Fall 2022 HIKINGMinnesota TRAILS & STATE PARKS
2 Fall 2022 Minnesota Trails Vol. 27, No. 3 August 2022 Minnesota Trails magazine is a continuation of Minnesota Bike Trails & Rides, published quarterly in cooperation with the Parks & Trails Council of Minnesota, a nonprofit organization that acquires, protects and enhances critical lands for public enjoyment. Your $35 membership subscription supports this work. Minnesota Trails is not responsible for the return of unsolicited materials and reserves the right to reject unsuitable advertising. Information in this publication is as accurate as possible. Opinions expressed are those of the authors and not of Minnesota Trails. Continuing the 522 Sinclair Lewis Avenue Sauk Centre, MN Minnesotawww.MnTrails.com56378TrailsStaff Jan Lasar Editor/Publisher Joyce Frericks Accounting Karen Knoblach Page Layout & Design Graphic Design Editorial Board Brett Feldman Executive Director Parks & Trails Council of Minnesota LODGING FINANCIAL MID FEDERALMINNESOTACREDITUNION 117 West Main Street, Crosby 218-546-5428 w w w.mmfcu.org Member owned and working for you RED RIDER RESORT 23457 Co. Rd. 31, Crosby 218-838-6858 w w w.redriderresort.com Cabins and camping right off the trail DEERWOOD BANK 21236 Archibald Rd., Deerwood 218-534-3111 w w w.deerwoodbank.com Banking Made Nice & Simple SPECIALTY STORE EAT / DRINK DEERSTAND RESTAURANT & BAR 24188 Mohs Street, Deerwood 218-534-9253 w w w.deerstandrestaurant.com Why limit happy to one hour? TRAILSIDE TAVERN & PATIO 212 West Main Street, Crosby 218-546-5465 w w w.trailsidetavern.com Crosby’s trail-friendlynewestrestaurant VICTUAL 124 W Main St., Crosby 218-545-1000 w w w.shopvictual.com Ice cream, cheese, charcuterie, gourmet, gifts, spirits Crosby / Ironton Deerwood / Bay Lake Cuyuna / Emily Cuyuna Lakes Chamber members are open & ready to serve you!218-546-8131 www.CuyunaLakes.com are open & to serve you SERVICES COLDWELL BANKER CROWN REALTORS Hwy. 6 & 210, Crosby 218-546-8346 www.coldwellbankercrown.com Impacting lives through real estate CuyunaCRMCRegionalMedicalCenter NEW WALK-IN CLINIC Inside Super One 22418 HWY 6, Crosby 218-545-5350 M-F 8-6, SAT 9-1 OARS-N-MINE 22640 MN-6, Crosby 218-546-6912 w w w.oarsnmine.com Docks, lifts, bait and tackle CYKEL 324 Curtis Ave, Ironton 218-772-0177 w w w.cykelonline.com Bike sales, rentals, repairs & custom builds TIMBER BUILDING SUPPLY & ACE HARDWARE 14506 State Highway 6, Deerwood 218-678-2063 w w w.timberbuildingsupply.com Your local building supplier CUYUNA LAKES CHAMBER PO Box 23, Crosby 218-546-8131 w w w.cuyunalakes.com
Minnesota Trails Fall 2022 3 ABOVE: On the Large Tooth Aspen trail at Lake Carlos State Park. Jan Lasar photo COVER: 14 miles of natural surface trails make Lake Carlos State Park a fall hiking destination. Jan Lasar THANKphotoYOU:FINDUSON: FALL 2022 Contents Naturalbeauty DISCOVER You’ll need a weekend (or more) to appreciate the beauty that can be found along our variety of hiking trails. Request your Hiking Guide at IronRange.org. FEATURES8 Life is Good on the Root Jan Lasar 17 Arrowhead Re-route Takes Shape Matt Davis 18 Marching On: Volksmarching Jan Lasar 20 Proud Moments: Kekekabic Trail Sara J Campbell 23 A Trail Saved, a Forest Reborn: Powwow Trail Lon Otto 24 Quiet Time at Tettegouche Jan Lasar 28 Fall Hiking at Lake Carlos Jan Lasar 32 The Glacial Lakes Trail Comes to Sibley State Park Jan Lasar 35 Challenge Accepted: Hiking at La Salle Lake State Rec Area Jan Lasar COLUMNS4Minnesota Miles Jan Lasar DEPARTMENTS5 Parks & Trails Council News Lisa Filter 14 Bike Rides & Tours Minnesota Events Sept. - Nov. 21 Trails Q & A Conversations with Trail Users 38 MN Trails Map Minnesota’s Trails At-A-Glance 39 Trail Partners Find Trail-Friendly Businesses
Sept. 6, 2020 / Pine Island, MN
4 Fall 2022 Minnesota Trails Jan Lasar Trails Editor/Publisher Minnesota Miles
When Jen and I joined the travel trailer crowd we started keeping a journal. I’m happy we did, because it documents in black and white how quickly I forget things I thought were forever etched into my brain. Not all of our camping experiences were stellar, pleasant or dripping with travel brochure-like happiness, but that’s not why we do it. Thumbing through the pages of the journal, a few entries stand out.
Some campsites at Sibley stay open late into the season and as long as we have electricity, we’re good. We were the only ones in the campground when there was a knock at the door. According to my scribblings, “At one point Saturday morning Jack Nelson, the park manager, stopped by and asked if he could take a picture of our rig in the campground. He needed a photo for bragging rights for his weekly report.” It was the latest we had ever been camping in a year, but we would soon break that record on December 6, 2020 at Whitewater State Park.
CANNON FALLS, MN CannonFalls.org
TREASURES, TRAILS AND TREATS PLUS WAVES OF FUN
/ See you at camp!
On one of our first excursions, things got a little hairy when a severe thunderstorm swept in during the night. “We ran and took shelter in the bathroom building. There was one other guy in there from the group camp,” my brief note reads. That leaves out the part where we stood there, drenched and dripping when suddenly the door flew open and a bewildered, young man burst in. His camping party had fled their tents and taken off in their cars and, somehow, he slept through the ruckus and was left behind. The three of us waited out the worst and he was able to finally call someone on the phone and everyone reunited. His tent was in a tree, however. Nobody was hurt, but please don’t leave camp without your camping buddy.
There’s even a couple of giant walnut trees for shade. After our daytime bike excursions, we sat and watched the goings-on at the trail entrance. During our stay we observed a farmer’s market, a taco truck and a piñata party, but nothing captured our attention quite like the store in the parking lot next to us. “The activities at the Dollar General never cease to amaze us,” I wrote.
It was a tough time in Minnesota. COVID-19 was on the loose and pretty much the only safe thing to do was to stay away from people. It was an odd time, too. Parks were full, but people were actively avoiding each other. Where you might have struck up a conversation with someone at a scenic overlook and shared in the joy of being outside, you now waited your turn and passed each other at a safe distance, silently. It was to our delight that someone walking by our campsite stopped to tell us she liked our Halloween decorations and the bowl of candy at the end of our driveway. It turned out she was the only other camper from two sites down, with her own display. When the sun went down, our campsites lit up with pumpkins and ghosts glowing festively in the woods and for a moment all of the fear and anger and bone headedness of the pandemic disappeared. The entry reads “Sadly, none of the little bags of Skittles went.”
We’ve been out six times so far this year and it’s hard to pick a highlight at this point. However, Jen finding a garter snake in her kayak is certainly a contender.
July 18, 2019
Split Rock Creek State Park
November 16, 2019 / Sibley State Park
Travel Trailer Tales
November 13, 2021 Mille Lacs Kathio State Park
October 31, 2020 Banning State Park
Another festive camping experience at a state park. We caught the holiday spirit early and put lights on the only “tree” at our campsite, a buckthorn. “It started snowing and we had a bonfire and Dutch oven pizza while we got snowed on,” I wrote. During the day our decorated, decrepit shrub resembled Charlie Brown’s Christmas tree, but just like in the show, the real magic happened when the sun went down and the lights came on.
Sometimes you’ll find happiness in the unlikeliest of places. The city of Pine Island offers camping across the street from the trailhead of the Douglas State Trail, on a lot next to the Dollar General. For a modest fee you get electricity, water and a place to drain your tanks.
Presented by 2022 PHOTO CONTEST MINNESOTA PARKS Enter your best photos August 1 - October 1 parksandtrails.org/events/2022-photo-contest/ Minnesota Trails Fall 2022 5
Finding Nature in Minnesota Parks SCAVENGERHUNT2022 Mushrooms Birds Trees Flowers Mammals June 1 - Sept 12, 2022 Presented by At Minnesota Parks Weekly Drawing for $20 Gift Cards from entries to all participating parksandtrails.org/events/2022huntparks. 6 Fall 2022 Minnesota Trails
Minnesota Trails Fall 2022 7 LakeWobegonTrail.com Where every season is above average! Lake Wobegon businesses are open and ready to serve you! CaramelCaramelCaramelRllRllRll RIDE 2ND SATURDAY IN JUNE 1st Saturday in100Augustmiles:Shuttleout,rideback. TrailsideJordie’sCafé 105 1st Ave., Bowlus wwwJordiesTrailside.com(320)584-8193 Best pie on the trail BadBrewingHabit 25 College Ave. N, St. Joseph www.BadHabitBeer.com(320)271-3108 Grab an after-ride pint Art in Motion 1400 4th Street, Holdingford www.ArtInMotionOnTheLakeWobegonTrail.com(320)746-0680 Art, music, food, craft beer, ice cream CabinAvonCafé 105 Avon Ave. S, Avon www.AvonCabinCafe.com(320)356-7198 Home cooking at its nest Gathering Grounds 200 Avon Avenue S, Avon www.GatheringGroundsAvon.com(320)356-1106 Hot and cold coffee drinks, pastries and more Sauk Centre 1230 Timberlane Dr., Sauk Centre www.WyndhamHotels.com(320)352-2800 Stay with us after a day on the trails The Estates Bed and Breakfast 29 E Minnesota St., Saint Joseph www.EstatesBedAndBreakfast.com(320)557-0300 info@estatesbedandbreakfast.com The Outpost Mercantile 615 6th St. S, Sauk Centre www.TheOutpostMercantile.com(320)351-7678 Healthy sandwiches, smoothies and goodies. Minnesota Street Market 27 W Minnesota St., St.Joseph www.MnStreetMarket.com(320)363-7733 Food, Drink, Art and Conversation Visit Joetown 75 Callaway St E, St Joseph www.JoetownMn.com(320)363-7201 Small town warmth. Big city cool. EAT & DRINK SHOP STAYINFO
8 Fall 2022 Minnesota Trails Text Lifegoodis ON THE ROOT
LASARJANBY
Fall in love with Fall in Preston! www.gethookedonpreston.com | 507-765-2100
Thee is such a thing as a perfect fall day. The leaes have turned, but the sun is still strong and you packed a light jacket, just in case. Whether you came here to fish, bike, paddle, shop or take in the annual Taste of the Trail celebration, the Root River is your constant companion.
Minnesota Trails
The Taste of the Trail highlights different Bluff Country communities on three weekends in September.
You get to the next town, grab a coffee, find a benc and watch the water flw by.
Life is good.
10 Fall 2022 Minnesota Trails Photos: Gift shop in Harmony / Railroad trestle bridge near Lanesboro / History on display in Rushford / Amish hand pies as a shore lunch / Rural scene in Rushford / September and October are prime months for fly fishing the Root River. Visit up to 60 miles on the paved Root River Trail System groomed or primitive bluff trails www.rushfordpetersonvalley.com TH E VALLEY BIKE Explore Minnesota'sSoutheastDriftless Area ENJOY PIE, ICE CREAM, PIZZA, LOCAL FOODS & MORE! STAY AT INNS, CAMPGROUNDS OR VACATION RENTALS HIKE Harmony, MN
Minnesota Trails Fall 2022 11 Come for the bike trail . . . . . . Stay to explore! Explore Harmony Explore Harmony Minnesota www.exploreharmony.com1-877-886-2469 Call for a free visitor guide! • Niagara Cave • Amish Tours • Antique Mall • Gift Shops • Casual & FinetotreasuresSoDiningmanydiscover! Join us on Saturday, Sept. 17, for Taste of the Trail! Enjoy the beautiful fall colors in southeastern Minnesota. The three branches of the Root River are a designated State Water Trail, which brings many visitors, who canoe, kayak or float downstream in inner tubes. Fed by numerous trout streams along its 80-mile journey, it's also a top destination for those who come with rods and reels.
Minnesota Trails www.luvernechamber.com 15 + miles of paved trails BIKE • HIKE • EXPLORE The 60-mile Root River and Harmony-Preston Valley State Trail system in the heart of southeastern Minnesota’s Bluff Country is one of the major trail destinations in Minnesota because of its scenic views. The hills and valleys are especially gorgeous when the leaves begin to turn. Photos: The moon rises over Peterson's city campground. / Fall in full swing in the valley near Rushford / The 1885 Peterson Barn in Peterson is constructed from walnut lumber. / Wet feet can be a good thing when you're exploring the river. Sandbank fishing on the main branch of the Root River
Minnesota Trails Fall 2022 13 MAKE MORE POSSIBLE A little extra boost leads to incredible possibilities and a whole lot of fun. On an electric bike, you can ride farther and faster, easily carry everything you need, and explore new places. E-bikes make it simple to ditch the daily traffic jam, get more exercise, and feel great about treading more lightly on the planet. Best of all, no matter your reason to ride, you’ll have a blast along the way. Visit your authorized Trek retailer today! Adventure Cycle & Ski advcycle.bike | Winona DL Bike Shop dlbikeshop.com | D etroit L akes Downtown Bicycles downtownbicyclesllc.com | Northfield Gateway Cycle gatewaycycle.com | Oakdale Jake’s Bikes jakesbikes.com | A lexandria Martin’s Cycling & Fitness martinscyclingandfi t ness.com | A lbert Lea O utdoor Motion outdoormotionbikes.com | Hutchinson Ramsey Bicycle ramseybicycle.com | Ramsey Red Wing Bicycle Co. redwingbikes.com | Red Wing Revolution Cycle and Ski revolutioncycleandski.com | St. Cloud Rick’s Cycling and Sports Center rickscycling.com | Willmar Rochester Cycling cycling-fitness.com | Rochester Rydjor Bike Shop rydjor.com | Austin SCHEELS Eden Prairie scheels.com | Eden Prairie SCHEELS Mankato scheels.com | Mankato SCHEELS Moorhead scheels.com | Moorhead SCHEELS Rochester scheels.com | Rochester SCHEELS St. Cloud scheels.com | St. Cloud Straight River Sports straightriversports.com | Owatonna TK22_MN_Retailers_Ebike_Jul_Group_Ad.indd 1 7/11/22 2:09 PM
apples and other treats from
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DIRT BAG GRAVEL GRINDER Gravel | Clearwater, MN September 17, 2022
CARAMEL APPLE RIDE Trail | Sauk Centre, MN September 10, 2022 the fall great apple caramel local great Lake Wobegon Trail
www.lakewobegontrail.com/lwta-rides
RIDEMN1 Road | Pipestone, MN September 10-17, 2022 RideMN1 holds an annual bicycle ride across Minnesota to raise awareness and raise funds for cancer research. This year they visit Pipestone, Granite Falls, New London, St. Cloud, Sandstone and Superior, WI. There’s optional pre-ride camping and a dinner the day before. www.ridemn1.org
Enjoy
Mayors from Spicer, New London and Willmar will be leading a ride starting at 5:00 pm in each of their towns to come together for a picnic at Goat Ridge Brewing in New London, MN. All three towns are connected by the Glacial Lakes State Trail. bike-ridewww.willmarlakesarea.com/event/mayors-
This central Minnesota fall ride on the backroads around Clearwater honors the memory of the late John Egbers. In the spirit of gravel riding, it’s free and unsupported. Distances: 36, 70, 100 miles. Visit the ride Facebook page or email javajohncc@gmail.com
Country.
refreshments at all the rest stops including
The Saint Paul Classic is back and tours the Grand Rounds. The ride will be held on bike trails and lanes only, there'll be no road closures at all. Attendance is limited to 1,850. Mileages: 14, 32 www.bikemn.org/all-events/st-paul-classic North Star Bicycle Race Road | Saint Paul, MN to US-Canada border September 14, 2022 www.mntrails.com/event/north-star-bicycle-race
TASTE OF THE TRAIL September 10, 2022 Trail | Lanesboro, Whalan, Peterson, MN September 17, Trail Fountain, Preston, Harmony, MN September 24, Trail Houston, Rushford Area, MN
Three consecutive weekends, each feature a different selection of towns. Get a taste of each community with different activities, food and music. Enjoy what is special about each town while you pedal your way through the beauty of Bluff Country along the Root River. www.rootrivertrail.org/events/taste-of-the-trail 116 First Street SE Little Falls, MN 56345 www.attheblacknwhite.com THE BLACK & WHITE A. T. 320.632.5374 - Innovative Menu - Craft Beers on Tap - Great Wine Selection - Historic Setting Best Dining in Little Falls! The Centre of it all!The CentreofitallC! where you can experience art, shop, eat, golf, fish, camp, explore & more. STAY THE WEEKENDSTA 320-352-5201 visitsaukcentre@gmail.com visitsaukcentre.org • Caramel Apple Ride (September 10) • Art on the Ave. (September 17) • Mural Tour orSelf-Guided Historic Tour Visit our website for information on these events and more. Mark calendarsyour
SAINT PAUL CLASSIC BIKE TOUR Trail/Road | Saint Paul, MN September 11, 2022
colors and
Your stop for Open May-October | 1400 4th Street, Holdingford | 320-746-0680 www.ArtInMotionOnTheLakeWobegonTrail.com on the Lake Wobegon Trail Enjoy 55 miles of beautiful, paved rail-trails across central Minnesota. 14 Fall 2022 Minnesota Trails Bike Rides & Tours 2022 Up-to-Date Information & Details at www.MnTrails.com/events
vendors. Spend the day riding the
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MAYOR’S BIKE RIDE Trail | Spicer, New London & Willmar, MN September 16, 2022
Bike Rides & Tours2022 Louisville Days Bicycle Ride Gravel | Huot, MN September 17, 2022 www.mntrails.com/louisville-days-bicycle-ride Mora Bike Tour Road | Mora, MN September 17, 2022 www.mntrails.com/event/mora-bike-tour RIDE THE RIDGES Road | Winona, MN September 17, 2022 Ride the Ridges will take riders through some of the most scenic areas in southeastern Minnesota, from lush valleys along streams to bluffs overlooking the Mississippi River. All routes have well-stocked rest stops featuring local delicacies. Rider amenities include a longsleeve t-shirt, meal coupon, showers, and SAG support. Distances: 18, 42, 65, 106 miles www.ridetheridges.bike Headwaters 100 Road | Park Rapids, MN September 24, 2022 www.mntrails.com/event/headwaters-100 NORTHFIELD ROTARY BIKE TOUR Road/Gravel | Nor thfield, MN 2022RIDEMN1 The Annual Minnesota Crossing for a Good Cause! SEPTEMBER Adventure RideAdventure Ride 20 MILES Explore the ture route of the Camp Ripley Veterans State Trail by bike and discover Little Falls! SEPT BER 24 CHA LES A. LINDBERG O LI TLE K P R RE IST AT: 800-325-5916LittleFallsMN.comVisitLittleFallsMN SCAN REGISTER:TO Loppet Field Day & Surly Brewing Co. Trail Loppet LOPPET.ORG/TRAILLOPPET&formoreinformation SEPTEMBER 17-18 PARK2PARK BICYCLE RIDE Road | Little Falls, MN September 24, 2022 Get to know the future route of the Camp Ripley/ Veterans State Trail and explore Little Falls. When complete, this unique trail will connect The Soo Line bike trail with Crow Wing State Park and join together the Central Lakes, Lake Wobegon, Soo Line, Paul Bunyan, Heartland and Mi-GiZi Trails! Leave Charles A. Lindbergh State Park and choose from several options. bicycle-ridewww.littlefallsmn.com/events/park2parkWinston County Gravel Cup Gravel | Houston, MN September 24, 2022 gravel-cupwww.mntrails.com/event/winston-county-
Bike Rides & Tours 2022 As of deadline, the information in this calendar was accurate. Check www.MnTrails.com/events for additional information. Fall de Tonka Road | Minnetonka, MN September 25, 2022 www.mntrails.com/event/fall-de-tonka Heck of the North Gravel | Two Harbors, MN October 1, 2022 www.mntrails.com/event/heck-of-the-north The Filthy 50 Gravel | Lanesboro, MN October 8, 2022 www.mntrails.com/event/filthy-50 Rosewood Gramble Road/Gravel | Thief River Falls, MN October 8, 2022 www.mntrails.com/event/rosewood-gramble MANKATO RIVER RAMBLE Road | Mankato, MN October 9, 2022 This fall classic features great rest stops, ride support, delicious food and beverages, live music and much more. All routes pass through beautiful Sibley Park where the Blue Earth River joins the Minnesota River. Distances:12, 26, 42 miles ramblewww.bikemn.org/all-events/mankato-riverGray Duck Grit Gravel | Nor thfield, MN October 14-15, 2022 www.mntrails.com/event/gray-duck-grit Pie Burner Fat Bike Ride Road, Trail, Gravel | Hibbing, MN November 26, 2022 Find the Iron Range Fat Bike Riders group on Facebook. Serving Welch, MN & surrounding area Reserve your bike today, meet us at Welch Station on the Cannon Valley Trail to pick it up & “e-joy” your ride! easy to rent. easy to ride. e-BikesWhe www.RollingRiverBikeRental.com IT’S LEGENDARY ONEMNBIKETRAIL.COMSTEPFORME 120 miles for you visit HASTINGSmn.org 16 Fall 2022 Minnesota Trails Up-to-Date Information & Details at www.MnTrails.com/events
thethethat'sexperienceanhikingMinnesota'sfriends,trailsofferoutdoorgoodforbodyandsoul. ARROWHEAD 17 VOLKSMARCHING 18 KEKEKABIC 20 POWWOW 23 Minnesota Trails Fall 2022 17
Volunteer Vacation crew member Jamie digs new sidehill trail NCTA Next Gen crew members on newly finished trail NCTA volunteers rake away the duff to trailismineralexposesoilwhichleveledforthetread.
or just
By Matt Davis Matt is Regional North Country Trail Coordinator for North WisconsinMinnesotaDakota,and Matt Davis photos
ARROWHEAD RE-ROUTE TAKES SHAPE ON THE NORTH COUNTRY TRAIL
The crew finished a mile of new trail between Tioga Beach Road and Itasca County Road 17 and experienced three seasons in the span of a week: Snow flurries and spring thaw gave way to hot, windy days without shade.
The new NCT segment is part of a larger 18-mile project between Tioga Beach
Road and Minnesota Highway 6 near Remer that will replace a 13-mile walk along highways and county roads. The crew was made up of members of the NCTA’s local Arrowhead and Star of the North Chapters and members of the NCTA’s NextGen Coalition from Michigan and Minnesota. An American Hiking Society Volunteer Vacation brought additional help from Iowa, North Dakota, and Minnesota, and even a North Country Trail thru-hiker, who happened to be in the area, pitched in. Our group camped at Schoolcraft State Park and enjoyed the sights and sounds of abundant waterfowl in addition to kayaking and some very early season swimming in the frigid Mississippi River.
On our half day “off” we toured the Forest History Center’s trails and did some maintenance on the Prairie River Trail north of Grand Rapids.
The NCTA hopes local residents will enjoy walking on the new NCT yearround and relieve some of the hiking usage on the Tioga trails. you build, restore walk them with
Early this May volunteers from the North Country Trail Association (NCTA) finished constructing the first new trail segment of the North Country National Scenic Trail’s “Arrowhead Re-route” near Grand Rapids, MN. This significant change of the NCT route in northeastern Minnesota replaces the original, wet route with a new, much longer and swamp-free stretch between Remer and Ely. Advocating for this legislation in Congress took over a decade, but once it passed, NCTA volunteers and staff scouted and flagged the new route and worked with land managers and private landowners to obtain their consent. Finally, the National Parks Service worked on the environmental compliance, completing an Environmental Assessment for the project late last fall. The latter took about 3 years. PokegamaLake Rice Lake LeightonLake SiseebakwatLittleLake LoonLake Tioga Mountain Bike Trail System Tioga PitTailingsBasin Tioga Beach Potential Campsites Gravel ParkingP P P TrailNorthwoodsCrossing Arrowhead Re-route · North Country Trail Future segmentnewto be built in 2023 New segment built in 2022 MaraisGrand Ilgen City Silver Bay Two Harbors Grand HibbingRapids DuluthEly Connecting Corridor to Existing Segment New Trail Area SuperiorLake
Whether
TrailMIX
This section of the NCT passes by the former Tioga Mine lake, the ore shipment facility and tailings pile from that mine, which provides a unique backdrop. The iron mining operations left their mark, but nature has reclaimed the overburden piles which now feature a variety of tree species. The other unique feature is that the NCT traverses the Tioga Recreation Area’s fantastic mountain bike and hiking trail system.
NSTT event has route options of 5km (3.1 miles) or 10km (6.2 miles) and walkers complete one, two or more loops at their own pace on marked trails. The October annual meeting, however, had a guided group walk to keep everyone on schedule. After a quick introduction the crowd split up into groups, according to their walking speeds. The slower Shufflers went first, followed by the Scooters. Finally, the Batsouttahell left, too, and the walk was underway.
18 Fall 2022 Minnesota Trails
Valerie Stachour proudly showed off her walking stick adorned with colorful medallions, souvenirs from walking “It ’s a very welcoming club and we love to walk together.” by Jan Lasar Walking stick high fives
TRAIL MIX Events: Volksmarching
Once a route is chosen, it’s verified with a measuring wheel, a kind of cane with a mileage counter attached. The Event Coordinator then contacts the park manager and figures out the details like parking, camping and picnic areas. It can be a lot of work but the rewards are plenty.” We’ve made some good friends here,” he said. To Seline, people like Wayne Heath are key to keeping the NSTT going strong into its 24th year. While the walks are always open to anyone regardless of membership status, she said, NSTT is set up as a working organization. “When you join the club, we expect you to devote some volunteer time,” she said. Another way to keep people engaged is to break up a 10km walk into two 5km walks. That, she said, helps with the socializing, which she feels is just as important as the exercise part.
Wayne Heath, one of the event coordinators, led the Scooters that morning. After a chance encounter with the NSTT at Jay Cooke State Park five years ago, he decided to join and take on a more active role. As an Event Coordinator he’s responsible for scouting routes, usually a year or more in advance.
The land around the Minnesota Valley State Recreation Area has attracted people for centuries because the waters of the Minnesota River provided food, shelter, transportation and commerce. In the latter half of the 1800s, ambitious plans for a prosperous village near Belle Plaine, served by steamboats, fizzled when the railroad edged out the river as the connection to the world. The iron rails passed by the fledgling town of St. Lawrence and the boats stopped coming. Today, people visit to see the only remaining building of this settlement, the Strait House, and hike the extensive trail system to connect to history and nature.
Donna Seline’s involvement with this sport goes back half a century. She caught the bug when working for the US Army as a civilian in Germany, in charge of organizing recreational outings for GIs. Back stateside in 1988, she helped the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) set up a Volksmarching program in state parks, and it was a success. “We used to draw two or three hundred people on any given weekend,” she said. After nine years, the program was discontinued because of dwindling attendance. A year later, the NSTT group was born and remains the only Volksmarching club with the mission to walk in Minnesota’s state parks. Between 1988 and today, 341 organized hikes in Minnesota state parks have attracted almost 29,000 Apeople.typical
On a cool and foggy morning in October, the stone trail center building buzzed with activity. Several dozen people, some sporting colorful patches on their coats, lined up to register for a walk. Donna Seline was busy zipping from person to person for a lastminute check on the details, trying to get the crowd’s attention, while Peter Cartwright unloaded supplies from the back of his vehicle. “My van is the official carrier of all the bits and pieces,” he said. A colorful banner announced that this was an event organized by the NorthStar Trail Travelers (NSTT), one of three Minnesota chapters of the American Volkssport Association (AVA). Volksmarching is an anglicized version of the German word Volksmarsch and roughly translates into people’s hike. This movement started in Germany in the late 1960s as a non-competitive program for exercising and socializing. Military personnel returning home from Europe brought Volksmarching to the US and the first official such event happened in Fredericksburg, TX in 1976.
MARCHING ON Story & photos
Minnesota Trails Fall 2022 19 events. She started Volksmarching in 1990 when she was living in Germany and now covers about 350km a year, or 200 miles. Among the three Minnesota Volksmarching clubs, there are lots of events to choose from. “We try to get out most weekends,” she said. Besides the camaraderie and exercise, she likes NSTT’s focus on Minnesota state parks, which combines the best of both worlds for her. “I think we’re really lucky that we have such an amazing state park system here,” she said. Volksmarching is not a competition and that’s a draw. “We’re not here to figure out who’s going to get done first, we’re all just here to have a good time and be social and get some activity in at the same time,” she said. She realizes it doesn’t take a club to go hiking in a state park, but an organized event comes with piece of mind. “You know that people have been out there scouting the trails ahead of you.” Knowing that, she said, gives her the flexibility to stay within her comfort zone or challenge herself in a safe way. On the first 5km loop, Heath’s lively group walked through the misty forest along the Minnesota River. Spirits were high on this mild morning and the sun began to break through the fog. Most of the leaves were off the trees and crunched underfoot as the crowd trekked along. In the open, marshy areas, grasses were yellowed and exhausted from a long summer, and bent over, heavy with dew. Walkers soaked it all in and chatted excitedly in small groups. Occasionally, Heath stopped to gather his troops to point out a natural feature along the way. Back at the trail center, there was a short break and they were off for the second loop. The fog had burned off by now, it was getting warm for a late October day and some ditched the jackets and rolled up their sleeves. This trip again followed the river, but then crossed a wideopen prairie area. Some had brought binoculars and stopped to take a look at an eagle’s nest in a huge tree along the edge of the prairie. After a brief rest at the restored, historic Strait House, they followed the same path back. Once the hike was over, hungry walkers grazed the plentiful potluck offerings and milled around the picnic grounds. The annual meeting was a brief one and after the door prize drawing the crowd began to thin out. Eventually, everything went back into Cartwright’s van, to be deployed at the next Volksmarch. It takes commitment to keep an organization going year after year, but his love of the sport keeps him coming back. “It’s a very welcoming club and we love to walk together,” he said. FOR MORE INFO VISIT WWW.NSTT.ORG
www.northcountrytrail.org/volunteer/ways-to-volunteerVOLUNTEER:
The Kek, as it is affectionately called, is a challenging 41-mile footpath through the heart of the BWCA. Because it’s a part of the 4,600-mile North Country National Scenic Trail (NCT), the longest continuous hiking trail in the United States, maintenance of the Kek is coordinated through the Kekekabic Trail Chapter (KTC) of the North Country Trail Association (NCTA) and the National Forest Service (NFS). Trail clearing requires the use of lightweight, good quality pruning tools such as loppers and silky saws, small handsaws with aggressive teeth. Tackling large, fallen trees requires a bit more human—or machine-power, but within the BWCA power tools are not allowed. When a large tree falls across a trail, there are a few non-powered options to consider. One alternative is to cut the tree with handsaws. Two-person saws, called crosscut saws, are still in use in the BWCA. Another way is to find a spot where hikers can climb over or shimmy under the fallen tree. The trail can also just be re-routed around the obstacle, not an easy task in areas of storm-driven blow down. During the July 4, 1999 BWCACanadian derecho, almost half a million acres of old growth trees were flattened by 90-mph straight-line winds. Clearing and re-routing trails in this area has taken Keepingyears. the Kek open can be challenging because of its remoteness. Mother Nature does her job well, which means existing trails, especially ones like the Kek need persistent care to keep them open, because they don’t receive the foot traffic needed to keep emerging vegetation down. The NFS and members of the KTC do much of the work, but they need volunteers to make a daunting task achievable. During recent Kek clearing trips, some notoriously damp areas seemed wetter, even permanently flooded and affected paths have been rerouted onto higher ground. Be it climate change or just a season or two with more rain than usual, weather and climate will always be a factor, but dedicated maintenance is what keeps trails open for all to Campingenjoy.and working in the wilderness means carrying everything on your back, from food and bedding to loppers and pruners. You need to be alert and prepared for wildlife encounters, inclement weather, cuts, scrapes, stings, and burns, and anything else for which there’s no nearby Walgreens or basement for protection. Cell service is sketchy at best in the BWCA and you have to be prepared for emergencies. That’s why going with people experienced in remote hiking, camping, and trail clearing is essential, and only highly experienced leaders can guide volunteer groups. In spite of these challenges, trail clearing in the BWCA is extremely rewarding. The fresh air is intoxicating. The exercise is fun. Nature is pristine. After dinner, our groups always gather for stretching exercises and lying on the ground, looking up at the dark, star-filled sky is spectacular. The thrill of adventure, teamwork, satisfaction, challenges, and camaraderie of volunteer trail clearing in the BWCA cannot be overstated. It’s a great way to see new trails, visit and learn about protected wilderness areas, acquire camping, hiking, canoeing and portaging skills you never had, or just have a great outdoor experience. I’ve hiked the Kek end-to-end twice now and easily navigating areas of that trail that I helped clear or re-route were proud moments.
By Sara J Campbell Sara is from St. Louis, MO but has lived in MN since graduating college in Northfield. Growing up, her parents deeply believed in the benefit of fresh air, sending Sara and her siblings outside to play from sun-up to sun-down, no matter the weather. From this she learned to love the outdoors, and has never looked back.
I’ve been addicted to trail clearing for several years now. Maybe it’s connecting with nature, or the people with whom I’ve worked. Maybe it’s the fresh air or the stunning, yet simple beauty of the pristine landscape. I cannot pick just one reason because each one alone is enough to keep me going back to the millionacre wilderness that is the Boundary Waters Canoe Area (BWCA). Year after year I leave behind the comforts of home to help keep the Kekekabic Trail open.
TRAIL MIX Volunteerism: Kekekabic Trail PROUD VOLUNTEERSMOMENTS,KEEPTRAILS
20 Fall 2022 Minnesota Trails
OPEN FOR EVERYONE
Matt Davis photo Julie Campbell photo Sara Campbell photo
Laura Greene Spicer, MN Gideon Ngobi Roseville, MN Donna Seline Minneapolis, MN Megan Pederson Eau Claire, WI
Snapshots of people we meet along the trailTrails Trails Q & A2022 QA & Minnesota Trails Fall 2022 21 Choose Your Adventure.Your Adventure VISITBRAINERD VisitBrainerd.com
Occupation: Legal Administrative Assistant Gear: New Balance walking shoes. Seen: Hiking the new section of the Glacial Lakes State Trail at Sibley State Park with her sister Nancy How many miles do you walk a year? We just started walking again and last month we did 50 miles What does being outdoors mean to you? It feels good, gives you more energy and it’s relaxing Favorite Minnesota park? Lake Maria State Park. My husband and I used to hike there, with hardly anybody there Best Minnesota experience? Backcountry camping at Hogback Lake in the Superior National Forest Advice for the novice: Get a good pair of shoes and have something to eat before you go What would you do with $1,000? Buy a bicycle. Trail Treat: A Dairy Queen ice cream cone
Occupation: Graphic Designer for two small publications and board member emeritus of the NSTT. Gear: Hiking cane decorated with souvenir plaques and New Balance hiking shoes. Seen: Route scouting for the NorthStar Trail Travelers (NSTT ). Miles hiked per year: About 60. What does being outdoors mean to you? When I get out in the trees it’s kind of a sanctuary. My body loves getting out of the city and walking on soft terrain. Favorite Minnesota park? George H. Crosby Manitou, because it’s so rustic and it’s just a joy to walk around. Best Minnesota Experience? Helping start hiking club chapters in Minnesota. Worst Minnesota Experience? Having to seek shelter during a tornado while hiking in southern Minnesota. Advice for the novice: Start out slow and join a club. On your Minnesota bucket list? I really want to take a hot air balloon ride What would you do with $1,000? Go to Europe to do a Volksmarch over there. Trail Treat: Nothing in particular, but I always have to have water.
Occupation: Financial planner with Thrivent Financial Seen: Hiking with the North Star Trail Travelers at Minnesota Valley State Recreation Area. How many miles a year do you hike? About 100. What does being outdoors mean to you? It connects me to nature and a walk in the woods is refreshing. Favorite Minnesota park? I’m new to this so I can’t say I have been to many. Best Minnesota experience? Camping in the Duluth area, I woke up and my water was frozen, but I made it through the night. Worst Minnesota experience? The fear of snakes. I know they aren’t venomous here, but because of my background I have a natural fear of them. Advice to the novice: Get good shoes and start small. On your Minnesota bucket list? Visit Lake Vermilion Soudan Underground Mine State Park. What would you with $1,000? I would donate it to a state park trail Trail Treat: An energy bar. Occupation: Supervisor at Starbucks Gear: Camping hammock. Seen: Backpack camping for the first time at Lake Maria State Park. What is your first impression of backpacking? It was a little harder than I thought, but it was still very relaxing. I loved just lying in my hammock and listening to the rustling leaves and birds all around Favorite Minnesota State Park? Lake Maria State Park for sure after this. Minnesota bucket list: I want to go to Blue Mounds State Park. It’s something different than most parks I’ve been to, especially compared to the North Shore. Trail Treat: Probably trail mix. You get a little protein, a little sweet, a little savor y Best Minnesota outdoor experience? Backpacking in general, or biking the Dakota Rail Regional Trail from Wayzata past Gale Woods Farm. That was beautiful. Advice for the novice: Pack only what you need and maybe get a wagon. But always bring your essentials, you still have to camp in style What would you do with $1,000? I’d put it towards a trip to Peru. I really want to hike Machu Picchu!
You, your bike and a day of adventure. Find a trail near you at mnDNR.gov/parksandtrails 22 Fall 2022 Minnesota Trails
Located north of Isabella, Minnesota, in the heart of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, the 25-mile Powwow Trail is a treasure almost lost following the devastating Pagami Creek fire of 2011. Instead, in collaboration with the Forest Service, volunteers from the Boundary Waters Advisory Committee (BWAC) began the enormous project of recovering the trail. That meant finding it, first of all, and then using hand tools to saw and lop a path through nearlyimpenetrable obstacles left in the fire’s aftermath—dead trees in tangled masses sometimes a quarter mile long, and sunloving trees and brush that quickly overwhelmed the tread.
Verena Walther photo
SEPTEMBER 2013: New growth after a forest fire sometimes makes trails impassable.
photoKubikMartin Martin Kubik photo
Vast sweeps of jack pine, evolved to release seeds from tightly knotted cones when exposed to fire, were the first postfire woody seedlings to emerge after the 2011 fire. Other conifers came later: Christmas-tree-perfect black spruce; wispy tamaracks sprouting from damp peat; fresh-faced cedar colonies beneath their twisted grandparents; and longneedled red and white pines, descendants of giants that drew the loggers. Ferns, large-leaved aster, creeping dogwood, pearly everlasting thickly obscure the tread after the explosive growth of a wet spring. Broad-leaved thimbleweed grows shoulder-high by fall in the trail west of Pose Lake. The poplar, birch, alder and willow that beavers depend on grow in large stands in many areas, their healthy growth suckering over the trail but tall enough now to cast welcome shade. The ubiquitous beavers are joined by other animal life returning to the forests and lakes and bogs. Moose and wolf scat is common. Lynx have been spotted, and snowshoe hares. Chipmunks and little red boreal squirrels now lurk at Powwow Trail campsites. Hikers see and hear the By Lon Otto TRAIL MIX Restoration: Powwow Trail Lon has been a trail maintenance volunteer with BWAC since spring of 2018. He is the author of three collections of short stories and a novel, published this spring: The Flower Trade (Brighthorse Books). He lives in St. Paul, Minnesota, is Professor Emeritus at the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, and has taught for many years in the University of Iowa Summer Writing Festival.
JUNE 2018: Deadfall growthemergingandmake finding the original trail difficult.
WWW.BOUNDARYWATERSTRAILS.ORGMORE:LEARN
drumming of ruffed grouse all along the Powwow Trail, long a destination for fall hunters using historic logging roads to access their habitat. White throated sparrows sing thrillingly. In May of 2022, hikers camped at Mirror Lake were kept awake in the middle of the night by the obsessively repetitive calls of a whipAllpoor-will.Boundary Waters hiking trails are dynamic. The Powwow’s terrain varies from the rolling, relatively level and straight south and east sides, where it follows old logging roads, to the more rocky, rugged, elevation-varied west and north sides, often skirting lakeshore. Trails also change season by season and year by year. A spell of dry or wet weather can make a huge difference in hikers’ experience. Rain, snow, or wind transform conditions overnight. What is distinctive about the Powwow Trail is the enormous, complex changes involved in recovery from a forest fire. With a few isolated “green zones”—unburned areas—standing as promises of what is to come, the burned wilderness of the Powwow Trail moves steadily closer to becoming once more a mature forest.
Minnesota Trails Fall 2022 2323
John Mattson, another long time BWAC volunteer, recalls opening his car door in the trailhead parking lot in fall 2013 and being “met with the strong, pungent smell of burned wood,” and everything he touched coming away ‘dirty with soot’. The smell and the soot are all gone now.” Like Kubik, he recalls the bindweed everywhere, grabbing at his boots, and places like the junction where A TRAIL SAVED, A FOREST REBORN the trail splits into a loop, heading north and west, that were wide open for several years after the fire and are now thick with jack pines that the trail corridor cuts through. BWAC clearing crews from 2017 and 2018 recall taking group photos in front of a looming rock formation just a few yards off the trail between Fallen Arch Lake and Flapper Creek that today is almost completely obscured by vegetation.
The work continues: a good storm still brings down barriers to be limbed and sawn and hauled aside, and brush comes up relentlessly. However, the trail is once more well defined, and circumnavigating it is now challenging but manageable for experienced, well-prepared hikers. Eight campsites are open. The tread is gradually being reestablished, footstep by footstep.
To walk the Powwow Trail today is to experience a miracle of the natural world: the northern forest’s regeneration after fire, a process it has been practicing since the glaciers receded. Volunteers who worked on the trail from the beginning of the recovery effort are particularly conscious of the metamorphosis. Martin Kubik, founder of BWAC, circumnavigated the Powwow the year after the fire. “Most of the ground was bare,” he recalls, “with sedge grasses, bindweed, and fireweed representing about 30% of the ground cover. As the years pass, vistas that had been opened by the fire are now closing again. “On the north loop, six years ago,” he recalls, “the jack pines were only three to five feet tall, and we could see Pose Lake from the heights of the trail at many spots, along with boulder and rock formations in between. Now this view is disappearing.”
MAY 2022: Standing, dead trees rise above fresh, new Jackpines at Rock of Ages Lake.
24 Fall 2022 Minnesota Trails FEATURED PARKS TETTEGOUCHE 24 - 27 LAKE CARLOS 28 - 30 SIBLEY 32 - 34 Park RANGER Quiet tıme AT TETTEGOUCHESTATEPARK LASARJANBY Range andnaturalrewardedareasparksMinnesota’sthroughoutstateandrecreationforajourneywithbeautyadventure.
Minnesota Trails Fall 2022 25 LA SALLE LAKE REC AREA 35 - 37 It’s no surprise that nearly half a million people visit Tettegouche State Park each year. The deep gorge carved by the Baptism River with its steep cliffs, dark forests and roaring falls casts a spell that’s hard to resist. But when the fall season draws to a close and the shady valleys begin to freeze, the crowds retreat and it’s quiet time on Minnesota’s North Shore. Honeymoon Bluff Explore hundreds of miles of vibrant hiking trails. Download maps at VisitCookCounty.com/Hiking READY. SET. WANDER.
Photos Jan Lasar Clockwise from left: Scenic overlook near High Falls / The mouth of the Baptism River at Lake Superior / Near the end of the Shovel Point Trail / Fractured, twisted, folded: exposed volcanic rock along the banks of the Baptism River
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has modern amenities. /
145 miles of PAVED TRAIL visitgrandrapids.com | mesabitrail.com | ironrange.org PARK RANGER Tettegouche
26 Fall 2022 Minnesota Trails Hike Minnesota850 Miles NORTHCOUNTRYTRAIL.ORG / EVENTS NORTHCOUNTRYTRAIL.ORG / MINNESOTA NORTHCOUNT RY TR AILORG/ Maggie Ferguson Photo
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Find out www.parksandtrails.org/portfolio/tettegouchemore: Above:
be
Right: Swinging bridge over High Falls. Editor's note: The bridge was damaged in a flood in May of 2022 and is currently closed. Clockwise from top: Paved trail near the Visitor Center / Cascade Falls is at the end of a one-way hike on the west side of the Baptism River / The Shovel Point Trail follows the shore of Lake Superior Getting to the river means climbing stairs at Tettegouche State Park State Park Since 1991 the Parks & Trails Council of Minnesota has saved 300 acres of land, to added to Tettegouche State Park. Illgen Falls cabin sleeps six and Right: Illgen Falls
Minnesota Trails Fall 2022 27 Let’s Get Wild! Explore three of Minnesota’s most scenic and diverse trail systems, from along Lake Superior’s North Shore to miles of paths carved through the rugged wilderness. Visit our website for trail maps and more info! Split Rock Wilds Beaver Bay, MN Demonstration Forest Two Harbors, MN Gitchi-Gami State Trail Two Harbors to Silver Bay
RANGER Lake
28 Fall 2022 Minnesota Trails
1,200-acre Lake Carlos State Park is popular destination just ten miles north of Alexandria on the Glacial Ridge Trail Scenic Byway. With more than 14 miles of hiking trails, you can explore stands of hardwood trees one minute, then cross a grassy meadow to a woodland pond or marsh the next. This combination of grassland, wetland, and wooded ridge makes the park a treat for hikers. During a camping trip last fall the weather was just about perfect: Temperatures in the 30s overnight and in the 50s during the day, with plenty of sunshine meant crisp, foggy mornings and balmy, bug-free Saturdayafternoons.morning started out foggy and frosty as expected, but we left our cocoon and hit the trails with gusto. For all the times we’d been to Lake Carlos State Park, we never made it to the very southeastern tip of the park, where the Long Prairie River State Water Trail exits Lake Carlos. We started out on the Prairie Restoration Trail near the park entrance and ten minutes into our walk we were at our first sto, the scenic overlook and observation platform at Schumacher’s Slough. Normally it’s a hot spot for bird watching, but not that morning. It was a quiet day on the trail for both animals and people and we were happy to just walk in the sun. When we started, the frost was beginning to melt off the leaes and grasses exposed to the sun. Shaded areas were still solidly crusted with tiny spikes of ice, but as we continued on, things began to dry out and warm up. The rairie Restoration, Wetland Overlook and Large Tooth Aspen Trails form a series of interconnected loops along the northeastern edge of the park that run into the Long Prairie River Trail. We decided to walk the outside edges of the loops on the way down and the insides on the return trip. When the Large Tooth Aspen Trail merged with the Long Prairie River Trail, we stepped out of the woods briefly and walked though an open section with grassy hills. The grass was brown and waiting to wake back up in the spring, but it made for a beautiful color combination with the yellow leaves of the aspen trees. And, yes, compared to the regular aspen, the leaves of the Large Tooth Aspen have rather large teeth along their edges. They ere on full display, raining from the rustling branches and littering the path ahead with golden highlights. Thee was a slight change of scenery on the Long Prairie River Trail. The tees disappeared and the path ahead wound across more grassy knolls. Here, we could see houses poking their roofs over the tree line, another reminder that if it wasn’t for parks preserving land for us all to enjoy, only a few would have access to beautiful places. The trail ended abuptly at a road but because of Jen’s superior navigation skills and the Avenza map of the park, we found we had to walk a few hundred yards down the street to get to the headwaters of the Long Prairie River. Story & photos by Jan Lasar Below: New canoe access at the headwaters of the Long Prairie River
Fall Hiking AT Lake Carlos STATE PARK PARK Carlos State Park
The rier exits Lake Carlos, flws east and then north and flws into the Crow River in Motley, 95 miles later. The headwaters picnic area had just been refurbished with a new parking lot and signs, and a new canoe launch had been added just a few weeks ago. We sat and watched the water spill over the natural rock dam and had a snack. It was a little chilly in the shade and if it had been a little warmer, we could have had a wereweApack.northernandnoon,Itdown!”JenongotafternoontheircomingweforthepositionsomewasandBackexperience,your-shoes-off-and-walk-acoss-the-rivertake-similartoItascaStatePark.atcamp,theplanwastoeatlunchhikesomemore,buttheweathertoolovelytonotatleasttrytocatchfish.Webundledupandassumedononeofthefishingdocksnearcampground.Nothinghappenedawhileandinsteadofourbobbers,watchedagroupofcootsdivingandupwithwrigglingminnowsinbeaks.Thewinddieddwn,thesunwasstrongandmyeyelidsheavierwitheverysplashofthewavesthebeach.Ihadjustnoddedoffwhenelbowedme.“Yourbobberisgoingwasalargesunfishandfomthenthefishingwasgoodandtheewasneedforsleep.Wereeledinbassperch,butstoppedawalleyeandshortoftheLakeCarlosvarietybonfietoppedoffthisgrandda,andstaredintotheflamesuntiloureyelidstooheavyonceagain.
Classic campgroundthespottedcamperinlower
Minnesota Trails Fall 2022 29
The estern portion of the park was more familiar territory. The aple Basswood, Red Oak, Prairie Pothole and Forestry Trails loop through this area and give you a variety of experiences with dense woods, rolling hills, open prairie, bogs and tiny ponds with the occasional boulder sprinkled in. When we returned, a lot of campers had left and we began our departure procedure, too. We’re already making plans for next summer and exploring the Long Prairie River.
The Central Lakes Trail Starts Here BikeFergusFalls.com Sunday’s weather wasn’t quite as nice. It was overcast, breezy and a bit chillier. Getting out for a hike took some willpower, but we always get motivated by thinking about how balmy it is compared to some of the winter walks we’ve done.
Right: The overlook at Schumacher's Slough / Below: Hidden Lake Group Center 30 Fall 2022 Minnesota Trails
PARK RANGER Lake Carlos State Park
Explore stands of hardwood trees oneminute, then cross a grassy meadow toa woodland pond or marsh the next.
Minnesota Trails Fall 2022 31 Whether you like the isolation in the middle of nature, the fun of downtown shopping or a family weekend exploring the best fall can provide, Alexandria has options to build lasting memories. Adventures • Fall Colors • Family Fun Lakes/Trails • Great Food/Drink • ExploreAlex.comShopping
There were no excuses on Saturday morning as Jen’s parents, Theresa and Mike, arrived early to join us for a day of hiking. The plan was to take a look at the new amphitheater in the park, search for the place where the new bike trail passes under Highway 71 and then spontaneously pick another route using our Avenza map app. Shortly after getting on the trail there was a split and like so many times in life, we took the wrong turn. This trail wasn’t on any maps, so we were relying on our sense of direction, which turned out to be a hilarious choice. Instead of veering southeast we went northwest and walked through the Lakeview Campground, ending up at the boat landing on Andrew Lake. From there, an old section of paved trail took us out to a road near the canoe portage between Andrew and Henschien Lake.
SIBLEY STATE PARK’S 2,500 ACRES PUT IT SOLIDLY IN THE TOP ONE-THIRD OF MINNESOTA’S STATE PARKS AS FAR AS SIZE GOES, BUT IT ALSO CLAIMS A SEAT IN THE TOP TEN WITH 200,000 ANNUAL VISITORS. IT CAN BE A BUSY PLACE, BUT THINGS CALM DOWN WHEN THE LEAVES ARE OFF THE TREES. IT TURNS OUT A MILD WEEKEND IN NOVEMBER WAS THE PERFECT TIME FOR A VISIT.
Above: En route to Mount Tom / Right: The new amphitheater next to to the interpretive center
PARK RANGER Sibley State Park
32 Fall 2022 Minnesota Trails
Jen and I arrived about mid-day on a Friday with great plans of hiking and exploring a new section of the paved Glacial Lakes Trail inside the park. It was a great plan, but after setting up camp we decided to enjoy the mild weather and wonderful sunshine, sit in our camp chairs and watch a few more travel trailers pull into Oakridge Campground until it was time for a bonfire and a quiet night.
THE Glacial Lakes Trail COMES TO Sibley State ParkStory & photos by Jan Lasar
The
inside
BIKE, HIKE & KAYAK
For all the times I had visited Sibley State Park, this older, paved trail had somehow remained hidden to me. We continued to the scenic overlook near the horse camp and took a break. Temperatures had crept up to 60 degrees and the jackets were coming off. From the top of our little hill we had a great view of the rest of the park’s other rolling hills. Besides a few dots of burnt orange and rusty browns the forest’s fall colors were gone and our path to Mount Tom was a green ribbon through tan grass and was swallowed by the woods in the distance. On top of the next rise, the roof of the Mount Tom observation tower stuck out over the treetops and we began working our way toward it. This leg of our hike was a wide, mowed path through the woods for people on foot and on horses. After a short walk down a gravel road, we reached the Hiking Club Trail. Near Mount Tom it’s a steep and rocky climb that packs a punch, but, fortunately, isn’t very long. At the Little Mount Tom overlook, the little brother of the more popular Mount Tom overlook, we stretched the legs and took a selfie, then set out for the real deal. At the parking lot I turned toward the observation tower to read the interpretive sign at the bottom. I was just about to start hiking up that last hill when I turned around and noticed the crew was gone. The sound of footsteps through leaves came from the woods and a voice announced: “We’re not going that way.” It was mutiny. Outvoted three to one I had no choice but to comply. Right after Mount Tom the Hiking Club Trail runs on a very distinct, flat ridge before it tucks back into the woods. This last leg back toward the campground was again very hilly, but not impossible to hike. By this time of the day the temperatures were nearing the mid-sixties and it felt more like late April than early November. We even met a fellow hiker who had taken off his shirt to cool down. By contrast, there were six to nine inches of snow on the ground at the same time the year prior. Back at camp we had dinner and enjoyed the rest of the sunny day. new Glacial Lakes State Trail section Sibley State Park
Minnesota Trails Fall 2022 33 WillmarLakesArea.com | 320-235-3552 explore. more.
Find out more: www.parksandtrails.org/portfolio/sibley-state-park
34 Fall 2022 Minnesota Trails
PARK RANGER Sibley State Park
VISITMARSHALLMN.COM507-537-1865MARSHALL,MN
Below: The Glacial Lakes State Trail enters the park at the southeast corner and winds through rolling prairie hills. / Right: At the equestrian campground
The next day we wanted to find out exactly where that brand new paved bike trail goes. It was so brand new that the construction marker stakes were still in the ground and newly seeded grass was just beginning to sprout along the edges of the trail. We walked southeast from the interpretive center toward the park road, through woods, then prairie and back into the woods. A natural ridge looked like it had been put there just to provide a flat surface for the trail to cross through a wetland, and it was lined with mature oaks that had been there many years. Eventually, we crossed the park road and ended up in the open prairie. The trees disappeared, the view opened up and we could see two people off in the distance, over the next hill. The two women who lived nearby, were excited to have a new trail in their backyard. Since the construction crews moved out, they said, this new section of the Glacial Lakes State Trail has seen a lot of use. At the intersection of Highway 71 and County Road 40, the trail reached the park boundary. A tunnel took us under the road and that was as far at it’s been built. From here, it’s just about three and a quarter-miles into New London and the connection to the Glacial Lakes State Trail, which is currently being worked on. To understand why this short piece inside the park is a big deal, a look back in time reveals that this is one tiny step in the fulfillment of the original plan for the Glacial Lakes State Trail. It was authorized in 1971 to originate at Kandiyohi County Park on the north end of Green Lake, travel to Sibley State Park, on to Glacial Lakes State Park and end at Lake Carlos State Park. The master plan was amended in 1993 to make the trail originate in Willmar and head northeast to Richmond through New London and Paynesville, with a possible connection to Saint Cloud thrown in. The extension north to Glacial Lakes and Lake Carlos State Parks was left in. A master plan for the extension into Sibley State Park was done in 2012, and fifty years after its conception, the Glacial Lakes State Trail is inching closer to completion. Since 1993 the Parks & Trails Council of Minnesota has saved 189 acres of land, to be added to Sibley State Park.
WORLD
Minnesota Trails Fall 2022 35
PARK RANGER La Salle Lake State Recreation Area Story
YOU CAN FIND LAKE LA SALLE STATE RECREATION AREA (LSLSRA) FIVE MILES NORTH OF ITASCA STATE PARK AND ABOUT TWENTY MILES SOUTHWEST OF LAKE BEMIDJI STATE PARK. PART OF THE SRA IS THE SCIENTIFIC AND NATURAL AREA (SNA) BY THE SAME NAME JUST TO THE NORTH, WHICH ALLOWS YOU TO SEE THE FLEDGLING MISSISSIPPI FROM A SCENIC OVERLOOK. BOTH ARE MANAGED BY THE MINNESOTA DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL (MNDNR).
RESOURCES
Paddle the Crow Wing River Water Trail or one of over 400 lakes to enjoy fall colors from a new perspective. Rentals are available and lodging amenities abound to make your trip enjoyable.
The star of the show is La Salle Lake, which is Minnesota’s deepest in-state body of water at over 200 feet. The 11-mile hiking trail system is a close second. The 39-site campground has full hookups and there’s a shower house with individual shower rooms and a laundry room. If camping isn’t for you, LSLSRA has two well-equipped guesthouses for rent. We woke up Saturday morning to rain drumming on the roof. Feeling adventurous, we left for the Challenge Trail when the rain let up. According to our research, this path around boomerang-shaped La Salle Lake promised to be steep, rugged and remote and included two wet, bridge-less water crossings. Challenge Accepted. The trail starts right by the campground bathroom building and we began working our way around the lake—but not without using the boot scrubbing station to keep invasive plant seeds in check. The trail was very narrow and intimate and it & photos by Jan Lasar accepted.Challenge
www.parkrapids.com218-237-4111•#VisitParkRapidsITASCAFAMOUS STATE PARK
HIKING AT LA SALLE LAKE STATE REC AREA
36 Fall 2022 Minnesota Trails really did feel off the beaten path. The campground noises soon disappeared and we started getting deeper into the woods. What had been a light sprinkle turned into an actual rain after a while, but we were sheltered from the worst of it by a dense canopy of trees. As we walked along a high ridge, we caught glimpses of the lake.
PARK RANGER La Salle Lake State Recreation Area
The MNDNR website describes the habitat at LSLSRA as having “high and outstanding biodiversity significance.”
To us it meant a constantly changing landscape. One minute the trail was lined with maples and other deciduous trees, reminiscent of Maplewood State Park. Then it changed to a nearly impenetrable palisade of young aspen, followed by stands of huge pines reminiscent of nearby Itasca State Park. Some shady ravines had lush mounds of waist-high ferns, moss-covered rocks and logs full of fungi. In the open areas, the sun had burned vegetation to a crisp. This kaleidoscope of minilandscapes kept randomly changing throughout our hike. At about the three-mile mark, we took a spur trail down to the lake. Slippery rocks made the steep descent a challenge and the trail was beginning to live up to its name. Back on top of the ridge, the trail continued through aspen stands, we lost our tree cover and the rain was picking up. As a reward for all of our hard work so far, we had to walk through an area with dense, thigh-high grasses and other plants that were more than happy to dry themselves off on our feet and legs. Now we were getting wet from above and below, but it didn’t have an impact on our good mood. We were outside, immersed in nature and getting in a good walk. At the first water crossing, we came to a swampy area and hopped across a few logs and squishy grass tufts to avoid the mud. This was our water crossing. The water was knee-deep, clear and moving swiftly. On a hot, sunny day this would be an ideal spot to cool off and sit beside the sand-bottomed creek for a while. During a wet year or after a heavy rain, this water crossing could easily become the most challenging part of the hike. We continued on as before, sometimes climbing up a trail littered with slick rocks, sometimes squeezing through the woods on a narrow track no wider than a deer trail. Our footsteps thumped on the ground like on a hollow log in some spots and crunched with sticks and acorns in others and there was always the faint sound of wind in the trees and the constant hiss of the rain as it hit the canopy. Like the landscape, the smells varied, too. In the beginning I noticed a sweet odor that was hard to figure out. Then came the tannic musk of decaying oak leaves, the scent of fresh pine and the funk of slimy mushrooms growing in the cracks of rotten logs. The sights, sounds and smells were constantly changing as we made our way around La Salle TowardsLake.thelatter half of the trip the sun came out and we dried out as the temperatures climbed. After the second river crossing, which was only a tiny stream we could easily step across, it was a short, straight up hike. Then, we walked on a wider, grassy trail for a while. Suddenly, we had reached the end of the Challenge Trail. Our Avenza app told us we had hiked
about six and a half miles, but there was a little bit left to go to get back to the campground. We popped out of the woods on some mowed-grass prairie trails, just to duck back into a variety of hard and soft woods with some open, grassy areas thrown in. This was the Hunter Waking Trail. Soon we reached the picnic area. We stopped and checked out the nice, big shelter, natural play area and views of the lake. Next was the fishing pier, then the boat landing and a steep hike up past the camper cabins back to the Wecampground. came back after about five hours and had hiked a total of 7.9 miles. While the Challenge Trail itself is six and a half miles long, we needed to hike an extra mile and a half on other trails to make it a loop around the lake. If you haven’t been, Lake La Salle State Rec Area is definitely worth exploring.
Minnesota Trails Fall 2022 37
bike & “paddle” northern minnesota.
The Black Bear guest house at the northern end of La Salle Lake
Catch a Bemidji Beer & take a crowler to go. // Downtown Bemidji off the Paul Bunyan Trail // BemidjiBeer.com
DECIDUOUSPRAIRIE LONGCITIESSTATEROADSBIKESTATESTATETALLGRASSCONIFEROUSFORESTFORESTASPENPARKLANDPARKSRECREATIONAREASTRAILSWATERTRAILSDISTANCEHIKINGTRAILS May 2022 MAP LEGENDNotforNavigationLakeLacsMille RedLowerLake LeechWinnibigoshishLakeLake theLakeRedUpperLakeofWoods Rainy River Rainy Lake Minnesota St.RiverCroix MississippiLakeSuperior Lake Superior LittleFork Red LakePommedeTerre ChippewaRedwoodCottonwoodDesMoinesWatonwan EarthBlue RockShell Cedar Root Zumbro Whitewater CannonStraight NorththeofRiverRed ForkBig Vermillion Mississippi Rum MississippiSnakeKettlePineCrowWingLongPrairieSauk Crow,NorthFork SouthCrow,Fork Cloquet St. Louis OtterTail LakeCass Grand Marais TofteDuluthEly Two HarborsSilver Bay EvelethBemidji BrainerdWalkerWadenaParkRapidsLakesDetroit CrosbyMoraFallsInternationalHinckley Marine on St. Croix HastingsStillwater Lake CityBranchNorthHugoFallsCannon Sandstone Minneapolis Hutchinson PaulSaint RochesterRed Wing Winona PrestonHarmonyLanesboro OwatannaFaribault Marshall NewMankatoUlm Pipestone Saint Cloud Little Falls Fergus Falls Alexandria Willmar AlbertLea AustinEarthBlueWorthingtonLuverne St. James Moorhead ErskineCrookston Chisholm RapidsGrand 94 94 35 35 90 90 10 71 71 53 2 2 71 75 59 59 12 12 5959 75 14 14 52 52 61 63 169 212 212 169 7575 63 CentreSaukPaynesvilleAlbanySt. Joseph 169 VoyageursNationalPark BWCA TrailCountryNorth TrailCountryNorth TrailKekekabic RouteBorderTrail Superior Hiking Trail LakesCentralGlendalough Rec.CountryCuyunaArea BunyanPaul Paul Bunyan Heartland Migizi SingingSakatahMinnesotaValleyRec.AreaHillsRidgeFair Camden CaseyJonesBlueMounds WobegonLake Soo Line LineSoo MungerWillard LakeRainyMesabi SegmentLaveauAlex CreekBrown’s Gitchi Gami Trail Gateway Harmony-Preston Valley BlazingStar ShootingStar RiverRoot Douglas RidgeRiverGreat ValleyCannon LakesGlacialROCORI DakotaRail Luce Line HardwoodSunriseRoundsGrandPrairieCreek LRT PioneerGoodhue Frontenac John A. LatschGreat River Bluffs Beaver Creek Valley Forestville / Mystery Cave Lake Louise BigMyreIslandRiceLake WhitewaterCarley SakatahLake BigNerstrandWoods Minneopa Kilen Woods MoundsBlueSplitCreekRock NationalPipestoneMonument Lake Shetek FlandrauRidgelyFortCamdenUpperAgencySiouxLacquiParle Big Stone Lake Monson LakeSibley GreenleafLakeRec.Area SnellingFort Lake Maria GlacialLakes Lake Carlos Charles LindberghA.MilleKathioLacs HennepinFather JayBanningMooseLakeCooke GooseberryFalls Split Rock Lighthouse Tettegouche George H. Crosby Manitou TemperanceRiver Cascade River JudgeMagneyC.R. BearLakeHead LakeUndergound/SoudanVermilionMineScenic McCarthyBeachHillMineAnnex IronRec.OHVRangeArea SavannaPortage WingCrowMaplewoodGlendalough Buffalo River LaItascaSalle Lake Rec. Area Schoolcraft Lake BemidjiBig Bog Rec. AreaFranzJevne Rec.GardenIslandArea Zippel Bay Hayes Lake LakeRedBronsonOldMillRiverRec.Area PortageGrand Wild WilliamInterstateRiverO’BrienSt.CroixAfton GrandMonumentNationalPortage Minnesota’s bike trails, long distance hiking trails, water trails, state parks, state recreation areas and biomes 38 Fall 2022 Minnesota Trails
Minnesota Trails Fall 2022 39 35 7171 2 2 94 90 90 Minnesota Trails DirectoryNortheastRegionsRegionDuluth St. Cloud Bemidji MankatoNorthwestRegionSouthernRegion RegMetroion CentralRegion PARTNERSTRAIL A quick and easy reference for planning your adventure! BIKE SHOPS BIKE KING 651-457-7766 6489 Cahill Avenue, Inver Grove Heights www.bike-king.com CARS BIKE SHOP 763-784-6966 2661 Co Road I & Old Hwy 10, Mounds View www.CarsBikeShop.com CYKEL 218-772-0177 324 Curtis Avenue, www.cykelonline.comIronton FITZHARRIS BIKE & SPORT 320-251-2844 105 7th Avenue S, St. Cloud www.fitzharrismn.com JAKE’S BIKES 320-219-7433 419 N. Nokomis St., www.jakesbikes.comAlexandria RAMSEY BICYCLE 763-323-6666 6825 Hwy. 10 NW, www.ramseybicycles.comRamsey REVOLUTION CYCLE AND SKI 320-251-2453 160 29th Avenue South, St. www.revolutioncycleandski.comCloud TOURIGHT BICYCLE SHOP 320-639-2453 124 2nd Street NE, Little www.tourightbicycleshop.comFalls TRAILHEAD CYCLING & FITNESS 763-712-0312 11350 Aquila Drive, Suite 505, Champlin www.trailheadcyclingandfitness.com TRAILHEAD CYCLING & FITNESS 763-712-0312 12901 16th Ave. N, www.trailheadcyclingandPlymouth fitness.com INFORMATIONCANNONFALLSCHAMBER 507-263-2289 103 4th St N, Cannon Falls www.cannonfalls.org CENTRAL LAKES TRAIL ASSOCIATION 324 Broadway, Alexandria 320-763-0102 www.centrallakestrail.com HUTCHINSON CHAMBER 320-587-5252 2 Main St., www.explorehutchinson.comHutchinson VISIT BRAINERD 800-450-7247 14084 Baxter Drive, STE 12, Brainerd www.visitbrainerd.com VISIT FERGUS FALLS 218-332-5425 112 Washington Ave. W, Fergus Falls www.visitfergusfalls.com VISIT LAKEVILLE 952-469-2020 19950 Dodd Blvd., www.visitlakeville.orgLakeville EAT & DRINK BEMIDJI BREWING 211 America Avenue NW Bemidji 218-444-7011 www.bemidjibeer.com THE DEERSTAND RESTAURANT AND BAR 24188 Mohs Street, Deerwood 218-534-9253 www.deerstandrestaurant.com TRAILSIDE TAVERN & PATIO 218-546-5465 212 West Main Street, www.trailsidetavern.comCrosby SPECIALTY STORES VICTUAL 124 West Main Street, Crosby 218-545-1000 www.shopvictual.com SERVICESCOLDWELLBANKER CROWN REALTORS Hwy. 6 & 210, Crosby 218-546-8346 www.coldwellbankercrown.com CUYUNA REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER 320 East Main Street, Crosby 218-546-7000 www.cuyunamed.org DEERWOOD BANK 218-534-3111 21236 Archibald Road, www.deerwoodbank.comDeerwood DRIFTLESS TRADING POST 507-875-7733 318 Mill S, www.driftlesstradingpost.comPeterson MID MINNESOTA FEDERAL CREDIT UNION 117 West Main Street, Crosby 218-546-5428 www.mmfcu.org OARS-N-MINE 218-546-6912 22640 MN-6, www.oarsnmine.comCrosby TIMBER BUILDING SUPPLY 218-678-2063 14506 State Highway 6, www.timberbuildingsupply.comDeerwood B&BsCOUNTRY BED AND BREAKFAST 5 miles from Taylors Falls 651-257-4773 www.countrybedandbreakfast.us GREEN HERON B&B 218-999-5795 2810 Meyers Bay Road, Grand Rapids www.greenheronbandb.com LODGING/CAMPINGBIGRIVERRESORT651-565-9932 1110 Hiawatha Dr. www.bigriverresort.comE RED RIDER RESORT 218-838-6858 23457 Co. Rd. 31, www.redriderresort.comCrosby More details at: www.mntrails.com/trail-partners
40 Fall 2022 Minnesota Trails
