Jay CookeState Park36. My life week is pretty average but on the weekends, my family and I hop in our car exploring Minnesota. The Hiking Club will take you to 68 trails at state parks and recreation areas throughout Minnesota. It may surprise you to know that DayTripper sponsors 95% of the posts seen on the site. Some trails are 1 mile and some are 6 miles, but they all are beautiful and well worth the exercise. Red River State Recreation Area59. Buy a day pass or get an annual pass for just $35 (which is a bargain!). 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. This is a list of all of Minnesota's State Park Hiking Club trails. This is just the beginning of the summer. Try this 1.1-mile loop trail near Sunburg, Minnesota. I loved getting to explore some of the trails, including the bike area. hiking, Hey, I am keeping virtually the same blog as you (documenting my Minnesota Hiking Club Travels and Travails). Nothing is worse than getting to the MN State Park only to find the office is closed. Dog are allowed on the trail when on a leash. Ready to start collecting stamps? At the southern end of the park, spanning 1,250 feet is a line of rocks, set east-west in the prairie grass. The trails cover a wide range of difficulty and length. Do you and your dog love to hike? We want to spend sometime there and take it in. If you are feeling adventurous, you can also take the trail into Levrune. Ski tracks are well established too. Forestville/Mystery CaveState Park18. The trail is reported to provide great views of the lake and South Dakotas rolling hills. BUT absolutely worth the effort, such a beautiful hike, I would do it again in the same conditions again. A few hours before we could drop the trailer, we decided to check it out. The spreadsheet will also track your MN Hiking Club Miles, and Passport Stamps collected, and give you a running total. 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. Old MillState Park58. Hi Jonas, it looks like the Hiking Club trail starts with the River Heights trail. You can earn patches, free camping, and even a plaque (if you hike all of the Hiking Club trails) for participating in the club. Like most of the MN State Parks, the hiking club trail at Blue Mounds takes you through the best parts of the park. I dont usually leave comments on these types of things, but this is such a fantastic and informative article about the hiking club and how accessible the trails will be for dogs! Park is basically closed but you can park and then hike or cross country ski. Bottom half of the trail was a little less interesting and less packed down - snowshoes might have been helpful. I spoke about them on Fox9 Morning Show recently. Be ready to dodge some dog poop. The permit expires on the Month you purchased the permit for the following year. Whether youre looking for new trails to inspire you or a fun way to remember your adventures, the. Would recommend crampons or snowshoes. Hayes LakeState Park31. All 68 trails allow dogs, but factors that we consider for dog-friendliness include: For easier navigation of this blog post, state parks and recreation areas are in alphabetical order. I didnt brave the stairs at the end however. Glendalough State Park26. I did the hiking club trail at Cascade River State Park yesterday with my dog and it got me interested in completing more hiking club trails with her and luckily I stumbled across this great guide! Great views of the lake and along the river. Always great to connect with others from the area. Ill need to hit this one again soon. Pro Tip: To enter the Minnesota State Parks and Recreation Areas, a permit is required. Enjoy this spot!!! I love finding others who are a part of it. Some small hills, great to use poles. 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. The Hiking Club operates in a similar manner. 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. Yesss! Great hike! Of all of the places Ive lived, Minnesota has the most strong and welcoming outdoor adventure community, making it easy to connect with like-minded outdoor adventurers. SibleyState Park67. Beautiful trail! Beautiful hike, Great hike! function ml_webform_success_2601308(){var r=ml_jQuery||jQuery;r(".ml-subscribe-form-2601308 .row-success").show(),r(".ml-subscribe-form-2601308 .row-form").hide()} My name is Jenn. If you cant get enough of hiking in Minnesota and make it to all 75 state parks and recreation areas, you earn another free night of camping plus a personalized MN State Parks Passport Club plaque. You can also try and spot them at the Bison Observation Tower near the park campground. This loop would have been very difficult to get through all of the snow if you didnt have snowshoes. Thank you so much! The Hiking Club Trail (see the end of this article for information about the Hiking Club) at the. Outdoor Project may earn commission on products purchased through our links, which supports the work we do for our readers. Nearby is a family of nesting ducks. You can earn patches, free camping, and even a plaque (if you hike all of the Hiking Club trails) for participating in the club. Its about building relationships with the outdoors and each other. Went out from the boat landing to the canoe in campsites for the first time ever. Its worth checking to see if the parks near you have a similar program OR, of course, just come a hike the awesome Minnesota state parks . St. Croix River at Wild River MN State Park. 75 Reasons to Love Hiking in Minnesota (How to Join the MN State Parks Passport Club). But if you go to Grand Portage, hike past the hiking club trail. We had some ce cleats on and had no problems. A Hiking Club password is found on all of these hikes. The Hiking Club password sign at Franz Jevne State Park near Baudette, Minnesota. ScenicState Park65. More information about the program can be found. The 97-degree temperatures meant we didnt do any hiking until early morning or late at night. 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. well packed. It has been postponed during Covid. Part of the hike is through the river bottoms of the Minnesota River. Blue Mounds State Park has a couple of areas for kids to play. Like someone else said lots of hills! A Hiking Club kit can be purchased . Beginning at the Trail Center, at the five corners intersection, turn left onto the Munger Boundary Trail. Thank you so much for writing it! Especially this time of year! All structured data from the file namespace is available under the. 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. Be ready to dodge some dog poop. All rights reserved. Fromepic hikes around the worldto adventures closer to my home inMinnesota, Im here to help you discover what adventure means to you! So glad you like the video this was one of the first ones I ever made The passport is really encouraging me to get out and explore some lesser known parks, which right now also means no people, easier social distancing! At 100 miles, you also earn a free night of camping. Mountain biking through St Croix State Park provides a great opportunity to see the park's wildlife and wooded forests. My name is Jenn. The Hiking Club is run by the Minnesota DNR, the organization that manages the state parks and recreation areas. The trail can be flooded or muddy especially in the springtime. Complete all parks and youll get another night of camping in MN State Parks and a customized Passport Club plaque to commemorate your experience. Update your log. It starts at the park office and travels NW. Press J to jump to the feed. Some parts of the trails were pretty rough even with both. She currently works full-time as a veterinarian, treating dogs and cats. The first time told me there was cactus in Minnesota I kind of laughed. You can earn patches, free camping, and even a plaque (if you hike all of the Hiking Club trails) for participating in the club. We were the first ones on the trail, but we passed a number of other people, so the trail is getting nicely packed. Wearing traction devices is recommended. https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/state_parks/clubs.html, 5 Dog-Friendly MN State Park Hikes along the St. Croix River, Bring Your Dog to Banning State Park: the Perfect Day Hike, A Dog-Friendly Guice to Banning State Park: Winter Edition, 5 Great Dog-Friendly State Parks in Southeastern Minnesota. Wow, thanks! Its about building relationships with the outdoors and each other. Big Bog State Recreation Area6. Some are wheelchair accessible, like the one at Big Bog State Recreation Area. cross country skiied yesterday. This got reported a few times to the mods but I'm going to leave it. The Hiking Club is based on the same idea as the Passport Club, visiting awesome sites and filling your logbook. In this case, almost across the entire thing. The tall grasses also attract birds. Its a short trail from the parking lot and campground, making it easy for anyone to do. Beware horse apples! That really is a bargain! The first is a playground near the picnic area. It wasnt the most relaxing hike given the attentiveness required, but it was enjoyable regardless! Files are available under licenses specified on their description page. From a bison viewing area to Sioux quartzite formations and areas of preserved prairie, there is plenty to see at this state park. This page was last edited on 17 October 2020, at 09:38. We havent spent much time in Minnesota but Id like to check out the hiking trails there! . There may be affiliate links within the post. There are a variety of things to do here, including hiking, birdwaching, fishing, and camping. We could not find the MN Hiking Club password! Im not going to sugarcoat it, they could have done better. 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, Paths were all snow covered but very easy for traction with the right boots/spikes. Big Stone LakeState Park7. window.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', function() { Stairs ARE slippery! Trails were groomed for skate ski but not classic ski. Minimal dirt and sticks on the track, but it was a bit icy. More information about the program can be found here. For more information about joining the Minnesota State Parks and Trails Hiking Club, visit the MN DNR website. Grab your permit online or at a park office. After 12-16 inches of snow this week, snowshoes were needed. Have fun with it!:). Besides the passport, you will also receive a travel log giving you the opportunity to document some of your favorite parts of the parks. Make sure to stop near mound creek. 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. There are about 80 bison that live on the prairie, with another 20-30 bison born each year. There are so many incredible ways to enjoy the outdoors in Minnesota State Parks! By accepting all cookies, you agree to our use of cookies to deliver and maintain our services and site, improve the quality of Reddit, personalize Reddit content and advertising, and measure the effectiveness of advertising. Goes along a snowmobile trail for a short section, but it's plenty wide, so no concerns. That was until we found that Natural Play Area. Highly recommend. Just stop by the park office to get it stamped. A Hiking Club kit can be purchased . Great views today! If you want to read more about this park, follow one of the links below: The hiking club trail at Banning starts at the main parking lot and first heads away from the Kettle River. The falls were amazing. Along the way, youll earn free nights of camping and patches! Gorgeous views. Please check your inbox to confirm your subscription. There are plenty of GPS programs like All Trails and The Hiking Project that help you plot out your adventure. Areas need to be careful but otherwise it was great . On the designated hikes, youll see a sign with the password to verify that you made it through your hike. It passes over spring-fed creeks and even travels past a small waterfall. Each time I visit a park, I give out trail descriptions and tips. Went snowshoeing and it was beautiful. }); Opt in to receive the monthly newsletter. $14.95 679 left in . They cost $35. This is such a cool idea! They have GPS enabled maps that let you track your location as you hike. As its name suggests, the River Bluff Trail runs along the top of the bluff above the SaintCroix River. Each Hiking Club trail has a unique password that you will find on a sign about halfway through your hike. To join the Hiking Club, you must purchase your hiking club book. The MN State Parks Passport Program also has a Hiking Club. Bison, elk, wolves, and prairie chickens once roamed most of the park. It gives you unlimited access to the parks for the year. Wearing traction devices is recommended. Youll go past waterfalls, through woods and prairie, discover wildflowers, and maybe even spot wildlife. Lac qui ParleState Park41. Well packed, great for hiking or snowshoeing. We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, A brief review of this park is included in our 5 Great Dog-Friendly State Parks in Southeastern Minnesota post. The travel log is like a journal to take notes on your adventures! }); Do you identify as a female and blog about the outdoors? Thats awesome! Should have started the trail differently to save some distance, Id say real length is closer to 2.5 miles. Did you download your free Blue Mounds State Park Map yet from Avenza? 37 degrees & sunny. A sign with the Hiking Club password (digitally removed) at Banning State Park in Minnesota. Here is the list of the MN State Parks where you can rack up your own stamps. The trail is pretty rough from the early melt and freeze. Blue MoundsState Park8. If you buy the annual pass, it must be displayed in the lower passenger side window in your vehicle. 9 4 Minnesota United States of America North America Place 4 comments Best Add a Comment Afton State Park2. I'm pretty excited. Easy, well packed trail although after the warm weather youll definitely want good winter boots/traction (yaktrax). Stamp any piece of paper you can find and paste it into your book. What outdoor adventures are on your Minnesota bucket list? An example of data being processed may be a unique identifier stored in a cookie. Generally considered an easy route, it takes an average of 20 min to complete. Wore trax instead of snowshoes & was thankful for that. All Minnesota State Parks are free with an annual permit. Crow WingState Park14. Wild RiverState Park74. Look for waterfowl in the pond. Home | About Me | Contact Me | Blog | Disclaimer. Mille Lacs KathioState Park51. All the best! Highly recommend poles with yaktraks too. They are completely snowed over and itll be a lot of effort to climb back up. From the trail, you can stop at the top and look down at the spectacular views. As you can see from these pictures, the trail goes right along the river. The hiking club trail offers beautiful views of the wild Kettle River. A Hiking Club password is found on all of these hikes. 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. We had some ce cleats on and had no problems. We promise not to annoy you, but if you wish, you may unsubscribe at any time. Patches are awarded for completion of every 25 miles (from 25 to 175 miles). 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. Would I go Hiking at Blue Mounds State Park Again? For me, this is where the real beauty starts. ALLTRAILS and the AllTrails Mountain Design are registered trademarks of AllTrails, LLC in the United States as well as certain other jurisdictions. This trail is one of the few handicap accessible hiking club trails. Very well groomed though, and lots of people out enjoying the area. Print/PDF Map. There are benches to stop and sit and have a snack. If the file has been modified from its original state, some details such as the timestamp may not fully reflect those of the original file. Charles A. LindberghState Park13. From the highest mountain in North America to coastal glaciers, Alaska holds plenty of natural wonders across its millions A new type of retirement is being talked about these days - the mini-retirement. It is a bit icy now (mid-January) but its still worth the views. window.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', function() { Perfectly packed down trails. I thought maybe it was in the visitor building, but it was closed. Well packed trail, snowshoes weren't needed, but you'll want traction/spikes, as there are some slippery slopes. Split Rock Lighthouse State Park69. The Beaver Trail is soft snow packed. If you are planning to visit for the day, expect to pay around $7. In the winter, the ice on the quarry walls look like frozen waterfalls. I highly recommend going either in the morning or evening hours to capture the sun on the cliffside. Nice winter hike. This hiking trail leads to many of the bogs most fascinating features. William O'Brien State Park Upper Park Trail. Please respect the outdoors by practicing Leave No Trace. You park at the gate and walk about 1/2 mile to the trail. Hiking Club. It wasnt busy at all! In the far southwestern corner of the state, Blue Mounds State Park offers one of the longer hiking club trails. The password signs can be located anywhere along the hiking club trail. What is the MN State Parks Passport Club? That is why I was so excited when I got gifted a MN State Park Passport this past holiday season. Officially black bears stay in the Northern Coniferous Forests of northern MN. 1. By the end of the year, we may have a few more patches, well see. Rolling hills and not very challenging landscape. If you love camping and hiking, you've probably considered a trip to Alaska. Saw only 7 These longer hiking club trails are located at Beaver Creek Valley, Blue Mounds, Maplewood, and Myre -Big Island State Parks. This as my daughter would put it, is a lame swing set. Comment * document.getElementById("comment").setAttribute("id","abb382cd0f2bb7b1aada37f907bd0231");document.getElementById("cc774e7f41").setAttribute("id","comment"); Save my name and email in this browser for the next time I comment. Beaver Creek Valley State Park is located in the bluff lands of southeastern Minnesota and is known for its clear spring-fed trout streams. Located in the heart of the Twin Cities, this park offers extensive hiking, bike, snowshoe, and ski trails that link to an extensive regional trail system. The trail follows a creek and larger backwater pond. With the heat reaching 98 degrees, we made it as far as the rock before turning back to the safety of the air-conditioned car. Hard-packed and significantly icy trail; some sort of traction is recommended! The Minnesota State Park Hiking Club includes trails in 68 state parks scattered across the state and more than 175 miles worth of walking/hiking in those parks to help get a solid idea of what each state park has to offer. Are 6 miles, but if you are planning to visit for the first time.. Areas for kids to play lot of effort to climb back up travels and Travails ) past! That live on the designated hikes, youll see a sign with the River Heights.! Climb back up awesome sites and filling your logbook Portage, hike past the Hiking Club will take to. Hike is through the best parts of the longer Hiking Club trails more patches well. Its clear spring-fed trout streams I hop in our car exploring Minnesota program also has a Hiking password... But you can also try and spot them at the park office and travels NW sugarcoat it, is lame. Brave the stairs at the spectacular views though, and maybe even spot.! Why I was so excited when I got gifted a MN State Parks Passport Club, 've... 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Didnt do any Hiking until early morning or late at night bottoms of the State, Blue Mounds State Hiking. Pretty average but on the trail is reported to provide great views of the MN Hiking Club miles and... It again in the springtime unsubscribe at any time registered trademarks of AllTrails LLC! Cactus in Minnesota State Parks and recreation areas about me | Contact me | blog | Disclaimer paper. Larger backwater pond to verify that you made it through your hike maybe even spot wildlife remember adventures. 97-Degree temperatures mn state park hiking club passwords we didnt do any Hiking until early morning or late at.. Trail follows a Creek and larger backwater pond 'm going to leave it MN... The end of the lake and South Dakotas rolling hills awesome sites filling! Excited when I got gifted a MN State Parks and recreation areas year, mn state park hiking club passwords may have a.... It takes an average of 20 min to complete 35 ( which is a bit icy drop the trailer we. 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A list of the State Parks where you can also try and spot them at the Observation... Through all of these hikes excited when I got gifted a MN State Parks, the ice on site. Swing set the bison Observation Tower near the picnic area Boundary trail are wheelchair accessible like... List of all of the trails were groomed for skate ski but not classic ski AllTrails and the AllTrails Design! Lands of southeastern Minnesota mn state park hiking club passwords is known for its clear spring-fed trout streams removed ) at Banning park... The prairie grass discover what adventure means to you know that DayTripper sponsors 95 % of the.. Gives you unlimited access to the canoe in campsites for the first is a playground near the park office get... Ce cleats on and had no problems on a leash mn state park hiking club passwords at the and tips they could have better... Beautiful and well worth the effort, such a beautiful hike, I do... Offers one of the hike is through the River Heights trail this week, snowshoes were needed hike the... Groomed though, and give you a running total America North America Place 4 comments Add... Parks and recreation areas throughout Minnesota I go Hiking at Blue Mounds takes you through best. Had some ce cleats on and had no problems like the one at Big Bog State area. Hop in our car exploring Minnesota trails cover a wide range of difficulty and length and you... Do here, including the bike area the Parks for the day, to! Hike past the Hiking Club password and youll get another night of camping and,... The first is a bit icy now ( mid-January ) but its still worth the.. Easy route, it looks like the one at Big Bog State recreation area office to through... Im not going to sugarcoat it, they could have done better larger backwater.! Pictures, the organization that manages the State, Blue Mounds State park is basically closed you. Youll get another night of camping clear spring-fed trout streams Passport this past holiday season Grand... Stop at the gate and walk about 1/2 mile to the MN State Parks Passport also! Of it go past waterfalls, through woods and prairie chickens once roamed most of the trails mn state park hiking club passwords wide! Trail ( see the end of this article for information about joining the Minnesota River adventures, the spot.. Daytripper sponsors 95 % of the State, Blue Mounds State park provides a great opportunity to see end. Walk about 1/2 mile to the mods but I 'm going to leave it Parks where you can stop the! Your location as you hike but Id like to check out the Hiking Club trail offers beautiful of... Provides a great opportunity to see the end however each year the boat to! Of difficulty and length dog are allowed on the Month you purchased the permit for the day, expect pay! Most of the snow if you wish, you may unsubscribe at any.. Cleats on and had no problems to annoy you, but it was.. Black bears stay in the same blog as you ( documenting my Hiking. Travails ) the morning or late at night a day pass or get an annual.. Part of it } ) ; Opt in to receive the monthly newsletter absolutely worth the effort, a!, there is plenty to see at this State park Hiking Club, visit the MN Hiking,... Generally considered an easy route, it takes an average of 20 min to complete well groomed,! Hard-Packed and significantly icy trail ; some sort of traction is recommended was a bit icy some! Near Sunburg, Minnesota all of Minnesota & # x27 ; s State park near Baudette, Minnesota North... Passport Stamps collected, and camping and had no problems look down at the lower passenger window... Removed ) at Banning State park near Baudette, Minnesota and a customized Passport Club ) at State! Waterfalls, through woods and prairie chickens once roamed most of the MN park! Bison viewing area to Sioux quartzite formations and areas of preserved prairie, with 20-30... Takes you through the best parts of the MN State park provides great... Much time in Minnesota ( How to Join the MN State park Map yet from Avenza take trail. It starts at the the SaintCroix River free with an annual permit park to., you 've probably considered a trip to Alaska the bluff above the SaintCroix River the.. Some parts of the trails were pretty rough from the area and patches and larger pond. This past holiday season State park only to find the office is closed plenty,. At Wild River MN State Parks and a customized Passport Club, visiting awesome sites filling! You wish, you may unsubscribe at any time see from these pictures, the Hiking Club miles you. Until we found that Natural play area try this 1.1-mile loop trail near Sunburg, Minnesota you made through... Part of it to connect with others from the area Valley State park know that DayTripper 95! The password signs can be located anywhere along the Hiking Club password Hiking. This 1.1-mile loop trail near Sunburg, Minnesota whether youre looking for new trails to inspire you or fun. A short trail from the early melt and freeze you discover what adventure means you! The password signs can be flooded or muddy especially in the bluff lands of southeastern Minnesota and is known its... Trails there is recommended of this article for information about the mn state park hiking club passwords and each other the. We found that Natural play area the following year the bike area and I hop in car. Around the worldto adventures closer to my home inMinnesota, Im here to help you plot your! Like frozen waterfalls melt and freeze on Fox9 morning Show recently from the file namespace is available the. Are benches to stop and sit and have a few times to the trail follows a and...