Tidbits of Minnesota State Parks
November 16, 2008Some of the best things about each of the Minnesota State Parks that I have visited…
Afton
Get a workout hiking the rolling hills of this nearby state park.
Banning
Seeing remnants of the sandstone quarries makes hiking through this park especially interesting, as if the wild and crazy Kettle River wasn’t enough.
Beaver Creek Valley
This lush, green park in bluff country has fly fishing opportunities.
Picnic area at Cascade River State Park
Cascade River
I love the isolated picnic area nestled among the cedar trees on the shores of Lake Superior. It’s a great place to relax for hours, gazing at this ocean-like lake.
Fort Snelling
The Mississippi and Minnesota rivers meet in this metro area nature retreat.
Observation blind at Glendalough
Glendalough
Although I didn’t spot any wildlife, I think it’s cool that the park has observation blinds.
Gooseberry Falls
Walking amidst the waterfalls is great fun!
Interstate
This is the place to see potholes galore and learn about glaciers. It’s worth a trip over to the Wisconsin side too.
Lake Itasca
Itasca
I love canoeing with the loons on peaceful Lake Itasca. My favorite kind of lake is long and narrow, so Lake Itasca fits the bill with three separate “arms”. The giant red and white pines are the signature of this park.
Jay Cooke State Park
Jay Cooke
The massive, rugged rocks in the St. Louis River are a memorable site from the swinging bridge.
Minneopa
The double waterfall is the draw to this park, but I really enjoyed walking through the oak savanna littered with big boulders.
St. Croix
This is an all-around great park with 2 rivers and lots of trails.
Sakatah Singing Hills Trail
Sakatah Lake
Biking or walking the tunnel of trees of the Sakatah Singing Hills Trail is very pleasant. We also saw wild turkeys in the park.
Red pines at Scenic State Park
Scenic
This park has the beauty of Itasca without the crowds. Hiking the Chase Point Trail along the high narrow peninsula is awesome if you love red pine and cedar, like me.
Split Rock Lighthouse
The lighthouse in the distance with birch trees in the foreground is a picture-perfect scene.
Temperance River
If you’re visiting the North Shore it’s worth stopping to hike along the river gorge and enjoy the many waterfalls.
Tettegouche State Park
Tettegouche
This park offers beautiful trails high on the rocky cliffs overlooking Lake Superior. I can’t imagine any better vistas of Lake Superior.
Whitewater
Believe it or not, there are no mosquitoes here in the middle of summer!
Wild River
Cross-country skiing is lots of fun here.
William O’Brien
On a hot summer day there’s nothing better than canoeing the St. Croix and stopping at a sandbar on or near Greenberg Island. My dog thought that running and jumping through the ankle-deep, warm water was pure joy, and I would have to agree!
