August & September HIGHLIGHTS AT ITASCA STATE PARK

BY CONNIE COX

Itasca State Park naturalist

As summer begins to wind down, there is still plenty to do at Itasca State Park in August, September and beyond.

1. Star gazing: With days getting shorter, drink in the night sky. The Milky Way is amazing to see and visible earlier in the evening. park. Other outdoor activities include taking an excursion boat on Lake Itasca, exploring along Wilderness Drive, biking or hiking along more than 30 miles of designated trails, fishing in one of the many lakes, observing the wild flowers in season as well as birding. Like the entire Park Rapids area, wildlife can be seen throughout the park.

2. Challenge your birding skills. Migrating birds, especially warblers, are less colorful as they molt worn feathers. Fall birding means learning to identify birds by other features, such as patterns like eye rings.

3. Lace up your boots: Fewer biting bugs and cooler temperature means fall is a great time for long hikes.

For more information about the park events and schedules, call Itasca State Park headquarters at 218-699-7251, email itasca.statepark@state.mn.us or go to www.dnr.state.mn.us/state_ parks/itasca/index.html.

4. Enjoy a campfire: Cooler evenings and earlier sunsets means more time to be mesmerized by campfire flames and more time to enjoy s’mores!

5. Bait that hook: Changes in water temperature means fishing will start to pick up. The fall equinox also triggers fish to eat more, packing on weight for winter.

6. Wildlife watching: Early evening and twilight is a nice time to watch for signs of beaver activity as they begin to cut more shrubs and trees for winter food supplies.

7. Photograph mushrooms: Bring a camera and photograph some of the amazing and colorful mushrooms that appear when autumn rainfalls stimulate fungal threads to send up fruiting bodies such as mushrooms, toadstools and shelf fungus.

8. Get your wheels in motion: Biking in late summer and fall is a nice way to see the start of autumn changes and the weather can be a lot cooler.

9. Get on the water: Decreasing light levels in late August and September trigger fall color changes. Enjoy the reflection of autumn leaves on the water’s surface.

10. Fall leaf watching: Enjoy the yellows, oranges, reds and purples as the green leaves of summer fade and fall colors appear. A warm, moist summer leading into sunny, cool fall days with less daylight means fall colors will start to appear. Just like a recipe needs to be measured, if the weather is too warm, too cold, too wet or too dry it can affect when leaves drop or even if the colors will change before the leaf falls from a tree.