Top fall hikes in southeast Wisconsin, Part II

Colonial Park in Racine, Wis.

There’s no better way

to experience autumn colors in southeast Wisconsin than a hike.

The brilliant yellows, oranges and red of maples to the
scarlet and russets of oaks...the crisp, fresh autumn air and the last warm rays of sunlight before winter arrives...

the crunch of fallen leaves and acorns beneath your boots...stopping to enjoy a warm mug of apple cider or a caramel apple pulled from your backpack – it all calls for an afternoon on the trail.

Fortunately, there are plenty of great autumn trails across southeast Wisconsin to hike. Some are right out your back door, while some are a day trip that you can do in an afternoon.

Racine County
Day hikers can walk across what used to be a terrace of ancient Lake Michigan and now is a wonderland of harvest colors in autumn. A 1-mile nature trail loops through Sanders Park Hardwoods State Natural Area, which is located within Sanders County Park. Among the highlights are gold-leaved basswood, wine-red white oak, bright-yellow black walnut, russet-colored red oak, lemony white ash, and a brilliant yellow elm-ash stand. From Racine, take Taylor Avenue south. Turn left/southwest onto Wood Avenue then right/east onto Exculpating Road where there’s a parking lot.

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Hikers can enjoy a bird sanctuary undergoing a major transformation at Colonial Park in Racine. The 1-mile round trip Root River Pathway makes two crossings over the waterway on its way to Lincoln Park. Many rare warblers stop in the park during the fall migration. An extensive effort is underway in the park to eliminate invasive species, such as buckthorn, reed canary grass, and garlic mustard, and to restore wetlands as well as replace ash trees ravaged by emerald ash borer. In 2019, a total of 175 small trees – birch and oak – and shrubs – elderberry, hazelnut, chokeberry and nannyberry – were planted in the park’s southern section, making for a great walk in which fall colors are at eye level. From downtown, take State Street west. Turn left/west onto West High Street. The road ends in the park.

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Hikers can wind their way through a thick oak forest at the Wehmhoff Woodland Preserve near Burlington. Each autumn, the leaves there turn from green to tan and russet. The 1.6-mile Wehmhoff Woodland Trail crosses the preserve’s 80 acres of hilly terrain; part of the route is a ridge overlooking a bog, where grasses dry to a bronze color that is brilliant in the sunlight. From Milwaukee Avenue in Burlington, go west on West Grove Street, which becomes South Honey Lake Road. The preserve’s entry road with a small parking lot is on the street’s right/east.

Walworth County
Among the best places in southwest Wisconsin to enjoy fall colors are its moraine ridges. They offer terrain relief and slopes where different trees can flourish. One great trail for hiking a moraine is the 9-mile round trip Lake La Grange Trail. Part of the trail climbs to a ridge 200 feet above the surrounding terrain, sporting a hardwood forest of yellow-orange-red sugar maple, bronze basswood, and gold to maroon-colored white ash. From Whitewater, take Bluff Road east. Turn right/south on Duffin Road. Park at the Ole Oleson Historic Log Cabin and from there join head east on the connector to the Ice Age National Scenic Trail. Go south on the Ice Age Trail.

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A pleasant walk through the woods past a tiny stream at Price Park Conservancy near Elkhorn will delight day hikers, especially during fall. The 0.51-mile Red Loop heads through a forest of sugar maple, shagbark hickory, elm, oak and dogwood and and a grove of evergreens near a tributary to Sugar Creek. In autumn, the trees turn orange-gold, with an occasional purple crown. From Elkhorn, take U.S. Hwy. 12 north. Turn right/east onto Potter Road. then left/north onto Hodunk Road. The parking lot is on the left/west.

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A pleasant walk alongside a small creek through a woods awaits hikers at Springs Park in Delavan. During autumn, the trees shimmer gold on the 1.3-mile round trip trail next to Swan Creek. The trail is located in the lower part of the 33-acre park. In Delavan, from the junction of Spring Lane and West Washington Street, take the latter east. Turn right/south into the park.

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Though known for its beautiful Lake Geneva shoreline, Big Foot Beach State Park is an excellent place to enjoy autumn leaves. Each fall, the leaves of hardwood trees turn gold, orange, russet and olive. One of the best routes for walking under the harvest-hued canopy is the 1.3-mile Yellow Trail, which loops through the park’s wooded western section and past Ceylon Lagoon. In Lake Geneva, take South Lake Shore Drive south to Buttons Bay. Turn left/east into the park and leave your vehicle at the first lot on the road’s left/north side. The trail is on the lot’s north side.

Washington County
Day hikers can enjoy the rich and varied autumn colors of sugar maple leaves on the Holy Hill segment of the Ice Age National Scenic Trail. The out-and-back trail runs 2.6-miles round trip in southeastern Wisconsin. It sits beneath the majestic Basilica of the National Shrine of Mary. The first stretch of the trail is fairly level as heading through a woods dominated by sugar maples. Aspen with its golden leaves and the evergreens white pine and white spruce dot the forest, making a perfect accent to the sugar maples’ yellow, orange and red crowns. From Hartford, take Wis. Hwy. 83 south. Turn left/east onto Wis. Hwy. 167 (aka Holy Hill Road). In about 2.5 miles, go right/south on Stationway Road. After about 0.1 miles, look for the parking lot along the road’s left/east side. There’s a small clearing with picnic tables there, and the trail runs southeast from the lot.

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Hikers can head to an observation tower atop one of southeastern Wisconsin’s highest points, which offers a beautiful view of fall colors. The Orange Trail in the Kettle Moraine State Forest-Pike Lake Unit loops along high ground past the spring-fed lake and includes a side trail heading to Powder Hill Tower for a 3.26-mile hike. Powder Hill is a glacial kame rising to 1,350 feet elevation, a full 35 stories above the lake. Sugar maple, basswood, and black, red and white oak dominate this area of the state forest. From Hartford, go east on Wis. Hwy. 60. Turn right/south onto Powder Hill road then take the first left/east to the Ice Age Trail parking lot.

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Great autumn views of a wooded valley await at the Glacial Blue Hills Recreation Area in West Bend. The Ice Age National Scenic Trail runs north-south through the recreational area. During autumn, the trees on the hills and in the valley turn amber, pumpkin orange, crimson and olive. From the intersection of U.S. Hwy. 45 and Wis. Hwy. 33, take the latter east. Turn left/north onto North 18th Avenue then left/west onto Beaver Dam Road. A parking lot is on the road’s right/north. From the lot, you can go either north or south on the Ice Age Trail. The north route goes 1.5 miles round trip to County Road D while the south route runs 2 miles round trip to Park Avenue.

Waukesha County
Hikers can head through a colorful oak woods and to the top of an observation tower on the county’s highest point at Kettle Moraine State Forest-Lapham Peak Unit. The ADA accessible 1.8-mile Plantation Path loops past prairie and through a woods of black, red and white oak, shagbark hickory, red maple, aspen, basswood, paper birch, white pine, and black cherry. A connector trail to the Ice Age National Scenic Trail leads to the observation tower atop Lapham Peak, which rises to an elevation of 1,233 feet. From Delafield, take County Road C south. Turn left/east toward the park office. Park in the Homestead lot.

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Hikers can experience brilliant autumn colors in a variety of ecosystems at the Retzer Nature Center in Waukesha. The 2.6-mile Yellow Loop heads through woods and an oak savanna as well as passes a prairie. The woods boasts ash trees, aspens, elms, hickories, sugar maples, and red and white oaks while the savanna features burr oaks. Leaf colors range from gold, amber and orange to russet, crimson and burgundy while the prairie grasses glow a fiery red. From the intersection of U.S. Hwy. 18 (Summit Avenue) and County Road TT (Meadowbrook Road/Merrill Hills Road), go west on the former. Turn left/south on County Road DT then right/southeast into Madison Street. The center is the next right/south. Park in the lots where the road ends.

Waushara County
A pretty walk along a quiet river awaits hikers on the Ice Age National Scenic Trail-Mecan River segment. The 3.4-mile round trip footpath heads beside part of the Mecan River, lined by beech, maple and hemlock, a colorful sight in autumn. The trail also crosses an oak savanna. From Coloma, take Wis. Hwy. 21 east then turn left/north onto 6th Avenue. Go right/east onto Chicago Road then right/south onto 6th Lane; a parking lot is on the left/east. Head south on the IAT and turn back at County Road GG.

Autumn hikes on Minn.-Wis. border, Part II

Brilliant fall colors can be seen along the Minnesota-Wisconsin
border from September and mid-October.

If living in a border

county or traveling near the Wisconsin-Minnesota state line, plenty of great autumn trails await.

Central and northern Minnesota border with Wisconsin mostly follows the St. Croix River from Prescott, Wis., to Lake Superior. Maple, basswood, oak, aspen and birch dominate.

Minnesota

Carlton County
Day hikers can cross a swinging bridge above a raging river running over nearly 2 billion-year old rock then enjoy incredible autumn colors at Jay Cooke State Park. The 1.5-mile round trip East Ridge Trail crosses and then partially follows the St. Louis river southeast of Duluth. A new $1.1 million swinging bridge opened in 2013. To the delight of most kids (and adults), the 219-foot pedestrian bridge bounces and sways. The rest of the trail heads through a hardwood forest whose green in summer rivals that of Oz’s Emerald City. The leaves turn an impressive array of yellows, reds and oranges as autumn sets in. From Interstate 35 take the exit for Minn. Hwy. 210, driving east through Carlton. The park is about five miles from the freeway. Turn right/south at the River Inn Visitor Center and park in the lot nearest the river. For more Carlton County trails, see Day Hiking Trails of Northeast Minnesota.

Chisago County
Hikers can follow some of the same footpaths and rail lines that the region’s first Swedish immigrants used to settle Minnesota on the Swedish Immigrant Trail. During the late 1800s, many Swedish immigrants took the ferry across the St. Croix River and then footpaths to their destinations. A spur off the St. Paul-Duluth rail route to Wyoming opened during 1880, helping speed the immigration inland. Perhaps the best of the trail’s completed portions is the Shafer Segment. Birch trees dominate in some sections, but the trail is mainly lined by mixed hardwoods that leave the path and its grass shoulders covered in an array of colorful leaves during autumn. Park on the street in downtown Shafer, off of Redwing Avenue near 303rd Street. The trailhead is near 303rd and heads for about two miles east of Redwing. Look for the white signs with the trail logo in the blue and yellow colors of Sweden’s flag. For more Chisago County trails, see Day Hiking Trails of Northeast Minnesota.

Pine County
Hikers can walk alongside pretty Tamarack River, where a variety of trees light up the trail in autumn. The 3.75-mile out and back Tamarack River Trail runs along the river’s west side before it flows into the St. Croix River. Rolling terrain features maple, basswood, ash, aspen, oak, tamarack along with the evergreens Norway, red and white pine. From Sandstone, take County Road 123 east then go straight-left/east on County Road 30. Turn right/south onto County Road 24 and then left/east onto County Road 25. After passing Markville Cemetery, take the next right/south. Park at the Tamarack horse camp and head south on the trail in the St. Croix State Forest. Note that the full trail actually is a loop but requires a river crossing, so that and the route on the river’s east side are not included here. For more Pine County trails, see Day Hiking Trails of Northeast Minnesota.

St. Louis County
A pair of picturesque waterfalls, footbridges, and a walk alongside Chester Creek await hikers on the Chester Park Loop in Duluth. Located near the University of Minnesota-Duluth campus, the 2.4-mile trail is particularly beautiful in autumn when the golden bronze of maple and basswood leaves form a canopy over the path and float upon the creek. In Duluth from West College Street take North 19th Avenue E southeast. Turn right/west onto W. Kent Road, then right/west onto East Skyline Parkway after the curve right/northwest onto Chester Park Drive. Park along the road then walk back alongside the road to E. Skyline Parkway and cross the bridge to the trailhead. For more St. Louis County trails, see Day Hiking Trails of Northeast Minnesota.

Washington County
The fresh scent of pine needles upon the pathway and the gentle rush of water along the river’s rock walls instantly lulls you into a feeling of serenity on the Riverside Trail at William O’Brien State Park. The 1.5-mile trail loops through a floodplain and typically is open during summer and autumn when water levels have gone down. Roughly half of the trail follows the river, mainly through a good mix of hardwoods common to a floodplain forest in this region. During autumn, their leaves turn gold, red, orange and brown. Across the water is Wisconsin, and with the two undeveloped shorelines, tranquility reigns. From Marine on St. Croix, Minn., take Minn. Hwy. 95 north into the park. Turn right/east onto O’Brien Trail North/County Road 33. The road curves south, dead ending in a parking area alongside Lake Alice. The trail begins at the picnic grounds immediately east of the parking lot.

Wisconsin

Burnett County
Day hikers can walk across an old railroad bridge over the St. Croix River at the St. Croix National Scenic Riverway and St. Croix State Forest on the Wisconsin-Minnesota border. The Gandy Dancer Trail, which starts dozens of miles south of the state forest in Polk County, at Danbury crosses the border into Minnesota. The trestle bridge segment is about two miles round trip. You’ll head through a forested area. The mix of trees near the riverfront yields a fantastic multi-colored leaf display in autumn. An added bonus for autumn hikers: You’ll probably spot a number of migrating waterfowl, including sandhill cranes. Also watch for bald eagles, osprey, northern harriers and hawks, all of which reside year-round in the area. In Danbury, parking for trail access is next to the walking route north of Hwy. 77 between and Hwy. 35 and North Glass Street. From the lot, take the trail north.

Douglas County
A walk along a pristine sand beach awaits day hikers of the Lake Superior shoreline in the Bear Beach State Natural Area. The unmarked trail runs for up to 3.4-miles round trip along narrow Bear Beach. Hiking the beach, you’ll get a good sense of what this area of the world looked like before Euro-Americans settled it. A thick woods hugs the sand’s southern side while the lake stretches wide beyond to the north. Though the forest this far north is heavy on the evergreens – especially balsam fir, white pine and white spruce – in autumn the yellowed-colored leaves of paper birch and trembling aspen and the spring green of speckled alder are well-represented. From Brule take U.S. Hwy. 2 west. In Maple, turn north onto County Road F. Next, go left/west onto Wis. Hwy. 13 then right/north onto Beck’s Road. Park in the dirt lot at the end of Beck’s Road near the Lake Superior shore.

Polk County
Day hikers can experience an autumn forest that looks almost like the one Native Americans and pioneers saw during the 1800s. The 2.9-mile Ridge View Trails near Osceola heads beneath a lush forest canopy in the St. Croix National Scenic Riverway and the Osceola State Fish Hatchery on a bluff overlooking a St. Croix River back channel. Sugar maple is the dominant tree. Each autumn, its leaves vary from yellow to orange or red. Basswood, whose leaves turn olive in fall, and white ash, which changes to a deep maroon, usually are mixed in the canopy. From Osceola, take Wis. Hwy. 35 north and turn north onto County Road S. The two trailheads are on the road’s left/west. Both trailheads have their own parking areas off of the road. Just beyond 93rd Avenue is the southernmost parking area, which is an excellent trailhead for either loop.

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The splendor of fall colors combines with a vista of the St. Croix River and fasinating rock formations on the Summit Rock Trail at Interstate State Park. The 1-mile round trip trail heads to a bluff’s highest point. Moss and autumn leaves cover the surrounding rock and ground while maples, basswood and eastern white pines line the trail. At the top, prickly pear cactus can be spotted amid the outcroppings. The highlight of the hike without question is the incredible view of the riverway from the summit. Looking north, the Old Man of the Dalles rock formation is visible. From St. Croix Falls, take Wis. Hwy. 35 south. Turn right/west into the park and follow the entry road to the parking lot across from the Lake O’ the Dalles.

St. Croix County
Tucked within Wisconsin’s dairy country is a hilly, wooded region that gives day hikers the chance to get back to nature. Glen Hills County Park offers a plethora of trails amid 700 acres of maple and oak trees. The 2-mile round trip Glen Lake East Trail goes downhill to a campground. Before hitting the trail, though, head to a scenic overlook of Glen Lake, ringed by red pines and hardwoods. From U.S. Hwy. 12 in Wilson, take County Road W north. Turn left/north onto Rustic Road 4 then go left/northwest onto Thompson Lane, which dead ends at the parking lot.

Pierce County
Hikers can walk through a rare old growth oak forest on the Purple Trail at Kinnickinnic State Park. The 1.2-mile loop sits near the confluence of the St. Croix and Kinnicknnic rivers. Pioneers and 19th century logging companies cut most of the trees in this part of Wisconsin, but the trail passes through one of the few woodlands to escape the ax. The oaks are majestic, especially when their leaves turn tan, orange and brown in autumn. The trail includes a deck overlooking the confleunce where eagles can be spotted. From Prescott, take Wis. Hwy. 29 east then turn left/north County Road F north. Turn left/west onto 820th Avenue then left/south into the park; follow the entry road west all of the way to its end and park in the St. Croix Picnic Area Lot.

Autumn hikes on Minn.-Wis. border, Part I

Mount Charity, Minnesota

If living in a border county or traveling near the Wisconsin-Minnesota state line, plenty of great autumn trails await.

Southern and central Minnesota’s border with Wisconsin follows the Mississippi River from Prescott, Wis., south to the Iowa border. Maple, basswood, oak, aspen and birch dominate.

Minnesota

Dakota County
Day hikers can enjoy modern sculptures in a forest setting at the Caponi Art Park in Eagan. A variety of pathways head through the 60-acre site that in autumn is made all that more magical by the changing leaves of birch, maple and basswood. Most of the sculptures were created by Italian-born Anthony Caponi, who as an adult adopted Minnesota as his home. From Interstate 35 in Eagan, take Diffley Road east. Turn right/southeast and park in the lot. The art park is on both sides of the highway with an underpass connecting them.

Goodhue County
Hikers can traverse the top and the base of a bluff looming 430 feet above Lake Pepin at Frontenac State Park. The 2.6-mile Bluff Side Loop Trail offers impressive views as it heads up and down the steep bluff with a series of wooden stairs and switchbacks. Fall is a particularly good time to visit with the bird migration through the area at its peak and the leaves resplendent in an array of harvest colors. A couple of picnic spots along the way offer vistas of the lake below with the visible Wisconsin shoreline about two miles away. From the park entrance, go left/northwest on County Road 28; follow the road to its end, where it loops back upon itself and forms a parking lot.

Houston County
Among the most scenic hikes in Minnesota is the Root River State Trail, and that’s especially so in autumn. A range of fall colors line the trail, thanks to the great variety of trees that grow there. Riverside features black ash, willow, box elder, cottonwood and elm while the highlands boast maples, basswood and oaks. A great segment of the trail to hike begins in Houston and runs 2.3 miles west to a picnic area for a 4.6-mile round trip. From Minn. Hwy. 76 in Houston, turn north on Plum Street and park at the Houston Nature Center. The nature center, as well as the International Owl Center just two blocks away, are well worth a visit, and if you have little ones, they’ll love the playground near the trailhead.

Wabasha County
One of the best urban areas in the Midwest to enjoy fall colors in the small town of Wabasha. For seven weeks from September through October, the small town celebrates a harvest festival. You can enjoy the festivities and take a nice stroll on the 0.8-mile round trip riverwalk. The Wisconsin shoreline on the opposite side of the Mississippi River is lit up in golden hues, the perfect match to the streets’ autumn decorations. To reach the riverwalk, park in downtown Wabasha. Finding a spot on Big Jo Alley near Pembroke Avenue is best, as the National Eagle Center is at the corner of those two streets. The riverwalk is behind the center.

Washington County
The fresh scent of pine needles upon the pathway and the gentle rush of water along the river’s rock walls instantly lulls you into a feeling of serenity on the Riverside Trail at William O’Brien State Park. The 1.5-mile trail loops through a floodplain and typically is open during summer and autumn when water levels have gone down. Roughly half of the trail follows the river, mainly through a good mix of hardwoods common to a floodplain forest in this region. During autumn, their leaves turn gold, red, orange and brown. Across the water is Wisconsin, and with the two undeveloped shorelines, tranquility reigns. From Marine on St. Croix, Minn., take Minn. Hwy. 95 north into the park. Turn right/east onto O’Brien Trail North/County Road 33. The road curves south, dead ending in a parking area alongside Lake Alice. The trail begins at the picnic grounds immediately east of the parking lot.

Winona County
A great view of the Mississippi River awaits at the Great River Bluffs State Park on the 2.2-mile round trip Kings Bluff Trail. After heading through a forest of white pine and the yellow to maroon-colored leaves of ash trees, the trail arrives at Kings Bluff, which offers a spectacular vista of the river valley below, a blue ribbon surrounded by the yellows of various birch and aspen. From Interstate 90 at the Minnesota-Wisconsin border, take County Road 3 north. Turn right/east onto Kipp Drive, which becomes Park Road. About two miles in, look for a small parking lot on the left/northwest. The trail heads northwest from the lot.

Wisconsin

Pierce County
Hikers can walk through a rare old growth oak forest on the Purple Trail at Kinnickinnic State Park. The 1.2-mile loop sits near the confluence of the St. Croix and Kinnicknnic rivers. Pioneers and 19th century logging companies cut most of the trees in this part of Wisconsin, but the trail passes through one of the few woodlands to escape the ax. The oaks are majestic, especially when their leaves turn tan, orange and brown in autumn. The trail includes a deck overlooking the confluence where eagles can be spotted. From Prescott, take Wis. Hwy. 29 east then turn left/north County Road F north. Turn left/west onto 820th Avenue then left/south into the park; follow the entry road west all of the way to its end and park in the St. Croix Picnic Area Lot.

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Amber, orange and crimson leaves surround and reflect off of the blue waters at Nugget Lake County Park east of Ellsworth. The Nook Trail and the Lake Overlook combine for a mile-long round trip that gets you up close to 117-acre Nugget Lake and to a great vista of it. From Ellsworth, take U.S. Hwy. 10 east. Turn left/north onto County Road CC then right/east onto County Road HH, which curves south. The park entry is on the road’s right/west side. Park in the lot where the road runs out.

Pepin County
Day hikers can explore a bluff steeped in majestic white oaks and legend high above Lake Pepin. The Maiden Rock Bluff Trail runs 1.4-miles round trip in west-central Wisconsin overlooking beautiful Lake Pepin. It’s located in the Maiden Rock State Natural Area, which preserves a blufftop prairie that turns golden in autumn. From Stockholm, take County Road J north. Turn left/northwest onto County Road E then go left/west into Long Lane. The road dead ends at a grassy parking lot on the blufftop. A trailhead is a few yards east of the lot and heads north from the road.

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Day hikers can enjoy a walk alongside a lake and through the woods on the Silver Birch Park Trail. The 0.6-mile round trip trail runs through Silver Birch Park to Holden Park Campground. As if it were a mirror, Silver Birch Lake impressively reflects the blue sky and clouds on days when the wind is low. The reflection seems to stretch forever – not surprisingly as the lake’s surface area covers 145 acres. A tree canopy covers the walking path, which makes for a nice autumn stroll when leaves change color. From Durand, head west on Wis. Hwy. 25 then turn left/south onto County Road P. Go left/south onto Silver Birch Road. At County Road NN/Round Hill Road, turn right/west. The next left/south is the park entry road.

Buffalo County
Day hikers can see ancient fossils on a spectacular vista that one time sat at the bottom of the sea. The 0.22-miles round trip Buena Vista Overlook Trail marks a must-see for anyone traveling the Wisconsin side of the Mississippi River. Located in Alma’s Buena Vista County Park, it’s an easy walk and a spectacular one in autumn. From the vista, a rainbow of leaf colors lead downhill to large swaths of gold around the Mississippi River. From Wis. Hwy. 35 in Alma, turn east onto County Road E; known as North Street in town, it curves and becomes Second Street then curls again as ascending the bluff. Near the top, turn left/north onto Buena Vista Road. The road dead ends at the park entrance.

Trempealeau County
Great views of the Mississippi River await at Perrot State Park. The 2.4-miles round trip Brady’s Bluff West and East trails are particularly impressive in autumn. Start up Brady’s Bluff West Trail and pause at the hill’s summit, which offers impressive views of the Mississippi River Valley, a brilliant blue ribbon through a forest of golden leaves. Descending the summit via the Brady’s Bluff East Trail heads through a woods of russet-leaved oaks. From Wis. Hwy. 35 in Trempealeau, take 10th Street west. Turn right/north onto Park Road, which becomes South Park Road. Park in the lot before the boat launch; the trailhead is on the opposite side of the road.

La Crosse County
Hikers can head through an oak woodland to the top of a bluff at Wisconsin’s Hixon Forest Nature Center. The 3-mile round-trip Lookout Trail, reached via a segment of the Sumac Trail, sits at the edge of the La Crosse metro area. The trail is exceptional during autumn when acorns and leaves cover the trail beneath a harvest-hued canopy. Fall leaves in their expansive canopy range from brown and wine-red to orange-red on the white oaks and the golden leaves, which are far richer than the yellows of the sugar maple, of the shagbark hickory. Also look for the hickory’s fragrant, edible nut; it has a sweet flavor. From U.S. Hwy. 53 in La Crosse, go east on La Crosse Street. Turn left/north onto Wis. Hwy. 16/Losey Boulevard North then right/east onto Bluff Pass Road and right/south onto Milson Court. The road ends at a gravel parking lot.

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Autumn colors and great views await in the Greens Coulee-Savanna Oaks site in Onalaska. The Mississippi River Valley Conservancy's 81 acres includes a scenic bluff that rises 400 feet above the valley floor adjacent to the city’s Greens Coulee Park. A 1.4-mile lollipop-plus route heads to the bluff's peak, where reds, oranges and yellows fill much of the fall canopy along the way. From the intersection of U.S. Hwy. 53 and East Main Street in Onalaska, take the latter east. Turn left/northeast onto Green Coulee Road then right onto Clifford Drive. Look for the kiosk at the of the cul-de-sac, where parking is available.

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Hikers can walk alongside and cross a stream via five different bridges on the Halfway Creek Trail. The 3.4-mile trail connects Holmen to the Great River State Trail in Midway. Maple, aspen, oak and the occasional pine line the creek, making for a colorful autumn walk. Start at Halfway Creek Park in Holmen; the trailhead is on the park’s southwest side. One good turnaround spot to avoid crossing under U.S. Hwy. 53 is the connector trail to Judith Court for a 1.13-mile round trip and three bridge crossings.

Vernon County
Hikers can step back in time and walk through the woods as in the days of old at Wildcat Mountain State Park. The rugged 2.5-mile Old Settlers’ Trail includes 390-feet of elevation change as heading through a forest of sugar maple, basswood and oak, all very colorful in autumn. An additional 0.8-mile round trip spur goes to the Taylor Hollow Overlook, which offers a fantastic view of the village of Ontario in the coulee below. From Westby, take Wis. Hwy. 27 north. In Cashton, turn right/east onto Wis. Hwy. 33. Once in the park, go left/east past the park office and at the split turn left/northwest to the Upper Picnic Area. Park there; a connector trail goes north to the Old Settlers’ Trail.

Wis. hike heads through sugar maple forest

The Holy Hill segment of the Ice Age National Scenic Trail heads through a
sugar maple forest below the Basilica of the National Shrine of Mary.

Ice Age National Scenic Trail-Holy Hill segment topo map.
Click for larger version.

Day hikers can enjoy the rich and varied autumn colors of sugar maple leaves on the Holy Hill segment of the Ice Age National Scenic Trail.

The out-and-back trail runs 2.6-miles round trip in southeastern Wisconsin. It sits beneath the majestic Basilica of the National Shrine of Mary.

To reach the trailhead, from Hartford take Wis. Hwy. 83 south. Turn left/east onto Wis. Hwy. 167 (aka Holy Hill Road). In about 2.5 miles, go right/south on Stationway Road. After about 0.1 miles, look for the parking lot along the road’s left/east side. There’s a small clearing with picnic tables there, and the trail runs southeast from the lot.

Kettle moraine
The first stretch of the trail is fairly level as heading through a woods dominated by sugar maples. Aspen with its golden leaves and the evergreen white pine and white spruce dot the forest, making a perfect accent to the sugar maples’ yellow, orange and red crowns.

The woods sits in the middle of the kettle moraine region, a series of deep glacial depressions stretching across this part of Wisconsin. During the last ice age, two glacial lobes met here, leaving a large amount of debris between them. As the glaciers retreated, an outwash plain of meltwater formed atop the debris with the ice trapped beneath it. As the buried ice melted, the outwash plain collapsed, leaving a bumpy terrain of small knolls and mounds. Sometimes a conical hill of glacial sediment and debris – called a kame – was left behind.

The Basilica of the National Shrine of Mary, Help of Christians, at Holy Hill is built on one such kame that rises in the east above the forest. Constructed in the late 1920s using a neo-Romanesque design, the basilica’s 192-foot high twin towers can be seen from several surrounding counties.

During autumn, the sugar maples’ colorful leaves often block any view of the basilica from the trail. The sugar maple usually grows between 80-115 feet high, though some have been known to reach 148 feet.

Sugar maple leaves
Despite the trees, your certain to hear the basilica’s bells tolling. Between their ringing, songbirds provide a melodic soundtrack punctuated with the staccato of scampering squirrels.

It’s a wonderful accompaniment to the crescendo of colors. The sugar maple is among the few plants whose leaves turn different colors from tree to tree.

Sugar maples contain three different pigments in their leaves. Each autumn when trees stop making food from chlorophyll, the leaves’ greenness disappears and those pigments stand out. Which pigment appears depends on how much sunlight they receive and genetics.

If a sugar maple is in the shade, it’ll turn yellow. If it’s in the full sun, expect red. The proportion of sun of shade, as well as the leaves’ DNA, affects how they change throughout the day from yellow to red to orange. Usually the top of the tree and its sides turn red first with the inlaid portion of the tree yellow.

Visiting the basilica
About 0.8 miles in, the trail begins climbing a knoll until reaching about 1220 feet elevation. It then descends quickly.

Sugar maples aren’t just loved for their fantastic leaf display. In spring, their sap is used to make a sweet syrup that most of us enjoy on pancakes, waffles and French toast. This is done by placing a tap into a hole drilled just past the tree’s bark. The sap is collected in buckets or through tubes sent to a large tank. It’s then boiled so the water evaporates, leaving syrup behind. About 40 gallons of sap must be boiled to produce a mere gallon of pure maple syrup.

At 1.3 miles, the trail reaches Donegal Road. This marks a good turnback point. If looking to extend your walk, the Ice Age Trail does continue onward by heading east along the roadside before darting south along Emerald Drive and into the Kettle Moraine State Forest’s Loew Lake Unit.

After the hike, drive up to the basilica, where from its spires at more than 1350 feet elevation, you can enjoy panoramic views of the surrounding woods (It’s 178 steps to the top!) and on a clear day the downtown Milwaukee skyline about 30 miles away. To reach it, from the trail’s parking lot take Stationway Drive right/north then at Hwy. 167 go left/west. Turn left/south onto Carmel Road. More than 500,000 people from all over the world annually visit the basilica.

Hike to waterfall, historic site near Stillwater

Sandstone formations along St. Croix Boom Site Trail.

Though known for its boutiques and restaurants, Stillwater, Minn., also offers a few good trails for day hikers to explore.

Among them are:
• Brown’s Creek Nature Preserve Ski Trail – The Brown’s Creek Park and Nature Preserve Ski Trail offers among the best day hiking option in the Stillwater area. It gives you a good sense of what a blufftop woodlands area is like. A parking lot is off of County Road 64/McKusick Road North past Maryland Avenue North. The Browns Creek State Trail, of which the ski trail is a segment of, also can be picked up on the north side of downtown next to the former depot.
• Fairy Falls Trail – A little-known four-story waterfall is located north of town. For years, the short quarter-mile round trip was located on private land but is now operated by National Park Service as part of a 55-acre addition to the St. Croix National Scenic Riverway. The Fairy Falls Day Use Area is open 8 a.m.–8 p.m. daily with the trailhead at the intersection of Fairy Falls Road North and Orwell Avenue.
• Gateway State Trail – The eastern terminus of the trail begins at Pine Point Regional Park north of Stillwater. A good segment to take is the 4.2 miles from the park to just north of Duluth Junction. Along the way, the trail crosses a creek and boasts two picnic areas. Much of this segment passes farm fields. A fee is charged to enter the park.
• St. Croix Boom Site Trail – Families can day hike a historical remnant from the St. Croix River’s lumber baron days north of town at a wayside off of Minn. Hwy. 95. The trail runs a mere 0.4-miles round trip but makes for a scenic diversion. A century-and-a-half-ago ago, the site was a bustling center of activity a where men pulled logs from the St. Croix River and sent them on their way to sawmills.

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

Great hikes await near Marine on St. Croix

Lake Alice on Riverside Trail at William O'Brien State Park. 

Walks along the scenic St. Croix River, a historic river bridge, a lakeside beach, and more await day hikers in the Marine on St. Croix, Minn., area.

The tiny village sits north of Stillwater and at the William O’Brien State Park entrance. It’s the site of the first commercial sawmill on the St. Croix River, dating to 1839.

Among the many trails in the area are:
• Arcola High Bridge Trail – An undesignated trail in the St. Croix National Scenic Riverway runs 1-mile round trip down a bluff to the a cedar grove and the St. Croix River just below the hundred-year-old railroad bridge. Park in the pullout along Arcola Trail about 3.5 miles east of Minn. Hwy. 95 south of town.
• Big Marine Park Reserve Trail – Hikers can enjoy a walk through a woodlands and on a long pier at Big Marine Park Reserve west of town. The unnamed trail in the fairly new Washington County park runs 0.75 miles round-trip.
• Falls Creek Scientific and Natural Area Trail – The primitive nature trail runs through several diverse ecosystems atop a St. Croix River Bluff north of town in Chisago County. An access road off of Hwy. 95 directly across from Pilar Road North leads to a parking lot.
• Jackson Meadows Trails – Several undesignated stacked loops run through a city-owned woods immediately east of Jackson Meadow. Pick up the trail at the parking lot on the west side of Jackson Trail near the Sandpiper Lane junction.
• Old Guslander Trail – A 0.66-mile trail loops through a city-owned woods adjoining William O’Brien State Park. The trailhead runs north from Old Guslander Trail North just west of the Broadway Street junction west of town; park off the road at the trailhead.
• Square Lake Park beachwalk – A beach stretches just under 0.25 miles along the eastern shores of a pretty lake at Square Lake Park south of town. Leave your vehicle in the Washington County park’s lot just off of County Road 7 south of the County Road 59 junction.
• Riverside Trail – Hikers can learn about the power of floods on the St. Croix River via this trail at William O’Brien State Park north of town. The 1.5-mile trail loops through a floodplain and typically is open during summer and autumn when water levels have gone down. Park in the lot alongside Lake Alice. Many other trails, including those through a restored prairie, can be found at the state park.

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

Variety of day hikes await in Afton, Minn.

Bison Observation Platform at Belwin Conservancy near Afton,
Minn. Courtesy of Belwin Conservancy.

St. Croix River beaches, quiet woodlands, and restored prairie await day hikers in the Afton, Minn., area.

The small community sits east of St. Paul just south of Interstate 94 along the Wisconsin border. It boasts a state park, a nature conservancy, and several small city parks.

Among the day hiking trails in the Afton area:
• Afton to Lakeland Trail – The 3.4-mile (one-way) trail connects the communities of Afton and Lakeland. Parking is available near either trailhead, which are on Pike Avenue close to the city hall in Afton and at Crocker Park in Lakeland. The trail parallels County Road 18.
• Aftonwood Park Walking Path – A trail runs through the 7.74-acre wooded park, which contains a steep ravine. The park is located between Osgood Avenue and County Road 21.
• Bison Observation Trail – A short trail leads along a fence and to a 20-foot high observation platform overlooking a prairie area containing bison at Belwin Conservancy. Parking is available at the trailhead, off of Division Street east of Stagecoach Trail north of Afton.
• Kettlekamp Prairie Trail – An observation tower overlooking a restored prairie awaits on this trail at the Belwin Conservancy. Though privately owned, the nature preserve just north of Afton is open to the public. The Kettlekamp trail runs about 0.75 miles in the conservancy's northwest corner. Several other trails also can be found at the conservancy.
• Meadow Ridge Walking Path – A woodchip path with benches runs through the 10.4-acre Meadow Ridge Park located at the corner of E. Oakgreen Circle and Nybeck Avenue South. Park off of the street.
• North River Trail – A pleasant walk alongside the widest section of the St. Croix River can be enjoyed on the North River Trail at Minnesota’s Afton State Park. The 2.2-miles round trip also offers the opportunity for a swim to cool off when the walk is all over. Several other trails also can be found at the state park.
• Remus Park Trail – A gravel trail runs north-south through the 5-acre park, connecting Parsons Court South and Pheasant Court South. Bicycles and horse riding are allowed on the trail.
• Steamboat Park walking paths – Undesignated walking paths wind through the 27-acre city park south of the marina and along the St. Croix River. Mature maples, oaks and cottonwoods grow in the park; be aware that parts of it can flood in spring.

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

Minn.’s Washington County delivers on trails

Sandstone formations along the St. Croix River at historic Boom Site.

Located along the St. Croix National Scenic Riverway, Minnesota’s Washington County offers a number of great day hiking experiences.

Along the St. Croix River, the county boasts two state parks, including Afton on scenic Lake St. Croix and William O’Brien near Marine on St. Croix. Both parks include river access and trails heading through woodlands and restored prairies.

Also on the river or within viewing distance of it are the Carpenter Nature Center (which boasts apple orchards), St. Croix Bluffs Regional Park, and Belwin Conservancy (which includes a raised platform for watching a small buffalo herd). In the scenic riverway itself is four-story Fairy Falls and the historic Boom Site with its sandstone formations, both just north of Stillwater.

Inland, several county parks deliver impressive hiking opportunities. Most notable among them are Cottage Grove Ravine Regional Park, Lake Elmo Park Reserve, and Big Marine Park Reserve. The latter heads around lakes.

All the parks are within an hour’s drive of most of the Minneapolis-St. Paul metro area and west-central Wisconsin.

Learn more about nearby day hiking trails in my Day Hiking Trails of St. Croix County guidebook.

Trail circles reseeded prairie at preserve

Kettlekamp Prairie and the observation tower overlooking it.
Photo courtesy of Belwin Conservancy.

Kettlekamp Prairie Trail

New tower
stands over
grassland

An observation tower overlooking a restored prairie awaits day hikers on the Kettlekamp Prairie Trail at Minnesota’s Belwin Conservancy.

Though privately owned, the nature preserve just east of Minneapolis-St. Paul is open to the public. The Kettlekamp trail runs about 0.75 miles in the conservancy's northwest corner.

Restored lands
To reach the trail, from Interstate 94, head south on Minn. Hwy. 21/Stagecoach Trail (Note that if coming from the east, you’ll want to exit onto the wayside and then take a short connector road from its west side to Hwy. 21.). After passing Indian Trail South, turn left/east onto the conservancy’s entry road. At the park’s headquarters, go left/north; park where the road ends at the nature center.

The trailhead is at the observation tower near the center’s front. Go right/south onto the trail, which along with red pines rings the Kettlekamp Prairie.

The opening section for the trail descends somewhat but is wide and easily to follow. As it’s an open area, you’ll definitely need either sunhat or sunscreen.

Kettlekamp is the largest of several open spaces being restored as prairie at Belwin. Well over 150 acres of prairie has been reseeded there.

Seed scavenging
At around $1000 per acre to replant prairies with a healthy seed mix, Belwin uses a couple of combines to harvest its own land to keep costs down. Seeds come from two major native prairie grasses – Indian grass and big bluestem – as well as a number of flower species can’t be obtained that way.

To overcome that problem, Belwin volunteers engage in the ancient practice of seed scavenging – or harvesting the seeds by hand.

During September and October, Belwin hosts a few seed collection events in which Indian grass and big bluestem seeds are picked at the Stagecoach Prairie Natural area. Through the winter, the seeds dry on tarps, then in spring are run through a hammermill so they can be broken into chaff and planted.

As the loop nears its end, you’ll have to ascend back toward the tower. Once you’ve arrived there, take a walk to the tower’s top, which offers a great view of the St. Croix River and far Wisconsin shore to the southeast.

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

Multi-use trail crosses Twin Cities' east side

Pine Point County Park along Gateway State Trail.
Photo courtesy of Minnesota DNR.

Gateway State Trail heads about 10 miles through Washington County, Minn.

A former rail line turned multi-use trail offers a number of walking experiences for hikers on Minneapolis-St. Paul’s east side.

18-mile Gateway State Trail stretches from Pine Point County Park northwest of Stillwater, Minn., to St. Paul’s Cayuga Street in neighboring Ramsey County. At one time, the trail was a Soo Line Railroad grade.

As a former rail line, the trail is level, and with it now paved, is wheelchair accessible.

The more rural section of the trail is in Washington County, where there are three access points with parking lots. Four such access points can be found in Ramsey County.

Starting from the northeast corner and heading southwest toward St. Paul, those points include:

Pine Point County Park
The trail runs 4.2 miles to just north of Duluth Junction. Along the way, the trail crosses a creek and passes two picnic areas. Much of this segment passes farm fields; west of the bridge over Manning Avenue, some of those fields are being converted back to prairie, just as the pioneers found them back in the mid 1850s. An unpaved parallel trail is for horseback riding. A fee is charged to enter the park.

Gateway Trail Bridge over Minn. Hwy. 96 bridge
The next segment, which runs 4.9 miles to a parking lot off of 55th Street east of Hadley Avenue, is increasingly more urban. The trail begins with a nice stretch near Lake Masterman but by its end crosses busy Minn. Hwy. 36 and Interstate 694. The horseback trail ends at the western end of this segment. Parking is located in a lot off of Minn. Hwy. 96 where the trail’s bridge crosses the road.

55th Street parking lot
The next 2.3 miles mostly parallels busy Hwy. 36 as it leaves Washington County for a parking lot off of 2nd Street North between North St. Paul Drive and 4th Avenue east in North St. Paul. The 55th Street north lot marks the trail’s half-way point.

Plans call for extending the trail northeast from Pine Point Park to William O’Brien State Park.

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

Variety of trails run through Lake Elmo park

Lake Elmo. Photo courtesy of Washington County Parks.

Trails around scenic ponds, through rolling meadows, and past pretty lakes await day hikers at the Lake Elmo Park Preserve in eastern Minnesota.

To reach the park, from Interstate 94 in Woodbury, take Keats Avenue north. At 10th Street, continue straight/north into the park. Parking lot No. 1 is the first and southern lot; No. 2 is the second and northern lot.

While several trails crisscross the reserve, six trails in particular stand out for day hikers:
• Red (Eagle Point) Trail – Among the more park's popular trails, the 3.7-mile loop circles Eagle Point Lake through woods and rolling prairie. Use parking lot No. 1 and head south, going clockwise about the lake.
• Blue (Big Bluestem) Trail – The only park trail dedicated solely to hiking/snowshoeing, the 2.5-mile lollipop trail circles two ponds in a meadow. Use parking lot No. 2 and head north at Trail Junction 32.
• Orange (Bur Oak) Trail – At 2.1 miles, the looping trail heads past two ponds and a small portion of southeast Lake Elmo. Use parking lot No. 1 and begin the route at Trail Junction 3.
• Yellow (Northern Lights) Trail – The 1.2 -miles round trip trail covers the southern portion of the Orange Trail with an additional segment alongside a pond. Park in the same lot and use the same trailhead as for the Orange Trail.
• Green (Lake Elmo) Trail – The scenic 2.3-mile loop passes Margaret Lake, Brown's Pond, and the south side of Lake Elmo. Use the same parking lot and trailhead (except go south) as for the Orange and Yellow trails.
• Brown (Brown's Pond) Trail – For a loop around Brown's Pond that also passes Margaret Lake, try this 2.6-mile trail. Use the same parking lot and trailhead as for the Green Trail.
• Black Trail – The paved trail runs alongside the park entry road through the reserve’s heart and forms a couple of stacked loops on Lake Elmo’s northwest side with some stems to nearby subdivisions.

Each of the trails, except for the Blue and Black, can be cross country skied during winter.

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

Hiking trail circles pretty lake in Twin Cities

Red Trail loops
Eagle Point Lake
on cities' east side

Day hikers can enjoy a leisurely stroll around a scenic lake on the Red Trail at Minnesota’s Lake Elmo Park Reserve.

While several trails crisscross the Washington County park, the one circling Eagle Point Lake offers pretty views and is among the easier to follow. The hard-packed gravel Red Trail forms a 3.7-mile loop.

To reach the trailhead, from Interstate 94 in Woodbury, take Keats Avenue north. At 10th Street, continue straight/north into the park. Use the parking lot on the north shore of Margaret Lake. From the lot's west side, go left/south on the trail to head clockwise around the lake. In short order, you’ll arrive at Eagle Point Lake’s southwest shore.

Woods and meadows
The trail’s southern side is wooded with a variety of trees, including oaks, maples, paper birches and cottonwoods but also a variety of evergreens, particularly cedar, spruce and white pine. This section of the trail makes for a pleasant autumn walk. Patches of meadows featuring islands of ash trees sit amid the woodlands.

Upon reaching a shelter on the lake’s west side, though, the feel of the trail changes. The western and northern sides of the trail run alongside more open and gently rolling oak prairie that feature wildflowers and spruce.

About half-way up the lake’s west side, hikers will notice a windmill left from the days when this section of the suburbs consisted of farms. Lines of evergreens grow across the preserve, most of them planted by those farmers as wind breaks.

Upon crossing Farney Creek, the trail is nearing the lake's northern end. While shallow, Eagle Point Lake makes up for it in surface area at 111 acres. The lake used to be larger, and the trail essentially follows what at one time was its old sandy bottom. Eagle Point is so named because eagles used to nest on one of its peninsulas.

Wildlife
The crossing over Raleigh Creek marks the rounding of the lake's northern tip. Red oaks grow on a knoll to the left/north while on the right/south are the foundations of a former dock. Hikers also can see across the entire length of the lake from a small viewpoint.

As traveling down the lake’s northeast side, hikers are likely to see white-tailed deer if not their tracks on the trail. Raccoons and foxes also reside in park, and the underbrush on this section of the trail makes a perfect habitat for them.

At Trail Junction 29, turn right/southeast then cross another creek. Upon reaching Trail Junction 30, go straight/east, but if your dawgs are tired, take a shortcut by turning onto the Blue Trail. If staying on the main Red Trail, at Trail Junction 31, go south back to parking lot.

As most of trail heads through meadows or the marsh grass-lined lake, it is exposed to the sunlight, so don a sunhat and sunscreen. Also note that the trail sometimes is referred to as Eagle Point Loop; it’s used as a cross country ski trail in winter, and is referred to here by that name.

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

Minn. loop heads through wooded ravines

Ravine Trail. Photo courtesy of Washington County Parks.

Hardwood forest
makes for great
autumn walk

Day hikers can explore wooded gorges that run near the Mississippi River in Cottage Grove Ravine Regional Park.

The 2-mile packed turf Ravine Trail loops through Washington County Park in Cottage Grove, Minn., a suburb of Minneapolis-St. Paul. Because of the varied hardwood trees, the trail makes for a pretty autumn walk.

To reach the trail, from U.S. Hwy. 61 in Cottage Grove go northeast on County Road 19 then right/southeast onto E. Point Douglas Road. The park service road is a left/northeast turn. Head to the second parking lot located where the entry road loops back on itself. A playground, picnic tables, and restrooms can be found in this area.

From the parking lot, head northeast on the far-right trail. It climbs up the ravine through stands of ash, birch and maple.

Ravines are deep, narrow steep-sided gorges formed by running water. They are much narrower than a canyon yet much wider than a gully.

At trail junction 2 (numbered markers appear on the path), go right/northeast. Aspens are more prevalent there.

The trail next follows a grassy area for about 0.2 miles. At both trail junctions 5 and 6, continue straight/northwest.

Varied wildlife
The route leaves the grassy area at trail junction 7 as it reaches the top of the ravine and enters a stands of upland oaks, cedars and aspens with an understory of snowberry and sumac. Junction 7 is the park’s highest point.

The ravine slopes receive different sun exposures, resulting in varied habitats supporting a variety of wildlife. Among them are cottontail rabbits, deer, ermine, grouse, and several bird species. Listen for the tap, tap, tap of the pileated woodpecker in spring and early summer.

Next, the trail curves north through a meadow with tree islands. At the four-way trail junction 8, go left/west.

From there, the trail descends steeply back into a ravine. As it does, notice how which trees are dominant changes again. The understory also differs with more prickly ash and sumac appearing.

At trail junction 15, go left/southwest. The trail curves southwest and descends steadily.

Miniature bluffs
Water running through these ravines ultimately flows into the Mississippi River about a mile to the southwest. In many ways, the ravines are miniature models of bluffs on the St. Croix River, which also flows into the Mississippi a few miles to the west.

As closing on the loops’ southern end, a spur trail leads to a pond about 40 yards on the left. Ducks and a few other shorebirds usually spend summers there.

South of the pond, the main trail begins to curve more sharply east. At trail junction 16, go straight/southeast.

The trail then comes to the lake shoreline, which it follows for about 0.2 miles. Upon reaching the picnic area near trailhead, you’ll have completed the loop and should easily be able to spot the parking lot.

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

Hike crosses moraine at new Minnesota park

Fishing pier on Big Marine Lake.
Photo courtesy of http://www.co.washington.mn.us. 

Day hikers can enjoy a walk through a woodlands and on long pier at Big Marine Park Reserve in east-central Minnesota.

The unnamed trail in the Washington County park – christened here for convenience’s sake – runs 0.75 miles round-trip. The park is roughly equidistant between the communities of Marine on St. Croix, Hugo and Forest Lake.

A fairly new park, Big Marine opened in 2008. It currently consists of 657 acres and features a swimming beach. Plans call for expanding the preserve to 1800 acres with about four-fifths of it set aside as a prairie-like area similar to the way pioneers found it when first settled there.

To reach the park, from Minn. Hwy. 95 in Marine on St. Croix, head west on County Hwy. 4 (aka 170th St. N.). Turn right/north onto Morning Trail North. The park entry road (aka Lomond Trail North) is on the right/east. When the entry road splits, go straight/west, following it to the last/northernmost parking lot (the road loops back onto itself at the lot).

The turf trail leaves from the park's western side, entering a deciduous forest, which makes for a colorful walk in autumn. Sitting between two wetlands, the woods is atop a ground moraine, or sediment – usually sand, clay and boulders – deposited in piles as the glacier retreated at the end of the last ice age.

Upon reaching the intersection with the paved trail, retrace your steps back to the parking lot. Once at the lot, cross to its northeast corner, where a dirt path leads to a fishing pier on the south side of Big Marine Lake; the pier is 100-feet long and handicap accessible.

A popular fishing lake, Big Marine sports populations of bluegill, crappie, largemouth bass, northern pike, walleye. Fishing poles and tackle available at the park's contact station, just in case you forgot your own.

One more caveat: Dogs are allowed on the park's trails but must be leashed.

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

Minnesota trail features live beaver lodge

Beaver Lodge Trail. Photo courtesy of Minnesota DNR.

Route crosses oak savanna
on way to pond, wetlands

Day hikers can see a working beaver lodge on a short trail at Minnesota’s William O’Brien State Park.

The 0.7-mile Beaver Lodge Trail loops a wetlands where beavers have created a small pond. With the connecting trails, hikers will walk 1.7-miles round trip.

To reach the trail, from Stillwater, Minn., head north on Minn. Hwy. 95 to the park entrance. At the first junction, go left/southeast then turn at the left/southwest into a parking lot at the visitor center.

From there, walk the Wedge Hill Savanna Trail south, staying on that loop’s western side. The trail heads alongside a woodlands, the scent of dry oak leaves heavy on the air, as pileated woodpeckers tap-tap against the trees and warblers sing an array of melodies.

At the next junction, go left/west 0.2 miles. Here, the woods opens up to an oak savanna.

Tough lodge
Next, go left/south onto the Wetland Trail. When the trail splits in a few feet, it’s reached the Beaver Lodge Trail loop. A pond stretches between the two trails. Take the trail going left/south alongside the pond. You’ll quickly spot the beaver lodge sitting near the pond’s northern end.

Beaver lodges primarily provide a home so they are safe from predators. Though constructed of twigs and branches, it’s covered in mud that when frozen in winter is as hard as concrete.

If their lodges look like mansions, that’s because beavers are larger than most people think. They’re usually 35 to 40 inches long and weigh 40 to 50 pounds, but large males can be up to five feet long and top the scales at 90 pounds.

Should you be lucky, you’ll spot a beaver swimming about the pond. Don’t be surprise if you hear what sounds like a gunshot – it’s just a beaver snapping its tail against the water to warn its family of your approach.

Ideally adapted
Beavers are ideally adapted to living in water and can remain submerged for up to 20 minutes. Their tails act as rudders and propellers, while nictitating membranes cover the eyes to act as goggles when in the water. Their lips close behind the front teeth so that it can carry a branch in its mouth but not drown.

In a third of a mile from where the trail split, you’ll reach an intersection with the Wedge Hill Savanna Trail. Go right/west to stay on the Beaver Lodge Loop.

The trail circles about a wetlands where you may see signs of the beavers’ logging. With iron in their teeth and super strong jaws, beavers can chew through a 6-inch diameter tree in a mere 15 minutes. A single beaver can fell hundreds of trees a year.

In 0.2 miles, the loop intersects with the Wetland Trail. Go right/northeast. In another 0.2 miles, the trail reaches the split at the head of the beaver pond. From there, retrace your steps to the parking lot.

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

Video of Minnesota’s Boom Site Trail

Day hikers can enjoy fascinating sandstone bluff formations at the St. Croix Boom Site Trail north of Stillwater, Minn.

The St. Croix Boom Site Trail runs a mere 0.4 miles round trip but makes for a scenic afternoon diversion. It’s located in the St. Croix National Scenic Riverway.

The Cambrian-era sandstone formed around 485 million years old when this part of the world sat under a shallow, tropical sea. Flashfloods from melting glaciers swept through the area carved out the cliffs and river valley a mere 10,000 years ago.

Here’s a video of some of the sandstone formations taken along the trail:

To reach the trail, from downtown Stillwater drive north on Minn. Hwy. 95. Watch for the signs; after Pawnee Avenue North, there’s a turnoff for the Boom Site on the right/east. Park in the looping access road. The trailhead is south of the lot’s access road. The Boom Site is a brief 50-foot walk down a staircase to a beach.

• Article describing trail
• Photo album of trail

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