Osprey highlight northern Minnesota trail past two ponds

Wildlife Pond at Moose Lake State Park.
 Photo courtesy of Minensota DNR. 

Rolling Hills Trail skirts
feeding area for nesting pair

Day hikers can watch a pair of majestic osprey feed on a trail in a northern Minnesota state park.

The Rolling Hills Trail runs about 1.8 miles round trip at Moose Lake State Park. A connector and an adjoining trail allows hikers to either shorten or lengthen the hike slightly.

To reach the trailhead, from Interstate 35, take Exit 214 (for Moose Lake) east on Minn. Hwy. 137. Turn at the first right/south into the park, and use the lot on the entrance road next to the park station.

From the parking lot, take the walking path heading straight east. At the first trail junction, go left/north and cross Hwy. 137. In about 0.1 miles from the parking lot, you’ll reach a trail intersection at the southern side of Wildlife Pond. Go right/east. You’re now officially on the Rolling Hills Trail.

This section of the trial passes the dam holding back Wildlife Pond. Largemouth bass, Northern pike, panfish and walleye all are common in the waterbody.

Osprey breeding pair
The fish provide a well-stocked grocery for a pair of osprey that nest in a dead conifer on the pond’s west side. Their nests, made out of sticks, are large with some running nine feet deep.

At the next junction, go right/east. This heads past the dam on the southern shore of a smaller pond.

This portion of the trail makes for great wildlife viewing. The osprey often can be seen gliding over the ponds as they feed. They’ll be the largest raptors in the sky – an osprey’s wing span can reach 71 inches across. Their heads and underside are a grayish white while the upper body is brown.

The trail is fairly level as it heads away from the ponds. In about 0.6 miles, it comes to a connector trail; taking the shortcut shaves 0.1 miles off the hike.

Continue on the main circuit, however. It initially descends a bit then as looping northwest rises, allowing hikers to experience why the trail received its name. After 0.4 miles, you’ll reach the other end of the connector trail passed earlier.

Shelter and viewpoint
In 0.1 miles, you’ll come to shelter at the junction with the Wildlife Pond Trail. Going straight/west onto it takes you around the north and west shores of Wildlife Pond, adding 0.3 miles to the total hike. A small section of that trail, however, often is underwater, so only hike it during dry seasons.

The shelter marks a good spot to view the osprey. Determining which of them is the husband and which is the wife can be a little tricky. Generally, male osprey have a slimmer body and narrower wings; the female osprey also have a banded breast. You’ll want to bring a binoculars to see that kind of detail.

After resting at the shelter, go left/south and follow Wildlife Pond’s eastern shore. A little more than half-way through, the other small pond appears on the left/east.

Ospreys are a remarkably successful species. They can be found all over the world and are the second most common raptor after the peregrine falcon.

In 0.3 miles from the shelter, you’ll reach a trail junction. Go left/west and repass Wildlife Pond’s dammed southern shore. After 0.1 miles, you’ll arrive at the stem trail that leads to parking lot; turn left/south and retrace your steps back to your vehicle.

Learn about trail guidebooks available in the Hittin’ the Trail series.

Ancient agates, loons, wild rivers await day hikers in Moose Lake area

Echo Lake Trail east segment.
Photo courtesy of Minnesota DNR.

Day hikers can discover some of the oldest agates in the world, listen to loons, spot otters, and walk along Northwoods rivers and lakes near Moose Lake, Minn.

Located in Carlton County, Moose Lake sits between the Minneapolis-St. Paul and the Duluth-Superior metro areas along Interstate 35. Its outdoors highlight is Moose Lake State Park.

Among the great day hiking trails in the Moose Lake area are:
g Echo Lake Trail west segment – Look for billion-year-old agates on the 1-mile west segment of the Echo Lake Trail in Moose Lake State Park. To reach the trailhead, leave Interstate 35 at Exit 214, taking County Road 137 east into the park. Turn right/south to the park office; past it, turn right/west into a pair of parking lots. The trailhead is on the eastern lot’s south side.
g Echo Lake Trail east segment – A total of 1.5 miles, the trail hugs the northeast shoreline of Echo Lake. Past the Moose Lake State Park visitor center, turn right/west to a pair of parking lots; the trailhead is at the south side of the eastern lot. Veer left/east at the first trail junction. Watch for otters and loons.
g Rolling Hills Trail – At 1.7-miles round trip, the looping trail passes two ponds. Park in the lot across from the state park visitor center, taking the trail heading east from the lot. Turn north at the first trail going left/north (Warning: the trail crosses County Road 137). At the next junction, the stem to the loop begins; go right/northeast, past the dam. Upon reaching the junction after that, head left/north. On the north end of Wildlife Pond at the shelter, go right/northeast. Ignore the next two trail junctions.
g Soo Line North ATV Trail – Moose Lake marks the eastern terminus of this 148-mile ATV trail that also can be day hiked. The former rail line, which largely runs through a hardwood forest, can be accessed west of town by parking at the end of North Kenwood Avenue south of Minn. Hwys. 27/73.
g Soo Line South ATV Trail – The 114-mile ATV trails connects to the North portion of the trail and shares its trailhead/parking area. The trail heads both north and south from this access point.
g Tall Pine Trail – The 1-mile lollipop trail starts at the parking lot across from the state park office. Take the trail heading east from the lot; the stem trail briefly joins with the Echo Lake Trail east segment.
g Wildlife Pond Trail – The 1.2-mile trail loops around Wildlife Pond. Start at the parking lot across from the state park office by taking the trail heading east from the lot. Turn north at the first trail going left/north (Warning: This crosses County Road 137). At the next junction, the loop begins. Go clockwise, always keeping the pond to your right when coming to other trail junctions. Watch the skies for bald eagles that have nested near the pond.
g Willard Munger State Trail – Park on  Industrial Road between Third and Hickory avenues. Going south on the trail takes hikers across and then along the Moose Horn River.

Read more about day hiking Northeast Minnesota in my Headin’ to the Cabin: Day Hiking Trails of Northeast Minnesota guidebook.

Willard Munger accessible in several cities

Willard Munger State Trail passes a rock cut between
Duluth and Carlton, Minn. Photo courtesy of Wikipedia.

The Willard Munger State Trail ranks as among Northeast Minnesota’s premier recreational routes.

The paved bike path stretches across three counties, running 63 miles from Duluth south to Hinckley. It’s the fifth longest paved trail in the United States. Day hikers are welcome on the trail.

The Willard Munger can be accessed in a number of other communities. Among them are:
g Barnum – A parking lot is on the south side of County Road 6/Main Street west of downtown. Going north, the trail crosses the Moose Horn River.
g Carlton – A large parking lot with picnic shelter is along County Road 1 (Third Street) between North and South avenues. This route heads east/north toward Duluth with a connecting trail to Jay Cooke State Park.
g Duluth – The northern tip of the trail can be accessed at a number of spots. Among the most popular with parking lots are (from south to north): off 123rd Avenue West via the Superior Hiking Trail; off Riverside Drive at Grand Avenue (Minn. Hwy. 23); and marking the trail’s northern terminus, off Pulaski Street east of Grand Avenue (Minn. Hwy. 23).
g Finlayson – Park on Finland Avenue (County Road 60) immediately west of Front Street. Going south on the trail heads past green farmland in summer.
g Hinckley – The southern terminus of the trail begins at a gravel parking lot along 2nd Street NW (County Road 18) between Old Hwy. 61 N and Root Avenue N. The trail passes the Grindstone Reservoir and dam with a bridge over the Grindstone River.
g Mahtowa – Though there’s no designated parking lot, a number of access paths run from parallel streets, most notably Minn. Hwy. 61 and County Road 141. The trail heading north of town is more wooded that the southern route.
g Moose Lake – Park along Industrial Road between Third and Hickory avenues. Going south on the trail takes hikers across and then along the Moose Horn River.
g Rutledge – Park at the City Hall and Community Center off Minn. Hwy. 23 N., taking a stem trail behind (north of) city hall to the Willard Munger. Heading north brings hikers over and along the Kettle River.
g Sandstone – West of town, park in a dirt pull-off along County Road 27 at the County Road 61 intersection. Either direction takes you through wooded areas and past bucolic farm fields.
g Sturgeon Lake – A dirt parking area sits off of County Road 61 north of 2nd Street. Going south takes hikers into General C.C. Andrews State Forest.
g Thomson – Parking is available off the west side of County Road 210 south of Dalles Avenue and north of the trail. Heading west on the trial brings you past some rock formations and to a bridge over the rapids-laden St. Louis River.
g Willow River – A parking lot is located at the end of Church Street, west of County Road 61. The north-bound trail heads into the General C.C. Andrews State Forest.

A branch of the Willard Munger, known as the Alex Laveau Memorial Trail Segment, runs from Carlton through Wrenshall east to Minn. Hwy. 23. Major access points for this segment include:
g Carlton – Use the lot along County Road 1 (Third Street) between North and South avenues; walk south along the side of County Road 1, accessing the trail after crossing Otter Creek. Head southeast through wooded areas and rock outcroppings.
g Wrenshall – On non-school days, park in the Wrenshall Elementary lot northeast of the building; walk southeast on Pioneer Drive for an access road to the trail. The southeastern route runs through a nice mix of forest and farmland.

Learn more about nearby day hiking trails in my Day Hiking Trails of Northeast Minnesota guidebook.