Category: Photography

Kayaking-Lake Johanna-Arden Hills-Minnesota

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On the evening of June 17th 2022, I went kayaking (for the first time ever) on Lake Johanna with a friend.

Summer is here! Time for an adventure on the water. The temperature was warm and the sky was crystal clear, a truly perfect summer evening. We launched off the dock to kayak clockwise around the lake. A kayak tour by the University of Northwestern was our first destination.

Our next destination brought us through a patch of lily pads. The water-lilies were just beginning to pop.

We kayaked under the University’s walking bridge. The picture below was taken just on the other side of the bridge, my favorite.

We passed by a loon. It didn’t seem bothered by us kayaking quite close at all. 

As we continued around the lake we spotted a beautiful heron catching its dinner.

The sun was beginning to set as we docked.

I had an absolute blast kayaking. I cannot wait to go again!

Cleary Lake Regional Park-Prior Lake-Minnesota

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

We began our hike on the unpaved trails. The trails were wide and well maintained.

A mama deer and her fawn greeted us as we completed the Poplar Creek Trail loop.

The Lakeside Trail offered a beautiful view of Cleary Lake.

The birds were singing and the mosquitoes were buzzing as we hiked through the trees.

A frog hopped by us. He appeared to be enjoying a leafy snack.

The Ironwood Trail allowed us to see the frothy spittle from the Meadow Spittlebug and little mushrooms.

The paved trail loops around Cleary Lake and through a variety of tree groves.

Nature continued to surprise us. A Garter Snake slithered past us as we made our way closer to the lake.

We ended our hiking adventure at 8.3 miles.

I decided to cool down and relax by the lake for a few minutes before leaving the park. A Black Swallowtail decided to join me.

As I walked to the dock, I noticed giant water-lilies close to the shore. They demanded a closer look.

Cleary Lake Regional Park offers a variety of outdoor fun. I will definitely return in the future.

St. Croix State Park-Hinckley-Minnesota

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We hiked St. Croix State Park June 3rd, 2022.

As we drove into the park, we noticed that the main park office was 5 miles off the highway. Wow, this park must be gigantic was our first thought. Yep, it is!! St. Croix State Park is the largest state park in Minnesota at over 33,000 Acres!

Our first stop was the Fire Tower. The Fire Tower was built in 1937 by the Civilian Conservation Corps. With 134 steps to the top and 100 feet tall, we were up for the challenge.

As soon as we cleared the top of the trees, a gust of wind hit us and our adrenaline kicked in. No stopping now, we had to make it to the top. We continued our climb to the top for a breathtaking view.

With a rush of energy, we were ready to begin our hiking adventure. We drove to the St. Croix Lodge to hike the trails closest to the St. Croix River. Behind the lodge we found a trail leading down to the river.

The River Bluff Trail was the next trail we hiked.

There were a couple of interesting nature finds on this hike. The first, a tree completely burned to a crisp surrounded by other lush trees. Second, we found a communal nest of caterpillars… kind of cool, kind of gross.

The River Bluff Trail offered wonderful views of the St. Croix River below.

Beautiful trees, wildflowers, mushrooms and tall prairie grass kept our spirits high.

The River Bluff Trail led us to the historic ruins of the Civilian Conservation Corps camp.

The bugs began to attack, so we looped back on the River Bluff Trail back to our starting point.

Today’s hiking adventure was 5 miles.

Wild River State Park-Center City-Minnesota

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We hiked Wild River State Park June 3rd, 2022.

Our hiking adventure started on the River Trail by the Visitor Center.

The plant life was so lush and green alongside the unpaved River Trail. Large ferns were growing everywhere! Song birds gifted us with a wonderful soundtrack as we hiked.

The royal blue sky reflected off the calm St. Croix River.

We crossed over Spring Creek.

Due to all the rain we have had this year, sections of the ground were flooded. It created an almost swampy feel to the land. My cousin teased that we would stumble across an alligator.

Dragonflies danced all around us.

The trail led us to the Nevers Dam Overlook. The history of this location is interesting. Nevers Dam stretched across the river connecting Minnesota and Wisconsin. In the late 1800’s, large logs used to be sent past this location as they made their way to the sawmills down river. In 1903, Northern States Power Company purchased the dam as a way to control the water flow for the hydroelectric dam being built downstream. The dam was removed in 1955 after it was damaged by flood waters. I saw no remnants of the dam, just a beautiful overlook.

A beautiful fine sand beach was next to the Nevers Dam Overlook.

The last part of the River Trail looped us close by the river.

We hiked the Old Logging Trail back towards the visitor center.

Our hiking adventure was 5.3 miles.

Interstate State Park-Taylors Falls-Minnesota

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Our hiking adventure began at Interstate State Park on June 3rd, 2022.

We hiked the Walter F. Mondale River Trail along the St. Croix River. Just as we were beginning our hike, we found a single leaf on a tree in the shape of a heart. I read this as a sign from Nature letting us know today was going to be a great day for a hike!

Rocks and tree roots jetted up from the ground below creating the unpaved River Trail. Large boulders decorated with vibrant green plant life surrounded us on the trail. Wildflowers added a splash of color.

The trail offered several overlooks to view the St. Croix River. I found it interesting how the river appeared to change color right before our eyes.

We headed up the stone staircase to view the river from a higher angle. The river below looked like flowing root beer.

Our next stop was the Glacial Potholes.

Giant Basalt boulders surrounded us. Trees grew right on top of the rock.

We crossed the US-8 Bridge over the river and into St. Croix, Wisconsin. The trail in Wisconsin offered views of the turbulent St. Croix River.

Once back on the Minnesota side of the St. Croix River, we were welcomed with a beautiful sign.

We hiked the Walter F. Mondale River Trail back to our starting point. Our hiking adventure was 4.3 miles.

Cottage Grove Ravine Regional Park-Cottage Grove-Minnesota

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Today’s hiking adventure began at Cottage Grove Ravine Regional Park. The park offers paved and unpaved trails. Our adventure began on one of the unpaved trails. The air was humid and the forest floor was damp from the rainstorm we had this morning.

Raindrops glistened on the forest vegetation.

The baby blue sky began to gently show through the clouds creating a beautiful mirror reflection on Ravine Lake.

The terrain changed on the unpaved trails frequently.

The different wild flowers and flowering trees added a lovely splash of color as we hiked.

Hiking on the paved trail offered us a variety of surprises.

We found tiny snails basking in the sun’s warmth.

And goats! The goats were working hard eating the less than desirable plants like buckhorn and garlic mustard.

The paved trail brought us to the east side of Ravine Lake. At this location, we found a new park building and a playground full of life. People were fishing from the dock and turtles were sunbathing on the rocks.

Cottage Grove Ravine Regional Park is an absolutely beautiful place to hike. I highly recommend taking advantage of all the different trails.

Today’s hiking adventure was 10.2 miles.

Pine Point Regional Park-Stillwater-Minnesota

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Today’s hiking adventure began at Pine Point Regional Park. This Washington County Park allows the trails to be used for hikers, bikers and our equine friends. The paved Gateway Trail cuts through the park. Most of the bikers we saw stayed on this trail. The trail map showed four different color coded looping trails. We decided to hike all four.

We began our hike on the yellow trail. This non paved trail led us through the woods and to a prairie.

The trail continued to Louise Lake. We briefly detoured from the yellow trail to the blue trail so we could hike alongside the lake.

The terrain changed just as frequently as the weather did. The sun began to shine, and the green of the forest became electric.

We hiked past several marshes that were higher than usual due to all the rain we have had lately. The frogs sang to us as we stopped for photos.

This next photo is my favorite of the day. The mirrored reflection is very serene.

The next trail we hiked was the blue trail. The trail was covered in thick grass and dandelions.

The green trail led us through a grove of birch trees as we hiked towards Loon Lake.

The youth of spring is nearing its end in Minnesota, however, we were able to see some crabapple blossoms and baby ferns growing.

Last but not least, the red trail. The trail was covered with luscious green grass. The giant open field was covered in small pine trees.

We found a giant mushroom, which I believe is called a Dryad’s Saddle.

Today’s hiking adventure was 6.3 miles.

Sunfish Lake Park-Lake Elmo-Minnesota

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Today’s hiking adventure was at Sunfish Lake Park. The park offers single track bike trails and hiking trails. The dirt trails were surprisingly dry due to all the rain we received this week.

We hiked by a small lake that was surrounded by birch trees. The birch trees mirrored themselves in the water creating an amazing view.

Everywhere we looked the colors were electrifyingly bright. The green was so vivid with spring’s new growth.

Even the mushrooms were out catching some sun.

The trail led us to a beautiful restored prairie.

After a quick stop at the Nature Center for a beverage refill, we hiked the trail to Sunfish Lake.

Along the trail was a giant tree that spoke to me to come closer. I am glad I listened. I found a little gnome couple hanging out with some mushroom friends.

Today’s hiking adventure was 6.4 miles.

Grey Cloud Dunes SNA-Cottage Grove-Minnesota

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Today’s hiking adventure began at Grey Cloud Dunes Scientific and Natural Area. Grey Cloud Dunes SNA is a type of sand-gravel prairie which is rare in Minnesota. We were very careful to stay on the trail so we did not damage the sensitive landscape.

Spring is definitely here! The dirt trails were surrounded by bright green grass. Little baby leaves were beginning to grow on the trees all around us.

The trail led us under the train tracks and to a beautiful open prairie.

As we hiked closer to the Mississippi River we came across several small ponds. The water and grass appeared so vibrant in color.

The Mississippi River offered beautiful views as always.

Along the trail, the trees were magnificent.

We crossed back over the railroad tracks and began our climb to the upper part of the prairie.

The higher view offered a beautiful view of the river below.

After hiking the Grey Cloud Dunes SNA, we continued our hike to Hazen P. Mooers Park. Mooers Lake connects to the Mississippi River. We crossed over the bridge and continued our hike on to Lower Grey Cloud Island.

Once on the island, we noticed there was a Sand and Gravel Mine. They had a huge excavator bucket on display at the beginning of their entrance.

The turquoise colored water next to a mining operation is always interesting to see.

Today’s hiking adventure was 9.9 miles.

Kaposia Landing-South St. Paul-Minnesota

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Today’s hiking adventure began at Kaposia Landing.

The paved trail we hiked was called the Robert Piram Regional Trail. The trail offered views of the Mississippi River and many trains.

The sky turned dark and rain began to downpour on us. Lightning flashed across the sky in front of us as the thunder crashed. We decided to stay the course and continued on. Thankfully the storm passed quickly.

On the trail, we passed an old car not far from the railroad tracks.  

We hiked past the St. Paul Airport. Downtown St. Paul can be seen in the photo below.

Harriet Island Regional Park was our next stop.

We crossed the Wabasha Street Bridge into downtown St. Paul. Smith Avenue High Bridge can be seen in the distance.

Downtown St. Paul has some great old buildings.

We even found Snoopy!

On the north side of the Smith Avenue High Bridge was a small sculpture garden. The green chair weighs 2,500 pounds!

Crossing the Smith Avenue High Bridge offered beautiful views of the Mississippi River and downtown St. Paul.

The High Bridge Overlook was the next stop on our hike, which is on the south side of the Smith Avenue High Bridge. Eagles could be seen soaring below scanning the river for their next meal.

Being an urban explorer offers the advantage of stopping for a snack. We decided to walk down Wabasha Street towards several restaurants. We passed the Wabasha Street Caves. They offer cave tours and host other events. Around the corner from the Wabasha Caves we found a cave entrance that was closed, however, it offered us a peek inside.

Tacos for the midday snack! Charlie Brown greeted us as we walked towards the entrance.

We continued our hiking adventure down Cesar Chavez Street until we reached the Robert Piram Regional Trail. Once back at Kaposia Landing we crossed the bridge over the railroad tracks to see Simon’s Ravine Trailhead. We decided to tackle that trailhead another day. They have a beautiful sculpture at the Simon’s Ravine trailhead.

Today’s hiking adventure was 10.5 miles.

West River Parkway-Minneapolis-Minnesota

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Today’s hiking adventure started out on the West River Parkway in Minneapolis.

We began our hike on the paved path, however, we quickly found our way walking down the stone steps to the river trail.

The trail we were on was called The Winchell Trail.

Due to the recent rain and snow we had, the river trail was muddy and slippery at times. We were even able to see some icicles along the rocks.

The trail brought us to the Locks and Dam #1. Unfortunately, the observation deck was closed for the season. This allowed us to see several different views of the Ford Parkway Bridge.

Once on the other side of the Ford Parkway Bridge, we continued our hike along the river trail in St. Paul. We found two waterfalls along the trail. The first waterfall was still frozen.

The second waterfall we saw is called Shadow Falls. The waterfall trickled down the side of the rockbed. 

The limestone bluffs offered great views of the Mississippi River.

The river trail continued to the Lake Street-Marshall Bridge.

We decided to continue our hike past the Lake Street-Marshall Bridge to the Franklin Bridge. The paved trail offered views of the Short Line Bridge and the Franklin Bridge.

We jumped back on the Winchell Trail after crossing the Franklin Bridge. We were able to hike under the Short Line Bridge which allowed us a close view of the giant metal pieces it was constructed from.

White Sands Beach was the next destination on the trail. The sand was very fine and soft to the touch.

We continued on the trail back to our starting point.

Today’s hiking adventure was 11.5 miles.

Crosby Farm Regional Park-St. Paul-Minnesota

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After another week of rain and snow, the cold weather finally moved out creating a perfect sunny day for a hiking adventure. We began our hike at Crosby Farm Regional Park. We spotted eagles, ducks, geese, and even a grey heron along the shores of Crosby Lake as we hiked the paved trails towards the Mississippi River.

The Mississippi River trail offered beautiful views of the river. We also found several trees and rocks painted with red hearts and other graffiti along the river trail.

The trail brought us to Hidden Falls Regional Park. The actual Hidden Falls is hidden off the main trail, hence its name. The falls eluded us last summer, however, today we found our way.

Hidden Falls Creek flows into the Mississippi River. Parts of the creek were still covered in a thick sheet of ice.

We climbed the old rock steps by the falls to the Mississippi River Boulevard Parkway. Hiking the river road allowed us to loop back to our starting point, giving us a different perspective of the river below. Downtown Minneapolis and Fort Snelling can be seen in the distance in the photos below.

We made it back to our starting point at Crosby Farm Regional Park and decided to continue our hiking adventure a little further. The trail allowed us to cross the Mississippi River along the Highway 35 E bridge. Downtown St. Paul can be seen in the distance.

We found a dirt trail alongside the highway and decided to see where it would lead.

The trail led us to the underside of the 35 E Bridge. We found a cool view of the belly of the bridge and some colorful graffiti.

Today’s hiking adventure was 9.8 miles.

Spring Lake Regional Park-Prior Lake-Minnesota

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After a week of rain, ice and snow, today felt like Spring! The sun was shining with fluffy clouds scattered across the sky; a perfect day for a hiking adventure. The trails throughout the park were well marked and nicely paved.

The winding trail allowed us to see different tree groves and areas of wetlands.

We even found some pussy willows.

Even though the trees are bare, they offer their own beauty as they dance with the wind.

We briefly left the park to visit the still frozen Arctic Lake. The lake is on the Mdewakanton Tribally owned land.

As we looped back to our starting point, we stopped and watched people play pickleball at the Spring Lake Park Pickleball Court. I definitely need to learn how to play pickleball!

Today’s hiking adventure was 6 miles.

Mississippi Gateway Regional Park-Brooklyn Park-Minnesota

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We began our hiking adventure at the Mississippi Gateway Regional Park. The trail quickly led us to the Coon Rapids Dam. The Mississippi River roared through the dam.

Crossing the bridge over the dam offered beautiful views of the Mississippi River. The river was calm on one side of the dam and turbulent on the other. The cold wind whipped around us as we made our way across the dam.

Once on the other side of the dam, we hiked a portion of the Mississippi River Regional Trail. The brilliant blue sky reflected off the river creating a stunning view of the mighty Mississippi.

About a mile into our hike on the Mississippi River Regional Trail, the trail closed due to bridge repairs. On our way back to the dam, we looped around the still frozen Cenaiko Lake. Even though it didn’t feel like spring, we could see some green grass beginning to grow.

We crossed back over the dam and continued our hike on the river trail. The ice gathering along the side of the river was amazing to see.

Today’s hiking adventure was a little over 6 miles long.

Woodland Trails Regional Park-Elk River-Minnesota

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Happy first day of Spring!

We began our hiking adventure at Woodland Trails Regional Park. The sun was shining brightly down on us as we ventured out on the trails. A thin layer of ice coated the trails making for a slippery start to the day. Our first trail was the Prairie Loop due to it being mostly clear of snow and ice.

We tried walking on the snow covered paths for a bit, however, the ice on top of the snow made for a dangerous commute.

The Great Northern Trail crossed through the park. Being it was paved and mostly clear of ice, we jumped on it and began hiking out of the park. 

After a few side road detours, we hiked into the Historic Downtown Elk River. Downtown offered beautiful views of the Mississippi River and their cool water tower.

Several murals were painted on the buildings. We even came across an elk!

On the loop back to our starting point, we visited a small Veteran’s Memorial, crossed over railroad tracks and hugged a giant tree.

Today was a beautiful day for a 9 mile hiking adventure!

Crow-Hassan Park Reserve-Rogers-Minnesota

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With the temperature a cool 2 degrees, we began our hiking adventure at Crow-Hassan Park Reserve. The snow crunched loudly under our feet as we hiked. The trails varied in size depending on the route we took. Several of the trail routes were plowed and others were fresh single file boot prints.

We had a birds’ eye view of the Crow River flowing by as we stood on the cliffs. A tremendous number of geese, ducks and swans graced the river’s presence.

The hiking trails weaved in and out of forest and prairie terrain. A variety of birds were making their voices heard this morning. A bright red cardinal and his partner danced in the air as they flew past us.

A large knothole on a tree called to me to take a closer look. I am glad I did as I found a gnome living inside. Not long after discovering the magical gnome, a beautiful owl departed from a tree branch and flew just a few feet in front of us. A breathtaking moment!

A panorama view of part of the park.

Today’s hiking adventure was 6.5 miles long.