NEXT PARK TO CHECK OUT

NEXT PARK TO CHECK OUT Serving up some outdoor fun Serving up some outdoor fun

Carver, Scott County parks running unique youth and family activities this summer

BY ALYSSA HUGLEN

Parks in Carver and Scott counties are putting together unique activities and camps for children and their families this summer.

Events range from immersive, historical summer camps at The Landing in Minnesota River Heritage Park to family mud runs at Lake Minnewashta Regional Park.

Micah Ostergard, recreation and volunteer specialist for Carver County Parks, said putting on activities like these highlights recreational opportunities in an outdoor setting.

“I think it’s important that we are supplying opportunities for people to outdoor recreation for their own health, to be connected to the world around us and not get insulated indoors all the time,” he said.

MUD RUN

One standout event this summer is the Minnewashta Mud Run. The mud run takes place from 8 a.m.-noon Saturday, July 9, at Lake Minnewashta Regional Park, 6900 Hazeltine Boulevard in Chanhassen.

Participants run on a 5.4-kilometer course, going around a 1.7-mile loop twice. The course includes obstacles like a “crazy maze,” limbo, waterslide and hay bales to climb. To keep the event fresh and exciting, Ostergard said the course has been rearranged a little bit with enhancements to existing obstacles.

This is the ninth year of the Minnewashta Mud Run, once known as the Tonka Mud Run. The run was canceled in 2020 due to the pandemic and brought back in 2021.

While many mud runs tend to be tailored to adults, the Minnewashta Mud Run has made the event accessible to all. Children are welcome to participate in the run, and a quarter-mile mini-mud run takes place right before the full-length run for younger kids.

According to Ostergard, this extra feature in the mud run is part of Carver County Park’s work in offering activities engaging for families and people of all ages. “We wanted to be able to have an activity that doesn’t separate the family … something the whole family can participate in,” he said.

In recent years, Ostergard said the mud run has seen around 300-350 participants. This year, he is hoping for numbers to reach closer to 500 participants.

On a broader scale, he added that this event is just one of many that can appeal to residents wanting to get outside this summer and take advantage of the local parks and trails.

“Our focus is on this outdoor recreation like canoeing, kayaking, paddleboarding, archery, fishing — things that are maybe less often offered by cities or school districts,” Ostergard said. “Carver County Parks is offering so much more than people realize … we’ve got something for everyone.”

THE LANDING

In Scott County, The Landing in Minnesota River Heritage Park is putting on another year of its “Build a Camp” summer camp. The camp takes place on location at The Landing, 2187 County Road 101 in Shakopee.

Build a Camp is a three-day camp that is put on in June, July and August. Families can choose for their children to attend one, two or all three days in their respective round of Build a Camp.

This year’s camp consists of three themes: “BioBlitz,” “Oneroom Schoolhouse” and “Day on the Farm.”

BioBlitz centers around teaching kids all about different plant and animal species living in their community. Oneroom Schoolhouse gives kids the experience of learning in a traditional schoolhouse and participating in lessons from around 150 years ago. Kids will get to use a slate board and participate in recess games and with toys dating back to the 19th century.

The final day, Day on the Farm, allows kids to meet some farm animals, work in the gardens and try out traditional farm chores.

Three Rivers Park District historic interpreter Mike Murray said the Build a Camp activities offer a unique, immersive experience for kids to learn about life in the 19th century.

“It’s a lot more fun to learn about history or some of the aspects that we teach at our camps than having to read about it in a book,” he said. “It makes history more real, and you get a better connection with people in the past.”

Build a Camp also heavily focuses on appreciating the history specific to Scott County. Murray said kids attending the BioBlitz day will participate in multiple activities that center around the environment of the Minnesota River and how it impacts the land.

The schoolhouse also has historical ties in town, as the building once served as a oneroom school located in downtown Shakopee for St. John’s Lutheran Church.

Beyond Build a Camp, The Landing has other programs and activities that can appeal to people of different ages and interests. Murray said this includes learning about oldfashioned chores and taking adult-themed bike rides that teach guests about the making of bricks and beer in the Minnesota Valley.

“We have some unique experiences talking about Scott County history … so there’s experiences for all the family — from the young ones all the way up,” he said.

PHOTO COURTESY OF CARVER COUNTY PARKS PHOTOCOURTESYOFCARVER COUNTYPARKS

The mud run has features that can appeal to family members of all ages.