Hiking

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Minnesota Valley State Recreation Area

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Historic Home in the Minnesota Valley State Recreation Area. 

The Drive: This park had the distinction of pushing me over both 50 miles hiked and 2000 miles driven. I'm not even a third of the way through this "road trip," but 2000 miles is enough for me to discover that backroads are the heart and soul of a good road trip. From the dirt roads of Superior National Forest to the barely maintained one lane forest service road to McCarthy Beach to the seemingly endless grid of western farm roads on the prairie, you're never going to see what Minnesota (or anywhere) is really like unless you're will to put a few extra miles (plus dents, scratches, and insects) on your vehicle. In a previous post I extolled the wonders of Hwy 169 and driving the Minnesota River Valley, but Minnesota Valley State Recreation area gets you off the highway and onto true river valley roads. About 45 minutes southwest of Minneapolis, you leave the highway and drive though a series of failed river settlements that have left nothing behind but abandoned houses and lonely gravestones in the woods. Your just minutes from several populous commuter towns, but you could be a hundred miles and a hundred years away from civilization.

A floodplain in the Minnesota Valley State Recreation Area 

The Park: Minnesota Valley State Recreation Area is made up of seven distinct units running along the Minnesota River from Shakopee to Belle Plaine. About half are run by the DNR and the others by the Fish and Wildlife Service, but the Minnesota Valley State Trail runs through the entire thing and creates a long, cohesive park. The Hiking Club Trail is in the Lawrence Unit near Belle Plaine, named after the failed Lawrence settlement. The park contains a number of abandoned buildings and many other signs of previous habitation including gravestones and ruins. There is also camping available at the Lawrence Unit.

The Minnesota River flowing through the Minnesota Valley State Recreation Area 

The Trail: The Hiking Club Trail begins at the Lawrence Unit parking lot. The trail runs parallel to the river, but you need to take a short spur trail about half a mile in to actually get to the Minnesota Rivers. You'll hike through the flood plains where there is little to no undergrowth, similar to what you would see on Pike Island at Fort Snelling. Be sure to look for the flood lines of the trees - the change in color from the slightly bleached bottom trunks to the untouched upper trunks. It'll give you a sense of just how inundated the trail gets in the spring. About a mile in, you'll emerge from the forest into a valley meadow and head straight toward an abandoned house. In the summer the house is open to the public and interpreted as a museum, but I was there in the fall, so it merely provided a good photo shoot for my sister and me. You'll then cross the road and hike upland through a thick oak/maple forest before circling back to the floodplain.

This hike is fairly generic. The river bottoms never really excite me (probably because I live five minutes from a very similar ecosystem), but it is an easy hike and close to the city. This is one that is worth checking out if you have a free afternoon and are looking to break away from your usual hiking haunts. Finally, don't forget to stop at Minnesota's Largest Candystore in Jordan - you need to replace all those burned calories.

Cumulative Miles Hiked: 52

Cumulative Miles Driven: 2258

Arbitrary Rating: 3/5

Biome: Eastern Broadleaf Forest

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Grand Portage State Park

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The wilderness of Grand Portage State Park. That's Canada over there! 

The Drive: The drive to Grand Portage took us the rest of the way to the Canadian Border, thus completing the North Shore Drive. It is also probably the most scenic section of the byway. The road cuts through the main section of the Sawtooth Mountains, Superior National Forest, and the virtually uninhabited stretch between Grand Marais and the Grand Portage Reservation. The cultural highlight of this drive is Grand Marais, the largest town between Two Harbors and Thunder Bay, ON. Situated at the head of the Gunflint Trail, Grand Marais is the hub of Arrowhead outdoor sports, art, and tourism. Originally a fishing town, Grand Marais is still the best place to get lake trout and no stop is complete without a visit to the famous (but not very good) pizza joint Sven & Ole's. Spend an hour of so exploring the community before heading up to Grand Portage.

The reconstructed trading post at Grand Portage National Monument. 

The Park: Grand Portage State Park is the only park in Minnesota not owned by the state of Minnesota. Because it is located within the Grand Portage Band of Lake Superior Chippewa reservation, the state leases the land from the tribe. The park is less than 300 acres and the highlight of the park itself is High Falls, the highest waterfall in Minnesota. However, the highlight of a visit to Grand Portage is the Grand Portage National Monument located across the highway from the park. The site of an 18th and 19th century fur trading hub, the old rendezvous site has been rebuilt and is interpreted by the National Park Service. NPS and the tribe also run a great museum on the site. A visit to the national monument will give you the context you need to fully appreciate the state park and the role it played in Minnesota History. The town is also the jumping off point for a trip to Isle Royale National Park.

The Grand Portage State Park Hiking Club Trail is the only handicapped accessible club trail in the system. Worth making the trip even in the rain. 

The Hike: At just one mile, the Grand Portage hike is the shortest of all the Minnesota Hiking Club trails. It is also the only entirely handicapped accessible trail, so if you find yourself in the park, there is absolutely no excuse for you not to take the 1/2 mile trek from the parking lot to watch the Pigeon River cascading over the 120 foot High Falls. Even taking your time, you probably won't spend more than an hour in this park, which is good because there is no camping and unless you want to stay at the casino, you still have to drive a couple hours back to your lodging further south (or bring a passport and stay in Ontario's Pigeon River Provincial Park across the border).

Cumulative Miles Hiked: 48

Cumulative Miles Driven: 1918

Arbitrary Rating: 4/5

Biome: Laurentian Mixed Forest

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Cascade River State Park

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The cascades of Cascade State Park 

The Drive: Located at the crux of three continental biomes, Minnesota is among the most naturally diverse states in the country. You can find everything from dense pine forest to treeless prairies to rich river valleys, but one thing the North Star State is not known for are its mountains. The road from Temperance River to Cascade River enters into Minnesota's only mountain range, a series of rises that could barely be considered hills next to true mountains. They may be small, but the Sawtooth Mountains, so named for the distinctive pattern of their peaks, provide some welcome elevation to an otherwise fairly flat state. They also provide some of the best hiking, camping, and waterfalls in the region, as any hiker on the Superior Hiking Trail can attest to. Although you can see the mountains from the North Shore Drive, a quick trip inland to see some of the backcountry is definitely worth the drive.

The lichen encrusted Lake Superior shore outside of Cascade State Park. 

The Park: Halfway between Schroeder and Grand Marais, Cascade is usually little more than a pit stop on a longer trip. Since the main cascades are just a quarter mile from the highway, there is usually little incentive to further explore the 5300 acre park. However, those who take the time to wander around are rewarded by one of the most beautiful parks on the North Shore, if not the entire state. The park encompasses two rivers, a large stretch of the Superior Hiking Trail, Lookout Mountain, and access to trails the penetrate deeper into the Sawtooth range. Cascade River and Cascade Creek are aptly named since both streams are made up of a series of falls descending nearly a thousand feet on their path to Lake Superior. The trails follow the rivers and meander around Lookout Mountains giving picturesque views of the water and surrounding forests. Like many parks in Minnesota, Cascade doesn't have some grand attraction, but provides a quiet beauty that takes time to appreciate. Take the time, it's worth it.

View from the overlook. Autumn colors just past their peak at Cascade River State Park 

The Hike: The Hiking Club hike follows the Lookout Mountain Trail. Start at the main trailhead on Hwy 61 (there is a parking lot) and follow the trail to the main cascades. This is as far as the majority of people go. You, however, are going to snap a few pictures of the falls and continue on up the trail. You'll follow the river for another half mile or so before breaking off the main trail and heading up to the mountain. I was here in the autumn and the mixture of green cedars and yellow aspen and ferns made the entire hike feel a little like an REI advertisement, but the hike would be great all summer long and probably a little dangerous in the winter. The first half of this trail is well marked and leads you up to the peak (there is some backpacking campsites near the peak if you're interested), but the second half is less well marked and we ended up coming out at Cascade Lodge, a resort and restaurant, instead of the park. If this happens, don't worry. Just go get a drink at the restaurant and walk the quarter mile down the road back to your parking spot. If you do manage to follow the trial back, good job, but you missed out on some good Minnesota culture.

Cumulative Miles Hiked: 47

Cumulative Miles Driven: 1872

Arbitrary Rating: 4/5

Biome: Laurentian Mixed Forest

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Temperance River State Park

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Temperance River State Park Hiking Club Trail 

The Drive: The North Shore Scenic Byway on Hwy 61 is probably the most famous and well traveled scenic route in Minnesota and for good reason. It runs from Duluth to Canada along the north shore of Lake Superior, crossing twenty-one rivers with waterfalls (and many without), passing through seven state parks, three state waysides, four state forests, a national forest, a national monument, an Indian reservation, and about a dozen small towns. And of course the main attraction is Lake Superior, the greatest of the Great Lakes. The largest freshwater lake in the world, Superior never, ever gets old. It is different every time I'm up there and I appreciate it more and more with each trip. There are many beautiful roads throughout the state, some more beautiful in their own way than Hwy 61, but none are as grand.

Canada Geese swimming in Lake Superior at Temperance River State Park 

The Park: Temperance River State Park has always been one of my favorite North Shore parks. It is just fun to clamber over all the rocks, cliff jump into the pools, hike the river edge, look for bears, listen for wolves, and skip rocks into the (sometimes) placid waters of Superior. The campground is fantastic - right on the shore of the lake. The park is huge with almost 25 miles of hiking throughout the woods, but the main attractions are pretty compact and can be seen on a few two or three hour hikes. It also has access to the Superior Hiking Trail for long distance hikers. Temperance is a destination park and a great jumping off point to see other sites along the North Shore.

The trail winds through mixed birch-pine forests. Fall is an excellent time to visit Temperance River State Park 

The Trail: The 1.9 mile Hiking Club trail follows the east bank of the Temperance River up to the upper falls before turning into the woods. The river is the highlight of the hike. You'll go by cascades, deep cuts in the rock, whirlpools, and wide vistas of the mountains (hills) in the background. The main trail continues to the top of Carlton Peak (which is a great hike that you should do while you're there), but the hiking club trail cuts back through the woods to the road. It is less scenic, but when I did it, there were mushrooms everywhere, which definitely made it worth while. I think the password is before the turn off, so if you've never been to the park before, I suggest skipping the turn off and just doing the Carlton Peak trail. It's quite a bit longer, but the view is worth it. 

Cumulative Miles Hiked: 43.5

Cumulative Miles Driven: 1853

Arbitrary Rating: 5/5

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Whitewater State Park

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The fall foliage at Whitewater State Park 

The Drive: From Minneapolis, the route to Whitewater State Park essentially follows the HWY 52 route to Rochester. Not the most interesting road trip in the world (possibly because of how often I've driven it). You drive though Cannon Falls, Zumbrota, Rochester, and St. Charles, past the oil refinery (which is worth seeing lit up at night - like some alien city), and past corn fields much less idyllic than the ones I praised in western Minnesota. The highway falls just short of the incredibly beautiful bluff country and manages to miss any preserved forest in the area. The point being that Whitewater is about the destination, not the journey - something you won't often hear me say, but true nevertheless.

Spring in Whitewater State Park brings carpets of wildflowers - and mushrooms. 

The Park: Whitewater State Park is at the cusp of bluff country, straddling the Whitewater River, a small tributary of the Mississippi. I've been here twice now and both times were well worth the trip out. The first time, I made it during wildflower season. The forest glades in the depths of the valley folds were carpeted with flowers - I've never seen anything else like it in real life. It was like wading through a sea of white and yellow and purple. We got a wildflower guide and hunted for (and found) rare species and hidden spots. The season is short, so get there at the right time (late Mayish). The second time was in the Fall and I was just before peak season, but the colors were already worth seeing. The rolling bluffs seem designed to show them off. Less detail than in Spring, but more grand, sweeping views. The park is also known for mushroom hunting (one of my favorite spring activities) and is a great place to camp - check out the hike in sites along the river.

Fall Colors at Whitewater State Park in Southern Minnesota 

The Trail: The hiking club trail follows the Coyote Point Trail on the north side of the park. Be prepared for stairs. There are hundreds of the them on the initial climb to the top of the ridge. The view is worth it however and since the trail follows the top of the ridge for the rest of the way to Coyote Point, it is relatively flat and has great vistas from both sides along the way. If you are not going specifically for the hiking club trail, I would suggest doing the Trout Run Creek Trail on the south side of the park. It is popular and more crowded, but for good reason. It gives you the best overlooks (really amazing points and 270° views) in the park and then descends down to the creek where brook trout abound (fly fishermen take note) and where the best wildflowers are in the spring. It was a bit dreary in the fall, but the overlooks made up for that. It would probably also be great for winter snowshoeing - I'll let you know.

Cumulative Miles Hiked: 42.6

Cumulative Miles Driven: 1497

Arbitrary Rating: 4/5 in Summer, 5/5 in Fall/Spring