Top fall hikes in westcentral Wisconsin, Pt. II

Hoffman Hills State Recreation Area

There’s no better way

to experience autumn colors in west-central 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 west-central Wisconsin to hike. Some are right out your back door, while some are a day trip that you can do in an afternoon.

Barron County
A walk through pleasant wooded areas and scenic farmland await users of the Wild Rivers Trail near Rice Lake. The first half mile north of the Tuscobia Trail heads through a typical deciduous forest that Wisconsin is famous for. In autumn, the trail’s varied trees amaze in an array of red, yellow and orange leaves. Upon reaching 29th Avenue, the woods gives way to pretty farm fields that look best when green in August, so turn around there. Park north of the Rice Lake city limits at the Tuscobia Trail junction on County Road SS, near its intersection with U.S. Hwy. 53. The parking lot sits east of County SS, and you’ll need to take the Tuscobia Trail west across the highway to reach the Wild Rivers Trail then go north through Haugen.

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An array of autumn colors await in the Barron County Forest-Silver Creek Unit southwest of Barron. A roughly two-mile trail runs through the forest’s heart, which is dominated by tan- and russet-leaved oak, amber, orange and red sugar maple, and amber-colored yellow birch, accented with some evergreen hemlock. From Barron, take U.S. Hwy. 8 west. Turn left/south onto County Road P/Sixth Street. Go left/west on County Road D/Seventh Street then left/south on Fifth Street. At the junction with Sixth Avenue, park off the side of the road. The forest road going east enters the Silver Creek Unit. Several miles of other trails in the county forest are used by mountain bikers.

Dunn County
Day hikers can see a dozen major trees that dominate Wisconsin forests while heading to a 60-foot observation tower in Hoffman Hills State Recreation Area. The roughly two-mile Tower Nature Trail heads up then downhill though a stand of birch and maple with an understory of ferns. During autumn, the yellow birch and red maple leaves make a splendid display. At the top is the 60-foot Greg Schubert Memorial Tower. From the observation tower’s top platform, you can see about six miles on a clear day. A pretty quilt of farm fields and woodlands stretch below the hill in all directions. From Exit 45 on Interstate 94 east of Menomonie, take County Road B north. Turn right/east onto 650th Avenue, which eventually becomes County Road E. Follow County Road E/730th Street as it goes north. The highway zigzags to the park entrance, which is a little more than a mile north of 690th Avenue. Follow the park entrance road to the main parking lot.

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Beautiful fall colors line the northern end of the Red Cedar Trail in Menomonie. Running 14.5 miles alongside the Red Cedar River, among its most scenic portions is the 1.6-mile (3.2-miles round trip) section from Riverside Park to a creek flowing out of the Devil’s Punchbowl. Amber-, orange, and crimson-colored maples, yellow-leaved aspen and birch, and russet-hued oak can be found alongside the trail. From downtown Menomonie take Wis. Hwy. 29 west. Upon crossing the Red Cedar River bridge, turn at the second left (or south) into Riverside Park. A parking lot sits next to an old train depot turned visitor center, with the trail leaving from the lot’s south end.

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For more Dunn County trails, see Day Hiking Trails of the Chippewa Valley.

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.

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 Kinnickinnic 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.

***

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.

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.

Top fall trails of northwest Wisconsin, Part II

View from top of Timms Hill

There’s no better way

to experience autumn colors around Northwest 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 around Northwest Wisconsin to hike. Some are right out your back door, while some are a day trip that you can do in an afternoon.

Price County
An array of autumn colors await day hikers on the trail to Wisconsin’s highest point. The 0.5-mile round trip Timms Hill Trail heads to the summit and a wooden observation tower on Timm’s Hill. The drumlin rises to 1,951.5 feet. Northern hardwoods – mostly maples of yellow and red leaves with a few oaks and other trees mixed it, resulting in a cornucopia of harvest colors – cover and surround the hill at Timms Hill County Park. To reach the trailhead, from Ogema take Wis. Hwy. 87 east. Turn right/south onto County Road C then straight-left/east onto County Road RR. Watch for the signed entrance to the park and turn left/northeast onto that road. Use the parking lot for the Timms Hill Trail. From the parking lot, go north on the Timms Hill Lake Trail. Then take the first left and head west to the hill. A wide dirt path, the trail is shaded until reaching the summit.

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Northern hardwoods and pines await hikers on the Wintergreen Trail in the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest. The 5.6-mile trail consists of four loops that head over rolling terrain. A perfect autumn hike, the forest is diverse, consisting of pine and balsam fir mixed with plenty of yellow-leaved aspen and birch in the bogs and orange-red maple, buttery basswood, and russet-colored oaks on the higher ground. From Fifield, drive five miles east on Wis. Hwy. 70. The parking lot for the trailhead is on the left/north; a national forest pass is required to park your vehicle.

Sawyer County
A beautiful forest walk with an array of autumn leaf colors awaits day hikers of the 4.9-mile Rim Creek Loop in Flambeau River State Forest. Sugar and red maples dominate the state forest but quaking aspen, birch and white ash also can be found here. From the village of Winter, take County Road W east into the state forest. After crossing the Flambeau River, turn at the first left/north into a parking lot.

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Hikers can enjoy a variety of autumn colors on the Namekagon-Laccourt Oreilles Portage Trail in the St. Croix National Scenic Riverway near Hayward. The easy, 0.8-mile loop memorializes a famous 18th century route where fur traders and explorers carried their canoes between rivers. Each fall, the second-growth forest here brightens with the amber, oranges and reds of sugar maples, the yellow of birch, and the russet and tans of oaks while red pine and spruce offer green accents. From Hayward, travel south on Wis. Hwy. 27. Turn left/west onto Rainbow Road then right/north onto Rolf Road. The trailhead is at a parking lot at the first left/west.

Taylor County
Day hikers can enjoy a hemlock and aspen grove and a panoramic view of a forest on the East Lake segment of the Ice Age National Scenic Trail. The 13-mile round trip makes for a spectacular fall hike. The trail heads east from a wayside into the Taylor County Forest. The hilly forest mainly consists of mixed hardwoods with maples and oaks, resulting in a show of yellow, orange, red and brown leaves throughout autumn. Signs along the trail identify types of trees in the forest. A hemlock grove, aspen regeneration project, and 1780-foot high Moose Mountain are other highlights of the trail. From Medford, take Wis. Hwy. 13 north about 15 miles. After crossing the Black River, look for a wayside on the road’s right/east side. Park there.

Washburn County
A pleasant walk through the woods along a wild river await hikers on the Trego Nature Trail in the St. Croix National Scenic Riverway. Early autumn is a good time for those who enjoy fall colors. The trail parallels the Namekagon River through a woods of pine, yellow-leaved aspen and white birch, and russet-colored oaks, with views of the waterway. Hikers are likely to see a variety of wildlife or at least signs of it. White-tailed deer, turtles, fox, muskrat, bobcats, squirrels, snowshoe hares, and great blue heron abound in the riverway. Watch for otters and their slides, muddy paths cleared in the river’s bank in which they move from land to water. From Trego village, take U.S. Hwy. 63 north. About 1.3 miles from visitor center and after crossing the bridge over the Namekagon River, take the first right. The parking lot is at end of this entrance road. Look for the trailhead on the parking lot’s east side. The trail is fairly well-maintained.

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A pretty autumn hike through a Northwoods forest awaits hikers on the Trego Lake Trail. The 1.9-mile trail loops through the forest next to Trego Lake in the St. Croix National Scenic Riverway. The comely trail presents the yellow of birch trees leaves and orange and browns of various oaks amid the mixed hardwood and pine forest. You stand a good chance of spotting white-tailed deer and ruffed grouse along the way. From Trego, drive north on U.S. Hwy. 53. Go left/west on North River Road. In two miles, turn left/south into a parking lot. Take the stem trail from the lot’s southern side to the main trail, where you’ll go left/east.

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Day hikers can enjoy a pleasant walk along a classic trout stream during autumn at the Beaver Brook Wildlife Area south of Spooner. The East Trail, with its many side trails, goes for a little more than two miles. Most of the trail runs beneath amber- and red-leafed maple, tan- and russet-colored oak, yellow aspen, and tamarack, whose needles turn a bright orange. From Spooner head south on U.S. Hwy. 53. Turn left/south onto Cranberry Drive. After about a mile, just before road curves southeast away from Beaver Brook, turn right into the parking lot.

Wooded trail passes creek, Red Cedar River

The Birch Creek Trail loops across a wooded
bluff overlooking the Red Cedar River.

Day hikers can enjoy a woodland walk with wildflowers at the Keil Birch Creek Preserve in southwestern Menomonie, Wis.

The 0.75-mile Birch Creek Trail loops through the 28-acre preserve along the Red Cedar River. It is part of the Lower Chippewa River State Natural Area, which mainly protects prairie and oak savanna along the riverway and its tributaries.

To reach the trailhead, from downtown Menomonie take Wis. Hwy. 25 south. Turn right/west onto 490th Avenue, which becomes Scritsmier Avenue, then left/south onto 430th Street/River Heights Road. Park in the cul-de-sac at the road's end and head south onto the trail.

To save the more dramatic views for the hike's end, at the first junction go left/southeast.

Wildflowers
Wild geranium blooms in profusion here during late May through early June. Lavender to purple in color, it has heavily veined five petals about 1-2 inches wide. Colonies in natural woodland openings are formed from long-lived clones of an individual plant. The flower grows all across Wisconsin.

When the trail splits again, continue left/southwest, as this takes you around the full loop.

A couple of other wildflowers that can be seen along the trail are false lily of the valley, starflower, and jack-in-the pulpit.

False lily of the valley's diminutive white flowers sit on a small spike cluster. Also known as the Canada mayflower or the wild lily of the valley, it produces green berries that turn dull red with white speckles. It can be found in both deciduous and conifer woods throughout Wisconsin.

Though small at only a half-inch across, the starflower’s all-white, seven-pointed flower stands out against its leaves like jewel on green velvet. It prefers moist areas and grows in the state's northern half.

Jack-in-the-pulpit blooms in spring. Its erect 2- to 3-inch long flower sits inside a green or purple hood at the top of a single stalk. American Indians cooked its below ground stem as food, so it's sometimes referred to as Indian turnip. The plant contains calcium oxalate crystals, however, so no part of it above ground is edible, as it causes a burning sensation in the mouth.

Birch Creek
At 0.19 miles, Birch Creek comes into view. By early summer, the upper creek usually is dry.

A short by steep side trail heads to the creek. During spring, the spur is worth taking as the creek spills over a small four-foot drop.

At 0.34 miles, a trail joins from the right/north. This is the other end of the trail at the second split when the hike began. Continue left/west.

The intermittent creek has carved a gorge out of the soft sandstone in the bluff. These rock walls grow increasingly striking as the gorge deepens.

At 0.42 miles, a very narrow, steep spur leads to the bottom of the lower gorge where the creek flows into the Red Cedar River. Due to the sheer drop-off, the trail is not recommend for children. Adults would be well advised to not take it either.

River views
Next the trail curves north. The Red Cedar can be seen through the trees on the left/west. The river flows 85 miles from Lake Chetac in Washburn County through the cities of Rice Lake and Menomonie on its way south to the Chippewa River near Pepin.

Maples, pines, aspen, birch and oak grow alongside the trail. Ferns often fill the understory.

At 0.73 miles, the trail arrives back at the stem leading to the parking lot. Go left/north on it.

Leashed dogs are allowed on the trail. Mountain bikes are verboten.

Topo map of the trail:

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

Diverse flora await on Indiana Dunes trails

A carnivorous pitcher plant grows in Pinhook Bog. NPS photo.

Hikers can see a whole variety of flora at Indiana Dunes National Park, which is among the most biologically diverse units in the national park system.

Fens, foredunes, riversides and hardwood forests all provide different habitats for often unique plants. Indeed, Indiana Dunes boasts more than 370 species of flowering plants with thirteen of them threatened or in danger of extinction.

Among the park’s best trails to see interesting flora are:
• Cowles Bog Trail – Day hikers can see what plants conspire to make a fen such a frightening place on this 2.85-miles round trip trail. While red maple and yellow birch rule the uplands edging Cowles Bog, the swamp is covered in tamarack growing out of partially decomposed plants settling into a mire. Along the bog’s edge are poison sumac, spicebush, blackberry, grape, red osier and witch hazel. Park in the lot off of N. Mineral Springs Road north of U.S. Hwy. 12.
• Dune Ridge Trail – A variety of habitats along this 0.7-mile loop trail ensure you’ll see a range of interesting plants that thrive on sand dunes. The foredunes section of the trail boasts marram, little bluestem grasses, and cottonwoods. Marram is particularly adapted to living in moving dunes, but they succumb to taller plants’ shade. This layer of dead grass provides the soil needed for the oak savanna that replaces it. The trail leaves from the lot on East State Park Road north of Hwy. 12.
• Heron Rookery Trail – Every spring, wildflowers cover the forest floor along the East Arm Little Calumet River on this 3.3-miles round trip trail. Trillium, Dutchman's breeches, and spring beauties are among only a few of the flowers that bloom before tree leaves unfurl. The trail is considered the national park’s most extensive display of spring wildflowers. Start at the parking lot off of 600 East south of 1350 North.
• Pinhook Bog Trail – Among the best spots to see exotic plants in the park is this 0.86-mile trail, which runs through a depression within a moraine. You’ll see five carnivorous plants: the tiny spoonleaf sundew; round-leaved sundew; purple pitcher plant; hidden-fruited bladderwort; and horned bladderwort. While the neighboring Pinhook Upland Trail is open at all times, the bog only can be accessed on ranger-led tours. The trailhead is off North Wozniak Road south of Snyder Road/W 200 N.
• Tolleston Dune Trail – While this 2.6-mile trail is well-known for its wildlife, what attracts so many animals is the great diversity of plant life here. A rare black oak savanna covers the dunes, providing food and homes to a number of mammals. The leaves of the wild blue lupine flower, which grows abundantly here, provides meals for the caterpillar of the Karner blue butterfly, a federally endangered species. The trail leaves from the lot off of Hwy. 12 west of Hillcrest Road.
• West Beach Trail – Hikers can spot an Arizona beauty – eastern prickly pear cactus – in Indiana on this 1.2 miles-round trip trail, which heads to a beach on Long Lake. The cactus’s fruit and pads provide dinner for coyote, gray fox, cottontail rabbits, striped skunks, and white-tailed deer while its flowers offer nectar and pollen to a variety of bees. Pick up the trail at the parking lot off of West Beach Road east of County Line Road.

Fall color hikes abound in Willmar MN area

Sibley State Park, Willmar, Minnesota

There’s no better way to experience autumn colors in the Willmar,

Minnesota, area 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 around Willmar to hike. Some are right out your back door,

while some are a day trip that you can do in an afternoon.

Prairie Woods Environmental Learning Center (Willmar)
A visit to Prairie Woods Environmental Learning Center offers a two-for-one fall color experience – the brilliant purples of prairie grasses and the autumn leaves of maples, oaks and basswoods on the hills. Try the 0.56-mile Kemp Trail, which circles a pond through the woods while dipping briefly into the prairie. From Willmar, take U.S. Hwy. 71 north. Turn left/west onto 122nd Avenue NE/County Road 29. Follow Hwy. 29 when it curves right/north. Go left/west onto the learning center and leave your vehicle at the Trailhead Building. The trail heads northwest near the building into the woods.

Sibley State Park (Willmar)
Hikers can enjoy a panoramic view of fall colors at Sibley State Park. The 3.3-mile Mt. Tom Trail (also known as the Hiking Club Trail) loops through the center of the park’s oak woods as ascending a hill about 200 feet above the surrounding terrain. From Willmar, drive north on U.S. Hwy. 71. Enter the park by turning left/west onto County Road 48 then taking a right/north onto the road to the park office. Once past the office, the road splits; go right/east and park in the interpretive center lot at the road’s end. The trail heads northwest from the lot.

Harvey Waterfowl Production Area (Willmar)
A small woodlands brightens the prairie in autumn colors at the Harvey Waterfowl Production Area. A 0.15-mile one-way path passes trees and leads to the woods near a large pond frequented each fall by migrating birds. Extend the trail into the woods via game trails and degraded footpaths. From Willmar, take U.S. Hwy. 12 east. Turn left/north onto 560th Avenue then right/east onto 290th Street. The entry to the waterfowl area is in 0.66 miles on the right/south; park along the country road.

Lagoon Park (Montevideo)
Autumn colors abound alongside the Chippewa River at Lagoon Park in Montevideo. A 0.6-mile trail combined with the campsite road loops beside a wide meander in the river. From the junction of Minn. Hwy. 7/29 with Canton Avenue in Montevideo, take the latter east. Turn left/north onto North Parkway Avenue. After going under the highway, go left/west onto Forest Avenue. Leave your vehicle in the lot at the park’s southwest corner.

River Warren Outcrops Scientific and Natural Area (Redwood Falls)
One stretch of the Minnesota River in the prairie that brims with harvest colors is River Warren Outcrops Scientific and Natural Area. A 1.6-mile trail loops through the woodlands. Bur oak covers the rock outcrops area above the river while silver maple, American elm, rock elm, and the rare (for Minnesota) Kentucky coffee tree rule the floodplain forest. From Redwood Falls, take County Road 101 north; upon crossing the Minnesota River, it becomes County Road 1. Turn left/northwest onto County Road 15. After passing County Road 21, watch for the natural area driveway and parking lot on the left/south.

Monson Lake State Park (Benson)
Hikers can enjoy the fall colors of oak, ash and basswood as well as sparkling lakes at Monson Lake State Park. The wooded 2-mile round trip Hiking Club Trail passes Monson and West Sunberg lakes, where migrating waterfowl stop over during autumn. From Benson, take Minn. Hwy. 9 east. Turn right/south onto 160th Avenue NE, which when it swerves left/east naturally becomes 15th Street NE. The park entry is on the left/north with the road ending at a parking lot. The trailhead is at the lot’s southeast corner.

Glacial Lakes State Park (Starbuck)
Hikers can cross a terrain deeply shaped during the last ice age and enjoy autumn colors because of it. The 4.8-mile Mountain Lake Trail at Glacial Lakes State Park features a kame, rolling hills, and kettle lake. Yellow-leaved basswood and russet-colored oaks thrive on the kame, a hill created when a melting glacier deposited sediment, while crimson sumac, golden quaking aspen, and orange wild plum fill the flat spaces between the low hills. From Starbuck, take Minn. Hwy. 20 south. Go left-straight/south on County Road 41, which curves left/east into the park. Once past the entrance station, take the third left/east and park in the lot at the road’s end.

Minnesota hike heads through maple forest

Trails at Maplewood State Park head through a maple forest.

Cow Lake Trail map. Trail outlined in purple.
Click for larger version.

Day hikers can enjoy the bright splendor of a maple forest during an autumn hike in east-central Minnesota.

The 4.6-mile unnamed lollipop trail – called here the Cow Lake Trail for the major waterbody it circles – sits in Maplewood State Park. The route is a combination of mowed grass and a wide dirt path, and leashed dogs are allowed.

To reach the trail, from Pelican Rapids, take U.S. Hwy. 59 north. Turn right/east on Minn. Hwy. 108. The park entrance is in 7 miles. When the entry road, splits, go left/south. Just after the RV sanitation station, turn left/east. Follow the road toward Knoll Campground. At the turnaround for drinking water, park on the road’s side, and walk east uphill. The trailhead is in about 100 feet on the right/south.

Kames and kettles
The mowed grass trail heads uphill into an oak savanna with sumac alongside the path. At 0.2 miles, the trail enters the woods.

The park sits in a boundary zone between the hardwood forest of the east and the great prairie of the west. Located near the Red River Valley, the Alexandria Moraine runs through the park, dotting it with kames and kettles.

Kames – large piles of sand and gravel deposited by melting glaciers during the last ice age, can rise up to 1500 feet here. In contrast, kettles formed when blocks of ice broke off from retreating glaciers and their weight depressed the surface; as the ice melted, the basin filled with water, forming a lake.

At 0.3 miles, the trail leaves the woods. Bass Lake is on the left/east. Any children hiking with you will be delighted to find that the trail here includes walking across a beaver dam.

Mesic forest
After the dam, the trail re-enters the woods. Sugar maple, basswood, American elm, and oak – known as a mesic forest – dominates. Ironwood, aspen, tamarack, and red cedar also can be found in the park and along the trail.

If visiting in spring or summer, the forest floor is a wonderful spot to look for wildflowers. Trillium, bloodroot and liverwort all thrive here. Scattered among the colorful blooms are boulders carried and left by glaciers during the last ice age.

The trail soon joins an old dirt road and crosses a series of small hills. At 1.1 miles, it reaches a four-way intersection; the crossing trail is for horses. Continue straight/south and head on to the loop.

You’ll be able to spot Cow Lake through the trees at about 1.4 miles. The hills turn steeper as entering a maple and paper birch woods.

Sugar maple and paper birch
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.

Set against the maple is the striking white bark of paper birch with its yellow autumn leaves. The vaguely heart-shaped leaves have a leathery feel to them.

Native Americans used the paper-like bark to make everything from canoes and wigwams to baskets and cups. Today, the birch still is useful in making a variety of products, whether it be spools and toothpicks, snowshoe frames or flooring, paper pulp or interior finish.

Paper birch doesn’t much like shade, so it must grow fast to outcompete other trees for canopy space. They typically rise 66 feet high, but some have reached double that height. The sugar maple still beats it out, though, usually growing between 80-115 feet high, so birch often will stick to wetter soil, which maples don’t like.

Quaking aspen
At 1.7 miles, the trail enters a small grass and thistle meadow. The exposure to the sun is short-lived, though, as in a tenth-mile the trail re-enters the woods.

You’re now on the bottom side of loop. A small kettle pond on the right is visible through the trees, as you head downhill through large quaking aspen and elm.

The quaking aspen’s flat, spade-like leaves flap at the slightest breeze. In autumn when the leaves turn amber, that makes for quite a show, especially so on trees that grow at least six stories tall and under ideal conditions can reach 10 stories.

Quaking aspen is the most abundant and widespread tree in Minnesota and the most common of the 35 populus tree species – which includes poplar, aspen, and cottonwood – across North America. A pioneer species, it quickly replaced northern Minnesota’s great pineries and the continent’s many forests when they were logged off in the 1800s. Prevention of forest fires has allowed the quaking aspen to maintain its hold.

American elm
A rare find in most mesic forests these days is the American elm, which was almost wiped out when Dutch elm disease spread through its populations in the early 20th century. The tree is large – usually 50 to 70 feet high with a diameter of 24-48 inches.

Its wide-spreading branches droop at the ends, making for a showy display of yellow leaves in autumn. Though somewhat shade tolerant and fast growing to outpace other tall tree species, the elm is common on rich bottom lands, and in Minnesota that usually means the southern portion of the state.

Back on the trail, look for a beaver sign at 2.1 miles and as coming to the loop’s east side, a small kettle pond on the right at 2.4 miles.

A tenth of the mile from the pond, a path diverges right/northeast. This is part of the equestrian trail crossed earlier. Stay on the main trail by going straight/north. The hiking trail is shared with horse riders from there to the four-way intersection where the loop began.

At 2.8 miles, you’ll reach an open meadow on the loop’s north side. Cow Lake is on the trail’s left in the distance to the west, and Beer Lake is on the right/north.

Prairie flowers
A variety of common prairie wildflowers grow in the meadow. Among them are beardtongue, prairie rose, showy milkweed, and wild onion.

The trail runs along Beer Lake’s southern shore at 2.9 miles and then leaves the waterbody behind 0.4 miles later and re-enters the woods and its brilliant autumn leaves.

Next up are two spurs, neither of which leads to anything not already seen on the trail. One spur at 3.4 miles heads north through the woods to a hike-in campsite and then another spur goes south to Cow Lake and a campsite along it.

At 3.5 miles, you’ll reach the four-way intersection where the loop began. Go right/north on the stem trail, and retrace your steps past Bass Lake back to your vehicle.

Wildflowers abound on old pine forest trail

Declined trillium grows along the Hemlock Trail.

Hemlock Trail topo map.
Click map for larger version.

Day hikers can see what Wisconsin once looked like – towering white pines with wildflowers galore below them – at Mt. Pisgah Hemlock-Hardwoods State Natural Area.

The 1.4-mile Hemlock Trail runs through an area that escaped the lumberjack’s ax when much of the state’s great pineries were clearcut during the late 1800s. The state natural area is located within Wildcat Mountain State Park.

The trail consists of a dirt surface with leaves or pine needles often covering it. Best of all, the route is shaded most of the way.

To reach the trailhead, from Ontario take Wis. Hwy. 33 south. In 2.5 miles, turn right/southwest onto a park road heading to the Lower Picnic Area. In 0.6 miles, the road comes to the picnic area; park there. The trailhead is near the picnic area’s bulletin board.

The trail follows the Kickapoo River. It’s a popular section of the river to float down and for good reason – a number of interesting sandstone cliffs line the river canyon.

Towering pines
If the rock formations don’t wow you, the 400-year-old white pine certainly will. They are truly enormous, with some of the tree trunks measuring six feet as they soar 15 to 20 stories high. White pine like these once covered the state, and this is one of the few spots left where they remain.

Along the trail, several wildflowers usually are in bloom during the first two weeks of May. Among them are wild ginger, showy orchids, declined trillium, Virginia bluebells, bloodroot, Jack-in-the-pulpit, and skunk cabbage.

Wild ginger dots the hillsides. The flower is a brown to green, though sometimes red, tube about one- to two-inches long. It usually blooms between two leafstalks on the ground, as it relies on ground-dwelling insects, like beetles, to pollinate it. Though the leaves smell like ginger when crushed, this is not the plant that bears the spice used in cooking. The plant is found throughout Wisconsin.

Showy orchids offers beautiful flowers. Its purplish-pink two petals and three sepals form a hood that sits above two white petals, all about an inch long. Several flowers grow on a single stem. The plant mainly thrives in the state’s southern half.

Other wildflowers
Declined trillium usually blooms April-May on the forest floor. Its white flowers are three-parted and about 1.5-inches wide. The flower typically grows on a stem just above the leaves at an angle. The plant can be found in the Driftless Area and southern Wisconsin.

Virginia bluebells, also known as Virginia cowslip and longwort, sport a flower that starts pink but changes to light blue or purple. Each flower consists of five petals that fuse to form an inch-long bell-shaped tube known as a corolla. Bluebells are found in the southern half of the state, but a related species grows along Lake Superior.

Among the first of the wildflowers to bloom on the hillsides in spring is bloodroot. Sometimes it pops up from soil that has just thawed. It sports a large white flower, about 1.5 inches wide, with 8-10 petals and a yellow center. The red orange juice in its stem has been used over the centuries as a dye and an insect repellent. It grows all across Wisconsin.

Skunk cabbage is another of the earliest wildflowers to bloom in spring, and can actually melt the surrounding snow and ice. It prefers wet areas, so look for it in depressions. Its flower is shaped like a shell and usually brown to purple, though it also can be a quite attractive yellow, that grows three- to six-inches tall. Unfortunately, it has gives off a strong odor of carrion, which attracts insects who then unwittingly pollinate flowers. Skunk cabbage is found in the southern half of the state.

Jack-in-the-pulpit’s erect two- to three-inch long flower sits inside a green or purple hood at the top of a single stalk. American Indians cooked its below ground stem as food, so it’s sometimes referred to as Indian turnip. The plant contains calcium oxalate crystals, however, so no part of it above ground is edible, as it causes a burning sensation in the mouth.

Mt. Pisgah
After the river bottoms, the trail climbs to the summit of Mt. Pisgah, which tops out at 1152 feet above sea level. The last several feet to the summit are switchbacks.

Near the top, during early June look for broomrape, also known as cancer root, poking through oak leaves on the forest floor. A threatened plant, its blooms in June. Its purplish flowers are cup-shaped and half-inch to a full-inch long. Several flowers will bloom in a cluster on a spike rising out of the ground. Broomrape is a parasite that attaches itself to other plants’ roots.

An observation post sits atop Mt. Pisgah, some 450 feet above the river. While there are some good views of the river valley below, high trees block some of the sightlines. Be sure to look up – eagles nest in the area and often fly near the bluff.

East loop
Heading down the east side of the loop are a couple of interesting plants.

Partridge berry is a trailing vine that in late spring sports a fuzzy four-petaled white flower. It produces red berries with two spots on them. The plant can be found throughout Wisconsin and is quite common in eastern North America forests.

Chicken of the Woods fungi also is abundant here. The bright orange fungi grow in shelves. Look for them on oaks.

Be sure to wear hiking boots and carrying a trekking pole, as sometime parts of the trail wash out after a good rainstorm. In May 2019, the eastern side of the loop was closed after a storm.

10 Best Birding Trails in Wisconsin

Sandhill cranes in flight over Fox River National Wildlife Refuge. USFWS.

With Wisconsin’s location along the Mississippi River and two Great Lakes, it’s a natural haven for a variety of birds, especially rare ones.

They range from majestic bald eagles to tiny warblers, from sleek raptors to gawky-looking cranes, from migrating Canada geese to beach-loving seagulls. A hike is an excellent way to get up close to many of them. Ten great day trails to watch birds include:

Bluff Trail: Bald eagles soaring 40 stories above two majestic rivers await day hikers at Wyalusing State Park. The 2.4-miles round trip trail offers great vistas of the confluence for the Mississippi and Wisconsin river valleys, an ideal home for the bald eagles. They have plenty of fish – their favorite food – to catch or scavenge, have deep valleys perfect for roosting to protect against the winter wind and cold, and have lifting breezes from the bluffs upon which to fly over the open waters searching for food. During the March migration more than 200 bald eagles roost in the Prairie du Chien area. Spring and summer mark good times to see bald eagles, which are easy to spot even at a distance; mature bald eagles have a wingspan of up to 7-feet-7-inches, a full foot longer than the height of the average NBA player.

Buena Vista Grasslands Trail: The trail heads through a grasslands sporting the largest population of greater prairie chickens in Wisconsin. About a half-mile of old ATV-made paths run through the Buena Vista Grasslands Wildlife Area southwest of Plover. Blue vervain, bromegrass, daisy fleabane, goldenrod, hoary alyssum, switchgrass, timothy, wheatgrass and yarrow all grow there, a perfect environment for the greater prairie chicken. The threatened bird really isn’t a chicken at all but one of four grouse species native to Wisconsin. Once widespread across the southern part of the state, today the greater prairie chicken can be found in only six central counties.

Great Sauk State Trail: Day hikers can see the largest concentration of bald eagles in Wisconsin on a segment of this trail. Each winter, more than 50 eagles nest along this section of the Wisconsin River from below the Prairie du Sac Hydroelectric Dam to just past Sauk City. As snow covers nearby fields and waterways freeze over, the dam keeps a wide swath of riverway open, attracting eagles searching for a meal of fish. Bluffs deliver thermals to make flying easier and woodlands provide good cover. Start at VFW Memorial Park in Prairie du Sac and walk north on the trail to Dam Heights Road for a 2-mile round trip and more eagle sightings than you’ve probably had before. Note that sometimes the trail closes to protect the eagles; if that happens, walk along the river in VFW Memorial Park to see the raptor.

Harrington Beach: While most go to a beach for sunbathing and swimming, that’s only part of the attraction here. It’s also the perfect spot to watch thousands of hawks and flacons as they migrate each spring and fall. Located east of the tiny city of Belgium on Lake Michigan, the beach runs for about a mile. More than 250 bird species have been sighted in the state park, and the spring and fall migrations dramatically raises the offshore waterfowl population. Red-tailed hawks, Cooper’s Hawk and even the Swainson’s Hawk as well as kestrels and the rare Gyrfalcon have been spotted flying over the beach. The annual hawk migration during the first week in October will include a number of young. Hawks flight is more common in west or northwest wind vectors, especially after a cold front has passed through the area.

Honey Creek Trail: Ground zero for warblers in Wisconsin is the Baraboo Hills. A massive tract of connected forest where native plants thrive, it’s the perfect environment for 31 species of warblers. Among the best trails to see those warblers – as well as a variety of other birds and some great scenery include rock escarpments – is the Honey Creek State Natural Area south of North Freedom. The narrow, primitive trail parallels the stream’s north branch. Honey Creek boasts more than 180 bird species with about 1 out of 6 them warblers. The Wisconsin Society for Ornithology owns the southern half of the wildlife area and maintains a nature center just outside it.

Horicon Habitat Hike: Day hikers can see tens of thousands of Canada geese stopping over on their migration during a spring or an autumn walk on this 1.1-mile loop through the Horicon Marsh State Wildlife Area. The loop heads through grasslands, woods and past wetlands, and while a number of birds can be see on those different habitats, the highlight is the geese. In spring, they begin arriving in mid-February and then in autumn during September, staying about 4-8 weeks each time. The trail partially parallels the Rock River immediately north of Horicon off of North Palmatory Street. Other common birds spotted in the marsh include egrets, herons, marsh wrens, pied-billed grebe, and a variety of ducks.

International Crane Foundation Trail: Wisconsin boasts the only place in the world where all 15 of the world’s crane species reside. The trail at the foundation’s center outside of Baraboo underwent a $10 million renovation in 2019 (with a grand opening in spring 2020) to place the often endangered species in enclosures more like their native habitats. Among those in captivity here is the whooping crane, of which fewer than a thousand exist. While essentially a zoo, the foundation’s center performs several important functions aimed at keeping cranes flourishing in the wild, including breeding and conservation awareness. The trail past the various enclosures runs about 2 miles; admission is charged to walk it.

Seagull Bar Trail: Day hikers can see gulls galore as walking a mile-long sand bar on Green Bay. There’s no formal trail at Seagull Bar State Natural Area in Marinette, but a hike along the shoreline comes to 2.2-miles round trip. A number of migrating shorebirds stop over there each spring and fall while diving ducks congregate during severe weather. The most common bird you’ll see, though, is the gull, which despite the natural area’s name really isn’t a “seagull” at all but several different species from the same bird family, which is closely related to terns. Locally, ring-billed gulls hang around in summer while the larger herring gull spends the winter.

Tiffany Bottoms State Wildlife Area: The broad floodplains along the Chippewa River as it flows into the Mississippi River makes it more easily to traverse by boat than foot. Still, three primitive trails in the wildlife area give some access to this 13,000-acre wildlife area, one of state’s largest continuous bottomland hardwood forests. Because of the protected space’s vastness, it's a particularly great birding area. About 185 bird species have been identified in the bottoms. among the most common are cuckoos, lark sparrows, the endangered red-shouldered hawks, ruffed grouse, spotted sandpipers, vireos, warblers, and wood ducks. Among the many rare species found here are bald eagles, great egrets, Harris’s sparrow, Kentucky warbler, and the yellow-crowned night heron. The hills and bluffs surrounding the river bottoms are the best place in Wisconsin to find overwintering golden eagles.

YCC Trail – Day hikers can view sandhill cranes and other migrating waterfowl from an observation platform on this trail at Crex Meadow Wildlife Area north of Grantsburg. Autumn marks the best time to hike the 0.75-mile loop that passes a refuge smack dab in the middle of the wildlife area. While thousands of ducks and geese inhabit the refuge, the 10,000 or so sandhill cranes are the most spectacular of the arrivals. They can grow up to four feet tall with wingspans of up to seven feet wide. Migration seasons vary from year to year, but sandhill cranes generally can be spotted from April through mid-May on their way north and mid-September through October on their way south. Be sure to bring binoculars.

Top fall color hikes around North Branch MN

Wild River State Park, North Branch, Minnesota

There’s no better way

to experience autumn colors in the North Branch area 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 around North Branch to hike. Some are right out your back door, while some are a day trip that you can do in an afternoon.

Wild River State Park (North Branch)
Silver maple and basswood flourish along the St. Croix River at Wild River State Park. The 1.5-mile River Terrace Loop and its stem trail circles through a bottomland forest in this popular park. Originally called St. Croix Wild River State Park – and it still appears on various maps that way – it’s now just Wild River State Park. From North Branch, take Minn. Hwy. 95 to County Road 12. Drive County Road 12 to the park entrance, and follow the main park road to a parking lot near the picnic area.

***

Autumn colors abound in the floodplain forest at Wild River State Park. The 4.6-mile Sunrise Loop in the park’s north side is little used and so offers lots of solitude as it runs along the St. Croix River. Silver maple, ash, black willow and cottonwood all thrive there. From North Branch, take Minn. Hwy. 95 east/south. Turn left/north on County Road 9, taking it into the hamlet of Sunrise; from there, turn right/north on Ferry Road into the park. When the road runs out, use the parking lot on the left/west. Hike Ferry Road south to the trailhead and cross Ferry Road (which leads to the boat landing) then over the Sunrise River footbridge. On the other side of the bridge, the loop begins.

Minnesota Interstate State Park (Taylors Falls)
The southernmost section of Minnesota Interstate State Park offers a number of great day hiking trails to explore the Dalles of the St. Croix. To reach the area, from U.S. Hwy. 8 in Taylors Falls, turn east onto Milltown Road. A parking lot is at the end of the entry road. Along the parking lot’s northwest side are three trailheads. The Sandstone Bluff Trail heads northwest under Hwy. 8 to a nice vista of the valley and river gorge below. A 1-mile lollipop trail, it’s spectacular in autumn with a mix of colors from the orange maples, red sumac and brilliant yellow oaks.

Swedish Immigrant Trail (Shafer)
Hikers can follow some of the same footpaths and rail lines that the region’s first Swedish immigrants used to settle Chisago County and 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, which runs roughly west of the hamlet through wooded areas and past bucolic landscapes. 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.

Wisconsin Interstate State Park (St. Croix Falls, Wis.)
The splendor of fall colors combines with a vista of the St. Croix River and fascinating rock formations on the Summit Rock Trail at Wisconsin 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 National Scenic Riverway (Osceola, Wis.)
Fantastic river views beneath a colorful forest canopy await hikers on the this pair of trails near Osceola. Not to be confused with Ridgeview Trail at the adjacent Osceola Bedrock Glades State Natural Area, this pair of trails actually are two loops that only locals really know about. They run through the St. Croix National Scenic Riverway and the Osceola State Fish Hatchery on a bluff overlooking a St. Croix River back channel. The oranges and reds of maples dominate here with the occasional pine grove.

Big Marine Park Reserve (Forest Lake)
Hikers can enjoy a walk through a woodlands and on long pier at Big Marine Park Reserve. The unnamed trail in the Washington County park runs 0.75 miles round-trip. The turf trail leaves from the park’s western side, entering a deciduous forest, which makes for a colorful walk among yellow, orange, red, russet and olive leaves in autumn. From Forest Lake, take Minn. Hwy. 97 east. Turn left/south onto County Road 15/Morning Trail North. The park entry road (aka Lomond Trail North) is on the left/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).

Day trail heads to Wisconsin sand caves

Big Sand Cave at Wisconsin's Wyalusing State Park.

Sand Cave Trail and Little Sand Cave Loop map.
Click for larger version.

Day hikers can explore a sand cave at Wisconsin’s Wyalusing State Park.

The 2.4-miles round trip Sand Cave Trail and Little Sand Cave Loop are a pair of new trails that take park visitors to a few previously unreachable sights. It partially replaces an older trail that went to one of two sand caves; the new trail follows the contour lines of comparably gentle slopes and use switchbacks so that the walk is never more than a 10 percent grade.

To reach the trailhead, from Prairie du Chien head south on U.S. Hwy. 18. After crossing the Wisconsin River, turn right/west onto County Hwy. C. Next, go right on County Hwy. CX to the park entrance. Once there, turn right/north onto State Park Lane. Park at the Paul Lawrence Interpretive Center. From the center, take the Walnut Springs Trail southeast.

At the first junction, turn left/east onto the Sand Cave Trail. The wide, single-track trail passes through a verdant hardwood forest alongside a steep hill. To the trail’s left/north is a deep ravine; beyond it is the Wisconsin River.

A fern grotto and a small waterfall appears at about 0.1 miles from the trailhead. Wildflowers blossom here in spring.

The trail next descends to a stream bed. Though usually dry, flat rocks have been placed in the stream bed to make crossing it easier when water does run.

Big Sand Cave
Once the trail turns south, you’re actually walking atop a sand cave. At points on this section of the trail, when the leaves are trees and shrubs are thin you can look down and see the cave.

In about 0.6 miles, the trail reaches a spur. Go left/west onto it. This brings you to Big Sand Cave, which has been carved out of sandstone and is the cave walked atop earlier on the trail.

The sand was set down about 500 million years ago in the Cambrian era when this part of the state was under a shallow tropical sea; the sand is sediment deposited on that sea floor. Rich in quartz, the sandstone is poorly cemented together and so easily erodes when exposed to wind, rain, spring water and the freezing-thawing cycle. Such erosion created this overhang cave by hollowing out the soft sandstone that sits below a harder limestone layer.

In the past, the cave used to be much larger. Erosion washed out enough supporting sandstone, however, that the ceiling collapsed. The large rocks in front of the cave used to be the roof.

Big Thunder Point
After taking in the cave, retrace your steps back to the junction. Once there, go left/northeast onto the main trail.

At the next junction, continue left-straight/northeast. You’re now on the Little Sand Cave Loop.

The trail soon arrives at Big Thunder Point, the hike’s northernmost point; it is about 0.8 miles from the trailhead. From the point, hikers can enjoy a grand view of the Wisconsin River Valley to the east and Prairie du Chien to the west. During summer, foliage can obscure the view.

Leaving the point, the trail hairpins, going southwest. On the trail’s right side is a plunging ravine, Wild Ginger Hollow, while on the left are limestone outcroppings that overlay sandstone. White-tailed deer and wild turkeys sometimes can be spotted in the hollow.

Little Sand Cave
Little Sand Cave is about 0.6 miles from Big Thunder Point; the cave is new spot park visitors couldn’t see before the new trail. During spring or following wet weather, a small waterfall flows in front of the cave. Because of the steep drop-off and delicate nature of the sandstone, no trail heads to the cave and hikers, are discouraged from bushwhacking to it.

From the cave, continue left/northwest on the trail, following the hill’s contour. The hill’s crest marks the trail’s highest point.

The loop then comes back to Sand Cave Trail (this is the junction skipped earlier). Follow it back to the interpretive center.

Be sure to don insect repellent in summer when mosquitoes can be a moderate nuisance.

Arizona trail leads to ancient pueblo ruins

An ancient Arizona village once was home to 750-1000 people.

Day hikers can explore the ruins of an ancient village on the Homolovi Pueblo Trail in northern Arizona.

The 0.35-mile trail loops around the 700-year-old site at Homolovi State Park just outside of Winslow. Some maps identify the route as the Homolovi I Trail. A hike there is best done September through May, as the summer heat can be oppressive and even dangerous.

To reach the trailhead, from Interstate 40 in Winslow, exit north onto Ariz. Hwy. 87. Turn left/northwest onto Homolovi State Park Entrance Road. Take the next left/southwest to the state park campground. Pass the campground and park in the lot at the road’s end.

The trail heads northwest from the parking lot.

Farming village
An oxbow lake is to the left/west. It formed when a meander in the Little Colorado River was cut off from the main stream. This typically occurs when the main stream breaks through the neck of the meander and forms a straighter course.

Around 1330 CE, people from the Hopi Mesas about 60 miles to the north came to this bend on the river, which was a lush floodplain with rich soil.

At 0.1 miles, the trail splits; go right. The ruins of their village – today called Homol’ovi I or Homolovi Pueblo – quickly comes into view.

The pueblo contained 1200 rooms, with parts of it three-stories high, and was divided into three plazas. Archeologists estimate that as many as 750-1000 people could have lived there at any given time.

Pueblo residents farmed the floodplain, growing beans, corn, cotton and squash while gathering wild foods like fruit from cactus and yucca, Indian rice grass, pigweed and pinon nuts. The cotton they harvested was exchanged with villages to the north and west.

Little Colorado River
Once past the pueblo ruins, the Little Colorado River comes into view as the loop reaches its north side.

During the late 1300s, the pueblo succumbed to a flooding Little Colorado River. Villagers abandoned the site, and archeological evidence suggests they returned to their ancestral villages on the Hopi Mesas.

The loop reaches the stem at 0.25 miles. Go right/southeast and return to the parking lot.

In addition to the pueblo ruins, thanks to the river’s nearby location, you stand a good chance of spotting wildlife. Birds are your best bet, with the burrowing owls, horned lark, kestrel, raven, red-tailed hawk, roadrunner, and golden eagle all present in the park. Other animals that call the riverside home include coyotes, deer, porcupines, rabbits and squirrels.

There’s no shade on the trail, so be sure to don sunscreen, sunglasses and a hat. Leashed dogs are allowed.

Learn more about national park day hiking trails in my Best Sights to See at America’s National Parks series.

TOPO MAP

Click for printable version.

Great autumn hikes around Forest Lake MN

Swedish Immigrant Trail

There’s no better way to experience autumn colors in the Forest Lake area 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 around Forest Lake to

hike. Some are right out your back 

door, while some are a day trip that you can do in an afternoon.

Big Marine Park Reserve (Forest Lake)
Hikers can enjoy a walk through a woodlands and on long pier at Big Marine Park Reserve. The unnamed trail in the Washington County park runs 0.75 miles round-trip. The turf trail leaves from the park’s western side, entering a deciduous forest, which makes for a colorful walk among yellow, orange, red, russet and olive leaves in autumn. From Forest Lake, take Minn. Hwy. 97 east. Turn left/south onto County Road 15/Morning Trail North. The park entry road (aka Lomond Trail North) is on the left/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).

Swedish Immigrant Trail (Chisago)
Hikers can follow some of the same footpaths and rail lines that the region’s first Swedish immigrants used to settle Chisago County and 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, which runs roughly west of the hamlet through wooded areas and past bucolic landscapes. 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.

Minnesota Interstate State Park (Taylors Falls)
The southernmost section of Minnesota Interstate State Park offers a number of great day hiking trails to explore the Dalles of the St. Croix. To reach the area, from U.S. Hwy. 8 in Taylors Falls, turn east onto Milltown Road. A parking lot is at the end of the entry road. Along the parking lot’s northwest side are three trailheads. The Sandstone Bluff Trail heads northwest under Hwy. 8 to a nice vista of the valley and river gorge below. A 1-mile lollipop trail, it’s spectacular in autumn with a mix of colors from the orange maples, red sumac and brilliant yellow oaks.

William O’Brien State Park (Marine on St. Croix)
Day hikers can learn about the power of floods on the St. Croix River via 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. The fresh scent of pine needles upon the trail and the gentle rush of water along the river’s rock walls instantly lulls you into a feeling of serenity. 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, 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.

Wild River State Park (North Branch)
Silver maple and basswood flourish along the St. Croix River at Wild River State Park. The 1.5-mile River Terrace Loop and its stem trail circles through a bottomland forest in this popular park. Originally called St. Croix Wild River State Park – and it still appears on various maps that way – it’s now just Wild River State Park. From North Branch, take Minn. Hwy. 95 to County Road 12. Drive County Road 12 to the park entrance, and follow the main park road to a parking lot near the picnic area.

Southern Minnesota’s Top Wildflower Trails

Home to more than 500 wildflower species, Minnesota stands out as one of the best states to see these beautiful wonders. From the Northwoods where forest floors come alive with color each spring to the prairies where yellow and purple flowers rise above the swaying grasses…from winter’s end when tiny pasqueflowers mark the coming warmth to autumn when sunflowers and goldenrod herald the harvest season…Minnesota offers a variety of great wildflower experiences.

Here are some great wildflower trails to hike in southern Minnesota.

Amador Prairie Loops
Wild River State Park
Minnesota’s Northwoods is far more diverse than fragrant pine trees and picturesque lakes. At Wild River State Park, hikers can enjoy some of that variety by taking the shorter of the Amador Prairie Loops through a restored prairie with plenty of wildflowers. In mid-September on the 2.1-mile trail, asters and goldenrods usually peak, a pretty sight against the tall grasses’ reds. From Amelund, take Minn. Hwy. 12 (aka Park Road) east into the park. Past the service road, turn at the first left to the trail center. Trail map:

Lilydale Park Trail
Lilydale Regional Park
Hikers can see wildflowers of a forest floodplain right in the middle of the state’s largest metro area at Lilydale Regional Park. The 1.6-mile round trip Lilydale Park Trail runs through the 380-acre public area in Saint Paul. Wild ginger, Canadian honewort , pointed-leaf tick-trefoil, and spotted touch-me-not flower are just some of the flowers that can be seen. American lotus dot Pickerel Lake from July to September. From downtown St. Paul take Interstate 35E south. Upon crossing the Mississippi River, exit onto Minn. Hwy. 13/Sibley Memorial Highway. Go left/northeast. Turn right/south onto County Road 45/Lilydale Road. After going under the railroad overpass, look for an entry road on the left/northwest that heads to a parking lot. At the lot’s north side, take the trail northeast. Trail map:

Lower and Upper Cliffline Trails
Blue Mounds State Park
Hikers can experience a bit of the American Southwest at Minnesota’s Blue Mounds State Park. The 4.1-mile Mound Trail loops past prickly pear cactus and across rock formations that look like they would be more at home in Arizona than in Bullwinkle the Moose’s home state. From Luverne take U.S. Hwy. 75 north. Turn right/east onto County Road 20. Park in the lot where the road ends. The trail begins at the lot’s northeast corner. Trail map:

Nature Trail
Eloise Butler Wildflower Garden and Bird Sanctuary
Day hikers can explore the United States’ oldest public wildflower garden near Minneapolis. A 0.72-mile round trip trail runs through a woodland, wetland and prairie at Eloise Butler Wildflower Garden and Bird Sanctuary in Theodore Wirth Park. Among the highlights in April and May are large-flowered trillium, bloodroot, wild ginger, bluebell and trout lily in the woodlands. From the junction of Interstate 35 and Minn. Hwy. 100, take the latter north. Exit onto Glenwood Avenue/County Road 40 and go east. Next, turn right/south onto Theodore Wirth Parkway then left/east onto Butler Garden. A parking lot is on the left across from the entrance. Trail map:

River Terrace Prairie Trail
River Terrace Prairie State Natural Area
Day hikers can explore wildflowers of a gravel prairie at River Terrace Prairie State Natural Area. The 1.54-mile round trip River Terrace Prairie Trail runs along the edges of the state natural area and includes a segment of the Cannon Valley Trail. The natural area is known for its spectacular displays of pasqueflower in April. From Cannon Falls, take Minn. Hwy. 19 east. Turn left/north onto Sunset Trail. After the road and Cannon River make a 90 degree turn east, watch for a dirt jeep trail heading right. Park on the road shoulder near it. Trail map:

South and North Overlooks Trail
Williams Nature Center
Native wildflowers can be enjoyed at Williams Nature Center outside of Mankato. The 1.8-mile round trip South and North Overlooks Trail heads through the 65-acre county park. Three stacked loops wind across the park’s woodlands. Among the flowers you’re likely to see are showy orchid, purple coneflower, and the cup plant. From Mankato take U.S. Hwy. 169 west. Turn right/northwest onto Minn. Hwy. 68. The park entry is on the right/north and ends at a parking lot. Trail map:

Wildflower Trail
Carley State Park
Hikers can revel in the thousands of bluebells and false rue anemone that cover an oxbow in the North Branch of the Whitewater River every May at Carley State Park. The 2.42-miles looping Wildflower Trail follows the river branch through a white pine-lined sunken bowl in the middle of farmland. It’s best done in late April through early May and will be busy when the park holds its annual Bluebell Festival each May. From Plainview, take County Road 4 south. The park entrance road is on the right/west. Once in the park, take the first left/west; this is a loop offering access to the park’s group camps. The parking lot is on the south side of the loop. From the lot, follow the road north then go left/west onto the loop. Trail map: