State Parks

7 Fun Hiking Games to Keep Kids Engaged on the Trail

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Keeping kids engaged on the hiking trail can be a challenging task. Check out these games for trail entertainment with junior hikers.

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The idea of hiking with junior hikers is sometimes more fun than actually hiking with junior hikers. Don’t get me wrong, I do enjoy watching my kids take in the outside world and explore. Hiking is awesome and a great activity for them, but those longer hikes can become difficult when the moods swing.

With the help of my junior hikers, Sandy (11) and Killian (3), we’ve come up with some activities and games to play while hiking. Sandy is so creative, it’s great!

1. Pooh Sticks

This game came from a childhood show ‘Winnie the Pooh.’ Pooh Sticks is played on a bridge over flowing water. Each player finds a short stick and stands on the bridge facing the upriver side. On the count of three, each player drops their stick into the water. Then rushes over to the other side of the bridge to watch them pass under. The stick to reach the other side of the bridge first wins.

This is great fun and is a great way to encourage kids to keep going until the next bridge. That is, if your hike passes a bridge. Killian gets very excited when we find a bridge now, the best hikes are hikes over rivers.

Red Light/Green Light

This was Sandy’s doing, she actually thought of it to keep Killian from running ahead. She noticed me becoming frustrated when he was running too far ahead in an area known for bears. After getting his attention, she explained the game and they had a great time. Great big sister!

One person is the traffic light. They call out ‘green light’ for the hikers to go and ‘red light’ for hikers to stop. It’s a great game to keep junior hikers from going too far ahead in an area with large predators, snakes, rivers, or winding trail where they could wander out of sight.

Freeze Hike

Much like ‘Red Light, Green Light,’ this game is also a stop and go game. But when the caller yells, “Freeze,” the other hikers must hold perfectly still. It’s great fun to see the goofy positions the kids wind up in and see if they can hold it until the caller lets them go again. Take it a step further and move their limbs around while they are frozen!

Freeze hiking is a fun time but it’s also helpful in keeping kids close and teaching them to stop when you need them to.

Scavenger Hunt or Hiking Bingo

Scavenger hunts are awesome! It really gets the kids engaged in their environment and really looking at the habitat around them. They wind up finding things that they wouldn’t normally have noticed. It works for the adults too. When I’m helping my little hiker find things on his list, I find myself noticing more on his level rather than just seeing the big woods.

A great thing about a scavenger hunt is that it can be customized for seasons, events, and environments. So, if you’re going out on a scavenger hunt in the summer, add flowers and frogs. For fall, add different colored leaves and acorns.

I Spy

A classic game that can be played anywhere. Teaching kids how to articulate what they are seeing and an interesting way to see how they view the world. We have a running joke when we play this game, we come up with many different ways to describe a tree. It derived from the Disney movie Brother Bear. Two moose are playing I Spy while riding a mammoth and all they are seeing is trees. It’s pretty funny when they say, “I spy…. a vertical log?” That one always gets a chuckle, even they know it’s coming.

Race

On trails that are relatively smooth, a good race can keep your little hiker on the move. Especially those compitetive kids, it can also teach good sportsmanship. We are working on that with our 3 year old right now. We follow each race, win or lose, with a “Good Game!” or “Good Race!” It’s a work in progress. Killian does like a good race and it will motivate him to get to the finish line, which might be the next bench or better yet, the next bridge for a game of Pooh Sticks.

We like to use incentives with our races too, sometimes a bridge but mostly food. We keep those snack at the ready and a race to the next bench is a good time to break out the trail snack for kids.

Color Hunt

Great for spring and fall, when the colors are blooming and changing. Just like the scavenger hunt, but with color in mind. So the object isn’t too specific, just the color of it. Perfect for those junior hikers learning their colors. This activity can help them discover all of the colors in their environment. This versatile activity can be played just about anywhere, not just on a hike.

Big Bog Walk at Lake Bemidji State Park

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Adventure through a unique ecosystem along a boardwalk wonderland hidden in a northern Minnesota state park. A hike on this trail gives visitors a view of a seldom seen environment.

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In the northern reaches of Minnesota, on the historic Lake Bemidji, sits Lake Bemidji State Park. Inside this park, there is a trail that leads through a mystical swamp that is home to so many plants found in Northern Minnesota.

Distance: 2.5 miles, out and back

Level: Easy

Time to go: Open year-round, spring and summer are best for flowers

Dog Friendly: Yes, tight passing areas on the boardwalk

Fees: Daily ($7)/Seasonal MN State Park Pass ($35)

Parking

Lake Bemidji SP is on the northern side of Lake Bemidji. There are clear signs to the park and a great big sign on the right side of the State Park Road NE that greets visitors. After getting to the State Park, grab a map and head to the left of the visitors center. There is clear signage throughout the park. The Parking area is immediately after the campground.

Trailhead & Road Crossing

The trail head is shared with two other trails. There will also be signs for the old logging road. These trail will all split off later. There are also spurs that lead off of this trail. To get to the Bog Trail, hikers must keep to the main trail until after the road crossing. The trail travels across the Birchmont Beach Road. At the time of our visit, this road was torn up and under construction.

Stay Right

Immediately after crossing the road, the trail splits in 3. Keep right. There is a large sign with a map to indicate which trail to take. After about half a mile, there will be another right. Again, there is clear signage for these trails. At the beginning of this spur there is a vaulted toilet, a great opportunity to relieve oneself before venturing into the bog. There is no other chance to use a restroom until returning to this spot.

For a longer hike, hikers can take the Old Logging Road Trail or the Pinewood Trail. Then loop back to the spur that contains the boardwalk through the bog. We did the short version with our junior hiker in tow.

Bikes: This is also a bike friendly trail up until the boardwalk. There is a parking area for bikes so cyclist may also enjoy a stroll down the whimsical boardwalk.

Boardwalk

Natural paths make perfect hiking terrain, but I do love a good boardwalk. Kids love them, too. The boardwalk is quite impressive with it’s length and durability. We had a great time exploring on the boardwalk.

A few places are available to pass with a dog. The boardwalk juts out making it easy to pass by with dogs and still be courteous to other hikers using the boardwalk. Aside from these few spots to step aside, the passing is quite tight.

Flora & Fauna

Photographers and botanists get your cameras out! The floral life that thrives in this bog is astounding! Not only that, but the park service has labeled it for we non-plant-knowing folks. There are interpretive signs sharing knowledge of the plant life as well as labels on the ground next to the living specimens.

Stay on the Trail: It’s important to note that stepping off of the trail is damaging to the bog and takes a very long time for this ecosystem to recover from the smallest of indents.

Plant life isn’t the only thing to observe on this bog walk. We were surprised to spot several fish swimming about in the waters below the boardwalk. There are turtles, frogs, dragonflies and a number of other critters to observe. Pay attention!

Big Bog Lake

At the boardwalks inevitable end, Big Bog Lake greets hikers with it’s wild serenity. I was amazed at the sight of it. It looked so much like the Boundary Waters Wilderness that I love so dearly. I don’t know what I was expecting, but it wasn’t this. Perhaps I was imagining a buggy ugly swamp because of the unappealing name of the lake, but I was pleasantly surprised for sure.

Roche-A-Cri State Park, WI

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Petroglyphs, 303 stair climb to a vast overlook, hiking and camping. Roche-A-Cri State Park in Wisconsin is packed with adventure!

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For this years camping trip with my daughter, Sandy’s Girl Scout troop we went to Roche-A-Cri State Park in WI. This park was a great spot for one of our scout’s first overnights in a tent. There was quite a bit to see in this park with other nearby attractions. Roche-A-Cri was also mine and my daughter’s first Wisconsin state park, it left a wonder impression for future Wisconsin adventures!

Roche-A-Cri has just one main road and a campground loop. Both of these roads are one-way, making it easy to visit each site at the park.

Camp

The campground is the first stop on the loop. If you’re camping in the park, it’s a simple one way loop around the campground with well defined signs at each site stating the site number.

As far as state park campgrounds go, Roche-A-Cri is quite spacious. Yes, you can still hear your neighbors, but there is more space between sites than most state parks we’ve camped at (aside from the hike-in sites). There is also quite a bit of brush and trees between sites, adding a nice curtain of woods between campers.

Firewood: Firewood must be certified and purchased from within 10 miles of the burn site. This is to reduce the spread of harmful tree diseases. The ranger station sells firewood, but only during open hours. We arrived after hours, bummer. While the I helped the Girl Scouts set up camp, my co-leader went to the gas station up the road and purchased two bundles. The gas station is just a few miles from the state park, to the left while exiting the park.

Bathrooms: The vault style bathrooms are fairly decent, stocked with toilet paper, a functional light, hand sanitizer and air fresheners. The toilets even have lids, keep these lids closed to prevent small critters from falling in. Not kidding, there is even a sign posted about it! There are no showers present at this park, bring wipes for an extending stay.

Petroglyphs

An intriguing site of history and a slice of ancient graffiti sits at the base of the Roche-A-Cri Mound, the second stop on the loop. It’s located on the opposite side of the mound from the set of stairs. There is a parking area to the left with clear signage and a really neat stand for your phone to take a selfie with the rock formation.

The petroglyphs are of crow feet, also present are some paintings of a man and bird. Look closely for a very old signature on the stone with a date from the 1800’s. This is the really old graffiti, evidence that mankind has been wrecking stuff for ages.

Please respect the history of this site and keep your paws off! See what Steve did? Don’t be like Steve. And JSF is directly above an ancient rock painting. Come on guys… The 1800’s signature is neat, but we know better by now.

Creek

The third stop along the road, although it doesn’t require a new parking space, is directly across from the petroglyph site, Carter Creek. This winding creek runs through the park, a great spot to search for animals tracks and spot wildflowers. Our scouts had a great time checking out the water and searching for things on the creeks edge. It’s amazing how kids can become so enthralled by any water feature.

Roche-a-Cri Mound

Oh, man! What a neat feature at a state park! The Mound Trail is located near the northern part of the park and is the fourth stop along the one-way road. It can be accessed by either the parking area or as a spur off of the Acorn Trail. This is a must at Roche-A-Cri. With it’s 303 steps leading up the the overlook, it has an amazing view of the landscape surrounding the park. Check out the Roche-A-Cri Mound Hike for more details.

Hike

All of these sites can be reached via hiking trails if you prefer to explore the park on foot. Roche-A-Cri has 6 miles of hiking trails. The Acorn Trail provides a tour of the whole park as it encircles the entire park. This trail is about 3.5 miles in length and can be accessed by numerous parking areas and the campground. It has spur trails that lead to the other features in the park. We did just a small portion of this trail and climbed the Roche-A-Cri Mound.

Caution: There is an abundance of Poison Ivy throughout the park with a number of signs warning hikers and campers. Keep on the trail to avoid the misery that this plant inflicts.

Close proximity

Roche-A-Cri was a great place to camp for the weekend. Not only did this park provide ample adventure, it’s also a short distance to a lot of other area attractions.

Dells: Just 40 minutes south of the park is the Wisconsin Dells. Being a fair distance away keeps this park quiet, but close enough to visit some of the states greatest attractions.

Chapel Gorge Trail: A great area hike is the the Chapel Gorge Trail Hike. We had a great time trekking this hike with out scouts. Bring a swim suit, there is a bonus beach on this hike.

Bighorn Ranch: A short 10 miles up the road from the park is a great horse ranch that offers trail rides to even the most inexperience riders.

Roche-A-Cri Mound Hike in Wisconsin

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Take this .3 mile hike to gain the most amazing view of the surrounding landscape in the middle of Wisconsin. You’ll have a panoramic scene of cranberry bogs, forest, and prairie. It’s simply amazing and worth the intense climb.

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Distance: .3 miles

Level: Moderate (all stairs)

Time to Go: Spring-Fall, trail is not maintained during winter months.

Dog Friendly: No dogs allowed on this trail, but dogs are welcome on the other trails in the park and in the campground.

Fees: Daily Park Fee with WI plates is $8, with out of state plates it’s $11.

Getting There

Location: 1767 Hwy 13, Friendship WI, 53934

Vehicle Access: After you’ve purchased your fee ticket at the ranger station at the park entrance and grabbed your map. It’s time to get your hiking shoes on. The park has a very convenient, one-way road that loops the park. Along the loop you’ll come to a parking area with a kiosk, informational boards, volleyball net and pavilion. Park here for the easiest access to the staircase.

Acorn Trail Access: Acorn Trail loops the whole park as well. This trail is about 3.5 miles in length. The Mound trail branches off on both the west and east side of the park and leads to the staircase that will bring hikers to the mound’s peak.

What is Roche-A-Cri?

Roche-A-Cri is translated as “crevice in the rock.” The mound in which the name comes from is a remanent of old sandstone from a glacial lake. This unique mound can be seen from miles away and only becomes more intimidating the closer one gets.

Stairway

There are 303 steps in total on this trail. Don’t worry, benches and rest stops are available for a rest. The overlooks all along the way are worth a stop to take in the scenery Wisconsin offers.

The Journey Up

I was so focused on getting up the steps that I was missing the journey up to the top. Slow down and take in the sites along the way. The view at the top can wait, it’s not going anywhere.

Hikers must stay on the path. The rock mound is engulfed with forest, a sensitive area of life that clings to it’s hard surface. Check out the trees that seem to be growing right out of the rock with roots fighting to find soil. There are several types of pine and oak trees towering over the flora scattered about the forest floor. Watch for ferns and flowers. We spotted a lovely lady slipper orchid. I have never seen one in the wild before, very exciting.

Views

Reaching the top brings a great sense of relief for hikers. Vast overlooks encompass this area from atop this platform. Interpretive signs give hikers an understanding of the area they are taking in. Watch for vultures soaring in the area, a pair was gliding over the treetops below. It was curious to see them from above rather than below.

Restrictions

There are a few rules to be followed at this destination.

Open between 6am-Sunset
No Dogs Allowed
No Food
No Drink (with the exception of water)
Keep to the stairway

Descent

Coming down is a great opportunity to take in the sites that you missed on the way up. No rush, this area was not too populated and hikers tackling the trek aren’t racing. Take time on your descent to appreciate the landscape, read the interpretive signs posted at the landings.

Tettegouche State Park: A North Shore Must

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Tettegouche is the park to visit along the North Shore. If you have to choose just one park to visit in northern Minnesota, this would be it. It has it all! Overlooks, waterfalls, rugged trails, shorelines and rivers. This park is hard to beat.

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Tettegouche is the park to visit along the North Shore. If you have to choose just one park to visit in northern Minnesota, this would be it. It has it all! Overlooks, waterfalls, rugged trails, shorelines and rivers. This park is hard to beat.

Quick Review: 11/10 Tettegouche receives a perfect score plus one for it’s amazing views, splendid waterfalls, well maintained trails, and great shoreline adventure. The bonus point is awarded for saving our skins on an accidental trip to the park on a failed BWCA trip.

Hiking Trails

The hiking trails in total at Tettegouche spans 23 miles. The trails in Tettegouche are all rated as moderate to difficult, and with the inclines and rocky terrain, I can’t disagree. Be sure to bring plenty of water along and a map. The trails are well marked, but it is nice to have map along that indicates any turnoffs for a shorter route back if any in your party tire quickly.

We had a great time watching our 6 year old daughter tackle these trails. She did great and lead the way on many of them. There was a point when she needed to go potty and we were about a half mile out from the trailhead. We ran the remainder of the trail, I was amazed at her speed and agility on this rugged northern trail. In hindsight, I don’t know why I didn’t just take the opportunity to teach her how to pee in the woods. A lesson for another time I guess.

Waterfalls

Tettegouche is home to 4 waterfalls and each one is a beauty! The falls are all along the Baptism River. Two can be hiked together, the remaining two require a drive to a separate parking area.

Illgen Falls: Illgen Falls is located near the Illgen Falls Cabin. This cabin is available for rent year-round and can hold up to 6 people. Visitors are responsible for cleaning up after their stay. The falls is just a short hike away from the cabin and is the farthest from Lake Superior in Tettegouche.

High & Two Step Falls: High Falls is a staggering 60 foot waterfall that earns it’s name with that big drop. These falls can be accessed by following the hiking trail along the Baptism River from the Baptism River campground. The trail will merge with the Superior Hiking Trail, take a right, then there is a swinging bridge to cross the river at the falls. Enjoy this view before continuing on the trail, keeping right at the fork will bring you to a staircase that descends to the Two Step Falls. Simply retrace your steps back the parking area when done admiring the falls.

The hiking distance in total is just under two miles. The terrain would be considered difficult with steep steps.

Cascade Falls: Cascade Falls is the closest falls to Lake Superior in Tettegouche. This falls in not on the same trail as the High and Two-Step Falls. Cascade has it’s own Cascade Falls Trail to follow. The parking area for this falls is passed the visitors center on the south side of the river.

This moderate trail is about a mile and a half long. It is an out and back, no loop here.

Twisty Trees

A truly unique find in the Northern Minnesota state parks, is the twisted trees. They are a whimsical anomaly caused by the hammering winds, gradually twisting the tree as it grows. These trees are a wonder to behold and add a great sense of mystery to the hikes on the edge of Lake Superior. And check out those wicked root systems! These trees have to be so resilient to grow on the rocky terrain.

Camping

There are numerous camping opportunities at Tettegouche. While the backpack sites are on a first come, first served basis, the other camping options are reservable. These other options include drive-in sites for RV’s and tent sites that are walk-in or cart-in. Two cabin’s are also available for lodging. This is quite a popular park, so booking your reservation early is a really the only way to secure your stay. We got extremely lucky when we camped here on a failed BWCA trip. For the full catastrophe follow here.

Superior Shores- Rock Skipping

Steep cliffs, river tributaries and a rocky beach are all along the shores of Lake Superior at this park. We enjoyed the hikes, falls, and views, but the most fun we had was on the rocky beach at the inlet of the Baptism River. The rocks were perfect for skipping, we skipped so many rocks on this beach, it was a blast.

Overlooks Galore

Overlook, after overlook, after overlook. The surplus of overlooks at this park is astounding. Even on a foggy day, the overlooks are gorgeous. The fog adds a bit of eerie mystery to this park. Watch your step and be aware of the ledge. There are many areas that have have a significant drop with no guard rails. It’s fantastic to have unobstructed, rugged beauty, but keep the kids in-hand.

Shovel Point: Be sure to check out shovel point, just a half mile or so of a hike from the visitor’s center. This is such an amazing view and getting there is unique too. This is an area where you’ll see a lot of those twisting trees and unique root systems mentioned earlier.

Hazard Warning: The boardwalk areas can be slippery when wet, be sure to wear appropriate footwear with a lot of grip. Not kidding about those drops. Keep those kiddos in hand or very close.

Tettegouche will be getting a repeat visit from us, but the next visit won’t be an accident! Add this park to your to-do list this summer. You won’t regret it!

November Hiking Tips in Minnesota

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Stay safe on trail with these November hiking tips for Minnesota. The rut is on!

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The leaves have changed and dropped, leaf peepers have gone home causing crowds to dwindle. It’s the perfect time to get on trail and watch the animals prepare for the winter months. November is hunting season here in Minnesota. Deer hunters have done their work creating game trails, working food plots, setting up stands and blinds. They’ve been waiting all year to get out in the stand, they are ready! And you should be too. Check out these November hiking tips to keep your hiking season going strong in a safe and considerate manner.

Know Before You Go

Deer hunting is all about conservation… and filling the freezer. With the conservation aspect in mind, there will be hunting permitted in some state parks around MN. Check out your destination prior to hitting the trail. Some parks have scheduled closures or limitations in the coming weeks for hunters to harvest the excess deer population.

MN State Park Hunting Seasons

Blaze Orange

Blaze orange is a hikers (and hunters) best friend in November. At a minimum, wear an orange hat, hot pink works too. Even better would be an orange vest. Obviously you don’t look like a deer walking in the woods, but safety first! Wearing orange will keep you visible to hunters and others in the park. If you’re trying to watch wildlife and are concerned about missing out by being too visible; don’t worry, deer can’t see this color. They can, however, see blue. Don’t wear blue if you’re trying to catch a glimpse of deer activity.

Dog Safety

I am very pro “Never Hike Alone” and try to take my dog along whenever and wherever I hike. Dog’s have been mistaken for small deer in the past. It is obvious in the picture below that my Xena looks like a deer, especially when she frolics through the woods. Her color is accurately named “fawn.” Whether your dog resembles a deer or not, be sure your furry hiking companion is wearing a vest or jacket of orange or pink.

Follow Signs

With the hunting seasons going on at the state parks, some parks are not closed but limiting areas to the public. Be sure to watch for signs and follow them to ensure the safety of both hunters and hikers. Check in at the park office before hitting the trails, they may have additional/updated information to make your hike a success.

Layers

This time of year we can have some pretty drastic temperature swings. It can be 65 degrees and sunny at the beginning of a hike and drop down to 30 degrees by sundown. Bring layers along and make sure to keep that orange hat on, even if it’s hot.

Sunset

Autumn is the time of year when our sunlight hours diminish and eventually lead to the darkest day of the year, the first day of winter. Check the sunset time on the day you plan to hike. On a clear night, expect visibility for about half an hour after the sun sets. Ensure you’ve planned ample time to complete your hike before sundown. Shooting time also ends 30 minutes after sunset, with the limited visibility exit the woods before dark.

Be Considerate of Hunters

Even if you’re not a hunter, keep in mind that the whole point of hunting in the parks is to promote a healthy population. When deer become overpopulated it can have a devastating effect on the overall health of the deer population, native plant life, and other animals in the area.

Bucks in Rut

If a deer spots you in the woods, it will likely take off. That being said, if a buck does not leave in your presence, Do Not approach it. It could be injured, nevertheless, the velvet is off the antlers and they are in rut. A buck, even a young buck, can be quite dangerous. Give them space and let them go about their natural business. Nobody needs to be gored in the name of curiosity.

Wounded or Down Deer

Spotted a wounded or down deer? If you come across hunters looking for their deer, point them in the direction that you saw the deer. The goal of a hunter is to harvest their animal as quickly and painlessly as they can. Being unable to find a wounded deer and end it’s suffering is a real blow to a hunter. Likewise, being unable to find a deer that is down is a waste. Be helpful and point them in the right direction.

Reporting a wounded animal to the DNR is another option. Keep in mind that this is a very busy time of year for the DNR as well and they do not have the manpower to respond to every wounded animal during hunting season.

Reporting to DNR

See hunters in a No Hunting Zone or outside of the hunting season?

Check the dates of the Zone you are in.
Some parks in MN have different dates for their designated hunting season; those parks will be closed or limited to the public on those dates.
Check with land owners to ensure they didn’t have hunters with permission.
Remember that bow hunters can hunt until the end of the year and muzzle loader season starts after shotgun season.
Do not approach poachers, this can be dangerous. Leave it to authorities.

If you are sure that you have a poacher on you hands: Report poachers to the DNR.

Enjoy the late autumn hiking season. The animals feel the change and pressure of the incoming cold. It’s the best time to catch wildlife preparing for winter. The deer are on the move, the squirrels are collecting nuts and seeds, some of the birds are heading south. It’s a much more active time of year in the woods than one would think. Simply sitting in the woods this time of year is great entertainment.

Minnesota State Park Leaf Peeping (Not on the North Shore)

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Lake Superior isn’t the only place to go ‘Leaf Peeping.’ Take a look down South! These parks can still scratch that autumn itch without the long drive north.

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Lake Superior isn’t the only place to go ‘Leaf Peeping.’ Take a look down South! These parks can still scratch that autumn itch without the long drive north. Grab your favorite autumn drink, hiking boots, and get exploring this fall.

Within 1 Hour of the Twin Cities

1. Wild River State Park: Stunning trails along the St. Croix river, through prairie grasses and forests of mixed tree species. Keep the camaras ready, while visiting this park. We happened to cross paths with deer, hawks, and eagles. For great river views, check out the Old Military Road Trail and Walter F. Mondale River Trail. While hiking along the rivers edge, keep an eye out for beavers and otters.

Estimated Peak: Late September/Early October

2. Interstate State Park: Dramatic cliffs, pot-holes, unique landscape, stunning leaves, and a plethora of activities. Can’t really miss with this park. While there is a lack of mileage for hiking (just 4 miles in the park) the trails make up for distance with rugged terrain. Rock climbing, boat tours, canoeing/kayaking, and overlooks are other ways to enjoying the leaves in this park.

Estimated Peak: Late September/Early October

**Pro-tip: Arrive early at this park. Due to it’s awesome features this park fills up fast, get an early start to avoid the crowds and land a parking space.

3. William O’Brian State Park: William O’Brian State Park is home to a variety of views. The 12 miles of hiking trails will take you to prairie overlooks, oak covered hills and to riverside scenery. Majority of the trails are not by the rivers edge. If hiking doesn’t quite sate that autumn wanderlust, hop in a canoe and paddle your way to satisfying autumn bliss. Watch for waterfowl and beavers along your way.

Estimated Peak: Late September/Early October

Riverside Trail is the best hike in the park. Check it out, the St. Croix is gorgeous!

4. Afton State Park: 20 miles of hiking trails cover prairie restoration, creeks, rivers edge, wooded hills and ravines. This park also has 5 miles of horse trails and 4 miles of paved biked trails. Along the waters edge, birdwatcher can glimpse the waterfowl and raptors.

Estimated Peak: Late September/Mid October

5. Lake Maria State Park: The previous 4 parks mentioned lie east of the Twin Cities. Lake Maria rests an hour to the west. This park has a different feel to it. More “off the beaten path”. The old growth forest changes the hue of the forest floor and adds a mystical edge to the air. The hiking trails lead to numerous small lakes and tranquil ponds giving chance to come across the rare Blanding’s Turtle. If you prefer birds to reptiles, then keep your sights on the 200+ birds species that live in or pass through the park.

Estimated Peak: Late September/Early October

Within 2 Hours of Twin Cities

1. Minneopa State Park: Minneopa is one of the few parks in Minnesota to host a bison herd. Catch these beauties in the autumn colors. Not only does Minneopa have majestic beasts, it is also home to a double waterfall. Be warned, the waterfall is more of a water trickle at this time of the year, but it is still beautiful! The parks only holds about 4.5 miles of hiking, but there is also the Bison Drive. This Bison Drive is a road that goes through the bison enclosure. Stay in your vehicle!!

Estimated Peak: Late September/Mid October

2. Whitewater State Park: For majestic views that compare to the North Shore, head to Whitewater. With drastic elevation changes on trail, you’ll catch some incredible overlooks. With this park’s 10 miles of hiking trials, you’ll pass along rivers edge, bluffs, and deep ravines. This is a park you don’t want to miss this fall and it doesn’t take a trip to the North Shore to see it.

Estimated Peak: Early-Mid October

3. Charles A. Lindbergh State Park: If you are looking to miss the crowds of the busier parks, check out this little park. The 7 miles of well maintained trails will lead you through a variety of colors, over streams, and the open space of a meadow. Up the road from the main park lies a little sections called Little Elk, this area holds a short trail along the Mississippi River.

Estimated Peak: Late September/Early October

4. Banning State Park: The beauty of this park is astonishing. Taking the Quarry loop to Hell’s Gate Trail passes along the Kettle River, passed the old ruins, and to a section of falls. The burnt orange and yellow leaves falling over the ruins and falls make for a picturesque scene. With 17 miles of trails and adventure, this has become one of my favorites.

Estimated Peak: Late September/Early October

5. St. Croix State Park: Riverside views in the fall can’t be beat. The place where two rivers converge is stunning. Take in the crisp air of autumn along the river hikes on the St. Croix and the Kettle Rivers. Adventure is not in short supply at St. Croix. This is a park I could hike again and again!

Estimated Peak: Early September/Early October

The North Shore isn’t the only gorgeous place in the state to see autumn’s glory. Get your hiking shoes and hit the trails before the autumns leaves decorate the forest floor.

Winter at Gooseberry Falls

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Gooseberry Falls, one of Minnesota’s top state parks to visit. It’s just as stunning in the winter as it is in the summer… sans the crowds.

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“Can we go to Gooseberry? How about Gooseberry? Gooseberry? I think Gooseberry sounds good. Lets do Gooseberry!”

These are the things that came out of my 10 year old daughter’s mouth this morning when I asked where she’d like to go on our annual winter trip. I tried suggesting places we haven’t been to yet, but she was so adamant about Gooseberry. She even suggested it while her girl scout troop was planning their upcoming spring trip. She’s obsessed! I guess we’ll do Gooseberry… Again. No complaints here!

For sure this is a park that you can visit during any season for really any length of time. It is one of our family’s most frequented parks. We stop during summer on our way up to or on the way back from the BWCA. Winter here is absolutely stunning and worth a trip of it’s own. It is one of my all time favorite winter parks. I will share with you the wonders of this truly unique winter oasis.

Quick Review: 8/10 I know I said that this is one of our favorite parks, but I am still docking it 2 points. One point for the crowds and one point for lack of seclusion. Yes, this park has a lot to offer in the way of sights and beauty, but you’ll likely have company in many spaces in the park. Even when you choose to camp at this park, it’s quite crowded at the campground.

Crowds… or Not

I’ll let you in a little secret here; I don’t like crowds. Well, maybe that’s not a secret… Or uncommon. Do you enjoy weaving through packs of people when you’re “enjoying” nature? Me neither, that’s not enjoying it at all. Gooseberry is a VERY popular state park in Minnesota. But most folks don’t venture out into the cold winter months to do their exploring. This is where we winter lovers rejoice.

Check Gooseberry Falls off the list during the winter to avoid those monstrous crowds in the summer months. Not only do you get the park to yourself, but the snow cover causes a hush over the woods. The snow mutes any noise that happens to be lingering from the few other visitors.

Hike

Winter at Gooseberry means wide open groomed trails mostly to yourself. You can walk a reasonable distance without seeing another visitor once away from the main falls. Some trails are designated for skiing, snowmobiling, and skate skiing. This does not mean they forgot about those who just want to take a stroll in their boots.

Fifth Falls Trail: From the visitors center, hikers and snowshoers can hike along the Fifth Falls Trail up to the Fifth Falls, then back on the other side of the Gooseberry River. The trail is roughly a 1.5 mile loop.

Superior Shores Hike: Once back to the main falls (the middle and lower falls area), hikers can add a 2 mile out and back hike to the shores of Lake Superior. It’s totally worth the hike along the river to the lake shore. The ice along lake superior is too impressive to miss.

Gitchi Gummi Trail: Like the Superior Shores hike, the Gitchi Gummi Trail loops down to the shoreline, but on the opposite side of Gooseberry River. The trail leads to an overlook and is about a 1.2 mile loop beginning just east of the middle and lower falls.

Photography

For wildlife photographers, this place is a real treat! Frozen shorelines, ice crusted falls, trickling streams emerging from their icy confinement, silent wildlife peering through the trees. So. Many. Shots.

The real beauty of Gooseberry in the winter for a photographer is the lack of crowds. Getting here early in the summer means fewer people, getting here early in the winter means NO people. Snapping a shot of these falls without people cluttering up your photo can take a lot of patience and work during the summer months. It’s a whole lot easier in winter’s bitter chill and so worth it for those priceless frozen photos.

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Visitor Center

After your chilly excursion, warm up by the fireplace in the spacious Gooseberry Visitor Center. There are restrooms, places to rest, snacks and items to purchase in the gift shop.

Dog Friendly Park

Dogs love adventure time! The ungroomed trails at Gooseberry are dog friendly. We are asked to stay off of the groomed ski trails, these are intended for cross country skiers. Dogs are also prohibited from entering the visitors center.

**Tip** Please remember to clean up after your pets and keep them on leash so we can all continue to enjoy bringing our furry friends along for the journey. Trail Etiquette for Dogs is very important in keeping our parks dog friendly.

So Much Adventure

While I really enjoy snowshoeing and skiing, during our trips to Gooseberry we have only boot hiked. Why have I not experience every activity availible at this park? I don’t know, I feel like I’m really missing out! Pick your favorite adventure, grab your gear and get going!

Snowshoeing: Snowshoeing at Gooseberry is welcome on ungroomed trails and off trail. The Fifth Falls Trail, the Gitchi Gummi Trail, and the trail to the shore of Lake Superior are all available for snowshoe enthusiasts; these are ungroomed trails. If you did not bring snowshoes, you can boot hike these trails as well.

**Tip** If you are exploring the area around the upper, middle, and lower falls, I recommend that you take your snowshoes off. There are areas of ice, pavement and stairs. The teeth of your snowshoes will surely be bent in your attempt to snowshoe on these areas.

Skiing: Cross country skiing trails are groomed and consist of 12 miles ranging between easy and moderate. There is also about a mile of skate-ski trail.

Snowmobiling: With the 20 miles of trails at Gooseberry, just 2 of them are available for snowmobiling. This trail connects to the North Shore State Trail. But if you are snowmobiling in, it’s worth the stop and walk to the falls. The winter falls is such an amazing sight to take in.

Fat Tire Bikes: These are not allowed on Gooseberry trails. It is, however, allowed at Split Rock just up the road. If you are into this sport, it might be worth the extra few minutes drive to Split Rock.

Trail Maps: There is a very clear map indicating where certain activities are allowed. You can pick them up at the visitors center or you can print one ahead of time from the DNR website. I like to have a game plan prior to arriving, it saves time and energy when you arrive at the park for your adventures. And having little ones along mean you have only a certain amount of time before they are done. For more on adventure with little ones read my 8 Tips for Day Hike Success with Little Adventurers post.

Neighboring Parks

One of the great perks about Gooseberry is that there are so many other parks in the area. This is especially nice if you enjoy winter sports that are not allowed or are limited in Gooseberry, such as fat tire biking and snowmobiling. Some close parks include:

Split Rock Lighthouse
Tettegouche
Temperance River
George Crosby Manitou
Cascade River
Jay Cooke

Lodging

Camping: Camping is available year round at Gooseberry but there are fewer options during the winter months. Only 3 sites remain open for the winter that are walk/ski in. The campground roads are not plowed. The showers and some flushable toilets close for the season. There are still vault toilets available in multiple locations.

Alternative Lodging: If winter camping does not interest you, there are plenty of cabins, hotels, motels, and bed & breakfasts in the Two Harbors area. When we make a winter trip to the North Shore, our go-to place to stay is the Inn on Gitchi Gummi. It’s right on the Scenic Route 61, north of Duluth. You’ll still have a 30 minute trek in the morning to get to Gooseberry but it’s worth that little bit for the fantastic service and hearty homemade breakfast.