Sesquicentennial Spotlight Tour - Deciduous Forest
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Minnesota State Parks
Afton State Park -
Grand oaks and delicate prairie flowers grace the rugged, rolling landscape of this park. Trails traverse remnant and restored prairies, wind down deep ravines and rise up to the grassy ridgetops and bluffs overlooking the scenic St. Croix River. The trails are perfect for hikers, horseback riders and cross-country skiers. The park offers visitors a swimming beach, backpack campsites and a visitor center with interpretive displays.
http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/state_parks/afton/index.html
Park Location: 6959 Peller Ave South, Hastings, MN 55033
Distance from St. Paul, MN: 20 Miles
For more information, contact the park office at:(651) 436-5391
Charles A. Lindbergh State Park -
Located on the Mississippi River, Charles A. Lindbergh State Park offers visitors a quaint picnic area. The picnic area includes a historic Work Projects Administration (WPA) picnic shelter and a stone water tower. Fish the waters of the Mississippi River, canoe Pike Creek, or walk the trails amid grand red and white pine, aspen, oak and prairie. Look for bald eagles in the spring and fall. During your visit, stop in at the historic home of Charles A. Lindbergh, Sr., father of the famous aviator, Charles A. Lindbergh, Jr. The home is operated by the Minnesota Historical Society (MHS) and is adjacent to the park.
http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/state_parks/charles_a_lindbergh/index.html
Park Location: 1615 Lindbergh Drive South
Distance from St. Paul, MN:110 Miles
For park information, contact the park office at (320) 616-2525
Lake Carlos State Park -
Sculpted by ancient glaciers, Lake Carlos State Park contains a tamarack bog, marshes, woodland ponds, and lakes. A variety of recreational activities revolve around the lake. Clear and deep, Lake Carlos offers visitors a perfect setting for swimming, fishing, boating, camping, hiking and horseback riding. In the winter, ski from the tamarack bog to a maple-basswood forest.
http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/state_parks/lake_carlos/index.html
Park Location: 2601 County Road 38 NE, Carlos, Minnesota 56319
Distance from St. Paul, MN:150 Miles
For park information, call the park office at (320) 852-7200
Fort Snelling State Park -
Located in the heart of the Twin Cities, this park offers extensive hiking, bike and ski trails that link to Minnehaha Park and the Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge. Canoe on Gun Club Lake, play golf, swim in Snelling Lake, or hike on Pike Island where the Mississippi and Minnesota rivers converge. Interpretive exhibits and films on display in the Thomas C. Savage Visitor Center give visitors a good background on the history and resources of the park and area. Trails also allow visitors to hike up to the historic Fort Snelling for a view of military life in the 1820s. This is a day-use only park; no camping is available.
http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/state_parks/fort_snelling/index.html
Park Location: 101 Snelling Lake Road, St. Paul, Minnesota 55111
Distance from St. Paul, MN:0 Miles
For park information, call the park office at (612) 725-2389 or the Visitor Center (612) 725-2724
Glendalough State Park -
With more than nine miles of undeveloped shoreline and six lakes, this angler's paradise is one of the last large tracts of undeveloped lakeshore and land in west central Minnesota. In addition to the typical motorized boating and fishing opportunities offered in the park on Molly Stark Lake, Glendalough also offers a designated "Heritage Fishery" on Annie Battle Lake. This 335-acre lake, located near the park campground, was for the most part, a private fishing lake for many years, and its fish populations and sizes are more comparable to historic times than most public fishing lakes. Very large bass and panfish are still relatively abundant, as are walleyes of good eating size. Special experimental regulations are in effect to preserve the serenity of this undeveloped lake and give anglers the opportunity to catch these sizeable fish. As a result, visitors can experience fishing as it was 100 years ago. Check with the park for current fishing restrictions. No gas-powered augers are allowed during winter fishing. During spring and fall migration, to the delight of birdwatchers, the park becomes a major waterfowl staging area. Two observation areas in the park provide excellent opportunities to see wildlife activity. Hiking trails take you through oak and northern hardwood forests. One trail leads to a prairie hill.
http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/state_parks/glendalough/index.html
Park Location: 25287 Whitetail Lane Battle Lake, MN 56515
Distance from St. Paul, MN:190 Miles
For park information, call the park office at (218) 864-0110
Lake Louise State Park -
Lake Louise lures hikers, horseback riders, skiers, and snowmobilers to its trails, which wind through open landscapes and lush hardwoods. The confluence of the Little Iowa and Upper Iowa Rivers that occurs in the park provides water recreation. In addition, visitors swim, boat, or fish in Lake Louise. Hiking and horseback riding are also popular sports at this park. The lakeside picnic grounds and beach area draws visitors in the summer.
http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/state_parks/lake_louise/index.html
Park Location: 12385 766th Ave. LeRoy, MN 55951
Distance from St. Paul, MN: 120 Miles
For park information, please contact Forestville/Mystery Cave State Park at (507) 352-5111
Lake Maria State Park -
Visitors who come to Lake Maria State Park will enjoy one of the few remaining stands of the "Big Woods," a maple, oak and basswood forest that once covered part of southern Minnesota. The park is perfect for hikers, backpackers, horseback riders, and cross-country skiers who enjoy the challenge of the rolling terrain. Take a stroll on the boardwalk which winds through a marsh.
http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/state_parks/lake_maria/index.html
Park Location: 11411 Clementa Avenue Northwest, Monticello, Minnesota 55362
Distance from St. Paul, MN:50 Miles
For park information, please contact the park office at (763) 878-2325
Maplewood State Park –
The maple forest turns brilliant shades of orange, gold, and red in the fall. Eight major lakes and many ponds offer water lovers places to swim, fish, boat, and simply relax. Lake Lida has a sandy beach and large picnic areas for visitors. Drive along the scenic route to observe the wildlife: the park is host to 150 bird species and 50 species of mammals. The extensive trail system attracts hikers, horseback riders, and cross-country skiers.
http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/state_parks/maplewood/index.html
Park Location: 39721 Park Entrance Road, Pelican Rapids, Minnesota 56572
Distance from St. Paul, MN:215 Miles
For more park information, contact the park office at (218) 863-8383
Minnesota Valley State Park -
Just minutes from the Twin Cities, this state recreation area preserves part of the Minnesota River Valley. The Minnesota Valley Trail takes you along the Minnesota River. The section of trail from Shakopee to Chaska is paved and a natural surface trail runs from Chaska to Belle Plaine. The area is ideal for hiking, biking, cross-country skiing, horseback riding, mountain biking, snowmobiling and camping in one of the many rustic campsites. The landscapes are just as diverse as the trail system and include wetlands, floodplain forest and blufftop oak savanna. Wildlife observation and birdwatching are popular activities year-round.
http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/state_parks/minnesota_valley/index.html
Park Location: 19825 Park Boulevard, Jordan, Minnesota 55352
Distance from St. Paul, MN: 40 Miles
For more park information, contact the park office at (952) 492-6400
Myre - Big Island State Park -
This park has something for everyone. The trails take visitors around wet lowlands, oak savanna, and grasslands. Albert Lea Lake and park marshes draw hundreds of waterfowl during migration. Oak savanna and prairie landscape, including wetlands, dominate most of the park. One of the more unique aspects of the park is the 116-acre Big Island that is covered with baple/basswood forest. Another is the glacial esker located in the northeast section of the park.
http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/state_parks/myre_big_island/index.html
Park Location: 19499 780th Ave., Albert Lea, Minnesota 56007
Distance from St. Paul, MN: 100 Miles
For more park information, contact the park office at (507) 379-3403
Rice Lake State Park -
Long ago, American Indians harvested wild rice from this lake where today, the shallow waters and marshy edges of Rice Lake attract many waterfowl during migrations. Rice Lake is a major wetland in the area. Visitors enjoy camping under the tall hardwoods, photographing spring wildflowers, picnicking, and birdwatching. For a more secluded camping experience, paddle across the lake and camp in a canoe campsite. Winter activities include cross-country skiing and snowmobiling on the trails.
http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/state_parks/rice_lake/index.html
Park Location: 8485 Rose Street, Owatonna, Minnesota 55060
Distance from St. Paul, MN: 65 Miles
For more information, contact the park office at (507) 455-5871
Sakatah Lake State Park -
Sakatah-Singing Hills State Trail runs through Sakatah Lake State Park and stretches 39 miles from Mankato to Faribault. The paved trail offers hikers, bikers, skiers, and snowmobilers beautiful scenery through Minnesota's hardwoods. Sakatah Lake, a natural widening of the Cannon River, lures canoeists to paddle the calm waters, and anglers to catch walleye, large mouth and white bass, northern pike, and panfish. Whatever the season, visitors enjoy camping and picnicking.
http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/state_parks/sakatah_lake/index.html
Park Location: 50499 Sakatah Lake State Park Road, Waterville, Minnesota 56096
Distance from St. Paul, MN: 65 Miles
For more information, contact the park office at (507) 362-4438
William O'Brien State Park -
A great "get away" park only one hour from the Twin Cities, William O'Brien provides a beautiful setting for quality recreation along the banks of the St. Croix River. Hiking trails offer quiet exploration of the park's rolling, wooded hills. For anglers, the channels of the St. Croix have northerns, walleye, bass and trout. Ideal for canoeing, the river is also a migratory pathway that offers visitors an exciting diversity of sights and sounds. In the winter, snowshoeing, skiing and camping attract enthusiasts.
http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/state_parks/william_obrien/index.html
Park Location: 16821 O'Brien Trail North Marine-on-St. Croix, MN 55047
Distance from St. Paul, MN: 35 Miles
For more information, contact the park office at (651) 433-0500
Information and photos provided by the Department of Natural Resources: Parks and Recreation. For more information, visit the Minnesota State Parks website at http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/state_parks/index.html