An Ode to Minnesota Weather Minnesota 60 above zero: Floridians turn on the heat. People in Minnesota plant gardens. 50 above zero: Californians shiver uncontrollably. People in Duluth sunbathe. 40 above zero: Italian & English cars won’t start. People in Minnesota drive with the windows down. 32 above zero: Distilled water freezes. The water in […]
Winter isn’t all bad. Take the beauty of the Nemadji State Forest for example. Established in 1935 and part of the western Great Lakes forests (WWF Classification), Nemadji is located in northeastern Pine and southeastern Carlton counties along the Minnesota-Wisconsin border. The northern third of the forest drains into the Lake Superior Basin-Nemadji River Watershed, […]
This next addition to the #mnbucketlist is NOT for the faint of heart. Ice climbing is when you ascend ice formations like that of the frozen falls at Robinson Quarry Ice Park in Sandstone. Because of the incredible rock formations, Sandstone is a great place for mixed climbing where the ascent involves both ice climbing […]
Banning State Park is located directly off Interstate 35. Stretched along 10 miles of the Kettle River near Sandstone in Pine County, the park is known for camping, picnicking, and cross-country skiing. It is a favorite for those seeking beautiful trails, however, there is also quite a lot of history to soak in such as […]
Saint Croix State Park is located on the eastern edge of the Mille Lacs Uplands and borders Chengwatana State Forest to the southwest and Saint Croix State Forest to the northeast. The largest of Minnesota’s state parks, Saint Croix State Park follows the shore of the St. Croix River and contains the last 7 miles […]
(One more hiking spot and I’ll be back to the #MNGPHO2018!) Springbrook Nature Center is a metro oasis hidden away in a residential area in Fridley. The center has all sorts of educational programs, school programs, nature camps, and even an interpretive building. The 127-acre park and nature reserve include native prairies, oak and aspen […]
(Taking a break from the #MNGPHO2018 to bring you an exceptional hiking spot!) The Sherburne National Wildlife Refuge in Zimmerman was established in 1965 as a refuge for over 230 species of birds, 58 species of mammals, and 25 species of reptiles and amphibians. The 30,700-acre forested, marshy Refuge has massive bodies of water making […]
Blue Mounds State Park is in Rock County near the town of Luverne. Named for the linear escarpment of Precambrian Sioux Quartzite bedrock you can see protruding from the prairie polka-dotting the landscape. The old quartzite quarries in the park were owned and operated by the Luverne Granite Company. The stone was used to construct […]
Good morning, Minnesota. Is that a new coat you’re wearing? It looks amazing! Even though I woke up in the southwestern-most corner of Minnesota like this, I’ll be telling you all about blaze orange and warm weather of the #mngpho2018 over the next two weeks. Hosted by the incredible Luverne community, you can expect to […]
Grand Portage State Park is at the northeastern tip of Minnesota, on the Canadian border. Not actually owned by the state of Minnesota, this State Park is located in the Grand Portage Indian Reservation and is leased to the state for $1 a year. Interestingly, it is the only U.S. state park jointly managed by […]
Suomi Hills Recreation Area rests along the Edge of the Wilderness National Scenic Byway in Itasca County. Miles of wilderness invite you to immerse yourself in hiking, off-road biking, canoeing, and exploring. Access into Suomi Hills semi-primitive non-motorized area is by foot and non-motorized travel only but totally worth it for the beautiful views and […]
Continued. The northern portion of Big Bog State Recreational Area is composed mostly of wetlands. The bog’s geological patterns formed over the past 5,000 years, and you can see it still present in the glacial ridges, depressions, and ovoid islands. Considered one of the best-kept secrets in northern Minnesota, the 500-square-mile peat bog is the […]
If you haven’t been to Big Bog State Recreation Area in Waskish, you are really missing out. There is so much to write about this place, that I can’t even fit it in one post! Coincidentally, the recreation area also has two parts; southeast and northwest. Located on Minnesota State Highway 72, just north of […]
“The lake is where I bring my big questions. I’m reminded of my friends, my family, my childhood. In the solemnity of the moment, I am reminded of our short time on this planet and that these lakes we call “our lakes“ had names long before we were here.” ― Sky Blue Water: Great Stories […]
Lake Pepin, named for Jean Pepin who settled on its shores in the late 1600s, is the largest lake on the Mississippi River. On the border between Minnesota and Wisconsin, Lake Pepin is located approximately 60 miles downstream from Saint Paul. Although Frontenac State Park takes up a large part of the Minnesota side, the […]
“So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past.” ― The Great Gatsby F. Scott Fitzgerald (September 24, 1896 – December 21, 1940) Jazz Age Fiction Writer, Romantizier of the American Dream, Minnesotan
The Niagara Cave in Harmony is rated one of the “Top Ten” rated caves in the United States and is only a mile from the Minnesota-Iowa border in southern Minnesota’s Bluff Country. It was discovered in 1924 by a pig farmer and has since become a family owned and operated tourist attraction. It features stalactites, […]
Another MayDay Parade and Festival has come and gone, but how incredible it was! The free event takes place in the Powderhorn neighborhood in South Minneapolis. It has been produced by In the Heart of the Beast Theater (HOTB) since 1975, taking place the first Sunday of May. The festivities bring out more than 50,000 […]
Mille Lacs Kathio State Park, also known as Kathio Site, is a Minnesota state park on Mille Lacs Lake in Onamia. The park contains 19 identified archaeological sites, including Petaga Point, making it one of the most significant archaeological collections in Minnesota. The earliest site dates to the Archaic period and shows evidence of copper […]
