Are you the kind of person who likes to "get away from it all" and take a walk in the woods? Do you find that the serenity of nature appeals to something in you? Do you wish to escape the madding crowd? If so, this may be the web site for you. It is intended to give up-to-date information on places to go in this area. Fortunately, there are a lot of good but little known local hiking opportunities in "wild" areas.
I hope you didn't stumble into this site accidentally while shopping. Nothing is for sale here except interesting experiences.
The information found here is based entirely upon the author's personal experience and observations. I visit these areas every year, and I expect to keep the information up-to-date. Many of the trails listed here also have winter uses (cross country skiing etc.).
NEW BRIDGE! The old bridge over Sand Creek at the Louisville Swamp unit of MVNWR was removed in 2007 and the Mazomani Trail has been closed since then. NOW (March 2010), thanks to "stimulus funds" the replacement bridge is in place! It is a very nice arched steel bridge more than 90 ft long. Click here for more information.
Lebanon Hills Regional Park. -- At almost 2000 acres it dwarfs such famed parks as NYC's Central Park. It is located mostly in Eagan (southern side).
Fort Snelling State Park. Located at the confluence of the Minnesota and Mississippi Rivers, it has several hiking trails in addition to the historic fort.
Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge. The MVNWR exists in several large parcels, running westward from the Megamall area to Jordan.
There is a new crossing over Nine Mile Creek -- see the info on the Lyndale trailhead.
Nine Mile Creek. (in Bloomington) A bit of "wild" in the middle of the city.
Barn Bluff (in Red Wing). A trip through the country to get there, but it has some unique attractions.
Mendota trail (paved). This paved trail runs from Eagan to Harriet Island Park in St. Paul. Walkers and bikes.
Cannon Valley Trail (paved) Cannon Falls to Red Wing along the Cannon River. Mostly bikes.
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Rules, Regulations, and Common Sense
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