hiking – Page 6 – Neaton Adventures

Best of 2022-Minnesota

December 31, 2022Posted in Adventure, hiking, Minnesota, Minnesota State Parks, Mississippi River, Nature, Outdoors, Photography, UncategorizedTagged Adventure, Best of 2022, exploring, hiking, Hiking Adventures, Minnesota, Minnesota State Parks, nature photography, Outdoors, Parks, Photography, Winter, Winter hiking3 Comments

This past year, my cousin and I hiked 36 Minnesota State Parks and 30 different Parks and Trails. Whether it was raining, snowing, or the sun was shining…we hiked. Our hiking adventures accumulated to a total of 348 miles in 2022!

Minnehaha Falls-Minneapolis

Crow-Hassan Park Reserve-Rogers

Cottage Grove Ravine Regional Park-Cottage Grove

St. Croix State Park-Hinckley

Elba Fire Tower-Elba

Great River Bluffs State Park-Winona

Forestville/Mystery Cave State Park-Preston

Myre-Big Island State Park-Albert Lea

Blue Mounds State Park-Luverne

Broken Down Dam Park-Fergus Falls

Lake Shetek State Park-Currie

Upper Sioux Agency State Park-Granite Falls

Big Stone Lake State Park-Ortonville

Glacial Lakes State Park-Starbuck

Sibley State Park-New London

Flandrau State Park-New Ulm

Charles A. Lindbergh State Park-Little Falls

Crow Wing State Park-Brainerd

Quarry Park and Nature Preserve-Waite Park

Banning State Park-Sandstone

Salem Hills Park-Inver Grove Heights

Theodore Wirth Regional Park-Golden Valley

Louisville Swamp-Shakopee

Happy New Year! Cheers to more adventures in 2023!

Athletic Park-Chaska-Minnesota

December 17, 2022Posted in Adventure, hiking, Minnesota, Nature, Outdoors, Photography, UncategorizedTagged Adventure, Athletic Park, Carver, Carver Creek, Chaska, Chaska Unit, exploring, hiking, Hiking Adventures, Minnesota, Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge, nature photography, Outdoors, Parks, Rapids Lake Unit, Winter2 Comments

Today’s hiking adventure began at Athletic Park.

We hiked the Levee Trail alongside the Chaska Unit which is part of the Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge.

Our recent snowstorm this week created a beautiful blanket of white snow throughout the State of Minnesota. Snow gently topped the Sumac and icicles shimmered in the sun.

Along the trail we found a park next to the Carver Water Tower with old metal playground equipment. It had an old school merry-go-round! We had to take it for a spin. After a few long laughs, we continued on our hike.

The Minnesota River was partially frozen.

Carver Creek Loop was the next trail we hiked.

The crisp white snow created a stark contrast along the shoreline of Carver Creek.

Clouds covered the sky for most of our hike however, the sun tried to make an appearance.

Rapids Lake Unit at Bluff Park was our next destination. We continued along the Carver Creek Loop trail. The trail went from a few footprints and fat tire tracks on the trail to having only one set of footprints in the snow and then no footprints. We followed some animal tracks on what appeared to be a trail. A few miles in, we saw a sign stating we were on the Rapids Lake Trail.

We decided to turn around and hike back to the Carver Creek Loop. I’m not sure why the trail is labeled as a loop since there is no loop. Our off the beaten path adventure allowed us to see three deer prancing, a flock of swans fly overhead, and best of all…hear the silence of the winter forest.

Today’s hiking adventure was 9 miles.

Louisville Swamp-Shakopee-Minnesota

December 10, 2022Posted in Adventure, hiking, Minnesota, Nature, Outdoors, Photography, UncategorizedTagged Adventure, exploring, hiking, Hiking Adventures, Louisville Swamp, Mazomani Trail, Minnesota, Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge, nature photography, Outdoors, Parks, Shakopee, Winter1 Comment

Today’s hiking adventure was at Louisville Swamp.

We hiked the Mazomani Trail through the Louisville Swamp.

Our first stop was to take in the view at the Bluff Overlook.

The trail followed alongside the Louisville Swamp creek.

Eventually, we had to make a decision to cross over the creek or turn back around. We decided to jump on the rocks and ice to the other side. Of course I had to stop midway to take pictures.

Our next stop was to explore Jab’s Farm. The house was made from sandstone in 1880.

Back on the trail again.

Our next find was a GIANT boulder.

The mushrooms didn’t seem to mind the snow.

Mother Earth always seems to amaze us! We found wild cucumber pods. They appeared to decorate the trees like holiday ornaments. We also found a sweet tiny new branch growing from a stump.

We crossed over the Louisville Swamp creek several more times on the trail. Thankfully, there were bridges.

A blue jay flew by and landed long enough for me to snap its photo.

Today’s hiking adventure was 7 miles.

Theodore Wirth Regional Park-Golden Valley-Minnesota

December 4, 2022Posted in Adventure, hiking, Minnesota, Nature, Outdoors, Photography, UncategorizedTagged Adventure, Bassett Creek, exploring, Golden Valley, hiking, Hiking Adventures, Minnesota, nature photography, Outdoors, Parks, Theodore Wirth Regional Park, Winter4 Comments

Today’s hiking adventure was at Theodore Wirth Regional Park.

Wow! This park was packed by 9 am. There were many people cross country skiing, hiking, and biking along the trails. It took us a minute to figure out where the non paved hiking trails were. We decided to hike up the steps to get a better perspective.

The first trail we hiked was the Conundrum Trail. This trail ran parallel to Bassett Creek. The creek was partially frozen. Frozen snow formed stars on the top of the ice covered creek.

The snow covered trails were beautiful.

Snow blanketed the trees. We found some giant trees on the trail and some fallen trees that are now home to the woodland critters.

The next trail we hiked was the 45 North Trail. It brought us by the railroad tracks. We found some colorful graffiti under one of the bridges.

We hiked the Theodore Wirth Parkway for a bit. The park was making snow for the ski trails. The trees close by were covered in the fresh snow.

Along the parkway, downtown Minneapolis could be seen in the distance.

Today’s hiking adventure was 4.8 miles.

Carver Park Reserve-Waconia-Minnesota

November 20, 2022Posted in Adventure, hiking, Minnesota, Nature, Outdoors, Photography, UncategorizedTagged Adventure, Carver Park Reserve, exploring, hiking, Hiking Adventures, Lundsten Lake, Minnesota, nature photography, Outdoors, Parks, Waconia, Winter1 Comment

Today’s hiking adventure began at Carver Park Reserve.

Winter is here! We bundled up this morning to fight off the morning chill. On went our winter coats, hiking boots, hats, gloves and even extra warm pants. After a week of cloudy and snowy weather, it sure was nice to have the sun out today.

The snow crunched under our feet as we hiked the trail. I always forget how loud winter hiking can be.

We hiked to an overlook. Lundsten Lake is in the far distance.

The trail led us to a section of Lundsten Lake where the lake was on both sides of the trail.

The trail continued through the woods. Another angle of Lundsten Lake appeared. The lake almost looked frozen.

There were a lot of hills on the trail. We definitely got our cardio in today. Towards the end we could feel the extra energy we were exerting with all the winter gear we were wearing.

Today’s hiking adventure was 4 miles.

Kaplan’s Woods Parkway-Owatonna-Minnesota

November 6, 2022Posted in Adventure, hiking, Minnesota, Nature, Outdoors, Photography, UncategorizedTagged Adventure, exploring, Fall, hiking, Hiking Adventures, Kaplan's Woods Park, Lake Kohlmier, Minnesota, nature photography, Outdoors, Owatonna, Parks, Straight River2 Comments

Today’s hiking adventure began at Kaplan’s Wood Park.

The temperature was a cool 44 degrees and the sun was beginning to shine as we began our adventure. Thick leaves layered the unpaved trail.

Pumpkins were scattered throughout the park for the critters.

There were maps throughout the park, however, they were not incredibly helpful. The different trails seemed to wind around the forest haphazardly. At times we wondered… “have we been on this trail already?”

Our mushroom friends helped us remember which trails we had been on before.

Raindrops laid gently on the leaves from last night’s rain.

Straight River flowed through the park.

We left Kaplan’s Woods and hiked to Lake Kohlmier. The wind was so strong it almost blew us into the lake from the dock.

The bridge brought us to a small island. Ducks were swimming all around us and the geese could be heard gossiping with each other in the distance.

Today’s hiking adventure was 6.6 miles.

Salem Hills Park-Inver Grove Heights-Minnesota

October 22, 2022Posted in Adventure, hiking, Minnesota, Nature, Outdoors, Photography, UncategorizedTagged Adventure, exploring, Fall, Fall colors, hiking, Hiking Adventures, Inver Grove Heights, Minnesota, nature photography, Outdoors, Parks, Salem Hills Park4 Comments

Today’s hiking adventure began at Salem Hills Park.

The end of October is always bitter sweet. We are in the season of letting go. There are more leaves on the ground than on the trees. Fall colors are beginning to fade and the air is getting cold. Today though, may have been the perfect fall day. The sun was shining, the temperature was warm, and there was a cool breeze blowing.

The park is made up of unpaved shared hiking and biking trails.

Hiking through the birch tree groves was incredible. The changing colors of the leaves popped alongside the white bark.

The trail led us to a small pond.

Mushrooms were enjoying the weather too!

The trail looped around the park offering an amazing view of the spectacular fall colors.

Today’s hiking adventure was 5.3 miles.

Banning State Park-Sandstone-Minnesota

October 15, 2022Posted in Adventure, hiking, Minnesota, Minnesota State Parks, Nature, Outdoors, Photography, UncategorizedTagged Adventure, Banning State Park, exploring, hiking, Hiking Adventures, Kettle River, Minnesota, Minnesota State Parks, nature photography, Outdoors, Parks3 Comments

Today’s hiking adventure began at Banning State Park.

The weather was a cool 34 degrees as we started our hike. Mother Nature’s glitter coated the forest floor.

We hiked on the freshly fallen leaves towards Wolf Creek Trail.

Rocks jetted out from the forest floor along the trail.

Large boulders intermixed with the trees.

We arrived at Wolf Creek Falls.

Our adventure continued on a trail that was not labeled. Fall color popped everywhere we looked.

The green moss covering the rocks was so vibrant.

Large cliffs loomed above us. At times, we may have been on a deer trail, however, we continued on the small path before us.

We reached the Kettle River. What a sight!

We reached a dead end at a giant boulder along the river. We thought about getting into the river and wading around the boulder but due to the cold weather we decided that was a bad idea.

We backed up a bit and climbed up the cliffs. After catching our breath, we continued along a trail we found. After a few minutes on the cliff trail we looked below and saw another trail closer to the river. The trail looked too adventurous to pass up. So, down the cliffs we went.

The trail led us under giant boulders.

We found these cool potholes. Not sure if they were made by the flowing river or if they were man-made.

Hell’s Gate Trail was the name of the trail we were on. It was an absolute blast and hard as hell.

Today’s hiking adventure was 4.7 miles.

Point Douglas Park-Hastings-Minnesota

October 8, 2022Posted in Adventure, hiking, Minnesota, Mississippi River, Nature, Outdoors, Photography, UncategorizedTagged Adventure, exploring, Hastings, hiking, Hiking Adventures, Minnesota, Mississippi River Regional Trail, nature photography, Outdoors, Parks, Point Douglas Park, Point Douglas Regional Trail, St. Croix River1 Comment

Today’s hiking adventure began at Point Douglas Park.

Brrrrr! It was a cold start to our adventure. Fog danced on top of the two merging rivers: St. Croix River and Mississippi River.

We left the park hiking on Point Douglas Regional Trail.

We crossed the Hasting Bridge where the mighty Mississippi River flowed under us.

Hastings majestic City Hall appeared as we exited the bridge and continued our hike on the Mississippi River Regional Trail.

A quick stop at Lake Rebecca offered a colorful view.

A giant eagle perched above us looking down at the Mississippi River waiting for its next meal.

Turkey vultures soared above us.

Some rested on a tower.

Our next stop along the trail was Lock and Dam #2.

Just after the Lock and Dam #2, the trail led us to a wider view of the Mississippi River. Here we decided to turn around and hike back to Point Douglas Park.

Fall is a magical time of year. The leaves are so colorful and the mid-morning sun warmed us from the cool air.

The train tracks were getting used today! We saw many trains pass by us on the different railways.

As we approached our starting point we decided to cross the Fort Douglas Bascule Bridge and hike into Prescott, Wisconsin. We took in the view of the BNSF Lift Bridge that was built in 1984 for trains to cross over the river.

We hiked to the end of Point Douglas Park taking in the view from the beach.

Today’s hiking adventure was 12.3 miles.

Swede Hollow Park-St. Paul-Minnesota

October 1, 2022Posted in Adventure, hiking, Minnesota, Mississippi River, Nature, Outdoors, Photography, UncategorizedTagged Adventure, Bruce Vento Regional Trail, exploring, hiking, Hiking Adventures, Indian Mounds Park, Minnesota, nature photography, Outdoors, Parks, Samuel H. Morgan Regional Trail, St. Paul, Swede Hollow Park3 Comments

Today’s hiking adventure began at Swede Hollow Park.

By descending down a long staircase, we started our adventure.

Swedehenge, a large stone exhibit, encompassed the lower level of the park. Informational historic markers lined the trail explaining the timeline of the park’s history.

We hiked out of Swede Hollow Park on the Bruce Vento Regional Trail.

We hiked under E. 7th Street through a very intriguing stone tunnel.

The bright colors of fall began to whisper through the greenery.

Downtown St. Paul and our State Capitol appear in the distance.

It was then on to Indian Mounds Park.

The park resides on the cliffs which offers great views of downtown St. Paul, the Mississippi River, and the train tracks below.

The fall colors were exploding as we hiked the trail through the park.

We continued our hike on the Samuel H. Morgan Regional Trail. The trail led us closer to the Mississippi River.

We hiked by the cliffs we were standing on earlier.

We continued hiking alongside the river passing under the Lafayette Bridge, Robert Street Bridge, and Wabasha Street Bridge. In order to loop back to our starting point, we hiked through downtown St. Paul capturing some fun photos along the way.

As we hiked along E. 7th Street, we passed by a fabulous neighborhood art exhibit.

Today’s urban hiking adventure was 10.5 miles.

Quarry Park and Nature Preserve-Waite Park-Minnesota

September 24, 2022Posted in Adventure, hiking, Minnesota, Nature, Outdoors, Photography, UncategorizedTagged Adventure, exploring, Fall, hiking, Hiking Adventures, Minnesota, nature photography, Outdoors, Parks, Quarries, Quarry Park and Nature Preserve, Waite Park5 Comments

Today’s hiking adventure began at Quarry Park and Nature Preserve.

Ah, the crisp fall air felt wonderful as we began our hike into the park. There are many different unpaved trails throughout the park that weave around the 20 different quarries. Saint Cloud Red Granite was quarried from the land with operations ending in the mid 1950’s. Quarry Park and Nature Preserve opened in 1998. Along with hiking, biking and skiing, people are able to swim, SCUBA dive and rock climb in designated areas.

Old mining equipment can be found throughout the park. My favorite was the gigantic granite saw blade.

Giant rock piles are seen all over the park. The mining term for these piles is Grout Piles.

One of the grout piles had an observation deck at the top.

The quarries are stunning. The water mirrors the landscape that surrounds it.

Along with the amazing quarries, the park offers wonderful trails through wetlands and prairies.

The quarries created a humid environment which the mushrooms appeared to enjoy.

The leaves are just beginning to change.

Today’s amazing hiking adventure was 8.4 miles.

Myre-Big Island State Park-Albert Lea-Minnesota

September 7, 2022Posted in Adventure, hiking, Minnesota, Minnesota State Parks, Nature, Outdoors, Photography, UncategorizedTagged Adventure, exploring, hiking, Hiking Adventures, Minnesota, Minnesota State Parks, Myre-Big Island, nature photography, Outdoors, Parks1 Comment

We hiked Myre-Big Island State Park on July 14, 2022.

Our hiking adventure started on the Big Island Trail which looped around the island.

Big Island’s plant life was a vibrant green. Surrounding the island was the cool water of Albert Lea Lake.

We crossed the causeway to the mainland where we hiked the Bur Oak Trail to the Great Marsh Trail.

A beautiful black swallowtail graced us with its presence.

We made our way to the Blazing Star Prairie Trail. This trail was HOT! The July summer sun beat down on us. The view though made the heat worth it.

The wildflowers were loving the sun!

Briefly, we hiked the White Fox Trail to the Plum Trail until we reached the causeway again.

A curious deer greeted us when we returned to Big Island.

Mushrooms were beginning to take over a tall tree stump which created an intriguing sight.

Our hiking adventure was 8 miles.

Oakdale Nature Preserve-Oakdale-Minnesota

September 5, 2022Posted in Adventure, hiking, Minnesota, Nature, Outdoors, Photography, UncategorizedTagged Adventure, exploring, hiking, Hiking Adventures, Minnesota, Minnesota Lakes, Mud Lake, nature photography, Oakdale, Oakdale Nature Preserve, Outdoors3 Comments

Today’s hiking adventure began at Oakdale Nature Preserve.

The crisp fall air is beginning to settle in for the season. Time to bring out the flannels and long sleeves. We started our adventure on the paved trails.

A lone tree began to change its colors.

Splashes of color from the still blooming wildflowers lined the trail. A squirrel even posed for a photo.

The boardwalk allowed us to cross Mud Lake. It provided a calm area for the ducks to relax.

We even found a Fairy Village!

While hiking the non paved trails, mushrooms popped out at us.

Today’s hiking adventure was 4.8 miles.

Sakatah Lake State Park-Waterville-Minnesota

September 3, 2022Posted in Adventure, hiking, Minnesota, Minnesota State Parks, Nature, Outdoors, Photography, UncategorizedTagged Adventure, exploring, hiking, Hiking Adventures, Minnesota, Minnesota State Parks, nature photography, Outdoors, Sakatah Lake State Park, WatervilleLeave a comment

We hiked Sakatah Lake State Park on July 14th, 2022.

Our hiking adventure began early on a Thursday morning. The sun was brightly shining and the birds were singing. We started our hike on the Sumac Trail.

The Sumac Trail led us to the Oak Tree Trail.

We crossed over a little creek. It appeared to be more of a puddle than a creek though.

Briefly, we hiked the Sakatah Singing Hills State Trail. We found a small frog on the paved trail. To keep it safe, we moved it to the side of the trail so it wasn’t squished by the many bikers that passed by.

The Wahpekute Trail allowed us to hike alongside Sakatah Lake.

We could tell we were the first people of the day to hike the trail. Hundreds (ok maybe not that many but it felt like it) of thin single strand spider webs crossed the trail which made for an itchy hike.

Looping back onto the Oak Tree Trail we found several beautiful mushrooms.

Our hiking adventure was 3.3 miles.

Maplewood State Park-Pelican Rapids-Minnesota

August 20, 2022Posted in Adventure, hiking, Minnesota, Minnesota State Parks, Nature, Outdoors, Photography, UncategorizedTagged Adventure, exploring, hiking, Hiking Adventures, Maplewood State Park, Minnesota, Minnesota State Parks, nature photography, Outdoors, Parks, Pelican Rapids3 Comments

We hiked Maplewood State Park on Aug 13th, 2022.

Minnesota is home to over 10,000 lakes. The trail we hiked took us past four different lakes however, the 9,250-acre park has 8 major lakes, 7 small lakes, and many ponds. A pelican statue greeted us as we began the trail.

The winding trail led us through the forest.

At times the forest was so quiet. The air was still, the birds were silent, and the small critters were absent. With heavy dark clouds covering the sky, the forest became a bewildering and mysterious place. The lake views echoed this energy.

Scattered throughout the forest were the most amazing mushrooms.

Fall colors were beginning to pop on some of the leaves.

The final stretch of the trail led to an open prairie. Several horses shared the trail with us.

Our hiking adventure was 7.4 miles.

Rice Lake State Park-Owatonna-Minnesota

August 17, 2022Posted in Adventure, hiking, Minnesota, Minnesota State Parks, Nature, Outdoors, Photography, UncategorizedTagged Adventure, exploring, hiking, Hiking Adventures, Minnesota, Minnesota State Parks, nature photography, Outdoors, Rice Lake, Rice Lake State Park7 Comments

We hiked Rice Lake State Park on June 26th, 2022.

Our adventure began on the trail by the shoreline of Rice Lake.

The trail led us through the lush forest.

We found an open burl on a tree that became more fascinating the closer we looked. Unique spirals on the bark of the tree burl intrigued us. It almost looked like the sky from The Starry Night painting by Vincent Van Gogh.

The trees on the trail continued to display their individuality.

The forest landscape dissipated and a large vibrant green prairie appeared before us.

The final stretch of the trail led us back through the forest and by a boat launch for Rice Lake.

Our hiking adventure was 2.8 miles.

Lake Louise State Park-Le Roy-Minnesota

August 10, 2022Posted in Adventure, hiking, Minnesota, Minnesota State Parks, Nature, Outdoors, Photography, UncategorizedTagged Adventure, exploring, hiking, Hiking Adventures, Lake Louise, Lake Louise State Park, Minnesota, Minnesota State Parks, nature photography, Outdoors, Parks, Summer5 Comments

We hiked Lake Louise State Park June 26th, 2022.

Our hiking adventure began and ended on the Wildwood Loop Trail.

We hiked alongside the Little Iowa River and Lake Louise.

The forest was so lush and green.

Our hiking adventure was 1.2 miles. As we were heading back to our car a beautiful bright blue butterfly landed at our feet.

Never underestimate a short hiking adventure. Sometimes, it leads to the best eye candy.

Forestville/Mystery Cave State Park-Preston-Minnesota

August 1, 2022Posted in Adventure, hiking, Minnesota, Minnesota State Parks, Nature, Outdoors, Photography, UncategorizedTagged Adventure, Caves, exploring, Forestville/Mystery Cave State Park, hiking, Hiking Adventures, Minnesota, Minnesota State Parks, nature photography, Outdoors, Parks, Preston Minnesota5 Comments

We hiked Forestville/Mystery Cave State Park on June 25th, 2022.

After a morning of rain, the sun began to shine as we started our hike. We hiked the Maple Ridge Trail Loop and part of the Big Spring Trail.

Forestville Creek and South Bend Root River ran parallel with the trail at times.

The Hackberry Emperor butterflies were in season and they were everywhere! They are very social butterflies. Several hitched a ride on us for over a mile.

Hundreds of the Hackberry Emperor butterflies covered the ground near the creek.

A beautiful Tiger Swallowtail joined in the fun as well.

And let’s not forget our mushroom friends. Pretty sure they were enjoying the humid weather.

Our hiking adventure was 3.7 miles.

Our next stop…the Mystery Cave.

We opted for the hour-long scenic tour of the cave. The Minnesota DNR Officer who led the tour did an excellent job explaining the caves ecosystem. We enjoyed learning about the Minnesota DNR’s thoughts on the Mystery Cave which is conservation over exploration.

This is a brief explanation of the following photos. Stalactites form from water dripping from the ceiling. Stalagmites form from the ground upwards. When the stalactites and stalagmites meet, it is called a pillar or column. Flowstone is when water drips down the walls of the cave.

A fossil on the wall of the cave.

The tour ends at a breathtaking turquoise lake.

Check out the Mystery Cave if you are ever in Preston Minnesota.

Beaver Creek Valley State Park-Caledonia-Minnesota

July 31, 2022Posted in Adventure, hiking, Minnesota, Minnesota State Parks, Nature, Outdoors, Photography, UncategorizedTagged Adventure, Beaver Creek Valley State Park, Caledonia, exploring, hiking, Hiking Adventures, Houston County, Minnesota, Minnesota State Parks, nature photography, Outdoors, Parks, Summer4 Comments

We hiked Beaver Creek Valley State Park on June 25th, 2022.

Our hiking adventure began on the Beaver Creek Valley Trail. The trail followed the winding Beaver Creek. This allowed us to cross over the creek several times on our hike. The creek is well known amongst people who fish for its brown and native brook trout.

The air was as thick as the fog that clung closely to the top of the creek. A mysterious, almost eerie scene was cast before our eyes.

The wide, well maintained trail led us to a large open prairie that was surrounded by a dense forest.

Our hiking adventure was 3.7 miles.

Great River Bluffs-Winona-Minnesota

July 28, 2022Posted in Adventure, hiking, Minnesota, Minnesota State Parks, Mississippi River, Nature, Outdoors, Photography, UncategorizedTagged Adventure, exploring, Great River Bluffs State Park, hiking, Hiking Adventures, Minnesota, Minnesota State Parks, Mississippi River, nature photography, Outdoors, Parks, Summer, Winona1 Comment

We hiked Great River Bluffs State Park on June 25, 2022.

The rain poured as we began our hiking adventure. We followed the King’s Bluff Trailhead to the King’s Bluff Overlook.

The light fog and rain created a mystical environment. We felt like we were walking into an enchanted forest.

The ground was a bit muddy at times. Thankfully, Mother Earth provided natural traction as we hiked up the hills.

The plants and flowers were soaking up the rain.

Fog gently danced around the top of the trees.

The overlook was breathtaking! The Mississippi River can be seen in the distance.

Our hiking adventure was 2.6 miles.

John A. Latsch State Park-Winona County-Minnesota

July 25, 2022July 25, 2022Posted in Adventure, hiking, Minnesota, Minnesota State Parks, Mississippi River, Nature, Outdoors, Photography, UncategorizedTagged Adventure, exploring, hiking, Hiking Adventures, John A. Latsch State Park, Minnesota, Minnesota State Parks, Mississippi River, nature photography, Outdoors, Parks, Winona County1 Comment

We hiked John A. Latsch on June 24th, 2022.

The Riverview Trail has a rating of difficult due to the 592 steps one needs to take straight up the bluff to Mount Charity Overlook.

On a hot, sunny and humid summer day we took our time climbing up those stairs. We saw glimpses of what the top of the bluff might offer the higher we climbed.

We made it to the top of the bluff! The overlook was worth the climb. The view of the mighty Mississippi River was magnificent.

Lock and Dam #5 can be seen in the distance.

What goes up must come down.

Our hiking adventure was 592 steps straight up the bluff.

Elba Fire Tower-Elba-Minnesota

July 22, 2022Posted in Adventure, hiking, Minnesota, Nature, Outdoors, Photography, UncategorizedTagged Adventure, Elba Fire Tower, exploring, Fire Tower, hiking, Hiking Adventures, Minnesota, nature photography, Outdoors, Summer3 Comments

We hiked to the top of the Elba Fire Tower on June 24th, 2022.

The Elba Fire Tower was built in 1936 by the Civilian Conservation Corps. There are 637 steps to the base of the fire tower. Thankfully there are several places to stop and rest along the way up.

The view from the base of the tower alone was worth the climb.

The Elba Fire Tower is 110 feet in the air and over 100 steps to the top.

A little butterfly offered encouragement as we climbed to the top.

The view from the top of the tower was worth every step! Such a spectacular view.

Our hiking adventure was over 700 steps straight up the bluff.

Whitewater State Park-Altura-Minnesota

July 20, 2022Posted in Adventure, hiking, Minnesota, Minnesota State Parks, Nature, Outdoors, Photography, UncategorizedTagged Adventure, exploring, hiking, Hiking Adventures, Minnesota, Minnesota State Parks, nature photography, Outdoors, Parks, Summer, Whitewater State Park3 Comments

We hiked Whitewater State Park June 24th, 2022.

Our hike began on the Coyote Point Trail. The trail is rated difficult which we soon learned why. As soon as we crossed over the Middle Branch Whitewater River the trail went straight up the bluffs.

The trail began to level off the higher we went. First we reached an open prairie, then took a quick hike through the woods, and finally reached a gorgeous view from the bluffs.

We hiked down the Dakota Trail. This offered an amazing view of the giant stone bluffs from a different angle.

The Dakota Trail ended by the Nature Store. We stopped in for a refill of cold water and began the Meadow Trail. We crossed back over the Whitewater River. Colorful wildflowers popped out among the vast amount of greenery.

The Valley Trail led us to a small section of the Dakota Trail we hadn’t hiked before, so back up the bluffs we went to the Coyote Point Trail, and then back down to our starting point.

Our hiking adventure was 5.6 miles.

Purgatory Creek Park-Eden Prairie-Minnesota

July 9, 2022Posted in Adventure, hiking, Minnesota, Nature, Outdoors, Photography, UncategorizedTagged Adventure, Eden Prairie, exploring, hiking, Hiking Adventures, Minnesota, nature photography, Outdoors, Parks, Purgatory Creek Park, Staring Lake2 Comments

Today’s hiking adventure began at Purgatory Creek Park.

We started our adventure at the park’s pavilion. Next to the pavilion there is a beautiful garden to stroll through and an honorable Veterans’ Memorial.

A wide paved trail looped around the Purgatory Creek Wildlife Area.

After crossing over our first bridge, we found an unpaved trail and decided to see where it led.

We found an amazing gnome house! We rang the bell for good luck.

While crossing the wooden planks, a family of ducks swam past us.

We jumped back on the paved trail.

Several white herons were perched high up in the trees grooming themselves.

We continued our hike on the Creek Valley Trail towards Staring Lake. Once again we found several unpaved trails that called to us to be explored.

Giant mushrooms!

The paved trail around Staring Lake offered several docks to view the lake. Giant water lilies were blooming near the shoreline.

Today’s hiking adventure was 7.9 miles.

Carley State Park-Plainview-Minnesota

July 2, 2022Posted in Adventure, hiking, Minnesota, Minnesota State Parks, Nature, Outdoors, Photography, UncategorizedTagged Adventure, Carley State Park, exploring, hiking, Hiking Adventures, Minnesota, Minnesota State Parks, nature photography, Outdoors, Parks, Whitewater River2 Comments

We hiked Carley State Park on June 24th, 2022.

Midmorning on a beautiful sunny warm day, our adventure began. The trail looped us around the North Branch Whitewater River.

Birds were singing, grasshoppers were jumping, and the plant life was so lush it had a tropical feel to it. We were surprised we didn’t see monkeys swinging from the trees.

The unpaved trails were wide and well maintained.

Mushrooms were enjoying the humidity.

We came to a river crossing however, there wasn’t a bridge to cross. The large rocks that jetted out in the river were spread out just far enough to make it too hard to use them to get across. We really wanted to see the trail on the other side of the river, so we decided to take our boots and socks off and cross barefooted. The cold river felt great on our feet.