hiking – Page 7 – Neaton Adventures

Cleary Lake Regional Park-Prior Lake-Minnesota

June 18, 2022Posted in Adventure, hiking, Minnesota, Nature, Outdoors, Photography, UncategorizedTagged Adventure, Cleary Lake, Cleary Lake Regional Park, exploring, hiking, Hiking Adventures, Minnesota, nature photography, Outdoors, Parks, Prior Lake, Scott County, Three Rivers Park District3 Comments

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

June 7, 2022June 8, 2022Posted in Adventure, hiking, Minnesota, Minnesota State Parks, Nature, Photography, UncategorizedTagged Adventure, exploring, hiking, Hiking Adventures, hinckley, Minnesota, Minnesota State Parks, nature photography, Outdoors, Parks, St. Croix River, St. Croix State Park, Summer6 Comments

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

June 6, 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, St. Croix River, Wild River State Park3 Comments

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

June 4, 2022Posted in Adventure, hiking, Minnesota, Minnesota State Parks, Nature, Outdoors, Photography, UncategorizedTagged Adventure, exploring, hiking, Hiking Adventures, Interstate State Park, Minnesota, Minnesota State Parks, nature photography, Outdoors, Parks, St. Croix River4 Comments

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

May 28, 2022Posted in Adventure, hiking, Minnesota, Nature, Outdoors, Photography, UncategorizedTagged Adventure, Cottage Grove, Cottage Grove Ravine Regional Park, exploring, Forest, hiking, Hiking Adventures, Minnesota, Nature, nature photography, Outdoors, Parks, Photography, Ravine Lake1 Comment

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

May 21, 2022Posted in Adventure, hiking, Minnesota, Mississippi River, Nature, Outdoors, Photography, UncategorizedTagged Adventure, exploring, hiking, Hiking Adventures, Loon Lake, Louise Lake, Minnesota, nature photography, Outdoors, Parks, Pine Point Regional Park, Spring, Stillwater, Washington County, Washington County ParkLeave a comment

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

May 14, 2022Posted in Adventure, hiking, Minnesota, Nature, Outdoors, Photography, UncategorizedTagged Adventure, exploring, hiking, Hiking Adventures, Lake Elmo, Minnesota, nature photography, Outdoors, Parks, Spring, Sunfish Lake, Sunfish Lake Park1 Comment

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

May 7, 2022Posted in Adventure, hiking, Minnesota, Mississippi River, Nature, Outdoors, Photography, UncategorizedTagged Adventure, Cottage Grove, exploring, Grey Cloud Dunes SNA, Grey Cloud Island, hiking, Hiking Adventures, Minnesota, Mississippi River, Mooers Lake, nature photography, Outdoors, Parks5 Comments

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

April 23, 2022Posted in Adventure, hiking, Minnesota, Mississippi River, Nature, Outdoors, Photography, UncategorizedTagged Adventure, exploring, hiking, Hiking Adventures, Kaposia Landing, Minnesota, Mississippi River, nature photography, Outdoors, Parks, Robert Piram Regional Trail, St. Paul1 Comment

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

April 17, 2022Posted in Adventure, hiking, Minnesota, Mississippi River, Nature, Outdoors, Photography, UncategorizedTagged Adventure, exploring, hiking, Hiking Adventures, Minnesota, Mississippi River, nature photography, Outdoors, Parks, River Trail, Waterfalls, Winter4 Comments

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

April 9, 2022Posted in Adventure, hiking, Minnesota, Nature, Outdoors, Photography, UncategorizedTagged Adventure, Crosby Farm Regional Park, exploring, Hidden Falls, hiking, Hiking Adventures, Minnesota, Mississippi River, nature photography, Outdoors, Parks, St. Paul1 Comment

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

April 2, 2022April 2, 2022Posted in Adventure, hiking, Minnesota, Nature, Outdoors, Photography, UncategorizedTagged Adventure, exploring, hiking, Hiking Adventures, Minnesota, nature photography, Outdoors, Parks, Prior Lake, Spring, Spring Lake Regional Park, Three Rivers Park District6 Comments

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

March 26, 2022Posted in Adventure, hiking, Minnesota, Nature, Outdoors, Photography, UncategorizedTagged Adventure, exploring, hiking, Hiking Adventures, Minnesota, Mississippi River, nature photography, Outdoors, Parks, Winter6 Comments

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

March 20, 2022March 20, 2022Posted in Adventure, hiking, Minnesota, Nature, Outdoors, Photography, UncategorizedTagged Adventure, Elk River, exploring, hiking, Hiking Adventures, Minnesota, Mississippi River, nature photography, Outdoors, Parks, Winter, Woodland Trails Regional Park7 Comments

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

March 12, 2022Posted in Adventure, hiking, Minnesota, Nature, Outdoors, Photography, UncategorizedTagged Adventure, Crow River, Crow-Hassan Park Reserve, exploring, hiking, Hiking Adventures, Minnesota, nature photography, Outdoors, Parks, Rogers, Winter2 Comments

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.

Richfield Lake-Richfield-Minnesota

March 6, 2022Posted in Adventure, hiking, Minnesota, Nature, Outdoors, UncategorizedTagged Adventure, exploring, hiking, Hiking Adventures, Minnesota, nature photography, Outdoors, Parks, Richfield, Richfield Lake, Winter, Winter hiking2 Comments

Minnesota had its first rainstorm of the year yesterday. During the overnight hours the rain turned to snow. I woke up to a magical winter wonderland of snow covered ice. Due to the icy roads, I decided to stay close to home. Richfield Lake is a small lake with a paved path surrounding it.

With a variety of trees and plant life covered in a fresh thick layer of snow, a winter paradise was created.

Raindrops froze in place overnight.

Several crossing bridges around the lake allow access to the surrounding neighborhoods.

There are plenty of places to rest and enjoy the view.

Many different species of birds and small wildlife call Richfield Lake home throughout the year. Today I was able to capture rabbit tracks in the snow.

Today’s winter wonderland hiking adventure was 3 miles.

Lake Minnewashta Regional Park-Excelsior-Minnesota

February 26, 2022February 26, 2022Posted in Adventure, hiking, Minnesota, Nature, Outdoors, UncategorizedTagged Adventure, Carver County Park, exploring, hiking, Hiking Adventures, Lake Minnewashta, Minnesota, nature photography, Outdoors, Parks, Winter3 Comments

The sun was warm and the air was cool as we began our hiking adventure at Lake Minnewashta Regional Park. The wide paved path was marked for winter hiking. The park also offered beautifully groomed ski trails.

Without any trail maps posted we found we had exited the park after the trail went under Highway 41. We walked along the highway until we saw a dog park across the way. A quick loop around the dog park allowed us to hike on the fresh covered snow trails.

After a detour of the dog park, we found our way back to the park and onto the winter hiking trail. A quick walk on the frozen Lake Minnewashta offered views of ice fishing houses, ski trails and our fresh footsteps.

Today’s winter hiking adventure was a little over 5 miles.

Swing Bridge Park Trailhead-Inver Grove Heights-Minnesota

February 20, 2022Posted in Adventure, hiking, Minnesota, Nature, Outdoors, UncategorizedTagged Adventure, exploring, hiking, Hiking Adventures, Inver Grove Heights, Minnesota, Mississippi River, Nature, nature photography, Outdoors, Parks, Swing Bridge, Winter4 Comments

This morning’s hiking adventure began at the Swing Bridge Park Trailhead.

I began by taking in the view from the Rock Island Swing Bridge that was built in 1894. The bridge no longer extends across the Mississippi River as it is now a recreational pier.

Further away from the shore, the frozen river began to break apart into giant sheets of ice. The warm sun shimmered across the water as eagles soared above looking for their next meal.

As I began my hike along the Mississippi River Regional Trail, I could hear birds singing, and the trees creaked as the wind blew through them.

The trail offered several places to rest and overlooks to view the mighty Mississippi.

The Wakota Bridge/494 Bridge appeared in the distance stretching across the Mississippi River.

The trail went under the Wakota Bridge. I had to wait for a long train to pass by before I could make my way towards the top of the bridge.

The Mississippi River mirrored the brilliant blue sky as I crossed the Wakota Bridge.

Today’s hiking adventure was 8 miles.

Ritter Farm Park-Lakeville-Minnesota

February 13, 2022Posted in Adventure, hiking, Minnesota, Nature, Outdoors, UncategorizedTagged Adventure, exploring, hiking, Hiking Adventures, Lakeville, Minnesota, nature photography, Outdoors, Parks, Ritter Farm Park, Silo, Winter1 Comment

With the temperature at -5 and it feeling like -16, we began our hiking adventure this morning at Ritter Farm Park. The wide trails were well marked throughout the park. We hiked the Mader Loop and Matterhorn Trail.

The winding trail led us through different types of tree groves.

We crossed over a walking bridge and decided to hike across Lake Marion. The sun shone brightly upon on us warming our faces.

On our hike back to the park we noticed our footprints were the only visible ones on the ice.

Two old silos still stood on the Ritter Farm property.

We finished our hike at 3.6 miles. A return trip during the summer months is a must!

Lake Johanna- Arden Hills-Minnesota

February 10, 2022February 10, 2022Posted in Adventure, hiking, Minnesota, Nature, Outdoors, UncategorizedTagged Adventure, Arden Hills, exploring, hiking, Hiking Adventures, Lake Johanna, Minnesota, nature photography, Outdoors, Snowshoeing, Winter2 Comments

I went snowshoeing for the first time this past week. It took a little time getting used to wearing them, however, I definitely recommend giving snowshoes a try. My friend and I began our snowshoeing adventure at Johanna Marsh. We followed deer tracks all the way around the marsh.

A short distance from Johanna Marsh was Lake Johanna. The lake had cars and ice fishing houses scattered across the ice. Many people were out enjoying the day. Snowshoeing across the lake offered a beautiful view of the University of Northwestern.

We came upon a bridge and on the other side of the bridge an old chapel sat on top of the hill. Island Chapel was built in 1925. Its huge carved wooden door was locked.

I enjoyed my snowshoeing adventure. My favorite part of wearing snowshoes was how well they gripped the ice when I walked. I might have to invest in my own pair.

Reservoir Woods-Roseville-Minnesota

February 5, 2022Posted in Adventure, hiking, Minnesota, Nature, Outdoors, UncategorizedTagged Adventure, exploring, hiking, Hiking Adventures, Lake McCarrons, Minnesota, nature photography, Outdoors, Parks, Reservoir Woods, Roseville, Trout Brook Regional Trail, Winter, Winter hiking7 Comments

Even though the temperature was 10 degrees, the wind chill took it to a -12 this morning. Gray clouds covered the sky as we started our hiking adventure this morning at Reservoir Woods. Without any maps posted of the Reservoir Woods Trail we quickly found ourselves hiking off the paved trail and into the woods.

The snow covered trail allowed us to walk under the mighty pine trees. We even found a holiday decorated tree. Once through the pine tree grove we began hiking again on the paved Reservoir Woods Trail until we reached Lake McCarrons.

We continued our hike across the frozen lake. A beautiful fox jetted out and ran past us until it reached the middle of the lake. The fox watched us as we continued our hike to the other side of the lake.

The Trout Brook Regional Trail began once we reached the other side of the lake. The Trout Brook Creek was only partially frozen allowing ducks to gather by the dozens.

With our cheeks feeling like a thousand bee stings, we ended our hiking adventure at 5.9 miles.

Lebanon Hills Regional Park-Eagan-Minnesota

January 29, 2022Posted in UncategorizedTagged Adventure, Dakota County, Eagan, exploring, hiking, Hiking Adventures, Lebanon Hills, Minnesota, nature photography, Outdoors, Parks, Winter, Winter hiking1 Comment

Today’s hiking adventure was at one of my favorite parks, Lebanon Hills. The trails wind around many different lakes and ponds allowing for diverse landscapes. With the sun shining on us as we hiked, it felt much warmer than 14 degrees.

The best part of hiking in the morning is catching the sun rise up through the trees.

There is something almost magical about hiking across frozen lakes. Being able to stop in the middle of the lake offers such a different perspective. Today we were able to explore a small island on one of the lakes we visited.

We ended our adventure after hiking 5.5 miles. Pausing for a moment, we watched several swans swim around a small section of water on Lake Holland that wasn’t frozen due to the water being aerated.

The Landing-Three Rivers Park District-Shakopee-Minnesota

January 22, 2022Posted in Adventure, hiking, Minnesota, Nature, Outdoors, UncategorizedTagged Adventure, exploring, hiking, Hiking Adventures, Minnesota, Minnesota River, nature photography, Outdoors, Parks, Winter1 Comment

Today’s hiking adventure brought me back in time. The Landing offers visitors a glimpse of what a town might look like living in the 19th Century. With the temperature feeling like -6, I had the place to myself. The vacant town was quiet except for the wind blowing around the buildings and the snow crackling below my feet as I walked.

As I hiked out of the first town, I came across an old school house and farm equipment. Taking a glimpse at the inside of the school, I could see small chalk boards the students used to use on each desk.

The next town I entered was much older than the previous town. The farm houses were from the mid 1800’s. The old wagon was very impressive to see.

Down the hill from the historic towns was a river trail. The trail followed alongside the almost frozen Minnesota River. Eagles soared above me as I hiked through the forest. Silence surrounded me. The wind began whipping across the river and through the trees. The fresh snowfall floated up making the air sparkle like glitter.

Memorial Park was just west of The Landing’s parking lot. As I hiked through the snow towards Memorial Park, I came across two more old stone/brick old houses with a creek flowing behind them. The trail continued past the old houses to a walking bridge which offered beautiful views on both sides of the frozen snow covered waterway.

As I looped back towards where I began this hiking adventure, I was humbled as I came upon Sacred Burial Mounds. After a moment of silence for those who came before me, I ended this hiking adventure.

Fort Snelling State Park/Minnehaha Falls Loop-Minnesota

January 15, 2022Posted in Adventure, hiking, Nature, Outdoors, UncategorizedTagged Adventure, exploring, Fort Snelling, hiking, Hiking Adventures, Minnehaha Falls, Minnesota, Mississippi River, Nature, nature photography, Outdoors, Parks, State Parks, Winter1 Comment

With the sun shinning brightly and the temperature a chilly four degrees, today was meant for a wintery hiking adventure. The cloudless sky was as blue as the ocean. Our adventure started at Fort Snelling State Park by the Thomas C. Savage Visitor Center. Several inches of fresh snow covered the trails. With the Mississippi River to our right, we hiked the trail heading towards the Minnehaha Falls which led us to several beautiful sites.

Coldwater Spring was the first site. The creek was lightly flowing with snow and ice surrounding the edges. The rising steam from the water shimmered through the rising sun. The old Coldwater Spring house and reservoir is a beautiful place to visit during the winter months.

We continued along the trail which offered views of the Ford Dam and an old incinerator.

Minnehaha Falls in the winter is breathtaking. The water appears frozen in time enabling it to capture different shades of blue. It was eerily quiet as we walked around the falls.

Our final site on this hiking adventure was the Historic Fort Snelling buildings. The old stone appeared as cold as the crisp whispering winds swirling past us. The hiking loop we traveled was 6.5 miles long, a beautiful winter sight seeing adventure.

Pine Bend Bluffs Scientific and Natural Area-Inver Grove Heights-Minnesota

January 8, 2022Posted in hiking, UncategorizedTagged Adventures, exploring, hiking, Hiking Adventures, Minnesota, Mississippi River, nature photography, Outdoors, WinterLeave a comment

Today’s hiking adventure started at the Pine Bend Bluffs Trailhead in Inver Grove Heights. The temperature was in the lower teens and the wind was mild as we embarked on our hike. At times we could see the Mississippi River to our left as we walked south on the paved trail. Eagles soared above us. The recent snowfall made it hard to find the trails that led to the Pine Bend Bluffs Scientific and Natural Area. With a push from our intuition, we decided to follow a deer trail. Eventually we found signs confirming we were on a trail. As we made fresh footprints in the snow, the view of the mighty Mississippi appeared in the distance over the bluffs. The view was majestic. The frosty temps and our rosy cheeks hastened our decision to end our hiking adventure of a little over 7 miles for the day.