medicine plant is. From there the trail goes along the river and through the prairie. The trail then passes through a forest on it's way to the Minnesota River. Finally the trail climbs up hill and returns to the picnic area.

In total there are 19 miles of hiking train in the park, and while we only did the hiking club trail, the ranger suggested some other nice walks. Towards the West end of the park there are a number of steep trails that offer some nice views of the park. In addition, there is also a trail that follows along the Yellow Medicine and Minnesota Rivers.

As I mentioned the park is both a State Park and a Historical Park, there is some historical information available at the park office. In addition, the park ranger also recommends the following books: Through Dakota Eyes, Narrative Account of the Minnesota Indian War of 1862 by Gary Clayton Anderson and Alan R. Woolworth as well as The Dakota War of 1862, Minnesota's other Civil War by Kenneth Carley.

One last comment is that even on the 4th of July this was a pretty quite park. So If you are looking for a quiet park with a fair number of amenities, this might be the park for you.

Great River Bluffs State Park

Great River Bluffs is one of my absolutely favorite parks in Minnesota. In my opinion it is vastly under rated and under visited. After college I had gone a few years with out spending much time at parks. One weekend, I just up and went to GRB, after that I was hooked, and determined that I needed to do some exploring. The picture on the Left is Queens Bluff as seen from Kings Bluff with the mighty Mississippi in the background.

One of may favorite things about GRB is that it usually is not buggy, which is ironic, because on this particular visit, it was really bad. I don't think that is common though.

If you have no been to the bluff country before, I can only say that it is breathtaking. GRB gives you a great place to see and explore the bluffs. The park map shows 10 view points, and I recommend that if you go, you take the time to see all ten. If you do so you will have hiked about 8 miles. If you just do 1 trail, do the Kings Bluff Trail. There is also a campground that is fairly private and not crowded, some cool wildflowers and migratory birds. This is a great place to see eagles.

The park offers both goat prairie and hardwood forest. The park makes for some good Timber Rattler habitat, and they are in the park. Don't worry, they are timid and will usually flee, long before you know they are there. If you are real lucky, you might see one sunning itself on a hot summer day.

On the right is another view of the Mississippi River, taken from one of the observation points. As you might expect from the bluffs and hardwoods, this is a great park for fall colors. In the winter this is also a good cross country skiing park. Given the parks proximity to Rochester, Winona, and La Crosse, I am a little surprised that the park is not more visited. But for now it is a well kept secret that you can take advantage of.

Banning State Park

Banning State Park is too often thought of as a way-side rest area between Duluth and Minneapolis. This is too bad, because the park is a destination in and of itself. Ironically, we happened to stop at the park on or way from Duluth to Minneapolis.

So that note aside lets discuss the park. Banning is located near Sandstone, Minnesota. As far as I know the only other thing in Sandstone is a Federal Prison. The entrance to the park is right off Interstate 35, ans as such is sometimes used as a place to rest.

The park features the Kettle River, Hiking, Canoing, Kayaking, an old quarry, a bat cave, Wolf Creek Falls (pictured above) and some great camping. Both times I have been at this park, I also discovered it has mosquitoes...

In all there are about 14 miles of hiking trails in the park. My favorite hike is to take the the Wolf Creek, High Bluff, Quarry Loop, and Skunk Cabbage Trails to form a loop. Also be aware that this is also Black Bear territory so don't fall asleep in a pile of leftover food. Clean up, because if you don't a bear kills you because you were a slob, that would be a tragedy (not you but when they had to kill the bear)...

The basic campsites are OK, but they tend to be buggy and don't offer much privacy. But this park has some spectacular sites as well, but there is a catch. You will need a boat to get there. There are 3 Canoe campsites that can be accessed from the Kettle River. The river also offers some excitement via some swift rapids.

I wasn't aware that Banning offered great wildflowers, but as the picture to left shows, the park was putting on a pretty nice display the weekend I was there. These flowers just went on forever. Though I didn't see anything, I would suspect that the parks proximity to the Kettle River would also be conducive to predatory birds such as Bald Eagles. I also have yet to make the bat cave, but I guess that is something for the next trip.

Jay Cooke State Park - Hiking (2 of 4)

Jay Cooke has over 50 miles of hiking! I can't think of a better way to see the park than getting out for a walk. I will offer a number of suggestions for hike to take, but I have yet to find on that I didn't enjoy.

The Carlton trail along with the Thomson trail generally pass along either side of the river gorge from the rangers station to the dam. Both of these trails are interesting and offer frequent access to the river. A loop can be made with these trails and will be about 5 miles long.

The Silver Creek trail is part of the hiking club trail and is a must see. It's been awhile since I did this trail, so I can only say that it was fun.

The Ogantz trail offers access to some fun falls and has some outstanding views. As a bonus nearby areas are handicap accessible. On my second day in the park I strung together about a 5 mile loop using the Grand Portage and Oak trails. These trails pass through a variety of forests and by some interesting geologic formations. The Grand Portage trail was used by fur traders some 300 years ago. The trail also passes along the St. Louis River and has some great views of the bluffs across the river. I also noticed evidence of Bear and Wolves in the area. I was told by a Ranger that there are 2 packs of wolves that claim territory in Jay Cooke State Park.

I also spoke with a couple that lived in the vicinity of the park and highly recommended the Spruce and High trails. Given the location and length of these trails, these trails would be perfect for use in conjunction with a couple of the backcountry camping sites.

If all this is not enough, the souther terminus of the Superior Hiking Trails also starts out in the park. Access is from the Grand Portage trail. I did not do this section, but am a huge fan of the trail. One thing of note is that the Superior Hiking Trail is very well blazed, which is good because it is not currently on the park map.

Weekend Hiking at Banning and Jay Cooke

This weekend I got so spend some time hiking at Jay Cooke and Banning State parks. In the coming days, expect to see an overview of Banning State Park, and a four part series exploring Jay Cooke State Park in detail. Because Jay Cooke is one of the top parks in Minnesota, I spend some time talking with visitors and rangers to help formulate a detailed report on what the park has to offer. I will write about a park overview, hiking in the park, recreational activities in the park, and finally about the geologic and more recent history of the park. Jay Cooke is what I consider a destination park, in that the park has so much to offer, one could spend an extended period there.

Check back for updates

Carley State Park

Carley State Park has been affectionately referred to as Whitewater State Park's overflow. And about 50 weeks a year I completely agree. The park is often neglected as Minnesota continues to not allow conservation funding to keep pace with inflation. I don't think I have ever seen a ranger when I have visited the park. Some of the trails are sorely in need of maintenance. Pictured on the right is the Whitewater river which passes through the park on its way to Whitewater State Park.

But for a couple of weeks every spring Carley is a superstar. Carley has some of the very best wildflower displays in the state of Minnesota. On this visit we were too early. Based on the appearance of the forest floor there will be an incredible wildflower display around the first week of May. The picture on the left is an image of one part of the forest floor. Everything you see is a growing wildflower. When they bloom it is spectacular. In particular Carley is famous for Blue Bells.

This is one park that I can say beyond a shadow of a doubt, that I have hiked every mile of trail. Really, this park has only about 6 miles of trail and the trails are not particularly difficult. As for recommendations, I would recommend doing the hiking club trail in the spring when the wildflowers peak. Also take a little time and just relax down by the river. There is camping at this park and the campsite is usually not crowded and is quite.

I did notice that some trails are currently closed and it appears the the park boundaries have recently changed. The park was originally formed after the state received the land as a gift. On of the key reasons the land is significant is the presence of native White Pines. While White Pines are native, they are now rare in Southeastern Minnesota. The DNR recently announced long term plans to include Carley in a 50 mile bike loop.

I number of birds can also be seen at Carley. The link below will bring you to a through checklist. I don't claim to be a birder, so I'll let you look at the list and make your own judgments.

http://files.dnr.state.mn.us/outdoor_activities/state_parks/carley/bird_checklist.pdf

The town on Plainview is near by and is also a neat town to visit. The town is thriving due to a surge in corn prices, strong local businesses, and it's proximity to the high paying jobs of Rochester. Lodging and Food is available in Plainview or Elgin.

As was the case at Forestville and Whitewater, spring flooding did some minor damage in the park. The picture to the right shows a concrete segment that has been moved by high water.

I can't emphasis this enough. Get too Carley at the beginning of May to see the awesome display.

Nerstrand Big Woods State Park

Well today was a wonderful day to visit a state park. And as a bonus I actually remembered a camera for once, so I will be able to provide a couple of images. We started our day with a picnic at the shelter which was needed to to some afternoon showers and a vicious wind.

Nerstrand Big Woods state park protects a portion of the once 5000 acre big woods section of Minnesota near the town of Nerstrand. The park is host to large hardwood trees including oak and maple. As a result this can be a nice fall color park to visit. Also 50 types of wild flowers, additional ferns and mushrooms can be found. The Prairie Creek passes through the park and is picture on the left at hidden falls.

The park features a nice visitors center, a fairly quiet campground, and 11 miles of hiking trails. in the winter this becomes 1 mile of snowshoeing, 6 miles of cross country and 4 miles of snowmobile trails. The areas around hidden falls tend to get many visitors because of the ease of access, however as with most parks as you venture further from parking, the trails get more secluded.

This is one park that I can honestly say that I think I hiked every mile of and as such have some recommendations. If I were designing an ideal day hike I would choose to take on either the North half or the South half of the park. The park is divided by highway 29. On this particular day we hiked a large loop through the North half of the park consisting of most of the Hidden Falls, Fawn, Hope, and Beaver Trails. These trails are very well maintained and offered easy passage over rolling hills through varied hardwood terrain. The wild flowers were just starting to come out and peak wild flower viewing will be in the next couple of weeks. The picture below of my wife and dog was taken on a portion of the Hope Trail.

We did some additional hiking into the Southern half of the park by taking the White Oak Trail to the Maple Trail and then to the Basswood Trail back to the Hidden Falls area. Some warnings here: The trails on the south end of the park are nowhere near as well maintained as the the Northern trails. The Maple trail was unbelievably muddy and you just sank into it. Even my dog looked a little disgusted. Also one of my irritations is when signs are posted in the wrong location. At the intersection of the Maple and Blue Beech Trails there was a sign indicating a junction with the Fox Trail. this was absolutely wrong. The Fox Trail was half a mile to the East. Fortunately I knew by my map that this was a mistake.

Loops of varying length can be made in the Southern half of the park by linking together portions of the Maple, Blue Beech, Basswood, Ironwood, and Fox Trails. All of these trails pass through wonderful hardwood forest and you can go wrong with any of them. However if there has been some recent precipitation, I would recommend staying to the North as those trails hold up better.

Summer Haircut

Not for me, but for my dog.

Summer officially arrives only after we give our dog, Jaida, her summer haircut. Here is a before shot of our beloved mutt. We got Jaida in 2003 from Paws and Claws Humane Society. She was one of five lab crosses that were dumped in a box on the side of a busy highway. As much as I enjoy hiking, I can't compete with Jaida. There is nothing she like more than hiking, chasing rodents (she particularly hates Gophers), trying to steal camp food, and sleeping with us in a tent.

But we need to remember that some dogs such as Jaida have heavy coats, can't sweat, and would rather die than disappoint their owner. As such we have a responsibility to make sure that they are safe. One of the biggest concerns a good owner will have is that their dogs can overheat. Remember if you walk 5 miles your dog may walk 10. If you are thirsty, so is your dog, if you are hot, you dog is hotter. If your dog lays down unexpectedly, that means take a break. If you pass water let you dog swim. Make sure the experience is good for both of you.

Also keep in mind that some breeds are not accustomed to our warm summers and if necessary, get them trimmed down. Chances are they won't look nearly as goofy as our dog. Be good to your dog and the puppy kisses will keep coming. Have fun hiking with your best friend this summer.

Forestville State Park

On our way back from Missouri, where we cheered on our beloved University of North Dakota Fighting Sioux and the 2007 Hobey Baker award winner (college hockey's best player) Ryan Duncan we decide to stop for a stroll at Forestville State Park. The park is located near Wycoff and is a very popular park for horse owners.

I am not a horse owner and as such I find a certain disadvantage to visiting an area frequented by horses. Namely, if I clean up after my dog, why can't horse owners clean up after there animals. Because of this annoyance of mine I seldom visit Forestville State park. BUT fortunately there is an off season where horses are not permitted on the trails and this was it.

As a point of order, I would like to point out how to properly pass a horse on the trail, because while you may not like it, it can be scary for the horse and dangerous for the rider. When passing a horse on foot stop moving forward, step off the trail on the downhill side of the trail and talk in a calm voice to the passing rider so as to not startle the horse. After the horse has passes, you may resume your hiking.

Forestville is somewhat unique in that it is both a state park and the village of Forestville is preserved as a state historical site. History buffs take note. This may be a place to visit this summer. In addition it seems that Forestville has traditionally put on a large number of demonstrations, so you just might learn something too (if your into that sort of thing).

Another claim to fame for the park is that it offers outstanding trout fishing and in just a week or two was to be visited by a large number of fisherman for the trout opener. The root river passes through the park and is designated as a trout stream.

Mystery cave is also a part of the park and is located nearby. Tours are available and offer a neat experience. Caves are cool unless you are claustrophobic, there they are not so cool. If you have never done it, try it, it's a neat experience.

We only attempted to camp at the park once and did so without reservations in the summer. As luck would have it the campground was full so we couldn't stay in the park. However there is a private campground just outside the park and we stayed there. I don't think this campground ever fills up, which make this a great last minute weekend park.

As is usually the case we visited the park to do some camping, and we found some interesting trails. We started out the day doing a loop consisting of the the Rock Slumps, Fern Loop, and Ravine Trails. Note that these go by the horse camp so in the summer be prepared. Later we did another loop over the Sandbank and Oakridge trails. There is a nice viewpoint off the Sandbank Trail.

Another trail we here is interesting is to take the Sugar Camp Hollow Trail out to the old Zumbro Hill Cemetery or take the Big Spring Trail out and back a total of 4 miles to, surprise, a big spring.

One last story I will share. SE Minnesota and NE Iowa are home to many Mennonites. Many years ago we visited the park and had a picnic. We shared the shelter with a large group on Mennonites. While we were barbecuing some brats they were preparing the type of gourmet foods that would make you drool. I almost felt embarrassed with what we were meeting. Good thing they are about the nicest people you will ever meet. If you run into a Mennonite take the time to talk with them, you won't regret it. and I'm not just saying that to be nice, since after all, they aren't going to read it here...

Whitewater Wildlife Management Area

Whitewater State Park is a small part of the much larger White Water Wildlife Management area. This area contains space for many different recreational opportunities. One of the popular draws of this area are the large number of trails that permit mountain biking. Many of these trails are actually unmaintained roads and as such offer a solid base for exploration.

The history of the WMA is that up to and during the depression much of this land which is extensively in the Whitewater basin was farmed in an irresponsible manner. During the depression, the struggles of farmers along with the sensitivity of this land led the DNR to buy back the property and form the WMA.

Throughout our time in the WMA we were struck by the vastness of the land and they amount of area that could be explored on trail and off. This includes a number of bluffs that I was drooling over and dreaming of climbing, however my wife was a little less enthused as many of them were many hundreds of feet in vertical gain.

Among the trails that we had recommend to us were the Minneiska Cutoff trail and another trail that took off from the Decker lot. We hiked out and back on the Minneiska Cutoff trail a distance of about 7 miles total. The entire time there we never saw another human. This despite being less than a half an hour from the 2nd largest metropolitan area in Minnesota. There are also an number of pools that provide wildlife habitat for a variety of species.

All told, if you are looking for some interesting hiking in relative seclusion, I highly recommend the Whitewater Wildlife Management Area.