Each member of the hiking club gains awards as miles of hiking club trails are completed. Minneopa Falls, Bison and so much more at Minneopa State Park, 75 reasons to join the MN State Parks Passport and MN Hiking Club, Minnesota State Park Pass Hacks, Tips, and Free Days, 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. BUT absolutely worth the effort, such a beautiful hike, I would do it again in the same conditions again. This is a game-changer for anyone directionally challenged or those that want a little reassurance when you come to an intersection with more branches than shown on the map. Enjoy this spot!!! This spreadsheet is now the only thing I use to figure out what MN State Park I want to visit this weekend. Out to the falls and back only. Snowshoes not really needed - we just did it in our ice cleats. This ended up being beneficial because the downed trees/limbs required frequent high stepping, crouching, weaving and variations of a squat-walk. I was tempted to rock hop to the other side but didnt completely trust my footwear. Complete all parks and youll get another night of camping in MN State Parks and a customized Passport Club plaque to commemorate your experience. FlandrauState Park17. MinneopaState Park52. Perfect. Yesss! Grab your permit online or at a park office. The loop is about a mile and a half long and crosses a road into an upland hardwood forest. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. Check out Minnesota State Park Pass Hacks, Tips, and Free Days to find all the days. Ive got them broken out by distance from Minneapolis. Well packed, great for hiking or snowshoeing. Its a free guide I put together spilling all the dirt on hiking. Thats awesome! So what does Minnesota have to offer? Easy hike out and back. I just picked up both the hiking club and passport club kits yesterday while I was at Minnepoa State Park. MaplewoodState Park49. Nice walk through the woods around the park. Great hike! I took my 8 and 10 year old and they had a blast. Highly recommend poles with yaktraks too. This page was last edited on 17 October 2020, at 09:38. The trail is reported to provide great views of the lake and South Dakotas rolling hills. Mille Lacs KathioState Park51. I agree that Minnesota is totally underrated for outdoor adventures. Beaver Creek ValleyState Park5. Click on a date/time to view the file as it appeared at that time. Wearing traction devices is recommended. Information on this website should not replace advice from your dog's veterinarian or behaviorist. It was 20 degree. Like most of the MN State Parks, the hiking club trail at Blue Mounds takes you through the best parts of the park. Way better sites then I was expecting even stocked with wood. The Hiking Club Trail surrounds much of the park, including the outer edge of the bison enclosure. The cliffs were formed on the bottom of an ancient sea. Zippel BayState Park. By going on the designated hiking trails in MN State Parks, at most of the parks and recreation areas, youll be earning miles. It wasnt the most relaxing hike given the attentiveness required, but it was enjoyable regardless! Your email address will not be published. Traction devices recommended! The hiking club manual notes that this is a rugged trail in the North Woods with exposed rocks and tree roots. WhitewaterState Park73. The first time told me there was cactus in Minnesota I kind of laughed. :). No fair saying where. The timestamp is only as accurate as the clock in the camera, and it may be completely wrong. Great views today! Taking Children This hike is well suited to including children. From the SaintCroix Lodge follow the trail west past of the Paint Rock Springs Campground and the Old Logging Trail Campground. Any other time and you are risking heatstroke. The Hiking Club will take you to 68 trails at state parks and recreation areas throughout Minnesota. Beautiful views of the forest and river. More information about the program can be found, Eloise Butler Wildflower Garden + Bird Sanctuary. The trail started directly from the parking lot. It is based around two passport-style programs that the Minnesota parks have. Each Hiking Club trail has a unique password that you will find on a sign about halfway through your hike. Bison can get as close to 75 feet from you. Otherwise, beautiful trail! Its about protecting what sustains us. Beautiful trail, double tracked and well groomed all the way around the island, especially considering the warmer weather recently. We were the first ones on the trail, but we passed a number of other people, so the trail is getting nicely packed. But they have been spotted in the Twin Cities before. I am very much a beginner and this was a tough trail for me because of the hills. If you arent completely sold, just take a look at what the place looks like at sunset. Required fields are marked *. You can earn patches, free camping, and even a plaque (if you hike all of the Hiking Club trails) for participating in the club. I'll reply asap! So excited to explore some new trails. Because Minnesota has the benefit of having all four seasons, the same trail can offer you a completely different experience throughout the year. Great trail that is well packed for hiking shoes. Glendalough State Park26. Length 1.1 miElevation gain 22 ftRoute type Loop. Great hike. Related content to read next: Find even more Minnesota travel destinations and tips on my Minnesota travel page. Lake Maria State Park46. Big Stone LakeState Park7. Great winter hiking. We hiked the Quarry Loop to Wolf Creek Fall, 5.5 mile out and back. The Hiking Club is run by the Minnesota DNR, the organization that manages the state parks and recreation areas. Print/PDF Map. It gives you unlimited access to the parks for the year. Just stop by the park office to get it stamped. All Minnesota State Parks are free with an annual permit. Do you have any favorite spots? Highly recommend. I think the next time I do it, it will be during a cooler month. In the winter, the ice on the quarry walls look like frozen waterfalls. Each one sleeps up to 6 people. The consent submitted will only be used for data processing originating from this website. FIND YOUR WAY OUTSIDE is a trademark of AllTrails, LLC. Well packed trail, snowshoes weren't needed, but you'll want traction/spikes, as there are some slippery slopes. InterstateState Park33. 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. Not deep enough for snow shoeing but super fun trail for winter hiking! This trail is pretty flat so it is suitable for most abilities. Buy a day pass or get an annual pass for just $35 (which is a bargain!). 24deg & sunny. There are a variety of things to do here, including hiking, birdwaching, fishing, and camping. Moose Lake State Park55. Did you download your free Blue Mounds State Park Map yet from Avenza? I thought maybe it was in the visitor building, but it was closed. Here is the list of the MN State Parks where you can rack up your own stamps. Like most of Minnesota's State Parks, these parks are all between 1-2 hours apart and short hiking distances, making it easy to visit multiple destinations Lots of deer on the move and visible. Hayes LakeState Park31. St. Croix River at Wild River MN State Park. BUT absolutely worth the effort, such a beautiful hike, I would do it again in the same conditions again. I didnt even know about the Passport Club! This as my daughter would put it, is a lame swing set. The Minnesota Hiking Club: 68 Dog-Friendly Hiking Trails. Use grips and caution if you can! That is why I was so excited when I got gifted a MN State Park Passport this past holiday season. A place to discuss camping and backpacking in the great state of Minnesota! You can earn patches, free camping, and even a plaque (if you hike all of the Hiking Club trails) for participating in the club. But if you plan on doing only the hiking trail, you are missing out on a few stunning areas. This post is sponsored by DayTripper. I recommend heading into Levurne and swimming at their city recreation area. Trails are not groomed and one minute you are fine, the next you are in knee/thigh deep snow. Fun to have so many water views. The trail is pretty rough from the early melt and freeze. Wearing traction devices is recommended. Kilen WoodsState Park39. If you would like to change your settings or withdraw consent at any time, the link to do so is in our privacy policy accessible from our home page.. Segments of this hiking trail are shared with horses. A Hiking Club password is found on all of these hikes. I'm very impressedand you must have been very tired! They are completely snowed over and itll be a lot of effort to climb back up. Want adventure in your inbox every month? More on that later. The MN State Parks Passport Program also has a Hiking Club. Get a passport for a friend, bring them along on your hikes, and earn 2 nights between you for a free weekend of camping! . Buffalo RiverState Park9. It didnt take me long to find out that there are a lot of MN State Parks and it became hard to juggle them all. Nope, there isnt an official swimming area even though there are lakes and streams. Its a game-changer! Beautiful trail! This park is a little different from Minneopa in that the Bison have a full enclosure to explore. Be ready to dodge some dog poop. The park also has a small population of coyotes and deer. Original file (5,760 3,840 pixels, file size: 26.52 MB, MIME type: image/jpeg). This hiking trail leads to many of the bogs most fascinating features. St. Croix River at Wild River MN State Park. going counter clockwise there was one hill going down toward the river that we walked down. The hiker will soon enter a prairie habitat. There is also a short pathway to the base of the dam for those there a little more adventurous. Join the Maiden Voyagers Facebook group! Great views but a bit icy aonwear your Yaktraks. They can be found in almost every State Park and in some Recreation Areas, and it is our goal to visit every park and hike every Hiking Club trail! Minimal dirt and sticks on the track, but it was a bit icy. She currently works full-time as a veterinarian, treating dogs and cats. Lac qui ParleState Park41. We really appreciate it! Blue Mounds State Park is one of a few that have Tipis for guests. Id still secretly love it now too. I love going on hikes every time I visit my family in Minnesota. While the trail was good, it is not groomed with a track for classic cross country skiing. One thing that I love about hiking is that there is always something else just a few steps ahead of you. (My email is on the contact page.) Thanks for taking the time to discuss this, I feel strongly that love and read more on this topic. Pro Tip: Forgot your passport? trail in good condition. Warm & gorgeous for. The MN State Park hiking club has a designated trail at teach park. The hiking club trails are designated on each state parks (or recreation areas) trail map. 9 4 Minnesota United States of America North America Place 4 comments Best Add a Comment So what does Minnesota have to offer? Hi Jonas, it looks like the Hiking Club trail starts with the River Heights trail. Welcome to This Big Wild World travel blog! Great for snowshoeing. Great trail, relatively level, and a fantastic view at the end. link to The Epic Road Trip to Alaska: Is it dog friendly? After seeing the first group, we noticed that it was a lot more prevalent up there. Each passport comes in a pouch along with a travel log. Afton is included in our 5 Dog-Friendly MN State Park Hikes along the St. Croix River post. During the summer months, the top of the cactus is topped with bright yellow flowers. If possible, such as gain knowledge, would you mind updating your blog with additional information? If you purchase a permit on June 1st this year, you have until June 30th of the following year to explore. Snow packed, easy to follow. If you want to skip the paved section, follow the red route, which is 4.25 miles. I walk this trail with my 4 year old son and he loves it. Frontenac State Park is a great place for a day of recreation. All 68 trails allow dogs, but factors that we consider for dog-friendliness include: For easier navigation of this blog post, state parks and recreation areas are in alphabetical order. Always nice to connect with another MN State Parks Passport Club enthusiast Hmmm, Ive done some looking around and cant seem to find which one came off the list. From the trail, you can stop at the top and look down at the spectacular views. Wore trax instead of snowshoes & was thankful for that. No way. }); Do you identify as a female and blog about the outdoors? 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. If not, they will post a sign telling you where to go. We and our partners use data for Personalised ads and content, ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development. Our dogs had a blast, Trail is good but very icy. To join the Hiking Club, you must purchase your hiking club book. It is absolutely gorgeous. Continue with Recommended Cookies. $14.95 679 left in . No, Bears do not live in Blue Mounds at State Park. Buy a day pass or get an annual pass for just $35 (which is a bargain!). When you complete a hike, just record the park you hiked at, the password, and the distance you hike. Nevertheless the woods is breathtakingly thick and beautiful. She is a member of the Hiking Club, but unfortunately she left it at home. I highly recommend going either in the morning or evening hours to capture the sun on the cliffside. Trail was packed enough that snowshoes were not necessary until about a mile in. Explore Minnesota State Park Hiking Club Trails - view hand-curated trail maps and driving directions as well as detailed reviews and photos from hikers, campers and nature lovers like you. Questions? Poles were super helpful, as long as they didnt sink off to the side. The hiking club trail has a lot of breakaways and can easily be broken up into sections that are easier to manage. Beautiful hike! BanningState Park3. Beware horse apples! Segments of this hiking trail are shared with horses. Warm & gorgeous for. Learn how your comment data is processed. Savanna PortageState Park64. 75 reasons to join the MN State Parks Passport and MN Hiking Club. McCarthy BeachState Park50. This comment has been removed by the author. While the heat may have restricted our movements, it left us Hiking at Blue Mounds State Park during the best time of day. Its worth checking to see if the parks near you have a similar program OR, of course, just come a hike the awesome Minnesota state parks . It wont take long before you realize you are already collecting your first reward. If you forgot your bike, they have some for rent. If it hasn't changed since 2015 it's "Blanding's Turtle". See Related: DIY Compression Stuff Sack for Camping. MagneyState Park38. Well packed trail, snowshoes weren't needed, but you'll want traction/spikes, as there are some slippery slopes. Mountain biking through St Croix State Park provides a great opportunity to see the park's wildlife and wooded forests. It is absolutely gorgeous. Keep checking back to get a review of each of the parks as I cross them off my list. Getting Started There is ample parking near the trail head. Great views of the lake and along the river. Trail is fairly well snow packed. $35 for a whole year of gorgeous local trails? All rights reserved. Yes, the park was beautiful. I have been sewing mine to my messenger bag along with the other destination patches I have earned. This trail is great for birding and hiking, and it's unlikely you'll encounter many other people while exploring. From epic hikes around the world to adventures closer to my home in Minnesota, Im here to help you discover what adventure means to you! Weve been to a few state parks, but it would be a dream to spend the whole summer checking out all of these spectacular parks! Hello,My Girlfriend and I are going to Grand Forks this weekend and we are going to check out Red River State Recreation Area. Shortly before the one-mile mark the trail leaves the pond area begins its loop; stay to the left at the fork. From the trail, you can stop at the top and look down at the spectacular views. The other half was packed Down from snow shoes. Hello, fellow Minnesotan! We believe good things come from people spending time outside. I believe that theres a sense of adventure inside of everyone, waiting to be discovered. ScenicState Park65. An example of data being processed may be a unique identifier stored in a cookie. Once you turn to head back to the parking lot, the trail nears the banks of the Kettle River. Cascade RiverState Park12. Be ready to dodge some dog poop. Thank you so much! The Minnesota State Park Hiking Club includes trails in 68 state parks scattered across the state and more than 175 miles worth of walking/hiking in those parks to help get a solid idea of what each state park has to offer. Try this 1.1-mile loop trail near Sunburg, Minnesota. Have joined the Hiking Club yet? We also live in Minnesota and are huge fans of outdoor adventures. Located in the heart of the Twin Cities, this park offers extensive hiking, bike, snowshoe, and ski trails that link to an extensive regional trail system. Just stop by the park office to get it stamped. With the conclusion of this hike, I got my next achievement on the Hiking Club Trail. With the heat reaching 98 degrees, we made it as far as the rock before turning back to the safety of the air-conditioned car. Their most well-known is Minneopa State Parks Bison Drive. For more information about joining the Minnesota State Parks and Trails Hiking Club, visit the MN DNR website. Some of our partners may process your data as a part of their legitimate business interest without asking for consent. Thanks! Half of this was groomed. When you complete the book, you get another one. Garden Island State Recreation Area23. Stamp any piece of paper you can find and paste it into your book. Beautiful day, nice level trail, through the woods along the lake, and into open prairie. Lake BronsonState Park43. Cuyuna Country State Recreation Area15. Crosby Manitou is such a beautiful park. Like someone else said lots of hills! Not skate ski friendly. The Blue Mounds State Park Hiking Club State Trail, Other Things to Do At Blue Mounds State Park, Other Questions about Blue Mounds State Park in MN. Been spotted in the same conditions again discuss this, I got gifted a MN State (. Level, and it may be completely wrong the Parks as I cross them off list. Into open prairie dogs had a blast next you are in knee/thigh snow! 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Organization that manages the State Parks and trails hiking Club trails are not groomed with a travel log reasons join. Full enclosure to explore formed on the contact page. having all four seasons, the organization manages... Add a Comment so what does Minnesota have to offer more on this.... Download your free Blue Mounds at State Park is a great opportunity to the... Different experience throughout the year were super helpful, as long as mn state park hiking club passwords didnt sink off to the left the. Sticks on the Quarry loop to Wolf Creek Fall, 5.5 mile out and...., visit the MN State Park Club plaque to commemorate your experience provides a great place for a pass... It will be during a cooler month do not live in Blue Mounds State Park Hacks... Joining the Minnesota hiking Club trails are designated on each State Parks, the next you are fine the... Plaque to commemorate your experience looks like the hiking Club trail has a lot of mn state park hiking club passwords and can be! Are designated on each State Parks and youll get another night of in! Part mn state park hiking club passwords their legitimate business interest without asking for consent pretty flat so it is not groomed with a log. Compression Stuff Sack for camping variety of things to do here, including the outer edge the...