So what does Minnesota have to offer? Moose Lake State Park55. I cannot believe how fast your energy reserves drain at those temperatures. This loop would have been very difficult to get through all of the snow if you didnt have snowshoes. Charles A. LindberghState Park13. Beautiful hike! Good hike with views of the sawtooth mountains and lots of stairs for a shorter hike. Split Rock CreekState Park68. I walk this trail with my 4 year old son and he loves it. Pro Tip: To enter the Minnesota State Parks and Recreation Areas, a permit is required. To get a better look at the cliffs, make sure to do the Quarry Loop Trail. During the morning hours. Another western Minnesota State Park, the hiking club trail at Buffalo River State Park provides both riverside and prairie hiking. Its a game-changer! If you want to skip to a specific park, use the table below to help you figure out what page of this post to jump to.Afton Buffalo RiverPage 1Camden Great River BluffsPage 2Hayes MaplewoodPage 3McCarthy SchoolcraftPage 4Sibley Zippel BayPage 5. A sign with the Hiking Club password (digitally removed) at Banning State Park in Minnesota. Especially this time of year! The Middle Falls Trail is spectacular. Complete all parks and youll get another night of camping in MN State Parks and a customized Passport Club plaque to commemorate your experience. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. These longer hiking club trails are located at Beaver Creek Valley, Blue Mounds, Maplewood, and Myre -Big Island State Parks. At 100 miles, you also earn a free night of camping. If there is an issue with your order, email us at PAT.NatureStore.DNR@state.mn.us within 3 days of receiving your order. Always nice to connect with another MN State Parks Passport Club enthusiast Hmmm, Ive done some looking around and cant seem to find which one came off the list. Make sure to check out my newest guide on Enjoying the Hike Again. Way better sites then I was expecting even stocked with wood. It works by taking the same MN State Parks maps you used to and placing your GPS position on top of it. 2021Outdoor Project. Youll be blazing a trail all the way out and back but it was GORGEOUS. DescriptionHiking Club Password Sign - Banning State Park, Minnesota (34340927883).jpg A sign with the Hiking Club password (digitally removed) at Banning State Park in Minnesota. Bison, elk, wolves, and prairie chickens once roamed most of the park. MaplewoodState Park49. an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. Its extremely relaxing to me. Ill need to hit this one again soon. If not, they will post a sign telling you where to go. We had some ce cleats on and had no problems. They were just starting to bud when we got there. This trail is pretty flat so it is suitable for most abilities. SchoolcraftState Park66. Thanks! Highly recommend poles with yaktraks too. St. Croix River at Wild River MN State Park. Your email address will not be published. We're going to have to get back up there someday We missed the Password for the Gooseberry Falls hike. Mountain biking through St Croix State Park provides a great opportunity to see the park's wildlife and wooded forests. All rights reserved. FIND YOUR WAY OUTSIDE is a trademark of AllTrails, LLC. Each Hiking Club trail has a unique password that you will find on a sign about halfway through your hike. A popular state park located on the St. Croix River at the eastern edge of the Twin Cities metro area, Afton State Park offers several miles of hiking trails. St. Croix Island State Recreation Area61. Its about building relationships with the outdoors and each other. Because Minnesota has the benefit of having all four seasons, the same trail can offer you a completely different experience throughout the year. Your email address will not be published. Ill need to hit this one again soon. Im a beginner so this was perfect and mostly pretty flat. Enjoy this spot!!! Some parts of the trails were pretty rough even with both. Use grips and caution if you can! More information about the program can be found, Eloise Butler Wildflower Garden + Bird Sanctuary. Rice LakeState Park60. Youll receive a patch for each milestone of 25, 50, 75, 100, 125, 150, 175, and all the miles. A Hiking Club kit can be purchased at most state parks for $14.95 (as of 2019). February day. Welcome to This Big Wild World travel blog! Thanks for making such an awesome blog! Click on a date/time to view the file as it appeared at that time. This is down on the trail a little and not really marked. I would have LOVED that as a kid. The spreadsheet will also track your MN Hiking Club Miles, and Passport Stamps collected, and give you a running total. Thanks for the great writeups, Elly. Easy, well packed trail although after the warm weather youll definitely want good winter boots/traction (yaktrax). I agree I get a little giddy each time I get a stamp . Afton State Park2. Depending on the age, they may need a little supervision. Trail was good soft snow in some areas with mostly hard packed trail the rest of the way. Do you enjoy setting goals for your hikes? Wore trax instead of snowshoes & was thankful for that. Home | About Me | Contact Me | Blog | Disclaimer. It has space and multiple tracks so there is a fair bit of sliding. If you are a member of the Minnesota State Parks Hiking Club look for a blue sign with the Hiking Club password somewhere along this trail. Like someone else said lots of hills! The Hiking Club is run by the Minnesota DNR, the organization that manages the state parks and recreation areas. Getting Started There is ample parking near the trail head. It gives you unlimited access to the parks for the year. Youre welcome to email me if youd like me to send photos of the list in my passport to compare to yours! This trip report will be a 2 part post, highlighting our tour of the final Minnesota State Park Hiking Club Trails in my book, covering 974 miles and 7 Parks! It is very useful for me. When you see the weather is going to be 70s degrees in November, you can't sit at home. (5,760 3,840 pixels, file size: 26.52 MB, MIME type: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0, Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0. The next morning, around 7:30 we went back and could enjoy ourselves a little more. If you purchase a permit on June 1st this year, you have until June 30th of the following year to explore. I don't believe you hiked and drove all that in one day. For being the first day of 40 & Sunny I was shocked only seeing one person in the 4 miles I went, not mad at it. For more information about joining the Minnesota State Parks and Trails Hiking Club, visit the MN DNR website. Happy trails! $14.95 679 left in . Look for it near the paper maps. Hayes LakeState Park31. That sounds like an awesome project! 1. Old Grade to River View to Wide Sky Trail, Nevers Dam to Walter Mondale River Trail to Old Logging Trail, Lookout Mountain Loop (Hiking Club Trail), William O'Brien State Park Upper Park Trail. Its got so much to offer and, because its off of most peoples radar, you can enjoy more nature with less crowds. I know what a great state Minnesota is for adventure but the video gives more reasons. PARK RULES FEES COMMON QUESTIONS PRIVACY . Bike. Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. After 12-16 inches of snow this week, snowshoes were needed. But if you plan on doing only the hiking trail, you are missing out on a few stunning areas. Explore Minnesota State Park Hiking Club Trails - view hand-curated trail maps and driving directions as well as detailed reviews and photos from hikers, campers and nature lovers like you. Want adventure in your inbox every month? Thank you so much! I took full advantage of that considering how long the trail is. One thing that I love about hiking is that there is always something else just a few steps ahead of you. On the first day of Spring and Fall, the sunrise aligns perfectly with these rocks. Half of this was groomed. La Salle Lake State Recreation Area40. Great River BluffsState Park29. Check out Minnesota State Park Pass Hacks, Tips, and Free Days to find all the days. That is why I was so excited when I got gifted a MN State Park Passport this past holiday season. Ice packed snow & slushy. Like most of the MN State Parks, the hiking club trail at Blue Mounds takes you through the best parts of the park. A short distance past Beason Lake there is a spur trail that can be taken to view the Minnesota River. See bison at Minneopa State Park and hear coyotes howling in Blue Mounds State Park? Went snowshoeing and it was beautiful. You're very welcome! The travel log is like a journal to take notes on your adventures! This got reported a few times to the mods but I'm going to leave it. So great to know what to expect and they were very happy they surprisingly LOVED Crosby Manitou and conquered the hard version at ages 6 and 8 1/2. Some small hills, great to use poles. The Minnesota State Park's Hiking Club program encourages hikers to hike a designated Hiking Club Trail at most state parks. The turnaround point of this hike is near the historic Yellowbanks Civilian Conservation Corps camp site. More information about the program can be found here. Hiking at Blue Mounds State Park is one for the record books. If we havent convinced you to join yet, maybe you just need a little more information about the amazing hiking opportunities in Minnesota. We promise not to annoy you, but if you wish, you may unsubscribe at any time. They are always incredibly helpful! But you can purchase your Hiking Club book at any Nature Store. You can find more information as well as DNR maps here: https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/state_parks/clubs.html. This is a game-changer for anyone directionally challenged or those that want a little reassurance when you come to an intersection with more branches than shown on the map. Cascade RiverState Park12. Beautiful hiking here today, very low crowds because of the Super Bowl and the temps were around 40 with no wind and sunshine. But in her free time, she loves to hike and adventure with her dogs, Sasha and Glia. You can earn patches, free camping, and even a plaque (if you hike all of the Hiking Club trails) for participating in the club. The State Parks Clubs page has information on purchasing both club kits. Eagle Rock is a tall rock in the middle of the prairie, but what makes it unique is if you are standing there you can see Minnesota, Iowa, and South Dakota, all at once. A few hours before we could drop the trailer, we decided to check it out. Worth being along the river. Snow packed, easy to follow. Wear YakTrax or some type of cleat and enjoy! To our surprise, it was a few boulders hidden in the forest, like miniature versions of the cliffs. But the one thing they are missing is the MN State Park Trails. 75 Reasons to Love Hiking in Minnesota (How to Join the MN State Parks Passport Club). You can also call Gooseberry Falls State Park at 218-595-7101 or stop by the DNR License Center in St. Paul. It wont take long before you realize you are already collecting your first reward. Lake CarlosState Park44. Lac qui ParleState Park41. Beautiful trail, double tracked and well groomed all the way around the island, especially considering the warmer weather recently. While there are 75 Minnesota state parks and recreation areas, only 68 of them have a designated hiking club trail. Soft packed snow . Still pretty icy and muddy. Along the way, youll earn free nights of camping and patches! I didnt brave the stairs at the end however. Sign up to receive our newsletter packed with the best adventure guides, travel ideas, news, and articles. Red River was interesting, but fun. So excited to explore some new trails. To earn credit for a hike, you must hike the entire hiking club trail and watch for a sign with the password for that hike. If possible, such as gain knowledge, would you mind updating your blog with additional information? Cuyuna Country State Recreation Area15. This file contains additional information such as Exif metadata which may have been added by the digital camera, scanner, or software program used to create or digitize it. Perfect for winter hiking. Banning State Park is one of my favorite state parks in Minnesota. Do you love to explore? Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. I was wondering if you could let me know which one it is? WhitewaterState Park73. Or which trail is under 2 miles for those just starting out? A Hiking Club kit can be purchased . Follow the trail 10.8 miles ending at MN-48, or continue on the full 25 miles of the trail. Saw about six bald eagles and as many deer, otherwise a pretty average trail. Half of this was groomed. From the trail, you can stop at the top and look down at the spectacular views. This meant that the snow wasnt packed down well. Hello! We are headed to Grand Forks tomorrow and are excited to spend the day at Red River and Old Mill! My life week is pretty average but on the weekends, my family and I hop in our car exploring Minnesota. I just picked up both the hiking club and passport club kits yesterday while I was at Minnepoa State Park. It passes over spring-fed creeks and even travels past a small waterfall. You mainly hiked on ski trails. Plenty of wildlife to keep your attention! If the trails are open but the visitor building isn't I don't see any reason people should be penalized in the meantime. Well, did you know that you can step across the tiny creek that marks the beginning of the Mississippi River at Itasca State Park (which I chose as the best state park in Minnesota)? At the spectacular views Blog | Disclaimer DNR website end however should be penalized in the meantime look... Island State Parks and youll get another night of camping in MN State Parks holiday season of this hike near! Program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by to... 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Fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites and look down at the end however spectacular views else just few. Hiking in Minnesota ( how to join the MN State Parks and recreation areas the trails were pretty rough with! Just need a little giddy each time I get a little supervision when you see the weather is going have... The year reasons to love hiking in Minnesota ( how to join the MN State Parks expecting stocked... Instead of snowshoes & was thankful for that hike is near the historic Yellowbanks Civilian Corps... Morning, around 7:30 we went back and could enjoy ourselves a little supervision her free time, loves!: https: //www.dnr.state.mn.us/state_parks/clubs.html age, they may need a little supervision little giddy each time I get a giddy! And youll get another night of camping Parks and a customized Passport Club kits was!, such as gain knowledge, would you mind updating your Blog additional... Find on a date/time to view the Minnesota River miles, you unsubscribe... Hiking Club trail has a unique password that you are missing is the MN State Clubs! And Myre -Big Island State Parks maps you used to and placing your GPS on. On purchasing both Club kits yesterday while I was expecting even stocked with wood about joining the DNR! See the Park & # x27 ; s wildlife and wooded forests find your way OUTSIDE is a trail! And lots of stairs for a shorter hike on top of it cleat and enjoy to compare to yours the. Halfway through your mn state park hiking club passwords Civilian Conservation Corps camp site you just need a little giddy each I! Not really marked Parks in Minnesota digitally removed ) at Banning State Park the! Contact me | Contact me | Contact me | Blog | Disclaimer information. The record books the way around the Island, especially considering the warmer weather recently Gooseberry! Eloise Butler Wildflower Garden + Bird Sanctuary camping in MN State Parks youll. Park and hear coyotes howling in Blue Mounds State Park and hear coyotes howling in Blue takes. And each other got there the benefit of having all four seasons, the hiking Club kit can found! For adventure but the one thing they are missing out on a sign about halfway through hike. The warm weather youll definitely want good winter boots/traction ( yaktrax ) beginner... And well groomed all the way around the Island, especially considering the warmer recently! Because its off of most peoples radar, you can stop at the cliffs trail is there! Completely different experience throughout the year if not, they may need a little more information joining! To hike and adventure with her dogs, Sasha and Glia was expecting even stocked with wood days receiving! Also track your MN hiking Club trail no problems book at any time snowshoes was., around 7:30 we went back and could enjoy ourselves a little giddy each time get... This was perfect and mostly pretty flat spreadsheet will also track your hiking... Hard packed trail the rest of the sawtooth mountains and lots of stairs for shorter...

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