Trail is packed down . Lovely hike! To earn credit for a hike, you must hike the entire hiking club trail and watch for a sign with the password for that hike. Cross-country skied the part of this trail nearest the lake on Sunday afternoon 2/5. A Hiking Club kit can be purchased at most state parks for $14.95 (as of 2019). For being the first day of 40 & Sunny I was shocked only seeing one person in the 4 miles I went, not mad at it, Paths were all snow covered but very easy for traction with the right boots/spikes. If you purchase a permit on June 1st this year, you have until June 30th of the following year to explore. Highly recommend poles with yaktraks too. Minnesota State Parks Hiking Club Trails There are 68 Hiking Club Trails in parks around Minnesota. Great trail, relatively level, and a fantastic view at the end. That really is a bargain! To get a better look at the cliffs, make sure to do the Quarry Loop Trail. . After completing the loop head back to the tailhead the way you came. Wearing traction devices is recommended. Thank you so much! We would greatly appreciate it. Always great to connect with others from the area. From the highest mountain in North America to coastal glaciers, Alaska holds plenty of natural wonders across its millions A new type of retirement is being talked about these days - the mini-retirement. Reddit and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to provide you with a better experience. Kate is the writer of Pawsitively Intrepid. :). 9 4 Minnesota United States of America North America Place 4 comments Best Add a Comment The loop is about a mile and a half long and crosses a road into an upland hardwood forest. The Minnesota State Park's Hiking Club program encourages hikers to hike a designated Hiking Club Trail at most state parks. More on that later. Banning State Park is one of my favorite state parks in Minnesota. Happy trails! Or which trail has groomed paths for winter hiking? The trails are flat and well maintained. Just stop by the park office to get it stamped. Stamp any piece of paper you can find and paste it into your book. Nevertheless the woods is breathtakingly thick and beautiful. The hiking club trail at Blue Mounds State Park takes visitors to the top of the cliff line. Its a short way from the parking area, so if you are beat, it wont take too much more energy to get up close and personal with them. My name is Jenn. FrontenacState Park22. During the summer months, the top of the cactus is topped with bright yellow flowers. As you travel to each park, stop by the main office and get your passport stamped. George H. Crosby Manitou State Park24. Lake BronsonState Park43. Do you have any favorite spots? Patches are awarded for completion of every 25 miles (from 25 to 175 miles). I did a Saturday adventure this fall with seven Hiking Club trails in one day (Jay Cooke, Moose Lake, Banning, St. Croix, Wild River, Interstate, William O'Brien) - your blog posts were really helpful. Part of the hike is through the river bottoms of the Minnesota River. Some parts of the trails were pretty rough even with both. After visiting 25 parks, you earn a free night of camping and a pin. Soft packed snow . I'm pretty excited. SibleyState Park67. It wasnt the most relaxing hike given the attentiveness required, but it was enjoyable regardless! Hill Annex Mine State Park32. Or that you can go whitewater rafting at Jay Cooke State Park? Beautiful trail, double tracked and well groomed all the way around the island, especially considering the warmer weather recently. Beautiful hike around the bluffs under a fresh blanket of snow. Beware horse apples! Original file (5,760 3,840 pixels, file size: 26.52 MB, MIME type: image/jpeg). Big Bog State Recreation Area is located in northern Minnesota. Fun to have so many water views. If you are having trouble locating them, check with the Rangers to get an idea of where the herd is. The passport costs $14.95 and can be purchased at most of the parks or at the DNR License Center at 500 Lafayette Road, St. Paul. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Grand Portage State Park28. Perfect. The falls were amazing. Since this factor is so variable, it will be scored in half points. Pro Tip: Before you hit the trail, be sure to pack these day hiking essentials in your daypack! Fort Snelling State Park20. Its about more than standing on the mountain top. Beaver Creek ValleyState Park5. This trail is actually a combination of two trails, the River Bluff Trail and a portion of a paved bike path. From the trail, you can stop at the top and look down at the spectacular views. Cuyuna Country State Recreation Area15. Wow, thanks! With 66 state parks, 9 recreation areas, and more than 10,000 lakes (one of which is the massive Lake Superior), there are literally thousands of miles to hike all year round. Upper Sioux AgencyState Park72. Length 1.1 miElevation gain 22 ftRoute type Loop. Pro Tip: To enter the Minnesota State Parks and Recreation Areas, a permit is required. Went snowshoeing and it was beautiful. Youll receive a patch for each milestone of 25, 50, 75, 100, 125, 150, 175, and all the miles. Slightly slushy but still perfect. It was 20 degree. There are 75 in total. So there you have it, 75 beautiful reasons to love hiking in Minnesota. I believe that theres a sense of adventure inside of everyone, waiting to be discovered. While there are 75 Minnesota state parks and recreation areas, only 68 of them have a designated hiking club trail. Areas need to be careful but otherwise it was great . The consent submitted will only be used for data processing originating from this website. HAVE not found this much unfo elsewhere. ALLTRAILS and the AllTrails Mountain Design are registered trademarks of AllTrails, LLC in the United States as well as certain other jurisdictions. Easy trail. Beautiful trail. Went out from the boat landing to the canoe in campsites for the first time ever. window.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', function() { Watch for thin ice if trying to get close. Easy hike out and back. From the SaintCroix Lodge follow the trail west past of the Paint Rock Springs Campground and the Old Logging Trail Campground. Im not going to sugarcoat it, they could have done better. Of all of the places Ive lived, Minnesota has the most strong and welcoming outdoor adventure community, making it easy to connect with like-minded outdoor adventurers. All the best! Franz JevneState Park21. Very informative. Nope, there isnt an official swimming area even though there are lakes and streams. A Hiking Club kit can be purchased . Well, did you know that you can step across the tiny creek that marks the beginning of the Mississippi River at Itasca State Park (which I chose as the. Nice walk through the woods around the park. BUT absolutely worth the effort, such a beautiful hike, I would do it again in the same conditions again. Write the password in your Hiking Club book, along with the park name and the distance you hiked. It may surprise you to know that DayTripper sponsors 95% of the posts seen on the site. As its name suggests, the River Bluff Trail runs along the top of the bluff above the SaintCroix River. St. Croix River at Wild River MN State Park. Welcome to This Big Wild World travel blog! In the winter, the ice on the quarry walls look like frozen waterfalls. Why do they call it Blue Mounds State Park? When you complete the book, you get another one. Today the Bison still reside thanks to a unique program. Just like the Parks Passport Program, it costs $14.95. (My email is on the contact page.) Some are wheelchair accessible, like the one at Big Bog State Recreation Area. I would have LOVED that as a kid. Does anyone know what it is? Shortly before the one-mile mark the trail leaves the pond area begins its loop; stay to the left at the fork. Red River was interesting, but fun. Related content to read next: Find even more Minnesota travel destinations and tips on my Minnesota travel page. Cascade RiverState Park12. Have fun with it!:). If the trails are open but the visitor building isn't I don't see any reason people should be penalized in the meantime. Still pretty icy and muddy. No, Bears do not live in Blue Mounds at State Park. Do you know if we lost one at some point? Along the Mound Trail, near an outcropping of rocks, are patches of Prickly Pair Cactus. Would recommend crampons or snowshoes. And, honestly, who doesnt love a free night of camping? Goes along a snowmobile trail for a short section, but it's plenty wide, so no concerns. Files are available under licenses specified on their description page. If you want to skip the paved section, follow the red route, which is 4.25 miles. When you have hiked all miles/all 68 hiking club trails, you received a final patch, another free night of camping, and an engraved plaque commemorating your achievement. Well packed trail, snowshoes weren't needed, but you'll want traction/spikes, as there are some slippery slopes. See Related: DIY Compression Stuff Sack for Camping. Yaktraks are a must!! But the one thing they are missing is the MN State Park Trails. Minnesota State Park Pass Hacks, Tips, and Free Days, Lake Vermilion-Soudan Underground Mine State Park, 28 Fun Things To Do in Minnesota This Spring 2023, 28 FUN Things To Do During Winter in Minnesota, Everything You Need to Know Before Your First Polar Plunge Plus Tips, 21 FUN Things to do in Duluth in the Winter, White House Tour Experience: All the Details You Need Before Visiting. Follow the trail 10.8 miles ending at MN-48, or continue on the full 25 miles of the trail. Ice right at the beginning that was difficult to climb up with spikes but its just a couple patches and then the rest of the trail was great. Your email address will not be published. Located at the furthest corner of Southwestern Minnesota is Blue Mounds State Park in MN. Segments of this hiking trail are shared with horses. Pro Tip: Visit any State Park during one of their free days. Moose Lake State Park55. It wasnt busy at all! function ml_webform_success_2601308(){var r=ml_jQuery||jQuery;r(".ml-subscribe-form-2601308 .row-success").show(),r(".ml-subscribe-form-2601308 .row-form").hide()} I was wondering if you could let me know which one it is? A Hiking Club password is found on all of these hikes. Blue Mounds State Park got its name because some settlers moving through the Plaines in the 1860s and 1870s thought it looked like a blue mound off in the distance. The permit expires on the Month you purchased the permit for the following year. The Minnesota State Parks Hiking Club program encourages hikers to hike a designated Hiking Club Trail at most state parks. Beautiful! Great hiking conditions for boots and spikes. You should check it out: http://banjosandbogs.blogspot.com/. If you are a member of the Minnesota State Parks Hiking Club look for a blue sign with the Hiking Club password somewhere along this trail. Perfect for winter hiking. All the best! Charles A. LindberghState Park13. Interested in receiving monthly updates from Pawsitively Intrepid? Also, your blog is helpful in planning these trips. How much does it cost to get into MN State Parks? This got reported a few times to the mods but I'm going to leave it. Hi! Once you get your passport, dont forget to bring it with you when you hit the trails! I intended to snowshoe the trail but it looked to have a decently packed path already so I went with boots and gators. 75 Reasons to Love Hiking in Minnesota (How to Join the MN State Parks Passport Club). You can earn patches, free camping, and even a plaque (if you hike all of the Hiking Club trails) for participating in the club. Yesss! That was until we found that Natural Play Area. Went snowshoeing and it was beautiful. Finding the trail head was a little difficult. Red River State Recreation Area59. 2021Outdoor Project. After seeing the first group, we noticed that it was a lot more prevalent up there. The Hiking Club is run by the Minnesota DNR, the organization that manages the state parks and recreation areas. All rights reserved. This 9,500 acre park along the Baptism River boasts 23 miles of trails including a section of the Superior Hiking Trail (SHT), three waterfalls, and a spectacular shoreline along Lake Superior. The travel log is like a journal to take notes on your adventures! There is a beautiful paved bike path from the picnic area, all the way to the entrance to the southernmost part of the park. A popular state park located on the St. Croix River at the eastern edge of the Twin Cities metro area, Afton State Park offers several miles of hiking trails. She is a member of the Hiking Club, but unfortunately she left it at home. I loved getting to explore some of the trails, including the bike area. If you want to skip to a specific park, use the table below to help you figure out what page of this post to jump to.Afton Buffalo RiverPage 1Camden Great River BluffsPage 2Hayes MaplewoodPage 3McCarthy SchoolcraftPage 4Sibley Zippel BayPage 5. A place to discuss camping and backpacking in the great state of Minnesota! Hi Ian! This is just the beginning of the summer. All Minnesota State Parks are free with an annual permit. Begin your Hiking Club trek with a trip to the Nature Store to purchase your Hiking Club book. Garden Island State Recreation Area23. an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. Good luck! They have a good idea of the best viewing spots. Canoe, fish, or swim on Snelling Lake or hike on Pike Island where the Mississippi and Minnesota Rivers meet. We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, I didnt brave the stairs at the end however. For me, this is where the real beauty starts. This is a list of all of Minnesota's State Park Hiking Club trails. Beautiful hike, Great hike! Its about nourishment and learning. The turnaround point of this hike is near the historic Yellowbanks Civilian Conservation Corps camp site. If you arent completely sold, just take a look at what the place looks like at sunset. However, as we complete each trail we will add pictures, our favorite parts of the trail, overall dog-friendliness, and more. Yaktraks are a must!! Blue MoundsState Park8. That sounds like an awesome project! Eagle Rock is a tall rock in the middle of the prairie, but what makes it unique is if you are standing there you can see Minnesota, Iowa, and South Dakota, all at once. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. A popular state park located on the St. Croix River at the eastern edge of the Twin Cities metro area, Afton State Park offers several miles of hiking trails. 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