Photography – Page 3 – Neaton Adventures

Quarry Hill Park-Rochester-Minnesota

May 4, 2024Posted in Adventure, hiking, Minnesota, Nature, Outdoors, Photography, UncategorizedTagged Adventure, exploring, hiking, Hiking Adventures, Minnesota, Nature, nature photography, Outdoors, Parks, Quarry Hill Nature Center, Quarry Hill Park, Spring, travelLeave a comment

Today’s hiking adventure was at Quarry Hill Park.

We began our rainy day hike by the Quarry Hill Nature Center.

We hiked the paved trail past Harry L. Buck Children’s Pond.

There are a variety of trails to choose from at this park. Due to the rain it was a bit muddy and slick in places.

The fragrant wildflowers and blossoming trees captivated our senses.

Four deer appeared right next to where we were on the trail. With all the new growth it was hard to see them.

The trail had been nice and wide until we crossed over the creek.

We hiked the narrow trails through the forest area. Nature’s soundtrack was on point today. The birds were singing, the squirrels were playing, and the sounds of rain pitter pattering on the leaves was very therapeutic.

We arrived at the quarry. Due to all the rain, we were unable to hike down into the pit. A return trip later this summer is a must!

A trail led us around the quarry allowing us to take in all the different views.

Down the hill we went. It was a bit slippery in places.

Once back at the pond, we decided to end our hike due to being soaking wet and a bit chilly

Today’s hiking adventure was 3.1 miles.

Zumbrota Covered Bridge Park-Zumbrota-Minnesota

April 27, 2024Posted in Adventure, hiking, Minnesota, Nature, Outdoors, Photography, UncategorizedTagged Adventure, exploring, hiking, Hiking Adventures, Historic Bridge, Minnesota, nature photography, Outdoors, Parks, Zumbrota Covered Bridge, Zumbrota Covered Bridge PArk3 Comments

Today’s hiking adventure was at Zumbrota Covered Bridge Park.

The Zumbrota Covered Bridge was built in 1869.

The woodwork inside the bridge is amazing.

There are several windows on the bridge looking onto the Zumbrota River.

We hiked on the wide paved trail alongside the Zumbrota River.

The trail connects to the Goodhue Pioneer Trail. We decided to hike that trail another day. We continued to hike around the park making our way back to the covered bridge.

Today’s hiking adventure was 1.3 miles.

Carley State Park-Plainview-Minnesota

April 27, 2024Posted in Adventure, hiking, Minnesota, Minnesota State Parks, Nature, Outdoors, Photography, UncategorizedTagged Adventure, Bluebells, Carley State Park, exploring, hiking, Hiking Adventures, Minnesota, Minnesota State Parks, nature photography, North Branch Whitewater River, Outdoors, Spring flowers1 Comment

Today’s hiking adventure was at Carley State Park.

The first time we hiked Carley State Park was near the end of June two years ago. During our visit, we learned that the park is known for their Bluebells during spring. I have been wanting to return to see these beautiful flowers. Well…they’re back which means spring is officially here!

Our hike began at the picnic area of the park. We hiked alongside the North Branch Whitewater River.

Giant concrete steps laid across the river allowing us to cross.

Wildflowers created a wonderful pop of color along the trail.

Baby ferns are just beginning to push through the forest floor.

The forest floor was so alive and vibrant.

We crossed the river again using the giant concrete steps. Once on the other side of the river the trail split, we decided to follow the trail that led us up a steep staircase.

The group campsites and the service road awaited us at the top. Back down the steps we went to hike the other trail.

Bluebells were everywhere!

The river mirrored the green leaves and even the blue from the Bluebells.

As we looped back to our starting point, we learned the trail we had hiked was called the Wildflower Trail.

The picnic area had a painting of the beautiful Bluebells. I am so happy we got to see these gorgeous flowers.

Today’s hiking adventure was 2.6 miles.

Lone Rock Trail-Farmington-Minnesota

April 20, 2024Posted in Adventure, hiking, Minnesota, Nature, Outdoors, Photography, UncategorizedTagged Adventure, exploring, hiking, Hiking Adventures, Lone Rock Trail, Minnesota, Nature, nature photography, Outdoors, Parks, travel, Vermillion HighlandsLeave a comment

Today’s hiking adventure was along the Lone Rock Trail which is part of the Vermillion Highlands Research Recreation and Wildlife Management Area.

Minnesota has been sunny and warm for the past two weeks. Spring has finally arrived or so you might think. It’s almost as if spring in Minnesota knows the moment you put your winter hiking gear away for the season then…bam! Freezing temperatures hit again. The temperature danced between 32-34 degrees during our hike and the wind whipped across our faces leaving our cheeks a rosy red.

We began our hike on the Farm Loop Trail which led us to the Lone Rock Trail. The grassy trail led us between farmland and Whitetail Woods Regional Park.

Signs of spring are beginning to appear, new growth on the trees and the vibrant green radiating from the grass.

The trail followed the rolling landscape.

A portion of the fields looked like a control burn recently happened.

A section of the trail was on a long dirt road. As we hiked down the road, three men were walking towards us in hunting gear and armed with guns. They informed us that it was turkey season. Thankfully, we didn’t look like turkeys so we weren’t too worried about getting shot at.

The trail veered off the dirt road and into a small forest area.

As we looped back to our starting point, we once again hiked between farm fields.

Today’s hiking adventure was 7 miles.

Bassett Creek Park-Crystal-Minnesota

March 30, 2024Posted in Adventure, hiking, Minnesota, Nature, Outdoors, Photography, UncategorizedTagged Adventure, Bassett Creek, Bassett Creek Park, Briarwood Nature Area, exploring, hiking, Hiking Adventures, Minnesota, Nature, nature photography, Outdoors, Parks, travel, Winter, Winter hiking5 Comments

Today’s hiking adventure was at Bassett Creek Park.

Minnesota was hit with a snow storm earlier this week. Today might be our last hike with snow coverage before it melts for the season.

We hiked along the nicely paved trails crossing over Bassett Creek.

The trail looped around Bassett Creek Pond.

Once on the east side of the pond, we left the park to cross over Highway 100.

Briarwood Nature Area, in the city of Golden Valley, greeted us on the other side of the highway.

We looped around Briarwood Nature Area, crossing over Bassett Creek again.

The clouds dissipated as we made our way back to Bassett Creek Park. We hiked up the snow covered hill on the west side of the park. At the top of the hill, the tall buildings in Downtown Minneapolis could be seen in the distance.

Two snowmen waved us on as we passed by.

As we made our way back to our starting point, we hiked a very muddy trail alongside Bassett Creek.

Today’s hiking adventure was 4.5 miles.

Murphy-Hanrehan Park Reserve-Savage-Minnesota

March 23, 2024Posted in Adventure, hiking, Minnesota, Nature, Outdoors, Photography, UncategorizedTagged Adventure, exploring, hiking, Hiking Adventures, Minnesota, Murphy-Hanrehan Park Reserve, nature photography, Outdoors, Parks, Winter, Winter hikingLeave a comment

Today’s hiking adventure was at Murphy-Hanrehan Park Reserve.

Minnesota received a nice coating of snow this week. Thankfully, we were able to enjoy a hike before all the snow melted.

Frost formed on downed sticks and leaves. Nature never seems to stop amazing me.

The park was rather quiet today. We didn’t see any wildlife however, we could hear a nearby woodpecker and we saw lots of footprints that were left in the snow.

If you are looking for a park with lots of hills, this is your park! I also like all the small lakes they have close to the trails too.

We closed out the loop and made our way back to our starting point.

Today’s hiking adventure was 4.3 miles.

Snail Lake Regional Park-Shoreview-Minnesota

March 9, 2024Posted in Adventure, hiking, Minnesota, Nature, Outdoors, Photography, UncategorizedTagged Adventure, exploring, Grass Lake, hiking, Hiking Adventures, Minnesota, Nature, nature photography, Outdoors, Parks, Snail Lake, Snail Lake Regional Park, travel2 Comments

Today’s hiking adventure was at Snail Lake Regional Park.

The blustery wind whipped across Snail Lake.

We crossed the street to hike the paved trails towards Grass Lake.

The cloud cover over the wetland area created an ominous view.

Three helicopters flew above us.

The trail led us under the roadway as we made our way to Grass Lake.

According to the map, the paved trail doesn’t go all the way around Grass Lake. However, we did find a non paved trail to hike. We didn’t know if the non paved trail would take us all the way around the lake, but we gave it a shot.

As the clouds began to dissipate, we welcomed the warm sun and blue sky.

Once on the other side of the lake, we were able to reconnect with the paved trail.

We crossed back under the roadway and made our way back to our starting point.

A final stop at Snail Lake.

Today’s hiking adventure was 4.5 miles.

Fort Snelling State Park-St. Paul-Minnesota

March 2, 2024Posted in Adventure, hiking, Minnesota, Minnesota State Parks, Mississippi River, Nature, Outdoors, Photography, UncategorizedTagged Adventure, exploring, Fort Snelling State Park, hiking, Hiking Adventures, Minnesota, Minnesota River, Minnesota State Parks, Mississippi River, nature photography, Outdoors, Parks, Pike Island2 Comments

Today’s hiking adventure was at Fort Snelling State Park.

We hiked at one of my favorite places, Pike Island. The island is surrounded by the Minnesota River and Mississippi River.

As we made our way to Pike Island, we spotted several deer having their morning breakfast.

To access Pike Island, one has to cross a small bridge with the Minnesota River flowing below.

The trails are nice and wide around the island.

The Minnesota River

We made our way to the sandy shores of the island where the Mississippi River and Minnesota River meet. Lots of people were fishing out on their boats enjoying the beautiful morning.

The Mississippi River was to our left and the Minnesota River was to our right.

We continued along the trail following alongside the Mighty Mississippi River.

Today’s hiking adventure was 4 miles.

Memorial Park-Shakopee-Minnesota

February 24, 2024Posted in Adventure, hiking, Minnesota, Nature, Outdoors, Photography, UncategorizedTagged Adventure, Athletic Park, exploring, Firemen'a Park, hiking, Hiking Adventures, Memorial Park, Minnesota, Minnesota River, Minnesota Valley State Trail, nature photography, Outdoors, Parks2 Comments

Today’s hiking adventure began at Memorial Park.

If you’re missing any ducks, well…we found them. Hundreds of ducks were hanging out in the pond chatting it up with each other.

A light coat of frost covered the grass alongside the paved trail.

We crossed the bridge to hike the Minnesota Valley State Trail near the Minnesota River.

The Minnesota River looked like glass. The brilliant blue sky reflected off the river.

One of these days, I would like to catch a beaver gnawing on a tree as we hike by.

We continued along the trail.

The remains of an old kiln for burning limestone to make bricks resided near the trail.

We took a detour from the trail we were on to hike under the roadway. The short tunnel had a wonderfully painted mural on the walls and ceiling.

The Big Woods Regional Trail led us across the Minnesota River on a wide pedestrian bridge that was built in 1927. Markings of the old roadway were still present on the bridge.

We backtracked to resume hiking on the Minnesota Valley State Trail.

The ruins of the old Shakopee Brewery, founded in 1856, is still roughly standing.

We continued on the trail towards the city of Chaska.

We hiked the Orange Loop once we arrived in Chaska.

The Orange Loop Trail led us to Athletic Park, which we have hiked previously.

We completed the loop by hiking around Firemen’s Park.

Fireman’s Park has a wonderful boardwalk around Fireman’s Lake.

We ended our hike at the Crooked Pint Ale House and Chaska Curling Club. We were able to watch people curling on the ice while we ate. Curling is pretty interesting to watch. I might have to sign up for a lesson or two.

Today’s hiking adventure was 10 miles.

Big Willow Park-Minnetonka-Minnesota

February 17, 2024Posted in Adventure, hiking, Minnesota, Nature, Outdoors, Photography, UncategorizedTagged Adventure, Big Willow Park, exploring, hiking, Hiking Adventures, Minnehaha Creek, Minnesota, nature photography, Outdoors, Parks, Winter4 Comments

Today’s hiking adventure was at Big Willow Park.

I was excited for today’s hike. The sun was shining and it finally snowed! It was a bit cold, 9 degrees with a real feel of -3, but who cares??!! We have snow!!!

The trail led us to Minnehaha Creek. We climbed up the side of the hill to cross over the bridge next to the railroad track. Once on the other side of the creek we followed the trail alongside the creek.

We could hear the water flowing under the partially frozen Minnehaha Creek.

We looped back under the bridge we previously hiked over and followed the trail alongside the railroad tracks.

I love catching the rising sun through the trees.

The trail led us across the creek.

An old fireplace.

We continued along the trail by the creek.

We looped back under the railroad bridge and followed the creek for a bit. An ice covered sign was posted that showed we were at the site of the old St. Albans Mill, a flour mill that operated in the 1880’s.

Listening to the water trickling under the ice is so peaceful.

We decided to turn around and hike back to our starting point.

Today’s hiking adventure was 5.2 miles.

Westwood Hills Nature Center-St. Louis Park-Minnesota

February 3, 2024Posted in Adventure, hiking, Nature, Outdoors, Photography, UncategorizedTagged Adventure, exploring, hiking, Hiking Adventures, Minnesota, nature photography, Outdoors, Parks, Westwood Hills Nature Center, Westwood Lake, Winter3 Comments

Today’s hiking adventure was at Westwood Hills Nature Center.

Our hike began on the paved trail towards Westwood Lake.

Westwood Lake appeared to be frozen over. The wind whipped across the ice making it feel colder than it really was.

When presented with a staircase, climb it! There was a wooden overlook at the top of the staircase. We took in the view and then went back down the stairs to continue our hike around the lake.

The trail closest to the lake brought us to a long floating boardwalk. Returning to this park in the summer is a must. I can only imagine all the turtles, frogs, ducks and other winged creatures that will surround the boardwalk.

After hiking around the lake, we hiked the upper trails near the interpretive center. We found lots of turkeys throughout the park. Another hiker informed us the 160-acre park has 59 turkeys! Let me tell you, those turkeys were having a grand time gossiping with each other because they were noisy.

A giant woodpecker landed on a tree right in front of us. I couldn’t snap a photo fast enough to capture its greatness. Several of the trees bore evidence of their presence though.

We looped around the upper trail before heading back to our starting point. As we neared the interpretive center, a family of gnomes made an appearance.

Two large wildlife sculptures made their home in front of the interpretive center.

Today’s hiking adventure was 3.4 miles.

Colby Lake Park-Woodbury-Minnesota

January 27, 2024Posted in Adventure, hiking, Minnesota, Nature, Outdoors, Photography, UncategorizedTagged Adventure, Colby Lake, Colby Lake Park, exploring, hiking, Hiking Adventures, Minnesota, nature photography, Outdoors, Parks, WinterLeave a comment

Today’s hiking adventure began at Colby Lake Park.

The sun is still hiding, but that doesn’t stop us from hiking a new park. The temperature was just above freezing, so thankfully the paved trail didn’t have any ice on it.

Birds were singing, squirrels were chasing each other, and even a bunny was hopping by. I think our small wildlife friends are liking these warmer temperatures too.

Colby Lake began to appear through the trees.

We crossed the road and followed the Old Afton Trail around a small body of water before looping back towards Colby Lake.

We hiked out onto the dock at Colby Lake. Footprints could be seen in the ice near the dock.

We closed the loop around Colby Lake and made our way back to our starting point.

Today’s hiking adventure was 4.5 miles.

Lake Elmo Park Reserve-Lake Elmo-Minnesota

January 26, 2024Posted in Adventure, hiking, Minnesota, Nature, Outdoors, Photography, UncategorizedTagged Adventure, Eagle Point Lake, exploring, hiking, Hiking Adventures, Lake Elmo Park Reserve, Minnesota, nature photography, Night hike, Outdoors, Parks, WinterLeave a comment

Last night’s hiking adventure was at Lake Elmo Park Reserve.

Our hike by candlelight under the full moon was challenged by the misty, foggy, and warm weather. None the less, it was a great outing.

Due to the wet weather, candles were not an option along the trail. The park strung lights sporadically alongside the trail to help hikers stay on the correct path. When the lights were not present, the trail was dark and a bit spooky.

The fog laid heavily on Eagle Point Lake.

Very little snow was present due to the unusually warm weather Minnesota has had this week. The only trail photos I was able to capture were of the few places snow was still present. The photos look a bit eerie.

The trail led us across a luminated bridge.

We looped back to our starting point and checked out the bonfire.

Our hiking adventure was 3 miles.

Nerstrand Big Woods State Park-Nerstrand-Minnesota

January 21, 2024Posted in Adventure, hiking, Minnesota, Minnesota State Parks, Nature, Outdoors, Photography, UncategorizedTagged Adventure, Candlelight hike, exploring, hiking, Hiking Adventures, Minnesota, Minnesota State Parks, nature photography, Nerstrand Big Woods State Park, Outdoors, Parks, Winter, Winter hike6 Comments

Last night’s adventure was a hike by candlelight at Nerstrand Big Woods State Park.

There is something magical about hiking in the freezing cold, at night, by candlelight. The sky was crystal clear, the almost full moon and stars sparkled above us, and the world around us was quiet.

The fragrant scent of the roaring bonfires radiated throughout the park.

The candlelight trail was very family friendly and not terribly long, so all ages could enjoy themselves. We hiked the trail twice before calling it a night. At the park office, a friendly ice snowman greeted us.

Last night’s hiking adventure was 1.6 miles.

Best of 2023-Minnesota

January 18, 2024Posted in Adventure, hiking, Minnesota, Minnesota State Parks, Mississippi River, Nature, Outdoors, Photography, UncategorizedTagged Adventure, Best of 2023, exploring, hiking, Hiking Adventures, Minnesota, Minnesota State Parks, nature photography, Outdoors, Parks, Winter8 Comments

In 2023, my cousin and I had 60 hiking adventures for a total of 324.2 miles. Here are some photos of our favorite hikes of the year.

Afton State Park

Hegman Lake BWCA

Sax Zim Bog

River Bend Nature Center

Split Rock Lighthouse State Park

Grand Portage State Park

Judge C.R. Magney State Park

Zippel Bay State Park

Franz Jevne State Park

Lake Bemidji State Park

Lake Itasca State Park

Bear Head Lake State Park

George Crosby Manitou State Park

Downtown Minneapolis

Seven Mile Creek

Frontenac State Park

Lake Susan Park

Thank you for joining us on our adventures!

Wood Lake Nature Center-Richfield-Minnesota

January 13, 2024Posted in Adventure, hiking, Minnesota, Nature, Outdoors, Photography, UncategorizedTagged Adventure, exploring, hiking, Hiking Adventures, Minnesota, nature photography, Outdoors, Parks, Richfield, Winter, Wood Lake, Wood Lake Nature Center1 Comment

Today’s hiking adventure was at Wood Lake Nature Center which sits in the heart of Richfield, encompassing 150 acres.

The temperatures in Minnesota have dropped! When we began our hike it was 6 degrees with a real feel of -14. Burrrrr!!!!!

There is a long boardwalk that cuts across Wood Lake.

Hiking across the lake, the wind pierced our cheeks.

Interesting patterns emerged on the ice from the powdery snow blowing around.

From the snow covered mushrooms and cattails to the birds fluttering around, nature always seems to amaze me regardless of the season.

We continued along the trail crossing between sections of the lake and through the prairie.

Today’s hiking adventure was 3.5 miles.

West Palmer Park-Brooklyn Center-Minnesota

January 6, 2024Posted in Adventure, hiking, Minnesota, Nature, Outdoors, Photography, UncategorizedTagged Adventure, Brookdale Park, exploring, hiking, Hiking Adventures, Minnesota, nature photography, Outdoors, Palmer Lake, Parks, Shingle Creek, Shingle Creek Regional Trail, Winter8 Comments

Today’s hiking adventure began at West Palmer Park.

A light dusting of snow gently covered the trail as we began our hike.

We diverted from the Palmer Lake Trail to follow along Shingle Creek on the Shingle Creek Regional Trail towards Brookdale Park. The ducks were enjoying the open waters of the creek.

Brookdale Park has a nice looping trail that follows alongside Shingle Creek.

We spotted a deer across the creek from us. It was so still I thought for a minute it was a statue. As soon as our eyes adjusted to the brown landscape, we began to notice several more deer were lying down camouflaged by the tall dry grass.

We continued to hike around Brookdale Park crossing over Shingle Creek again.

After closing the loop at Brookdale Park, we made our way back to the Palmer Lake Trail. I loved seeing the little footprints in the snow of the wildlife throughout the park.

Once again, we diverted from the Palmer Lake Trail to hike the Shingle Creek Regional Trail.

We crossed over Highway 94/694.

On the other side of the highway was Centennial Park. This park also has a short looping trail that follows alongside Shingle Creek.

After closing the loop at Centennial Park, we made our way back to Palmer Lake.

Growing up, I used to rollerblade and bike around this area with my brother and friends. I haven’t been to these parks since I was a teenager. It was interesting to see how the trail system and parks nearby have changed for the better.

Today’s hiking adventure was 8.5 miles.

Lake Susan Park-Chanhassen-Minnesota

December 31, 2023December 31, 2023Posted in Adventure, hiking, Minnesota, Nature, Outdoors, Photography, UncategorizedTagged Adventure, Chanhassen, exploring, hiking, Hiking Adventures, Lake Riley, Lake Susan, Lake Susan Park, Minnesota, nature photography, Outdoors, Parks, Rice Marsh Lake, Riley Creek, Riley Creek Trail, Winter1 Comment

Today’s hiking adventure began at Lake Susan Park.

We hiked the Riley Creek Trail. Our goal was to hike past 3 different lakes and cross over Riley Creek several times.

Crossing over Riley Creek for the first time.

It finally snowed!!! We were the first people on the trail this morning. The only other foot prints were from squirrels and rabbits.

We left Lake Susan and followed the trail across Highway 212.

Part of our hike was through neighborhoods. We didn’t mind though, the houses were beautiful! We passed by a giant snowman. The snowman looked like he was waving us on as we passed by him.

At times, we did need the help of Google Maps. Not a lot of signage, but we persevered as we made our way towards Lake Riley.

Crossing over Riley Creek for the second time.

The freshly fallen snow gently coated the trees.

We made it to Lake Riley.

We continued along the trail towards the next lake, Rice Marsh Lake.

Just before we crossed under Highway 212, someone left a cute art display with Riley Creek as a backdrop. The happy taco won over my heart.

We arrived at the third lake, Rice Marsh Lake.

Our third and final time crossing over Riley Creek.

We crossed through a tunnel on our way towards Lake Susan.

We made it back to Lake Susan.

Today was our last hiking adventure of 2023. We hiked 9.2 miles.

Happy New Year!

Fort Snelling State Park-St. Paul-Minnesota

December 26, 2023Posted in Adventure, hiking, Minnesota, Minnesota State Parks, Nature, Outdoors, Photography, UncategorizedTagged Adventure, exploring, Fort Snelling State Park, hiking, Hiking Adventures, Mendota Bridge, Minnesota, Minnesota State Parks, nature photography, Outdoors, Parks, Winter4 Comments

We hiked Fort Snelling State Park December 23^rd, 2023.

Our hiking adventure began at Picnic Island.

We saw numerous deer having their morning breakfast as we made our way along the trail.

We got an up-close view of the Mendota Bridge.

The busy beavers are at it again. Boy, they do not like flowing rivers, do they?

The air was foggy and thick. The Mendota Bridge cast a surreal reflection on the calm Minnesota River.

Two eagles were perched atop the tree across the river.

We continued along the trail around Picnic Island.

We found an eagle’s nest. They aren’t hard to miss now that the trees are bare.

A hornet’s hive fell from the tree above. Pretty cool to see how detailed their hives are.

The fog laid heavily like a blanket across Snelling Lake.

I have hiked all over Fort Snelling State Park over the years, yet this was the first time I hiked around Snelling Lake. The squirrels made lots of noise on this side of the lake. They were digging through all the leaves looking for snacks and chasing each other around.

As we made our way back to our starting point, I noticed a pink flamingo just off the shoreline of the Minnesota River. My cousin looked at me like I was crazy and said “A what…? Where?” Ha! I never said it was real.

Our hiking adventure was 6 miles.

Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge-Bloomington-Minnesota

December 17, 2023Posted in Adventure, hiking, Minnesota, Nature, Outdoors, Photography, UncategorizedTagged Adventure, exploring, hiking, Hiking Adventures, Long Meadow Lake Unit, Minnesota, Minnesota River, Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge, nature photography, Outdoors, River Trails, Winter1 Comment

Today’s hiking adventure began at the Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge, the Long Meadow Lake Unit.

We hiked the Long Meadow Lake Trail.

The wildlife refuge is surrounded by office buildings, the airport, Mall of America, hotels, and apartments however, all those buildings seem to fade away the further along the trail one goes.

The trail followed alongside the Minnesota River. Eagles perched high in the trees above us. We saw several of their giant nests too.

We continued along the trail towards Highway 77.

Once on the other side of the Highway 77 bridge, the trail became much narrower.

Beavers definitely made their mark on some of the trees. We even spotted several hornet nests.

Some of the trees had a vibrant green moss growing on them.

River trails are some of our favorite trails. The bikers with the fat tire bikes seem to enjoy them too.

We crossed over a few small creeks.

We reached another highway and stopped to look at the map. At this point we could turn around and head back to our starting point or we could continue along the river trail. Well, the river trail won 2-0.

We crossed under Highway 35W.

Several different trails caught our attention, but we decided to return and hike those in the near future.

With all the open fields, we were surprised we didn’t see any deer.

Now birds, we saw so many different types of birds throughout our hike… Eagles, Cardinals, Geese, Ducks, small blue birds, and so many more! Someday I will learn the names of those birds too. Unfortunately, they fly so darn fast I couldn’t get a good photo of them.

We did find some mushrooms though.

The trail led us towards a creek.

In order to stay on the trail, we needed to cross over the creek. Thankfully, we found a way. Not sure if it was a beaver dam, but it worked. We carefully made our way across the creek. The small hill on the other side doesn’t look so big however, it was super muddy and with each step up, we would slide down.

As we continued our adventure, an old broken down wooden bridge appeared across the river from us.

The cold damp weather began to seep into our bones. We decided to end our adventure and call for a ride back to our starting point.

Today’s hiking adventure was 12.3 miles.

Cedar Lake Farm Regional Park-New Prague-Minnesota

December 10, 2023Posted in Adventure, hiking, Minnesota, Nature, Outdoors, Photography, UncategorizedTagged Adventure, Cedar Lake, Cedar Lake Farm, Cedar Lake Farm Regional Park, exploring, hiking, Hiking Adventures, Minnesota, nature photography, Outdoors, Parks, Three Rivers Park District, Winter3 Comments

Today’s hiking adventure was at Cedar Lake Farm Regional Park.

A light covering of snow coated the trail. Minnesota’s temperature has been unseasonably warm so far this December. I sure hope we get more snow soon.

We hiked past a barn they had on the property on our way to Cedar Lake.

Cedar Lake looked frozen but we weren’t taking any chances. We decided to stay on the cold dry land.

As we hiked past the playground we saw a unique swing. Of course we had to give a spin. We also saw an old fireplace, it was built in 1942.

The unpaved trail brought us past farms, through wooded areas and over little creeks.

Once back at our starting point we noticed a tree that had tons of burls on it. This poor tree has been through a lot!

Today’s hiking adventure was 5.2 miles.

Cleary Lake Regional Park-Prior Lake-Minnesota

November 11, 2023Posted in Adventure, hiking, Minnesota, Nature, Outdoors, Photography, UncategorizedTagged Adventure, Cleary Lake, Cleary Lake Regional Park, exploring, hiking, Hiking Adventures, Minnesota, nature photography, Outdoors, Parks, Three Rivers Park District5 Comments

Today’s hiking adventure was at Cleary Lake Regional Park.

The beach may have been closed but it was definitely not empty. Canadian Geese were everywhere! I have never seen so many geese in one location before. Cleary Lake must be a safe location for them from all the duck hunters we heard nearby.

Our hiking adventure began on the paved trail along Cleary Lake.

Fallen leaves lined the creek we crossed over.

Not far in front of us an owl took flight from a nearby tree. It landed close enough for us to take in its beauty. Seeing an owl on a hike is such a magical experience.

The sun tried to make an appearance several times as we rounded the lake.

Most of the trees were bare except for a few that were still hanging on to a bit of color.

The trail looped us back to our starting point.

We decided to continue our hike on the non paved trails. I love the sound of the leaves crunching underneath our feet.

This old tree fell, trapping the upper part of two trees. The trees’ trunks didn’t break, they bent into an archway. Maybe a portal to another dimension? Nah, I walked through the archway and I’m still here.

Today’s hiking adventure was 5 miles.

Hyland Lake Park Reserve-Bloomington-Minnesota

November 4, 2023Posted in Adventure, hiking, Minnesota, Nature, Outdoors, Photography, UncategorizedTagged Adventure, Autumn, exploring, Fall, hiking, Hiking Adventures, Hyland Lake, Hyland Lake Park Reserve, Minnesota, nature photography, Outdoors, Parks, Three Rivers Park District6 Comments

Today’s hiking adventure was at Hyland Lake Park Reserve.

Watching the sunrise over Hyland Lake was a magical way to begin our adventure.

We followed the trail closest to the lake to enjoy all the views the lake had to offer.

Most of the brilliant fall colors are past their peak however, some trees are still holding strong.

We briefly hiked on the paved trail towards the Lake Trail. The Lake Trail was littered with crunchy leaves.

Hyland Lake looked like glass. The sun highlighted the trees across the lake creating a beautiful mirrored reflection.

We diverted from the Lake Trail and began hiking on Oak Knob Trail.

Frost still coated the tips of the grass.

As a sliver of ice coated the edges, it made some of the fallen leaves so artistic.

The rolling hills offered an impressive landscape.

We hiked on the paved trail to loop us back to our starting point.

Out of the corner of my eyes, something grabbed my attention. I stopped, backed up and took a good look through the trees. Boy, am I glad I did. A giant buck was laying down just out of view from people on the trail.

We made our way back to Hyland Lake. The clouds had rolled in and gave the lake a completely different appearance.

Today’s hiking adventure was 6 miles.

Frontenac State Park-Frontenac-Minnesota

October 28, 2023October 28, 2023Posted in Adventure, hiking, Minnesota, Minnesota State Parks, Mississippi River, Nature, Outdoors, Photography, UncategorizedTagged Adventure, exploring, Fall, Frontenac State Park, hiking, Hiking Adventures, In Yan Teopa, Lake Pepin, Minnesota, Minnesota State Parks, Mississippi River, nature photography, Outdoors, Parks1 Comment

Today’s hiking adventure was at Frontenac State Park.

The weather in Minnesota has begun to change, again. It was a bit chilly this morning with the temperature in the low 30’s. The wind whipped around us, keeping us on the move.

Our adventure began on the Riverview Trail. Golden leaves paved the way towards the Mississippi River Overlook.

We veered off the paved trail to hike the Upper Bluff Trail. It was hard to see where the trail was at times due to all the fallen leaves.

We took in another overlook of the river as we made our way towards In Yan Teopa Rock.

In Yan Teopa is a giant rock with a hole in it. The view from the overlook allowed us to view only the top of the rock.

As we made our way down towards the Lower Bluff Trail a sign was posted warning people of the rough terrain ahead. Spoiler alert, the trail was rough, but definitely worth it.

In Yan Teopa came into view as we made our way down the bluff. An amazing sight!

Down down down we went…

Large boulders were coated with a vibrant green moss. We really enjoyed the contrast of colors on this hike.

We made our way down to the river.

Nature always astounds me! Check out this interesting rock and design in the trunk of a tree we found.

Finding the trail was tricky at times.

So many large boulders made their home along the bluff.

We continued along the trail and eventually made our way back down to the river.

More interesting designs were found in the trees located by the river.

Up the bluffs we went. There was a bit of a human traffic jam as we made our way up. Everyone was stopping to rest and breathe. I, too, was one of those people trying to catch my breath. The only photos I took on the way up were of the colorful leaves on the ground.

Near the top, we passed through the former Frontenac Quarry.

We enjoyed all the views of Lake Pepin which is a lake on the Mississippi River.

Today’s hiking adventure was 3.7 miles.

Seven Mile Creek Park-St. Peter-Minnesota

October 21, 2023Posted in Adventure, hiking, Minnesota, Nature, Outdoors, Photography, UncategorizedTagged Adventure, exploring, Fall colors, hiking, Hiking Adventures, Minnesota, nature photography, Outdoors, Parks, Seven Mile Creek Park, St. Peter Minnesota3 Comments

Today’s hiking adventure was at Seven Mile Creek Park.

Our hike began on Trail 3 near the entrance of the park. Beautiful fall colors lay atop of the sandstone bluff. The maps posted at the park had seen better days.

The trail led us up and down the rolling hills, so many of the leaves had already fallen.

Fall is such a magical time of the year. The way the sun catches the colors of the leaves is breathtaking.

These were the only mushrooms we found at the park! Maybe the others were hiding under all the leaves.

We crossed over Seven Mile Creek and hiked Trail 8.

The following are some of my favorite photos from today.

The trail looped us back towards the beginning of the park. We hiked between Seven Mile Creek and the sandstone bluffs.

The sun felt wonderful as we hiked across the ball field.

We followed the trail under Highway 169.

The Minnesota River

We didn’t hike the trails on this side of the highway due to hearing a few gun shots. Most likely from duck hunters on their property which was nearby. We decided to head back to our starting point. I snapped a few photos of the colorful tree line before crossing back under the highway.

Today’s hiking adventure was 6 miles.