Willow River State Park, near Hudson, Wisconsin

Under an hour's drive from Minneapolis and Saint Paul is this lovely park in our neighboring state of Wisconsin. Excellent day trip!
The falls hike is about four miles round trip, not overly strenuous. Beautiful falls area where you can get in the water and even go behind the falls. Family friendly, but of course keep a careful eye on children in or near water. Rocks can be slippery.
Optional stair climb to an overlook.

Battle Creek Park, Ramsey County

One more great TC park for hiking is Battle Creek. Follow the sparkling creek as it bubbles its way along a rocky bed. Much of the trail is unshaded so bring a hat and sunglasses.Battle Creek Park, St. Paul

Copper Fall State Park, near Ashland, Wisconsin

If you are heading to the Lake Superior South Shore area in Wisconsin, you may want to make a stop at Copper Falls State Park, about and hour from Ashland. The most popular attraction there is the 1.7 mile falls trail. Lots of stairs, although they do offer a wheel chair accessible path also. The scenic views of the Bad River are lovely.
Copper Falls State Park

Pike Island, Fort Snelling

Another local scenic hike is Pike Island at Fort Snelling. It offers a walk in the woods along the Mississippi River. It was selected as a Best Urban Hike by City Pages; see link.Best Urban Hike, 2011, City Pages

Katherine Abbott Park, Mahtomedi, MN

We discovered a park today that offers some off road hiking on 76 wooded acres with lake and marshland in Mahtomedi on Lincolntown Rd. Katherine Abbott Park is a gem within easy reach of those in the North East Metro.Katherine Abbott Park

More North Shore Hikes

We drove up to Grand Marais this weekend and tried 2 new (to us) hikes:

The Eagle Mountain Hike ventures into the Boundary Waters Canoe Area. It's a pretty strenuous uphill hike with rocks, mud, and water to navigate. Good hiking shoes are a must. The overlook from the top is beautiful, and a just reward for a challenging hike. Allow about 4 hours for this hike and bring plenty of water and nourishing snacks. See the Photos page on this blog...

The Devil's Track River Gorge and Pincushion Mountain Hike is part of the Superior Hiking Trail. We did the Gorge portion only, having worn ourselves out on Eagle Mountain the day before, and wanting to save some energy to stop at Split Rock Light House and Gooseberry Falls on our way home. The payoff here includes beautiful views of the river gorge, tall pines, and aging birches. It's a moderately challenging hike through woods with some steep steps. See Photos page..

Hiking Tips on Youtube

The following clips provide some good general advice for hikers.


Hiking Tips for the Beginner


Beginner's Guide to Hiking