Minnesota Trails Fall 2023

522 Sinclair Lewis Avenue

Sauk Centre, MN 56378

www.MnTrails.com

Minnesota Trails Staff

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

Vol. 28, No. 3

August 2023

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

EAT / DRINK

DEERSTAND RESTAURANT & BAR 24188 Mohs Street, Deerwood (218) 534-9253

www.deerstandrestaurant.com

Full Menu, Salad Bar, Cocktails, Meat Raffles and Fun!

Crosby / Ironton

Deerwood / Bay Lake

Cuyuna / Emily

SPECIALTY STORE

COMMON GOODS 27 W Main St, Crosby (218) 772-2999

www.commongoodsmn.org

Locations in Crosby, Baxter & Crosslake

VICTUAL 124 W Main St., Crosby (218) 545-1000

www.shopvictual.com

CYKEL 324 Curtis Ave, Ironton (218) 772-0177

www.cykelonline.com

Bike sales, bike rentals, bike repairs & custom bike builds

OARS-N-MINE 22640 MN-6, Crosby (218) 546-6912

www.oarsnmine.com

Docks, lifts, bait and tackle

THEHUDSON

THE HUDSON 208 Curtis Ave., Ironton (218) 772-0096

www.hudson218.com

Food, coffee, beer, wine & cocktails

LODGING

CUYUNA LAKES STAY 23688 Forest Rd, Deerwood (218) 866-2325

www.cuyunalakesstay.com

Nightly, weekly, monthly lodging

23457 Co. Rd. 31, Crosby (218) 838-6858

www.redriderresort.com

Cabins and camping right off the trail

CUYUNA CABIN COLLECTION

WWW.CUYUNACABINS.COM

Crosby, MN

info@cuyunacabins.com

Direct trail access across from cabins Luxury lodging loaded with amenities

Ice cream, cheese, charcuterie, gourmet, gifts, spirits

SERVICES

www.coldwellbankercrown.com

Serving the Cuyuna Lakes and surrounding areas (218) 546-8346

TIMBER BUILDING SUPPLY & ACE HARDWARE 14506 State Highway 6, Deerwood (218) 678-2063

www.timberbuildingsupply.com

Your local building supplier

FINANCIAL

DEERWOOD BANK 21236 Archibald Rd., Deerwood (218) 534-3111

www.deerwoodbank.com

CUYUNA LAKES CHAMBER 21236 Archibald Rd, Deerwood (218) 546-8131

www.cuyunalakes.com

CRMC SUPER ONE Walk-In Clinic – Pharmacy

Inside Crosby Super One Store (218) 545-5350

www.cuyunamed.org

Banking Made Nice & Simple

MID MINNESOTA FEDERAL CREDIT UNION 117 West Main Street, Crosby (218) 546-5428

www.mmfcu.org

Member owned and working for you

Cuyuna Lakes Chamber members are open & ready to serve you! 218-546-8131

www.CuyunaLakes.com are open & to serve you

When my wife Jen and I bought our first travel trailer in 2018, we turned over another leaf in the book of our outdoor passions. We brought home a modest 16-foot camper, named him Campy and never looked back. It was a base model of a base model and had lots of empty spots where there could have been features. But to us it was a palace on wheels. No more fumbling for the flashlight on those midnight potty trips or launching your sleeping partner into the air as you plop back down on the inflatable mattress. Rainy day morning coffee was just a push of a (dry) button away and the 13,500 BTU air conditioner made that camper an icebox on wheels on a 98-degree afternoon. We were in love with trailer camping.

Just like any love affair, you have to work at it to keep it alive and this thing required a lot of it. There were tanks to be maintained, water lines to be drained and a rubber roof

to be inspected, maybe caulked, every thirty days. It was a job. Then there was the subpar craftsmanship, which had us reattaching things that fell off during each trip. The trailer also had a shower we rarely used and an indoor kitchen that gathered dust because we like to cook outside.

We were in love with camping, but had to break up with Campy before he reached that age where the real problems start. The new trailer was to simplify our camping experience by paring down the list of amenities and be built to last at the same time.

It turns out that a simple, small, light, well-built trailer within our budget is hard if not impossible to come by. After some soul and internet searching, we decided to go bespoke and convert an existing, bare bones all aluminum cargo trailer into the camper of our dreams. The bed will be going north-south, so no climbing over each other. There’ll be a place to sit and play Yahtzee and drink coffee on a rainy day and there’ll even be a camping biffy behind a door. The kitchen will be outside where it belongs and the drop-down ramp will become a patio out back. It’ll have everything we need and nothing we don’t. And, having built it ourselves, we know what’s in the walls.

We’re going to name her

Jan Lasar

Editor/Publisher

Stephanie. I’ll tell the full story of this decision around the campfire sometime, but it was born out of rebellion against typical travel trailer names like Venom or Extreme. Stephanie will also not be a flashy dresser with lots of swoopy swirls or busy "up north" graphics. She will wear the simple Minnesota Trails badge with grace and she will live outdoor adventure, not scream it.

Stephanie’s conception happened just the other day when she received her VIN (Vehicle Identification Number) in preparation for construction. You better believe we’ll be at the factory gates the minute she’s born and take her home to the grounds of the Trails Headquarters.

By the time this issue publishes, we’ll be knee-deep in sawdust, finishing the interior and getting ready for a maiden voyage late this year, fingers crossed. Take a look at the stories in this issue of Trails and make your own plans for this fall. Most of the places you’ll read about we visited with Campy (see Late Season Love, page 32).

We’ll keep on rolling with Stephanie.

TrailsQA &

Snapshots of people we meet along the trail

Chuck Peter Roseville, MN

Occupation: Retired

Seen: Hiking and camping at Beaver Creek Valley State Park.

Gear: New Balance walking shoes and a walking stick.

How many miles do you hike in a year? I don’t keep track, but I would say maybe 20 or 30?

What does being outdoors mean to you? Communicating with nature and God’s creation.

Favorite Minnesota park or trail? Banning State Park. I like the terrain and I always enjoy the walk, no matter when.

Are you camping here? Yes, but it’s more like glamping. We have a 12 by 18 tent for two people. We have tables, chairs, cots, the whole ball of wax.

Advice for the novice hiker? I would do some easy parks. Start slow, a mile or two, maybe?

What’s on your Minnesota bucket list? My wife and I have done our bucket list. We’ve been to every Minnesota state park and she wants to add some national parks to the list.

What would you do with $1,000? A solar battery for outdoor camping.

Trail Treat: I always say, when I’m close to the end of my hike, "I smell Diet Coke."

Dianna Rogers Fridley, MN

Occupation: Retired teacher

Seen: Hiking at Great River Bluffs State Park

Gear: Duluth Trading Co. bucket hat with hidden bug net

How many miles do you hike per year? About 100.

What does being outdoors mean to you? It’s rejuvenating, the serenity of it. I like the peacefulness; I like the adventure.

Favorite Minnesota park or trail?

Tettegouche State Park. It’s got the water; it’s got the texture of the land. You can stand in a particular spot and you get the scent. The scent of the pine is all of a sudden stronger than before or after.

Best Minnesota experience: When we camped at the group camp at Blue Mounds State Park, one morning we found the buffalo behind the fence across the street staring at us the way we would stare at them and they followed us along the fence as we walked.

Worst Minnesota experience: Getting eaten alive by bugs at Mille Lacs Kathio State Park.

Advice for the novice: You’ll want good shoes, a walking stick, sun screen, a water bottle and some kind of a plan to accomplish your goals.

What’s on your Minnesota bucket list? Visiting the 11 state parks we haven’t been to, yet.

What would you do with $1,000? Travel money to visit national parks.

Trail Treat: A form of GORP (Good Old Raisins and Peanuts), depending on what’s in the cupboards.

Occupation: Insurance Adjuster

Seen: Camping at Lake Carlos State Park with his wife Sandy.

Gear: A 23-foot Puma travel trailer

How often do you go camping? We try to go at least once a month during the season.

What does being outdoors mean to you? For us it’s a way of recharging. Camping gets us away from the TV.

Favorite Minnesota park or trail? Probably Lake Carlos; it’s in our backyard.

Have you been to any other state parks? I’ve probably been to every one except Lake Vermillion or Lake Bronson State Park.

Best Minnesota experience? When my wife’s parents were still alive, I convinced her dad to go fishing with me. We caught a whole bunch of crappies and he had a ball. Worst Minnesota experience? We camped in a tent and got rained on for four days; our tent was full of water and mud and we were cold and wet.

Advice for the novice camper? Figure out what’s important and what’s not. Start out small either with a tent or small travel trailer.

What’s on your Minnesota bucket list? Going to Split Rock Lighthouse State Park to see the new campground and renting a houseboat for a week at Lake of the Woods.

What would you do with $1,000? I would donate it to the DNR. We enjoy the state parks so much, we’d probably just give them the money. Trail Treat: Dairy Queen sundae or banana split.

Vicente Barreiro Maple Grove, MN

Occupation: Software Developer

Seen: Hiking near High Falls at Tettegouche State Park

Gear: Merrell hiking boots

How many miles do you hike per year? Maybe 20 miles.

What does being outdoors mean to you? Enjoying nature, connecting with nature, admiring what nature has to show, relaxing. It’s peaceful.

Favorite Minnesota park or trail? Any one of the parks on the North Shore.

Best Minnesota experience: Hiking and camping at George Crosby Manitou State Park. Campsite number 14, at the bend in the river, best camping experience ever.

Worst Minnesota experience: My wife and I were camping at William O’Brien State Park when our kids were little and we had to run for the shelter because of a tornado.

Advice for the novice: Dress in layers, choose a campsite overlooking the lake and you can’t go wrong with the North Shore.

What’s on your Minnesota bucket list? A trip to the Boundary Waters. What would you do with $1,000? Get some lightweight camping gear.

Trail Treat: Trail mix or Kind energy bars.

Todd Domine Alexandria, MN

2023 Photo Contest Winners

Four categories highlight four “corners” of Minnesota

Minnesota’s State Parks M

PHOTOGRAPHERNOTES:

he Big Bog Boardwalk is an elevated walkway thaters, plants, grasses, and trees, all along a one-mile hike Whether searching for sundews in the spring or soaking in the golden glow of the tamaracks in the fall, the look towards me, and pause, just long enough for one

Lori Adamietz Scenic State Park

David Halgrimson Glendalough State Park

Joyce Palm at Big Bog State Recreation Area

parksandtrails.org/events/2023-photo-contest

Minnesota’s State Parks

PHOTOGRAPHERNOTES:

“ hile visiting Ely, Minnesota, this spring, I decided to drive the 20 miles to Bear Head

I noticed a group of Common Loons hanging out fairly

lens and was able to capture the moment when three as chemist Louis Pasteur once said, “Chance favors the

Annamay Snyder Tettegouche State Park

Thomas Spence Temperance River State Park

Walt Huss at Bear Head Lake State Park

2023 Photo Contest Winners

Four categories highlight four “corners” of Minnesota

MMinnesota’s State Parks

PHOTOGRAPHERNOTES:

2 Patrick Nielsen Flandrau State Park

3

Nicholas J. Narog Minneopa State Park

Pamela Sherlock at Father Hennepin State Park

“ ather Hennepin is the second state park my husband and I camped at after purchasing a travel careering about, I noticed the green of the reeds re-

part of the lake’s ecosystem makes showcasing them all

Minnesota’s State Parks M

Mandy Baldwin Frontenac State Park

Shawn Einerson

Scott M. Mohn at Fort Snelling State Park

It’s a Shore Thing

By Rudi Hargesheimer

THE SHOVEL POINT TRAIL Tettegouche State Park

VERY YOUNG IN GEOLOGIC

TIME, yet doomed to old age by Lake Superior’s aggressive standards, the sea arch seen from the Shovel Point Trail at Tettegouche State Park was a study of geology in action. This naturally occurring stone arch at Shovel Point was a favorite with photographers and kayakers who would get up close and paddle underneath the arcing mass of igneous rock, an orange, lichen-encrusted tribute to the mighty lake’s ferocity. Perhaps Raddison and Groseilliers saw it in 1659. They were the first Europeans to set eyes on the North Shore. The Anishinaabe may have seen it long before them. Neither left any record of its existence and it might not have existed back then.

Lake Superior is a newcomer on the geologic timetable. It has enormous power to create and destroy. We don’t know when the arch was created but we do know it collapsed in August of 2010, leaving behind a sea stack. Then in December, 2019, that collapsed, too.

· High Falls, Illgen Falls, Two Step Falls and the Cascades on the Baptism River

· Mount Trudee, Mount Baldy, Palisade Head

Reduced to a pile of broken slabs, The iconic Shovel Point marvel was gone forever.

But visitors did not dismay. The 1.3-mile round-trip hiking trail still led to the summit of the peninsula and continued to where the waters of Superior beat upon the barren, shovel-sloped rocks at the tip of the land mass. Many consider this scene the best in all of Minnesota.

Before 1979 this land was part of Baptism River State Park, more highway wayside rest than state park. The dirt trail to the point was a little-known highlight. The name changed to Tettegouche because a huge tract of land away from the lake was added to the park. Soon, a new visitor center opened on the highway. Almost immediately the building was too small for the growing demand of several hundred thousand hikers seeking the big views. It was replaced in 2014 and the new building is now considered the centerpiece of all North Shore parks.

The trail needed improvements, too. Boardwalks were widened and strengthened and an impressive observation deck was added at the trail’s terminus. In 2005, the park installed giant bolts in the summit rocks so rock climbers’ ropes would not damage trees. Lucky hikers on Shovel Point can witness these athletes scaling the vertical cliff walls from below.

Before 2005, wandering hikers and climbers leaving the main trail on the ridge had destroyed much of the fragile vegetation. It was restored by planting native seedlings and roping off sensitive areas. Some of these improvements were funded by grants from the Lake Superior Coastal Program (LSCP). This included building of five major bridges on the Superior Hiking Trail within state parks, all requiring helicopter delivery of supplies. 2012 to 2014 brought more extensive work to the Shovel Point Trail to take it to its current look and visitors can now access this short, but scenic trail from the Visitor Center.

· Bean and Bear Lakes

· Tettegouche Camp historic walk-in cabins and the Illgen Falls Cabin

· Campsites: 28 drive-in; 5 backpack on Superior Hiking Trail; 6 walk-in; 13 cart-in; one group camp.

· 23 miles of hiking trails, 1.5 miles mountain bike trails, 15.5 miles ski trails

· Access to Superior Hiking Trail

The Parks and Trails Council of Minnesota has been involved in nine projects at Tettegouche State Park, saving 300 acres of land from developments and adding it to the park’s footprint. Learn more here: www.parksandtrails.org

PHOTOS BY JAN LASAR

IN THE 1920s, long before Judge C.R. Magney State Park existed, a group of wealthy businessmen including baseball player Babe Ruth and world heavyweight boxing champion Jack Dempsey, bought land near the mouth of the Brule River on Lake Superior. They proposed damming the river to provide electricity for their private club, Naniboujou Lodge. A grand hotel was built, but the proposed tennis courts, swimming pool and cabins were never realized. The financial crash of 1929 put an end to their dream. But the lodge still stands, walking distance from today’s Magney State Park. Any visit to the park should include at least a peak at the Cree Indian inspired dining room. After the club failed, the state bought much of the land in 1934. They built the Grover Conzet Work Camp. Men displaced by the depression built trails, logged timber, fought forest fires and completed other service projects. Stone foundations of the camp buildings are found within the current campground. In 1957, Judge Clarence Reinhold Magney helped create Brule River State Park on the lands once occupied by this camp. Magney, a lawyer by trade, was Mayor of Duluth and served on the Minnesota Supreme Court. As a founding member of the Minnesota Council of State Parks, now known as the Parks and Trails Council of Minnesota, he was directly responsible for establishing eleven state parks and waysides on the North Shore. After his death in 1963, the state of Minnesota renamed the park in his honor.

The Devil’s Kettle is the big reason Judge C.R. Magney State Park is well known on the Lake Superior North Shore. On a nice summer day hundreds of hikers will make the 1.1-mile trek to the 50-foot waterfall. After descending the 175-step

THE DEVIL’S KETTLE Judge C.R. Magney State Park

staircase to the base of the Upper Falls, it’s only a short stroll to the overlook above the next falls, the Devil’s Kettle. Hikers look down and ponder where the water is going as half of it is disappears. The Brule River splits at the crest of the falls and half of it plunges over the cliff as expected. But the other half enters a giant pothole and is lost from sight. In 2016, a study by Jeff Green, hydrologist with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (MNDNR), solved the mystery. One speculation had been that it entered a long underground tunnel and exited in Lake Superior. Another theory had it re-entering the river somewhere downstream, but no one had determined where the water resurfaced. Some had tried. Ping pong balls, logs and other items were tossed into the kettle but none ever reappeared below. Green confirmed that the river

had the same volume of water above and below the falls, concluding the missing water was upwelling into the pool at the base of the visible falls. He assumed that the immense grinding power of the river water, enough to create the gaping hole, was also sufficient to destroy all items tossed in with intent to solve the mystery. There is more to discover at Judge C.R. Magney Park. The Superior Hiking Trail (SHT) continues past the Devil’s Kettle along the east side of the river, eventually reaching Canada. It also leads southwest out of the park. One could hike all 310 miles of the SHT given plenty of time and a healthy appetite for adventure. For those on a time budget, the one-mile Timberdoodle Loop is a great self-guided nature trail. Another option is a hike on the longer Gauthier Creek loop trail; both are on the west side of the river.

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 LOVINLAKECOUNTY.com for trail maps and more info!

· Devil’s Kettle waterfall · Nine miles of hiking trails

· 27 drive-in campsites

· Access to Superior Hiking Trail

PHOTO BY RUDI HARGESHEIMER

The Parks and Trails Council of Minnesota has been involved in three projects at Grand Portage State Park, saving 278 acres of land from development and adding it to the park’s footprint. Learn more here: www.parksandtrails.org

THE MIDDLE FALLS BECKONS Grand Portage State Park

GRAND PORTAGE STATE PARK in the far northeastern corner of our state is well known for the High Falls on the Pigeon River. The tallest waterfall in Minnesota, at 120 feet, is located just one-half mile from the visitor center and can easily be reached via a paved, accessible trail. For a bit more adventure and a leg-stretching hike, visitors can go beyond the park’s main attraction and continue on the unpaved Middle Falls Trail. It’s a challenging 2.25-mile trek, but it offers a big view of Lake Superior, Isle Royale, and the Susie Islands and a great perspective of the big pool at the base of the falls. It crosses the ridge near a high point 400 feet above Lake Superior, and allows a glimpse of the Pigeon River Valley with cliffs rising in Ontario, Canada. Travis Novitsky, member of the Grand Portage Band of

Lake Superior Chippewa, manages the park. He says, “The Middle Falls Trail was flagged by park staff in 1999 and constructed in 2000 in large part by the Minnesota Conservation Corps (MCC), now known as Conservation Corps Minnesota (CCM). It was a difficult trail to mark and build due to the rugged terrain and steep ridge that the trail crosses.”

The falls on the Pigeon River are the reason the Ojibwe established Gichi Onigaming, a nine-mile portage trail from Lake Superior to a point on the Pigeon River just above the torturous string of waterfalls. They had been stewarding this land for generations

before white settlement and used this route to get around these dangerous obstacles. The first Europeans called the trail Grand Portage and it made accessing the fur-rich interior of North America much easier. The old portage trail is just one feature of nearby Grand Portage National Monument. Others are the wonderful Heritage Center and replica historic fort, complete with re-enactors portraying Voyageur-era life. The state park and the national monument both lie within the Ojibwe reservation. The area was authorized by congress as a National Historic Site in 1951 and received National Monument designation in 1958. Established in

1989, the state park was a much more recent addition to a modern tourist’s ‘must do’ list.

Grand Portage State Park also serves as a Minnesota Department of Transportation (MNDOT)

Minnesota Welcome Center. The parking lot and restrooms are open 24 hours per day, but the visitor center’s exhibits about the culture of the Grand Portage Ojibwe people are open only during regular park hours. Because it is a

READY. SET. WANDER.

For Minnesota’s most amazing—and earliest—fall color, plan a hiking trip in Cook County, MN. Download maps at VISITCOOKCOUNTY.COM/HIKE

was treacherous and no trail led to the Middle Falls.

Mark and Joan Strobel, Twin Cities based adventurers, discovered the falls and dared to ask, “Why is this not a state park?” They soon found themselves working with the current Parks and Trails Council of Minnesota (P&TC) and Rick Novitsky, the Natural Resources Specialist for the Grand Portage Band of Lake Superior Chippewa at the time. It was a delicate dance and a unique partnership was eventually agreed e owner sold his land to P&TC, it was then sold to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (MDNR), sold again to the Federal Bureau of Indian Affairs which would then hold it in trust for Grand Portage Band. Per this agreement, the tribe would lease it to the MNDNR Parks Division for $1 per year thereafter. Today, it is the only Minnesota state park operating on land not owned by the

Honeymoon Bluff

· Ojibwe interpretive exhibits

• Historical reenactments

· Minnesota’s tallest waterfall

· Spectacular scenery · National Monument

PHOTO BY RUDI HARGESHEIMER

As of deadline, the information in this calendar was accurate. Check www.mntrails.com/events for additional information.

CARAMEL APPLE RIDE

Trail | Sauk Centre, MN

September 9, 2023

Enjoy the fall colors and great apple refreshments at all the rest stops including caramel apples and other treats from local vendors. Spend the day riding the great Lake Wobegon Trail Country. www.lakewobegontrail.com/lwta-rides

NORTHFIELD ROTARY BIKE TOUR

Road/Gravel | Northfield, MN

September 9, 2023

The posse rides again on Defeat of Jesse James Day! There’s a route for everyone: road, gravel or family. Part of the Rivers, Lakes, Fields Tri-Ride Series including Bridge the Valley Bike Rally and the Pedal Prior. Ride all three for extra swag and entry into cash prize drawings. www.northfieldrotary.org/page/northfieldrotary-bike-tour

RIDEMN1

Road | Twin Valley, MN

September 9-16, 2023

RideMN1 holds an annual bicycle ride across Minnesota to raise awareness and raise funds for cancer research. This year they visit Twin Valley, Fosston, Bemidji, Hill City, Palisade, Cromwell and Duluth/Superior. There’s optional pre-ride camping and a dinner the day before.

www.ridemn1.org

SAINT PAUL CLASSIC BIKE

TOUR

Trail/Road | Saint Paul, MN

September 10, 2023

The Saint Paul Classic is back touring 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 2,500. Mileages: 15, 31

www.bikemn.org/all-events/st-paul-classic

North Star Bicycle Race

Road | Saint Paul, MN to US-Canada border

September 13, 2023

www.mntrails.com/event/north-star-bicyclerace

2023 TOMASSONI TOURCYCLE FOR ALS

Trail | Tower, MN

September 14-16, 2023

This is a new fundraising event to help in the fight against ALS. Cyclists will be able to choose between two different ride lengths on the beautiful Mesabi Trail and experience white glove, red carpet bike event.

www.neversurrenderinc.org

e-BikesWhe

MAYORS’ BIKE RIDE

Trail | Spicer, New London, Willmar, MN

September 15, 2023

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.

www.willmarlakesarea.com/event/mayorsbike-ride

MICKELSON TRAIL TREK

Trail/Gravel | Custer, SD

September 15-17, 2023

Enjoy the beauty of the heart of the Black Hills as you travel through the scenic valleys, old railroad tunnels and historic mining towns on the 119-mile Mickelson Trail. It’s a great way to explore the Black Hills at a slower pace. Registration includes trail pass, shuttle, refreshments and meals.

https://gfp.sd.gov/parks/detail/george-s-mickelson-trail

ROOT RIVER VALLEY AUTUMN TRAIL

Root River and Harmony-Preston Valley Trails

September 15, 16, 22, 23, 2023

All 10 communities along the two trails will feature different activities, markets and music. Enjoy what is special about each town while you pedal your way through the beauty of Bluff Country. www.rootrivertrail.org/autumn-trail

MORA BIKE TOUR

Road | Mora, MN

September 16, 2023

The annual Mora Bike Tour starts and finishes at the Vasaloppet Nordic Center and offers two routes on rural country roads. Rest stops keep riders hydrated and a mobile repair van lends assistance if needed.

www.vasaloppet.us/mora-bike-tour-2

RIDE THE RIDGES

Road | Winona, MN

September 16, 2023

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. Distances: 22, 44, 70, 110 miles

www.ridetheridges.bike

Tour of Lakeville Road/Trail | Lakeville, MN

September 16, 2023

www.mntrails.com/event/tour-of-lakeville

Headwaters 100 Road | Park Rapids, MN

September 23, 2023

www.mntrails.com/event/headwaters-100

WHEELIN’ TO WALL

Road/Gravel | Wall, SD

September 23-24

Experience the magic of Badlands National Park and its striking rock formations on this two-day cycling celebration. Road and gravel routes are available on this supported ride and a Pedal Parade of Lights and a poker run are part of the fun.

www.wheelintowall.com

Winston County Gravel Cup

Gravel | Houston, MN

September 23, 2023

www.mntrails.com/event/winston-countygravel-cup

Fall de Tonka Road | Minnetonka, MN

September 24, 2023

www.mntrails.com/event/fall-de-tonka

Heck of the North

Gravel | Two Harbors, MN

September 30, 2023

www.mntrails.com/event/heck-of-the-north

Sept. 23 & 24, 2023

BIKE THE BEST OF THEBADLANDSB

WWW.WHEELINTOWALL.COM

ROSEWOOD GRAMBLE

Road, Gravel | Thief River Falls, MN

September 30, 2023

Join Bike Thief River Falls on this ramble on gravel (Gramble) and see rural Pennington and Marshall Counties. You’ll ride the former beach ridges of Glacial Lake Agassiz, minimum maintenance roads and a bit of trail.

www.bikemn.org/all-events/rosewoodgramble

Gray Duck Grit

Gravel | Northfield, MN

October 6-7, 2023

www.mntrails.com/event/gray-duck-grit

DIRT BAG GRAVEL GRINDER

Gravel | Clearwater, MN

October 7, 2023

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’s Facebook page for more details.

The Gunflint Scramble!

Mountain Bike | Grand Marais, MN

October 7, 2023

www.mntrails.com/event/the-gunflintscramble

MANKATO RIVER RAMBLE

Road | Mankato, MN

October 8, 2023

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

www.bikemn.org/all-events/mankato-riverramble

The Filthy 50

Gravel | Lanesboro, MN

October 14, 2023

www.mntrails.com/event/filthy-50

Ride to End Alz

Road | Maple Grove, MN

Elm Creek Park Reserve

October 14, 2023

www.mntrails.com/event/ride-to-end-alz

Two days of biking through unforgettable scenery | Paved and gravel routes

MINNESOTA HIKING TRAIL NEWS

850 MILES OF PLANNING, ORGANIZATIONS & VOLUNTEERS

Lots of things are happening across the 850 miles of the North Country National Scenic Trail (NCT) in Minnesota. Below are some highlights:

^

The North Country Trail Association’s Itasca Moraine (ITM) Chapter recently had an Eagle Scout lead a project to rebuild the NCT just east of Itasca State Park. A one-mile segment was flattened by a tornado last May and then salvage logged by Hubbard County last fall. Right before last winter’s onset, the ITM Chapter hired a land clearing contractor to reopen the corridor with a forestry mulcher attachment on a skid steer. This is an example of NCT volunteers investing to keep a critical trail connection open.

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If you like to hike in Minnesota, we invite you to get involved.

2

The NCTA’s Arrowhead Chapter had a Conservation Corps of Minnesota and Iowa crew out this summer building part of a new 17-mile segment southwest of Grand Rapids. This is an instance of trail development work funded by non-profit trail organizations matching state and federal trail grants.

Volunteer.

Join the NCTA, SHTA, and/or the Border Route Trail Association. If you cannot do either of the above, please consider donating to support our work.

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This fall a new NCTA Chapter is forming in Ely to tackle future NCT development between Bear Head Lake State Park and Kawishiwi Falls east of Ely. Here, volunteers are stepping up to help build the NCT in their local community in an effort to enhance both local hiking opportunities and the regional economy.

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The Superior Hiking Trail Association (SHTA) has recently embarked upon a master planning process, working with the planning group of the Arrowhead Regional Development Commission (ARDC). This groundbreaking work will help build a sustainable future for the SHT—an official part of the NCT. The effort will also serve as a model for other, complex, multi-jurisdictional long-distance trails in Minnesota. Learn more at mailchi.mp/superiorhiking.org/ june2023trailmix-840929.

North Country Trail TRAIL

Story & photos by Matt Davis Regional Trail Coordinator for Minnesota, North Dakota and Wisconsin at the North Country Trail Association

Flagged trail route through logging slash on the NCT near Itasca State Park. (inset) CCMI crew members work on building the new NCT southwest of Grand Rapids.

CLOSING THE GOOSEBERRY GAP

By Lisa Luokkala, Superior Hiking Trail Association Executive Director

The Superior Hiking Trail Association (SHTA) has officially opened a newly constructed 4.59mile section of trail that officially closes the infamous Gooseberry Gap.

The Superior Hiking Trail (SHT), which shares over 300 miles of corridor with the North Country National Scenic Trail, is known to intimately and immersively connect people to some of the most scenic wild spaces in Minnesota. So when access was lost on a private land parcel north of Gooseberry State Park in 2015, and subsequently detoured trail users on a roadwalk and a paved state trail, the trail community was devastated. We often take for granted that the trail is a series of social contracts between landowners and managers who allow trail users to access their property. When one parcel is lost, it can greatly diminish the user’s experience.

Staring down a four-plus-mile gap, which quickly was coined the Gooseberry Gap, the SHTA had only one option: Adapt our plans! (Something we do pretty well as trail folks.) Staff, volunteers, and public land managers worked together to help identify a new alignment that would traverse solely on public lands. The trickiest issue was wetlands. Holding true to our Association’s values to minimize the impacts to the adjacent land and water of the trail, we wanted to do our very best in developing the very best possible trail alignment. Building new trail in sensitive areas requires a lot of forethought and review, and obtaining the right permits. We called in help from our friends at Lake County Soil and Water Conservation District (SWCD) and obtained additional support from Critical Connections Ecological Services.

Once the final alignment was identified in late 2020, we needed to obtain permission from both the two public land managers: the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and Lake County Planning and Zoning. Lake County fielded some community criticism that arose from the alignment of the trail. We listened, and proposed ways in which we could work with the county to address those concerns.

The final phase was building. Our Trails Operations Director Tamer Ibrahim definitely had his work cut out for him when the project was greenlighted in the winter of 2021. In a terrible coincidence, material prices skyrocketed and lead times were mere suggestions. Tamer jokingly said at one point that he had bought up every available board of tamarack along the North Shore. An excavating contractor broke ground on Phase I in 2021 and completed Phase II in 2022. The new segment then needed to be signed and blue blazed, and maps needed to be updated.

In the trail community, projects of this size and scope don’t have just one champion. Along each phase of the project were SHTA staff, board members, and volunteers who picked up the baton and ran with it. At the center of the work were former SHTA Executive Directors Gayle Coyer and Denny Caneff. Gayle addressed the immediate challenges that came with the loss of a critical section of Trail. Denny led the environmental review of the potential new alignment and secured funding for its first phase of construction. SHTA staff and volunteers spent countless hours studying route alternatives, ground truthing the alignment, fundraising, and working with land managers to secure the permissions needed to make this project happen.

To date, this is the largest reroute ever undertaken by the SHTA. It likely will not be our last, but we hope any future reroute is driven by the desire to improve and enhance the sustainability of the trail and reduce its impacts on the adjacent land and water - and not caused by a loss of an easement or by competing development. Seven years and hundreds of thousands of dollars later, this project is wrapping up and we couldn’t be more thrilled. We current caretakers of the Superior Hiking Trail would like to express our deepest gratitude to those who stepped by when called on to help with this project.

^ PHOTOS BY SUPERIOR HIKING TRAIL ASSOCIATION

Mica Harju of Dirt Candy LLC, the contractors who completed the job for the SHTA.

VOLUNTEER WEEKEND ON THE KEKEKABIC TRAIL

Story & photo by Monica Shoberg

The Kekekabic Trail, or ‘The Kek,’ is a 39-mile section of the North Country Trail that travels through the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW). It begins about 50 miles west of Grand Marais, MN between the Border Route Trail and Snowbank Lake Road. It’s Minnesota’s most remote and rugged hiking trail, but not yet a household name. I’ve lived in Minnesota most of my life, traveled north many times, and yet I had never heard of The Kek until I attended the 2022 Spring Midwest Mountaineering Expo in Minneapolis and spoke to some of the Kek volunteers.

This year, I teamed up with the Kekekabic Trail Chapter of the North Country Trail Association (NCTA) to help bring together a group of amazing women to volunteer for the weekend. Everyone who joined, traveled over five hours solely to volunteer their time to clear trail for two full days. In those two full days, we covered many miles of out and back and a spur trail, but didn’t make it into the BWCAW. We were working hard and moving fast, trying not get too focused in one small area, but there was just so much vegetation to clear.

The part of the Kek that runs through the BWCAW is more involved to get to, therefore trail work is done less often there and more planning and time is required. There are only two entry points to the Kek. The east trailhead called Kekekabic Trail East is shared with the Centennial Trail, and the Kekekabic Trail West can be found on Snowbank Road near Snowbank Lake.

Basecamp for our trail clearing trip was the historic Gunflint Lodge Resort just up the Gunflint Trail Scenic Byway, where we stayed in their rustic bunk houses. As volunteers trickled in throughout the evening on Friday, we had some time to enjoy the picturesque views of Gunflint Lake under the brightly painted sky overhead. Surrounded by towering pines, the gentle waves lapped the shoreline as the wind picked up rustling the leaves of the quaking aspen. Once the sun set, we turned in to rest up for an early start the next morning.

Over an early breakfast, we discussed each day’s plan and got to know each other. An important and often overlooked aspect of volunteering and trail work is community.

When we arrived at the trailhead it appeared to be like any other, but once on the trail it easily disappeared again behind the overgrowth. Decked out in yellow hard hats, gardening gloves, long sleeved shirts, and bug nets for our heads, we were ready for the hard work ahead of us, with loppers in hand. A thorough dousing of

Monica Shoberg lives in North Minneapolis with her partner Tony and their two rescue pups, Griz and Wild. With her small, business Unruly Women LLC, she guides backpacking retreats along the Superior Hiking Trail and biking trips in northern Wisconsin and central Minnesota. She also teaches mountain biking skills clinics and workshops and leads group rides throughout the Twin Cities.

Read our interview of Monica here: www. mntrails.com/interviewunruly-womens-monicashoberg

bug spray was necessary to keep the mosquitos at bay.

We spent two full days clearing trail, bushwhacking our way through a north woods jungle. Our work was primarily lopping brush, foliage, branches and removing dead tree fall. Numerous pink lady’s slipper orchids and red columbine flowers emerged from beneath the overgrown brush as we cleared away the intrusive trees and the ferns that stood over four feet tall along both sides of the trail. We saw turtles, frogs, beaver dams, and heard many birds. There were abandoned mines from the 1800s, now filled with water and surrounded by dilapidated fencing. Our group also worked hard to uncover picturesque overlooks and a densely overgrown spur leading to the remains of an old fire tower. Trail work like this can be difficult and exhausting, but it is also therapeutic, rewarding and empowering. Being in nature, learning important trail maintenance skills and tool safety, building community, and knowing that your help is directly impacting someone else’s future experience by making the trail safer to navigate, are all part of what makes these volunteer weekends so impactful. The Kek is not to be underestimated, its more rugged and underutilized than any other trail in Minnesota. Be mindful that most of this trail is in the BWCAW, therefore permits are required yearround to recreate along that part of the section. If you go, be prepared to use navigation tools, bear canisters and to do the necessary research ahead of time to ensure a safer and more enjoyable trip.

I thank the women who journeyed up for this incredible and exhausting weekend to donate their time to improve the accessibility of this beautiful and unique trail. The Kek depends on volunteers to keep the trail clear, safe and accessible for hikers and backpackers. If you’re interested in volunteering your time on The Kek, please send an email to kek@northcountrytrail. org. If you’re interested in other volunteering opportunities throughout Minnesota, please reach out to me at unrulywomenoutdoors@ gmail.com.

Trail work like this can be difficult and exhausting, but it is also therapeutic, rewarding and empowering.

JUST ONE PORTAGE

Story & photos by Sara Campbell

My cousin Eric Campbell is the President of the Kekekabic Trail Chapter of the North Country Trail Association and he’s been to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW) by canoe just shy of 60 times. On foot, he’s gone in three or four times that many times. In the BWCAW, Eric instantly becomes the proverbial kid in the candy store. His step becomes a skip whether he’s carrying five pounds or 65 pounds on his back. His face lights with glee and whether he is near someone or not, he is likely singing, whistling, or humming. It’s worth joining the group just to see this joy. It’s infectious.

“We’d paddle across Snowbank and set up camp on Parent Lake (a short trip, 1 portage),” read his email. As it often happens, Eric was recruiting volunteers for an upcoming trail clearing trip on the “Kek” and I was on his list. I didn’t hesitate to reply. “I’m in,” I wrote. I had been on four other trail clearing trips. Sure, it was work, but the call of the pristine, natural beauty, crystal clear lakes, myriad shades of green, and sounds and sights that just make you smile, are unrelenting. “We’d have fun,” his email concluded. It definitely would be fun if Eric was involved.

We were a smaller group than he had anticipated. It was an odd one, too, comprised of Eric, myself, my sister Julie and Eric’s wife, Deb. Although we act like we are in our twenties, we’re nowhere near that age anymore. Departure

typically hold a tent and the personal effects of two trekkers. These packs can weigh 40 to 60 pounds, but since we only planned to carry them on our backs for the short distances across portages, we weren’t as mindful of their weight as if we were hiking.

The bear barrel is exactly what it sounds like, a waterproof and critter-proof food locker that’s strong enough to resist a bear, and it can be carried on your back. Ours contained food for our entire party on this trip. Unlike on our hikes into the BWCAW where we carry featherlight, freeze-dried camp meals, we get to bring real food on canoe trips. When full, the bear barrel can weigh 60 to 70 pounds. Like the portage packs, we only planned to carry it for short distances, so we didn’t try to minimize its weight. We all had a good laugh the first day when someone pulled a full-sized bottle of ketchup from it.

day came and we got to the business of packing our portage packs, bear barrel, and trail-clearing gear for the trip.

Portage packs are extra-large backpacks that

Despite the frosty temps on the morning of our departure, Eric kept saying “We’re gonna have a great time.” Over my coffee, I glanced at his notes on the goals for our trip: Lopping overgrowth from two miles of footpath, including “bucking” 42 trees, a task he called “fairly minimal.” I then learned that bucking meant removing fallen trees from across the trail and because we were in the Boundary Waters Wilderness, we had to use hand tools. I wasn’t

Portaging from Snowbank to Parent Lake

Bucking

convinced that bucking 42 trees could be done in less than a month.

I trusted Eric, who, after seeing my stink eye, laughingly added “We’ll finish clearing pretty quickly and then we can just take day hikes the rest of our trip."

The sun cracked the clouds about 10am when we were just putting our canoes into Snowbank Lake. The wind was brisk, and we geared up accordingly. Waves came at us from two directions and tossed our canoes for the milelong trip. Once we hit the 80-rod (1/4 mile) portage between Snowbank and Parent Lake, the wind was only a breeze. The wet, rocky path went straight up from the shore but we just had the one portage this trip, so we didn’t complain. Parent Lake was like glass, not a ripple. Our canoes almost directed themselves toward our campsite. As we came closer, however, something was off. There were tents on this site and also on the two remaining spots on Parent.

Unfazed, Eric leapt out of his canoe and hoofed up a narrow moose trail, disappearing into the woods. A few moments later he returned with the good news. The Kekekabic Trail was only about 200 feet from us. We could stash the canoes in the woods offshore, bushwhack to the Kek, and hike the couple miles to Becoosin Lake to find an open campsite. That was the good news. We weren’t looking forward to lugging all that gear for two miles, but the Boundary Waters glee on Eric’s face was unwavering. He knew we could do it, so off we went, hiking with portage packs, a bear barrel and our clearing gear.

Our campsite on Becoosin Lake was spectacular. Set high in a stand of white pines, it overlooked the lake with a direct line of sight to the western sky. After that hard trek, we snuggled into our tents as overnight frost was in the forecast again.

It turns out Eric was right. The clearing work went quickly the next day and we bucked the trees that needed it. Over our delicious realfood supper that evening he informed us that our goals had been met. Since we had gotten some unexpected hiking in already, and would be hiking again upon leaving our campsite, he suggested we head out in the morning, a day earlier than planned.

Learn something new. See something new. Trail clearing is not just a job we do in the forest. It truly is an experience. There is no going through the motions. Every step is its own challenge. Every step is always its own victory. If you don’t see how big the picture is when you’re out there, you are missing out. It is an expression of possibilities, a canvas for achievement. Set your own goals and make achieving them possible. Clear a trail. Traverse one portage. Or maybe a little more than just one portage.

Learn something new. See something new. Trail clearing is not just a job we do in the forest. It truly is an experience. TO HELP OUT GO TO WWW.NORTHCOUNTRYTRAIL.ORG/VOLUNTEER

^ Becoosin campsite

^Hiking with a portage pack

11 Miles of Hiking Trails

Five Miles of Mountain Bike Trails

1/4-Mile Tamarack Bog Walk

Featuring Native Carnivorous Plants

Northern Terminus of the Paved Paul Bunyan State Trail

Campground with 95 Sites

Four Year-Round Camper Cabins

Lake Bemidji Boating Access Swimming Beach

FALL INTO PLACE: VISIT MINNESOTA’S STATE PARKS

Lake Bemidji State Park

Photo Credit: Explore

VIEW OF THE TAMARACK BOG FROM THE BOG WALK

ALL PHOTOS BY JAN LASAR

ALL PHOTOS BY JAN LASAR

CHANGING SEASONS

Glacial Lakes State Park

Glacial Lakes State Park near rural Starbuck, MN was established in 1963 to preserve the unique landscape formed by glaciers within its 2,400-acre boundary. Several springfed lakes surrounded by rare, virgin prairie and a virgin oak forest reward visitors with a glimpse of what this part of Minnesota looked like before settlement.

Signalness Lake, also called Mountain Lake, at 56 acres the park’s largest, is tucked in a rectangular valley rimmed by high hills.

About 50,000 people visit the park each year to paddle, ride the paved bike trail into nearby Starbuck and hike the 16-mile trail system through green prairie hills. When the colors fade and the temperatures drop, things become quiet and the landscape takes on a totally different look.

On a balmy Saturday morning in late November my wife Jen and I started walking the Hiking Club Trail at Glacial Lakes State Park. It was one of those warm late fall days that feels like Mother Nature is trying to make up for dumping a foot of snow on you earlier in the month. There was a light breeze, but the sun was out and things were looking great for a hike to the scenic overlook at the highest elevation rst walked on a partially wooded interpretive trail around the south and east edges of Mountain Lake, which was just beginning to skim over with ice. Although the oaks were almost completely bare, the sun had

not penetrated down to the ground and we shuffled through a couple of inches of soft snow. From the signs along the way we learned that the hills, valleys and lakes in the park were the work of glaciers. In an area that was once at the perimeter of a mile-high ice sheet, like Glacial Lakes State Park, the results are more pronounced. The hills we walked were deposits of debris left behind by glaciers more than 10,000 years ago.

Once we reached the Oak Ridge Campground, we exited the woods and

turned on the High Peak Trail to have a good look at how the glaciers molded the landscape. Without tree cover it was easy to see just how wavy the topography was. The green, grassy knolls of summer had turned a yellow brown and out in the open fields the snow was gone. Our path disappeared into the distance between the mounds that looked like they were covered in deer fur.

Closer to the scenic overlook, the trees returned and the climbing began. It was a steep but short jaunt and we plopped

down on the bench at the overlook, some 1,352 feet above sea level. It’s not the highest elevation in the state, nor Pope County, but it’s something to talk about when you get back home. The view was unimpeded and surprisingly unspoiled. Fawn-colored hills swept left to right, interrupted only by pockets of nude oak trunks and brush. Directly in front of us were Kettle and Baby Lake. This made for the perfect break spot and we ate our lunch while we listened to the breeze rustle the dry grasses and what leaves were left on the oaks surrounding

ALL PHOTOS BY JAN LASAR

the clearing. Soup makes a great meal any day, but piping hot soup carried in a backpack to a scenic location and eaten out of a thermos that has a built-in spoon in the lid, is a culinary experience.

The High Peak Trail makes an irregular figure eight, so we didn’t have to go back the same way. We walked park roads from the campground back to the car

and took in one more scenic overlook near the contact station. The view from that hill was a good summary panorama of what Glacial Lakes State Park is all about: Rolling, grassy mounds, patches of oak forest and pockets of water, in the transition zone between the western hardwood forests and the eastern prairies.

We had hiked just over four miles, the

explorethefall colors Explorethe Trails

sun was beginning to move lower on the horizon, the breeze was getting chillier and it was time to go home. Glacial Lakes State Park is an exciting place to visit when bees buzz through the green hills that are brimming with wildflowers. It’s also a place to witness the transition to another season, one of many thousands to happen since its hills were formed.

Smoothed by glaciers

25 Miles of Hiking Trails, 20 Shared with Equestrians

Hallaway Hill Overlook

Access to Beers and South Lida Lake

Two Campgrounds with a Total of 71 Sites

Five Camper Cabins

GRAND VIEWS

Maplewood State Park YourRide

To call this central Minnesota park a hiker’s paradise is not hyperbole. Miles of trails wind through woodlands and grassy knolls and make for a wonderful day hike even after peak fall colors. Better yet, set up base camp in one of the cabins and stay a few days to see it all. The views are grand from the top of Hallaway Hill.

ACCESS THE PAVED SOO LINE TRAIL BETWEEN ISLE AND ONAMIA VIA A CONNECTOR TRAIL FROM THE PARK.

COLORFUL CANOPY

Father Hennepin State Park

Small in size, but big in recreation, Father Hennepin State Park’s Hiking Club Trail comes alive with color in the fall. Those warm weeks of autumn are perfect for strolls on the beach, a walk through the woods or camping underneath a colorful canopy. Bring the binoculars, you may catch a glimpse of an osprey.

35 Miles of Hiking Trails (27 Shared with Equestrians)

Mille Lacs Lake Access

Rum River State Water Trail Access

National Historic Landmark with Archeological Sites as Old as 3,000 BC Campground with 70 Sites

Five Year-Round Camper Cabins

100-Foot Fire Tower Allows Spectacular Views

LATE SEASON LOVE

Mille Lacs Kathio State Park

Fall colors put on a spectacular show in this park. Hikers and horseback riders flock here to explore the trails and there may even be a line to climb the fire tower to see the canopy from up high. With the leaves gone it gets quieter and the season’s first snow changes the landscape once again. Bring your binoculars, you may catch a glimpse of the park’s resident albino deer.

Surprise snow in the campground

14 Miles of Hiking Trails Through Remnants of the Big Woods

6 Miles of Equestrian Trails Three Year-Round Camper Cabins

17 Hike-In Sites in the Forest Access to Little Mary and Maria Lakes Trail Center with Exhibits

ON THE BIG WOODS LOOP

One of three year-round camper cabins

ALL PHOTOS BY JAN LASAR

20 Miles of Hiking/Equestrian Trails

Cave Tours

Historic Forestville

Reenactment

Trout Fishing

73 Camp Sites

55 Equestrian Camp Sites

Five Year-Round Camper Cabins

Tour group at the entrance to the Mystery Cave

ALL PHOTOS BY JAN LASAR

FALL IN THE HILLS

Forestville / Mystery Cave State Park

When the leaves begin to turn, the hills of Forestville/Mystery Cave State Park come alive with hikers and horseback riders, but the trails are never crowded. You can immerse yourself in living history, stroll around the grounds of Historic Forestville and try to imagine life in this valley before Minnesota officially became a state. The story continues underground with a guided tour of the Mystery Cave where you can take a deep dive into the geology of the Driftless region.

THE PARKS AND TRAILS COUNCIL OF MINNESOTA HAS BEEN INVOLVED IN THREE PROJECTS AT FORESTVILLE/ MYSTERY CAVE STATE PARK, SAVING 66 ACRES OF LAND FROM DEVELOPMENT AND ADDING IT TO THE PARK’S FOOTPRINT.

LEARN MORE HERE: WWW.PARKSANDTRAILS.ORG

APPLE BUTTER MAKING AT HISTORIC FORESTVILLE

Note: Because of the closure of the historic bridge on County Road 118, Historic Forestville will operate on a limited schedule in 2023. Trails on the north side can be accessed via the stream crossing on Forestville Creek.

Mystery Cave tours run May through October

ALL PHOTOS BY JAN LASAR

ALL PHOTOS BY JAN LASAR

SUMMER MEETS FALL

Kilen Woods State Park

When you hike this quiet southern Minnesota gem, you traverse a varied landscape that’s been home to people for the last 6,000 years. Your path will follow shaded woodland trails along the Des Moines River, then take you through wide open prairie hills. As summer gives way to fall, observe Monarch butterflies feeding on late season wildflowers in the meadows as they prepare to migrate south.

16 Miles of Hiking Trails

6-Mile, Paved Blazing Star Trail Connects Into Albert Lea

Two Campgrounds, One on Big Island, with a Total of 93 Sites

One Camper Cabin

Four Hike-In Sites

Shell Rock River State Water

Trail Access at Albert

Lea Lake

Big Island Campground

ALL PHOTOS BY JAN LASAR

QUIET TIME

Myre-Big Island State Park

This southern Minnesota park has a lot to offer the hiker looking for some quiet time. Walk through a changing landscape of oak savanna, woodlands and marshes and enjoy the colors of the maple and basswood forest on Big Island. Bring your binoculars because this place can be a fall birding hotspot.

Scenic views of Albert Lea Lake

THE PAVED BLAZING STAR STATE TRAIL CONNECTS INTO NEARBY ALBERT LEA

4.5 Miles of Hiking Trails, Shared with Equestrians

Access to Split Rock Lake

Historic Dam and Stone Arch Bridge

Swimming Beach

Contact Station

ALL PHOTOS BY JAN LASAR

HISTORIC SUMMER WALK

Split Rock Creek State Park

During the waning days of summer, when autumn has not yet entered the picture, a walk along the shore of Split Rock Lake is as refreshing as a dip in the water. Take a trip back in time and marvel at the craftsmanship of the WPA-built dam which created the only lake in Pipestone County. The nearby bridge has the longest span of any Minnesota stone arch highway bridge still in use.

Minnesota’s bike trails, long distance hiking trails, water trails, state parks, state recreation areas and biomes

TRAIL PARTNERS

You need a place to eat, stay, play and upgrade your gear? Our Trail Partners are here to help!

BIKE SHOPS

CYKEL 218-772-0177

324 Curtis Avenue, Ironton www.cykelonline.com

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., Alexandria www.jakesbikes.com

REVOLUTION CYCLE AND SKI 320-251-2453

160 29th Avenue South, St. Cloud www.revolutioncycleandski.com

TOURIGHT BICYCLE SHOP 320-639-2453

124 2nd Street NE, Little Falls www.tourightbicycleshop.com

BIKE KING

6489 Cahill Avenue, Inver Grove Heights www.bike-king.com

INFORMATION

FARIBAULT AREA CHAMBER 507-334-4381 530 Wilson Ave., Faribault www.visitfaribault.com

VISIT MARSHALL 507-537-1865

1651 Victory Drive, Marshall www.visitmarshallmn.com

VISIT FERGUS FALLS 218-332-5425

112 Washington Ave. W, Fergus Falls www.visitfergusfalls.com

HUTCHINSON CHAMBER 320-587-5252

2 Main St., Hutchinson www.explorehutchinson.com

VISIT BRAINERD 800-450-7247

14084 Baxter Drive, STE 12, Brainerd www.visitbrainerd.com

LOPPET FOUNDATION 612-604-5330 1301 Theodore Wirth Parkway, Minneapolis www.loppet.org

LOVIN’ LAKE COUNTY 218-391-5081 1330 MN-61, Two Harbors www.lovinlakecounty.com

SPECIALTY STORES

COMMON GOODS 218-772-2999

27 W Main Street, Crosby www.commongoodsmn.org

651-457-7766

CARS BIKE SHOP 763-784-6966

2661 Co Road I & Old Hwy 10, Mounds View www.carsbikeshop.com

MAKLIN BIKE SHOP 651-247-8614

30235 Redwing Avenue, Shafer www.maklinbikeshop.com

RAMSEY BICYCLE 763-323-6666

6825 Hwy. 10 NW, Ramsey www.ramseybicycles.com

B&Bs

GREEN HERON B&B 218-999-5795 2810 Meyers Bay Road, Grand Rapids www.greenheronbandb.com

LODGING/CAMPING

BIG RIVER RESORT 651-565-9932 1110 Hiawatha Dr. E www.bigriverresort.com

CUYUNA LAKES STAY 218-866-2325 23688 Forest Road, Deerwood www.cuyunalakesstay.com

RED RIDER RESORT 218-838-6858 23457 Co. Rd. 31, Crosby www.redriderresort.com

EAT & DRINK

BEMIDJI BREWING 211 America Avenue NW Bemidji 218-444-7011 www.bemidjibeer.com

THE HUDSON 218-772-0096 208 Curtis Avenue, Ironton www.hudson218.com

THE DEERSTAND RESTAURANT AND BAR 24188 Mohs Street, Deerwood 218-534-9253 www.deerstandrestaurant.com

SERVICES

COLDWELL BANKER 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, Deerwood www.deerwoodbank.com

MID MINNESOTA FEDERAL CREDIT UNION 117 West Main Street, Crosby 218-546-5428 www.mmfcu.org

LITTLE ROCKS DESIGN STICKERS Melrose 320-333-2520 www.littlerocksdesign.com

VICTUAL 218-545-1000 124 West Main Street, Crosby www.shopvictual.com

OARS-N-MINE 218-546-6912 22640 MN-6, Crosby www.oarsnmine.com

TIMBER BUILDING SUPPLY 218-678-2063 14506 State Highway 6, Deerwood www.timberbuildingsupply.com

SCAN FOR TRAIL MAP

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Downtown Bicycles downtownbicyclesllc.com | Northfield

Gateway Cycle gatewaycycle.com | Oakdale

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Outdoor 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

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

The Bike Shop thebikeshopmarshall.com | Marshall