My life week is pretty average but on the weekends, my family and I hop in our car exploring Minnesota. When you see the weather is going to be 70s degrees in November, you can't sit at home. Lake CarlosState Park44. Located at the furthest corner of Southwestern Minnesota is Blue Mounds State Park in MN. Great hiking conditions for boots and spikes. Ready to start collecting stamps? $35 for a whole year of gorgeous local trails? Trail was pretty Good hike with views of the sawtooth mountains and lots of stairs for a shorter hike. With the heat reaching 98 degrees, we made it as far as the rock before turning back to the safety of the air-conditioned car. Good luck! After completing the loop head back to the tailhead the way you came. ALLTRAILS and the AllTrails Mountain Design are registered trademarks of AllTrails, LLC in the United States as well as certain other jurisdictions. Zippel BayState Park. The trail is pretty rough from the early melt and freeze. A place to discuss camping and backpacking in the great state of Minnesota! But if you go to Grand Portage, hike past the hiking club trail. I just picked up both the hiking club and passport club kits yesterday while I was at Minnepoa State Park. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. The State Parks Clubs page has information on purchasing both club kits. To join the Hiking Club, you must purchase your hiking club book. Yaktraks are a must!! All Minnesota State Parks are free with an annual permit. St. Croix River at Wild River MN State Park. Others, like the trail at Goerge H. Crosby-Manitou State Park, offer an alternate trail due to the strenuous nature of the hiking club trail. My name is Jenn. (5,760 3,840 pixels, file size: 26.52 MB, MIME type: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0, Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0. With 66 state parks, 9 recreation areas, and more than 10,000 lakes (one of which is the massive Lake Superior), there are literally thousands of miles to hike all year round. Park is basically closed but you can park and then hike or cross country ski. Snowshoes not really needed - we just did it in our ice cleats. I would love to bring my bike and explore some of the back trails. Easy trail. La Salle Lake State Recreation Area40. Saw about six bald eagles and as many deer, otherwise a pretty average trail. Very icy on stairs. One of the interesting things that were found at Blue Mounds State Park is the Rock Alignment. The trails cover a wide range of difficulty and length. Not skate ski friendly. Thank you so much for writing it! The password signs can be located anywhere along the hiking club trail. They have a wooden bottom but are a fun way to enjoy the park. Very well groomed though, and lots of people out enjoying the area. Perfectly packed down trails. Always great to connect with others from the area. Old Grade to River View to Wide Sky Trail, Nevers Dam to Walter Mondale River Trail to Old Logging Trail, Lookout Mountain Loop (Hiking Club Trail), William O'Brien State Park Upper Park Trail. We recommended waiting to visit this state park until the spring, as portions of this hiking club trail are groomed for skiing in the winter. See Related: DIY Compression Stuff Sack for Camping. I loved getting to explore some of the trails, including the bike area. Can you help us out for our Hiking Club book? Explore Minnesota State Park Hiking Club Trails - view hand-curated trail maps and driving directions as well as detailed reviews and photos from hikers, campers and nature lovers like you. Lake Vermilion-Soudan Underground Mine State Park48. Way better sites then I was expecting even stocked with wood. Please respect the outdoors by practicing Leave No Trace. Cuyuna Country State Recreation Area15. Ill need to hit this one again soon. When you complete the book, you get another one. Thats why Ive developed a tracking spreadsheet that includes all the different MN State Parks. The tour lasts 90 minutes and goes inside the enclosure in an open-air truck. All sales are final. Easy trail. I looked at the map supplied by the DNR and unfortunately it does not say which trail is the Hiking Club Trail. By accepting all cookies, you agree to our use of cookies to deliver and maintain our services and site, improve the quality of Reddit, personalize Reddit content and advertising, and measure the effectiveness of advertising. We and our partners use cookies to Store and/or access information on a device. Its a great deal if you plan to go to a park more than once a year. Pro Tip: Visit any State Park during one of their free days. These longer hiking club trails are located at Beaver Creek Valley, Blue Mounds, Maplewood, and Myre -Big Island State Parks. Garden Island State Recreation Area23. But in her free time, she loves to hike and adventure with her dogs, Sasha and Glia. To view the purposes they believe they have legitimate interest for, or to object to this data processing use the vendor list link below. Afton is included in our 5 Dog-Friendly MN State Park Hikes along the St. Croix River post. Blue MoundsState Park8. I didnt even know about the Passport Club! trail in good condition. This trail is pretty flat so it is suitable for most abilities. The biggest draw to Blue Mounds State Park is the Sioux quartzite cliff line. Besides the passport, you will also receive a travel log giving you the opportunity to document some of your favorite parts of the parks. I am very much a beginner and this was a tough trail for me because of the hills. So without further ado, here are the trails. MaplewoodState Park49. More information about the program can be found. No one else on the trail. What outdoor adventures are on your Minnesota bucket list? Its about nourishment and learning. Great hike. The remainder of this hike follows the paved bike path back to the SaintCroix Lodge. Your email address will not be published. 75 reasons to join the MN State Parks Passport and MN Hiking Club. Iron Range Off-highway Vehicle State Recreation Area34. This file contains additional information such as Exif metadata which may have been added by the digital camera, scanner, or software program used to create or digitize it. Beautiful hike! Thanks. Beautiful trail, double tracked and well groomed all the way around the island, especially considering the warmer weather recently. Lovely hike! A brief review of this park is included in our 5 Great Dog-Friendly State Parks in Southeastern Minnesota post. Using the filters, you can identify which MN State Park Hiking Club Trail is less than 2 hrs from Minneapolis. Savanna PortageState Park64. The trailhead for this trail is to the left of the Trail Center building; look for the blue Hiking Club sign. The consent submitted will only be used for data processing originating from this website. Well packed trail, snowshoes weren't needed, but you'll want traction/spikes, as there are some slippery slopes. Beaver Creek Valley State Park is located in the bluff lands of southeastern Minnesota and is known for its clear spring-fed trout streams. Date 4 June 2017, 20:37 Source Hiking Club Password Sign - Banning State Park, Minnesota Author Tony Websterfrom Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States Camera location Outdoor Project may earn commission on products purchased through our links, which supports the work we do for our readers. I thought maybe it was in the visitor building, but it was closed. Wearing traction devices is recommended. Bear Head LakeState Park4. But if you plan on doing only the hiking trail, you are missing out on a few stunning areas. Hiking Club. For more information on our privacy policy, please visit our Privacy Policy Page. Great views of the lake and along the river. You can earn patches, free camping, and even a plaque (if you hike all of the Hiking Club trails) for participating in the club. The trail follows a creek and larger backwater pond. . A couple of river crossings. The MN State Park Passport Program is great for those that love to explore but maybe need a reason to go see them all! However, as we complete each trail we will add pictures, our favorite parts of the trail, overall dog-friendliness, and more. MagneyState Park38. The Minnesota State Parks Hiking Club program encourages hikers to hike a designated Hiking Club Trail at most state parks. Minnesota is one of the most underrated states for outdoor adventurers. Did you download your free Blue Mounds State Park Map yet from Avenza? Happy trails! Welcome toThis Big Wild Worldtravel blog! Half on snowmobile trail, half ungroomed. I'm pretty excited. Want adventure in your inbox every month? A popular state park located on the St. Croix River at the eastern edge of the Twin Cities metro area, Afton State Park offers several miles of hiking trails. Bison, elk, wolves, and prairie chickens once roamed most of the park. Once you get your passport, dont forget to bring it with you when you hit the trails! I dont usually leave comments on these types of things, but this is such a fantastic and informative article about the hiking club and how accessible the trails will be for dogs! During the summer months, the top of the cactus is topped with bright yellow flowers. Great views today! We want to spend sometime there and take it in. We had some ce cleats on and had no problems. Beautiful hiking here today, very low crowds because of the Super Bowl and the temps were around 40 with no wind and sunshine. }); Do you identify as a female and blog about the outdoors? Its about nourishment and learning. Learn how your comment data is processed. There are benches to stop and sit and have a snack. . The parent in me was going worst-case scenario and wondering how badly they could hurt themselves. There are about 80 bison that live on the prairie, with another 20-30 bison born each year. So there you have it, 75 beautiful reasons to love hiking in Minnesota. Fun to have so many water views. It has been postponed during Covid. We LOVE your blogusing this as a reference on our own trek with our daughters to hike all the hiking club trails. FIND YOUR WAY OUTSIDE is a trademark of AllTrails, LLC. Are there bears in Blue Mounds State Park? I never promote things I dont stand behind. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, Please check your inbox to confirm your subscription. Nope, there isnt an official swimming area even though there are lakes and streams. It is a bit icy now (mid-January) but its still worth the views. Today the Bison still reside thanks to a unique program. Hello, fellow Minnesotan! The trail can be flooded or muddy especially in the springtime. Youll need Avenza Maps if you plan on hiking. Greenleaf Lake State Recreation Area30. 2021Outdoor Project. The hiking club trail at Blue Mounds State Park takes visitors to the top of the cliff line. I really liked the video. Below is a list of all 68 of Minnesotas Hiking Club Trails. Easy in all seasons. Each member of the hiking club gains awards as miles of hiking club trails are completed. The tall grasses also attract birds. If you go, bring plenty of water, keep an eye on the weather conditions and have some fun! Length 1.1 miElevation gain 22 ftRoute type Loop. Beautiful trail! The 97-degree temperatures meant we didnt do any hiking until early morning or late at night. Lake BemidjiState Park42. They are typically well-labeled on the trail itself also. Pro Tip: Track your progress with a Push Pin Map of Minnesota! Beware horse apples! Only hiking club trail miles count. Wear YakTrax or some type of cleat and enjoy! Thank you! Manage Settings Stairs ARE slippery! I'll reply asap! Segments of this hiking trail are shared with horses. It is absolutely gorgeous. The landscape was beautiful even in the winter. I highly recommend going either in the morning or evening hours to capture the sun on the cliffside. Watch for thin ice if trying to get close. Kids have so much more fun when they get to play in natural environments, so I was excited to see what the park had in store. Along the way, youll earn free nights of camping and patches! I know what a great state Minnesota is for adventure but the video gives more reasons. These were epic. Explore MN Hiking Club Trails - view hand-curated trail maps and driving directions as well as detailed reviews and photos from hikers, campers and nature lovers like you. If you buy the annual pass, it must be displayed in the lower passenger side window in your vehicle. Nothing is worse than getting to the MN State Park only to find the office is closed. Have updates, photos, alerts, or just want to leave a comment? Like someone else said lots of hills! If the passport and travel log arent cool enough, how about some free stuff? If the office isnt open, dont worry. Not too bad. Camping costs anywhere from $25-35 a night. The falls were amazing. Trail is well packed down - at least the top half. I believe that theres a sense of adventure inside of everyone, waiting to be discovered. Perfect for winter hiking. Get your rewards. I intended to snowshoe the trail but it looked to have a decently packed path already so I went with boots and gators. At 100 miles, youll get a free night of camping and if you can complete them all, youll get another night of camping plus anengraved plaque. A Hiking Club kit can be purchased . Seriously, you can earn free camping just by hiking! Some parts of the trails were pretty rough even with both. Fromepic hikes around the worldto adventures closer to my home inMinnesota, Im here to help you discover what adventure means to you! Big Bog State Recreation Area6. Just stop by the park office to get it stamped. Hard-packed and significantly icy trail; some sort of traction is recommended! It was 20 degree. For $14.95 you can be a part of this too. Depending on the age, they may need a little supervision. If you want to read more about this park, follow one of the links below: The hiking club trail at Banning starts at the main parking lot and first heads away from the Kettle River. 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