Minnesota Ag Connection - Find Family Fun at Minnesota Parks, Trails this Weekend

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Find Family Fun at Minnesota Parks, Trails this Weekend
Minnesota Ag Connection - 05/26/2017

There are plenty of fun places to go and things to do this Memorial Day weekend at Minnesota state parks and trails.

Here are some last-minute travel-planning tips:

Camping. Sites are still available. Reservations are now required for all overnight stays at Minnesota state parks and recreation areas, and many sites are already booked, but here are some options:

- Check www.mndnr.gov/reservations more than once. There are often cancellations, and the inventory of available sites changes all the time.

- Take advantage of the long weekend to explore Minnesota's northwest territory. Sites are easier to come by at the state parks and recreation areas in that part of Minnesota, and there are plenty of reasons why it's worth the drive:

- Zippel Bay State Park is located on south shore of vast Lake of the Woods, with a white sand beach.

- Lake Bronson State Park has an observation tower that people can climb for a bird's-eye view of the woods and wildlife below.

- Plan a route to include visits to other state parks along the way, such as a stop to see the Headwaters of the Mississippi River at Itasca State Park.

- Pitch a tent at a state forest, where no reservations are needed (or taken). Campsites at state forest campgrounds are all first-come, first-served.

Naturalist-led programs. There are more than 100 programs taking place at state parks and trails over Memorial Day Weekend. For example:

- Guided tours will take place throughout the weekend (and continue daily through Labor Day) at Forestville/Mystery Cave State Park in southeastern Minnesota and at Lake Vermilion-Soudan Underground Mine State Park near Ely in the northeast. Because the cave and mine tours are underground, it won't matter if it rains. Reservations recommended; visit www.mndnr.gov/reservations for more information, including times and prices.

- Free guided tours over, under and through the fascinating rock formations known as glacial potholes will be offered Saturday, Sunday and Monday from noon to 1 p.m. at Interstate State Park. No reservations required.

- Plus, live reptiles, voyageur canoe rides, star programs, and more. For complete listings, check the online calendar.

Discovery hikes. Look for deer, birds and wildflowers along one of the many scenic trails at Minnesota state parks and recreation areas. Pick up a Hiking Club kit ($14.95 at park offices), look for "secret passwords" on signs along specially marked trails and earn rewards.

Two-wheel tours. Bike one of Minnesota's many paved state trails. They're free and mostly flat, because many of them are former railroad routes, and many of them now have trailside tune-up stations, if there is a need to tighten brakes or pump up tires. Find a trailhead at www.mndnr.gov/biking.

Paddling. There are 35 state water trails, the newest of which is the 20-mile Shell Rock River. Many of the campsites along Minnesota's rivers are first-come, first-served and free.

See bison. See one herd at Blue Mounds State Park in southwestern Minnesota (and attend a program at 8:30 a.m. May 27, about how the park's bison herd links directly to the millions of bison that once roamed North America). Or drive through the bison range and see the other herd at Minneopa State Park in Mankato.

Fishing. Minnesota residents don't need a license and can fish for free at most state parks. Many park offices also loan out free fishing equipment for visitors to use. Or for people who have a license, they can wet a line at more than 1,600 fishing piers throughout the state. To find a nearby fishing pier, search by lake or county in the A-Z list at www.mndnr.gov/fishing_piers.

Geocaching. Try this high-tech treasure hunt. Many parks loan out GPS units and offer programs to get started, such as the Intro to Geocaching program from 10 to 11 a.m. May 29, at Wild River State Park.

For information, contact the DNR Information Center at info.dnr@state.mn.us or 888-646-6367 (8 a.m.-8 p.m. Monday through Friday, 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday).

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