Running Wild – Definitely areas where you want to keep a closer eye on the short people, especially along the bluffs where the trail is near the edge.
The Trail – The trail initially paralleled the road, soon leaving to climb up towards the bluffs. There were several connecting trails at the top, with expansive views of downtown Red Wing and the river nearly the entire time.
Trail Conditions – Mostly packed snow but some areas were pretty icy.
Bathrooms – None.
Cell Service – Great.
Trail Information:
Length – 3.3 miles
Moving Time – 1:35:18
Elevation Gain – 755 ft.
Difficulty – Easy (except some of the slippery areas)
Highlights:
Combo – Sliding down the hill on my butt!
Biff – My big booger!
Blaze – The city views!
Ripper – The gathering of Eagles!
This trail has been on my To-Do List for some time and the cold weather made it the perfect day to check it out! As we left our car we encountered two different sets of stairs that were quite icy in spots.
One thing that definitely stood out with this park was just how well marked it was. There were signs directing you at each turn.
The cold air had our noses running almost immediately. Biff was especially proud of his big booger and would not let me get rid of it until I took a picture so he could remember it forever. Maybe a more fitting name for Biff would be Mr. Boogs!
The first portion of the trail paralleled the nearby road and we could definitely hear road noises. If you are looking to get away from it all this is not the trail for you. Conversely, it is pretty amazing that this trail system butts up to the bustling city of Red Wing. It would be perfect for your daily run or walk with the pooch. Certainly some pro’s and con’s.
About 1/3 of a mile in the trail began to slope upwards and away from the road system.
Trail snacks are a must and recently Blaze has started to hone his talent of throwing food into the kids’ mouths. We stopped for several moments while Blaze threw multiple Combos at our kids wide open mouths, sometimes pegging them square in the forehead and sometimes finding his target with ease. Much laughter ensued as you can imagine.
At approximately 1/2 mile the trail turned to stairs leading up, up and up! Holding hands we slowly made progress, the kids slipping and sliding away.
Once the stairs ended we encountered the first of many overlooks.
We took the South Trail for 2/10 of a mile along a hill that overlooked Red Wing and eventually to an overlook of the river. We saw an American flag waving proudly in the wind (very windy at the top) and once we reached the overlook we saw a solar powered box that was locked up tight. Examining the box was not useful, we never figured out what it was but had fun speculating that it was from a secret spy mission. The river had floating plates of ice that lazily made their way down the river, very interesting to watch!
Next the Prairie Trail led us to an overlook of the quarry. This was maybe a half mile trip to the overlook and boy oh boy was it windy! Our faces became quite red and the boogers definitely flew! But the entire time you were treated to amazing views of the community and the nature surrounding it. We even encountered a snow man that a previous hiker had taken the time to make. But my favorite part was spotting a large group of Eagles nestled between the quarry and the railroad tracks. Side note – our water has frozen for the last time and the CamelBak will be retired until warmer weather returns. Back to water bottles in the meantime!
It was very slippery leading to the overlook – this is the area where more caution with the kids should be exercised.
As we retraced our steps back to the stairs the kids examined the trees and different imprints the leaves made in the snow.
As we neared the stairs Combo biffed it and decided that this would be the perfect opportunity to slide the rest of the way down on her butt! It was hilarious! Of course Biff could not be left out of the fun and followed suit.
Making our way back down the stairs we decided to take the path that cut between the bluff trails and the trail that paralleled the road. This portion of trail definitely felt more secluded but it was SUPER icy. I am pretty sure that we all took a digger at one point or another.
And with that our day had come to an end. As always, it was wonderful to get away from the hustle and bustle for a bit! I received some feedback from others that this trail is gorgeous during the summer, so we may need to revisit (potentially on a camping trip at Frontenac). Thank you for joining us and Happy Hiking!
Running Wild: No big concerns but some areas were a bit slippery.
The Trail: The trail begins at the parking lot and follows the road for a short period of time before diving into the woods. There were several large hills up and down, many twists and turns, and even bridges and water to keep things interesting! I LOVE that this park has so many trails that are open to hikers!
Trail Conditions: Hard packed snow with some icy spots from melting snow that froze and heavy trail use.
Bathrooms: Vault toilets located near the campground and on the other side of the play ground (just keep going past the summer bathrooms and you will see the playground and then the vault toilet). Only complaint today was that there was no toilet paper…good thing I always come prepared!
Cell Service: No issues.
Trail Information:
Length: 2.56 miles
Moving Time: 01:37:32
Elevation Gain: 174 ft but if you count all of the ups and downs it is probably much more (see graph).
Difficulty: Easy
Highlights:
Combo: The Waterfall!
Biff: The Waterfall!
Blaze: It seemed like you were in the middle of nowhere and it was not very busy.
Ripper: The massive trees surrounding us and the complete and utter peace that I felt while walking through the big woods with my family.
Nerstrand has been on my To-Do List for several weeks now but the timing has never been right. We have hiked this park two times previously (both times in the winter) and it has always been amazing. Finally the stars aligned and we were able to make the 1 hour 40 minute drive to the Big Woods!
Combo and Biff have a challenge at school to get out and exercise. For every 15 minutes of physical activity they get to mark 1 point on their list, with a goal of 25 points for the month of January (obviously they are going to kill this challenge!) This challenge put them in just the right mood to hit the trail hard…music to our ears!
We decided to take the Hiking Club trail in reverse today and headed out from the parking lot. We walked along the road to the park’s entrance and found a land bridge. There was a somewhat steep drop-off on the side of the “fenced” portion of the trail. Combo and Biff looked over the edge and were excited to see water far below. Biff decided it had been far too long since he had designed race cars for us and spent several moments discussing just the right type of car for each of us to race along the trail. We had ultimate ultimate tires and wipers, cool colors and extra fasty add-ons! Blaze was the only one that chose a motorcycle. Who will win the race?
Right away we noticed that some areas of snow had melted and then froze again making it a bit slick but that is just part of the fun right?
The trail ran parallel to the road at this point and soon we came upon our first bridge. Very exciting! The look on Biff’s face tells it all as Daddy began to sing the time tested “Oh Joey tree, oh Joey tree I’ll decorate your beautiful butt cheeks”. You can only imagine the choruses that followed! It was definitely a “trail talk” type of day. For newer readers, we allow our kids to talk about some of the more inappropriate (farts, silly body parts, etc.) things in life but ONLY when we are on the trail. It’s a little treat for them.
In true Biff fashion he took off from the bridge on level ground and landed right on his face!
One thing that we noticed today was that several of the trees we hiked past had mushrooms on them. It surprised me that these little fungi were able to stay strong during the winter. The kids enjoyed checking them out up close and wished they had brought their mushroom book along to identify them.
And before we knew it we had a Bigfoot foot sighting!
This park is aptly named because you really feel like you are in the middle of the Big Woods as you stroll through. The trees are massive and have a way of encompassing you and making you feel at one with the trail. Just what the doctor ordered!
Soon the peace was disrupted by the revving of Biff’s engine as he decided he should test the car that he had built himself earlier. He was off! Both Biff and Combo (she was too fast to capture on camera) took off and raced ahead. We were not worried even when they looked like little specks in the distance.
When we finally caught up with the kids they were hiding behind trees and jumped out yelling “RAAR” to scare us. Of course they did this right next to a sign warning hikers to stay on the trail…Combo looked quite surprised when she actually read the sign. She then began to explain to Biff the importance of staying on the trail.
The roped off portion of the trail led us to open water and a wonderful flowing stream. It was absolutely gorgeous! Combo and Biff wondered how this water could still be open and we explained that the quickly flowing water did not freeze the same way that lakes do.
I know that I have already said it but the trees in this park are just amazing! They tower over and around you and it is truly a sight to see. This grouping is one of my favorite from today.
Before long the tail led us to the password and as Combo saw the password she excitedly exclaimed “Now I remember this trail! I love this one!” It makes me happy that she remembers our previous hikes here and has associated this hike with happy times – hiking goal accomplished! I am glad that our kids are starting to appreciate hiking and associate time on the trail with fun, happiness, and “favorite”. BOOM!
Dad stopped to take photos and the kids and I continued on. We discussed a little of this and a little of that while taking in the beauty of what was around us. With everything going on in our lives currently things have been stressful to say the least. As one foot stepped in front of the other, I could feel the stress melting away. The Big Woods were taking us in and providing the comfort that only nature and family time can provide. I could not have asked for anything more!
Eventually Biff had to empty his “tank” (he’s 5 and can’t really hold it for long yet) and we made a quick pit-stop to let him do his business.
For Christmas Blaze bought me a new backpack and I LOVE it! Biff and I got to talking about my pack and he asked me if I would give him my old pack now. I explained to him that Men’s packs and Women’s packs are made differently because women’s hips and waists are shaped different from men’s. The next words out of his mouth caught me off guard and I nearly tripped off the trail. “I have so much little waist and hips…and big butt cheeks!” I love this kid!
Since we had already tested out our race cars it was now time to give Mario Kart a shot. Blue shells, green shells, red shells, bananas and ink flew like mad as we rushed along the trail.
Biff found a tree with a hole in it and took great pleasure in stopping to examine what was inside. It is these small moments that really make a difference. When else do you stop to notice a hole in a tree? Or stop to examine a tree?
At this point we told the kids that we had saved the best for last. They immediately asked if there was a waterpark involved…umm no? But just wait guys, just wait.
AND the best part was the waterfall! There was a stone slab “bridge” that crossed moving water to take us to the waterfall. And boy oh boy was it slippery! I nearly fell once and then actually fell…the kids and Blaze did just fine:) I do not care that my knees are bruised – it was completely worth every moment of it!
We spent several moments exploring the falls and were super happy that we had saved them for last. The kids thought that it was “super cool” that there was ice around the running water. Truly breathtaking!
One of the coolest moments of our hike was when Combo found a hidden painted rock. It said that she could leave it and hide it or take it home. She decided to hide it in a really sneaky spot (if you find it let us know). But this got us to thinking. We are going to start painting our own rocks and ask the finders to post a picture of themselves with our rock to our Hiking With Kids Facebook page. It will be fun to see the people that find and hide our rocks!
We decided to take the alternate trail to check out the campground because we have truly fell in love with this park and want to return in the summer to camp.
Dad blazed on ahead of us (hence his trail name) and the kids and I started talking about the trees and the damage that has been done to some of the trees. Biff said that one tree is not that big of a deal and Combo began talking about how our Earth is dying slowly. We also talked about what we can do to make the smallest footprint on our Earth and things that we can do to start repairing what people have done. It was a really great conversation and I am super proud that our kids actually care about taking care of mother nature!
Our trek through the campground was well worth it! We found two campsites that we would like to check out this summer (18 was my favorite and 20 was Combo’s favorite).
Today was amazing! We were able to lose ourselves and just enjoy being one with nature and one with our family. These are the times that I treasure and the kids were happy to earn several points for their fitness challenge. I hope that you check out this park or are at least inspired to check out a park near you. Time in nature hiking is time well spent. Please leave a comment below to let us know you are with us. Take care and happy hiking!
The Trail – Started with a hill leading us down to the river and then a gently loop past a lake, through a picnic area and then along the river before heading back up the hill to our car.
Trail Conditions – Packed snow.
Bathrooms – Dispersed throughout the park but it was WAY too cold to try to use them.
Cell Service – Service was in and out but mostly ok. We did lose internet in a few places but that was only an issue when we were trying to download a map of the park.
Trail Information:
Length – 2.6 miles
Moving Time – 1:15:00 (approximately)
Elevation Gain – Not sure, technical difficulties
Difficulty – Easy (the hill at the end was a deal breaker for Biff though)
Highlights:
Combo – “I thought it was a little funny that I forgot my snowpants…well I think it is now anyways.”
Biff – Seeing all of the trees reaching over to the river.
Blaze – Seeing the river and still enjoying the outdoors despite the cold weather.
Ripper – The ice formations on the river were really cool!
Full disclaimer we had some technical difficulties with our camera and were not able to recover our pictures until a week after our adventure. Well then I procrastinated a bit and this is coming out quite late and I do not remember all the little stories that kept us entertained along the trail. This post will be mostly about the trail and park itself.
It was really cold when we ventured out, I think it only made it to around 16 degrees and a low of -1! We were determined to hit the trails and packed our warmest clothes and got to hiking. We had already hiked the Summer Hiking Club Trail at William O’Brien but still needed the winter password (pretty cool that they have a winter trail!)
We really packed ourselves into our clothes and felt like little Oompa Loompa’s heading into the woods. Armed with several handwarmers we hit the trail.
Unfortunately, Combo forgot her snowpants but I had an extra pair. She was not too pleased to be wearing the oversized pants and Biff took every opportunity to mess with her…eventually she had enough and the tables were turned.
We did not download our map before heading out and regretted it as we made a few wrong turns and took a couple detours before finding the right trail to take. Onward and outward!
After a short walk we found ourselves hiking on the now closed road to the campground and winding ever down to the river. Down, down, down we went! The way down was fun and we stopped to chat with a snowshoer along the way. You meet the best people on the trail!
The next portion of the trail was a leisurely walk through the woods, which were blanketed with snow and absolutely gorgeous!
Armed with rosy cheeks and stiff lips, we soon encountered the lake – I bet this is gorgeous during the summer! One thing that we appreciated was that there were few people on the trail as this is a park that is usually FULL of people.
After the lake we were headed for the picnic grounds. Biff had gotten pretty tired trudging through the snow and I decided to carry him along the way (1 of 3 carries throughout our adventure – he has us wrapped around his little finger!) The picnic area was massive and it looked like there might have been a swimming area nearby.
The next portion of the trail was my favorite. We made our way back to the river while checking out the various signs telling us about the park’s wildlife and history (pictured later).
The river walk was flat and easy to traverse but full of picturesque views that we stopped to enjoy frequently.
But my favorite part was the various ice formations on the river. It was really cool to see the sheets of ice that had been pushed up and away from different areas of the flowing river.
And what hiking adventure is not complete without a big rock along the trail!
And even cooler was the spigot of running water that we saw next. The ice formations surrounding the spigot were especially interesting. Does anyone have any idea where this water was coming from?
The weather was freezing, our noses were continuously running, and our cheeks and noses were permanently rosy but we were pleased as punch to be walking through an amazing winter wonderland away from all distractions of the modern world – that’s a plus in our book!
Leaving the river we had a short walk back to the road that led up to the parking lot and our car. Biff was pretty much done at this point (the weather, snow and hill combination was too much for him) but Combo was rocking it!
Sorry for the abbreviated version tonight but I hope it was helpful and inspired you to check out the park! It really was a wonderful experience. And as promised here are the signs that we encountered along our journey.
That’s it for tonight. Thank you for joining us on our adventure, take care and happy hiking!
Running Wild – No concerns during the summer but the ice was pretty slick today.
The Trail – We did a little route finding that took us under a tunnel and finally to the trail we had chosen. The trail was paved, shared with bikers and skiers and wound itself around a lake.
Trail Conditions – Areas of packed snow, icy pavement, groomed trails (we walked away from the groomed areas) and dry pavement in a few places.
Bathrooms – Porta-potties were located where we parked but they clearly belonged to the construction crew working nearby. The park itself appeared to have quite a few bathrooms located throughout but we did not explore to see if they were actually open.
Cell Service – Perfect, no issues.
Trail Information:
Length – 3.0 miles
Moving Time – 1:22:50
Elevation Gain – `138 ft.
Difficulty – Easy (flat and paved)
Highlights:
Combo – Talking with Dad.
Biff – When Dad tried to snowballs at me and it hit Mom.
Blaze – It was a nice day to get outside during the winter.
Ripper – Getting out of the house and burning off some energy.
We had a late start to the day so we knew that we needed to go somewhere close. We decided to check out somewhere new and landed on Baker Park Reserve. The kids and I had been to the park previously during the summer to attend a birthday party and it was a much different experience in the winter. While the summer months brought throngs of people, we only saw a small handful today.
We had to do a little route finding because AllTrails did not get us to the trailhead this time. But we worked our way through the park, following the footprints in the snow and found success!
Most of the snow was pretty hard and we did not find our boots sinking in but there were a few areas that were a bit softer and Biff truly lived up to his name! When we found the right trail to take Biff biffed along the way while also entertaining us with his amazing beat-boxing skills. We listened to a Podcast called “The Punies” which had showcased kids saying “boots and cats and boots and cats” over and over again to mimic beat-boxing – any guess what sounds filled the next several moments?
After a short distance the crunchy snow turned to slick (and I mean slick) ice and it was every hiker for themselves! While the majority of us walked towards the edge of the trail to find the crunchy snow, Biff did not. He actually took great pleasure in dramatically falling to the ground. We also figured out that it is super fun to take a running start and slide across the ice on our knees (well the kids did anyway).
As we strolled along we saw a turkey! The kids were super excited and we tried to track it down but we were WAY too loud and the big guy was gone by the time we reached his entrance into the woods – still cool to see though. Eventually the ice turned to packed snow and we crossed a road. Once we crossed the road we noticed that the trail had been groomed for skiing but there was a portion of the trail that had not been groomed, far to the side and we continued on hugging that small portion of trail.
Biff was in rare form today and was really enjoying putting on a show for us so he continued slip, trip and fall nearly the entire way.
I kept an eye on our mileage and at 1.5 miles we decided to head back because we had more to accomplish with our day. But I am glad that we were able to get outside for even just a quick stroll through the woods.
The way back was a repeat of what we had already explored but pleasant nonetheless. While this park is not what we usually seek out (just sort of bland) we still had a blast and could feel our wellness tanks refueling.
Luckily our water did not freeze today!
The final stretch was full of talk of the wonderful meal of calzones and stuffed shells that Blaze was mentally preparing to make us. YUM!
Our trip was short and sweet but just what we needed. Fingers crossed the weather holds out tomorrow and we can stretch our legs a bit more! Thank you for joining us and please feel free to leave comment and let us know if there is anything else we should be including, other parks to be exploring or just what you think of the trail in general. Until next time, take care!
Running Wild – Due to the ice and slippery conditions on the Sandstone Bluff Trail we needed to exercise a bit more caution. This portion did not require hand holding (except where we needed to lift them) but we did walk with Blaze in front and me in the back just to be sure. On the River Trail we were completely comfortable letting them run fancy free.
The Trail – The Sandstone Bluff trail was amazing and had several areas of ups and downs which made it interesting – this was definitely my favorite trail in the park and I CANNOT believe we have not experienced it sooner! The River Trail winds along the St. Croix River with a decent amount of elevation change.
Trail Conditions – Full of slippery snow and ice in some areas.
Bugs and Pests – Nope.
Plants – Gorgeous leaf barren trees!
Bathrooms – Located quite a distance from the parking area and nothing along the trail. The trail is short and sweet so the lack of bathrooms dispersed throughout the park was not an issue.
Cell Service – No problems!
Trail Information:
Length – 1.81 miles
Moving Time – 01:22:52
Elevation Gain – 281 ft
Difficulty – Easy (summer) & Moderate (winter)
Highlights:
Blaze – The constant snowball fight.
Ripper – Being with my family and laughing and loving life.
Just before Combo’s 9th birthday she fell at a neighbor’s house and broke her arm. She seriously broke it and needed to have surgery to repair it. Following the surgery we have had multiple physical therapy appointments and very stressful and painful exercises to complete at home. Let me just say it has been a whirlwind and we have been bound to the house, tension running wild. But Combo has been a Super Trooper through it all!
Today we finally had the chance to get out of the house and do what we love most! We decided to go to Interstate Park (MN side) and check out a new trail. As you can guess we were elated!
As soon as we hit the trail we encountered an ice covered tunnel that we needed to traverse to get passed Highway 8. It was VERY slow going and super slippery! Blaze actually needed my assistance to make it through (sorry babe). We joked and laughed along the way until we made it across.
Combo noted that the snow looked like glitter while Biff made noises similar to the movie Coco – goofy guy! After leaving the death trap that was the tunnel we came upon a set of stairs leading us up and boy oh boy were they slippery! Combo stopped for a moment to inform us that they had a slight slant to them and we should be careful.
Walking along the sides of the Sandstone bluffs was a sight to be seen! Gorgeous and super fun to hike!
As we continued on our way Mom and Dad shed their coats – the weather was PERFECT (37 degrees baby!) We had no idea that we would find an ice waterfall along our travels but were completely in awe when we did! Biff was a bit upset that we would not let him jump down to take a closer look but such is life.
Our journey continued up to the top of the bluffs.
You must know that the weather PERFECT for snowballs…absolutely perfect! The snowball fight hike had begun!
While dogging the snowballs that were aimed at the kids I was able to take in the amazing views afforded to us. I wonder what it looks like when the leaves are in full bloom? Can you still see the river and road?
Biff decided that Blaze had hit him too many times with snowballs and he would make the ultimate payback – BIFF’S PAYBACK!
The top of the bluffs came next and they were definitely worth taking a moment to enjoy.
The previous night I had told Blaze that I wanted to surrounded by the woods and feel like we were out in the middle of nowhere. Truth be told I did not think this park would make me feel this way but boy was I wrong! The solitude on this side of the park was out of this world (it’s usually heavily traffiched).
Before we knew it the snowball fight raged on!! This was crucial in keeping the kids happy and engaged in trekking through the snow.
Biff continued to build his “payback” as we hiked along.
Here is where I started to feel the love of the small pleasures in life. We were hiking in the woods, laughing and screaming with glee. The simple pleasures of the sun shining through the trees just so was very important and meaningful.
Combo found a tree that she could see into!
I know that I said that surgery and physical therapy had been a difficult experience but I did not tell you how difficult it was. It was traumatic and AWFUL. We have struggled and failed and struggled and failed again. But for some reason this whole experience has brought Combo and I closer together.
But just after the mother/daughter bonding moment took place, Blaze decided he should attempt to pelt Combo with a snowball (notice a theme here?)
As we slipped and tripped on we found ourselves in a wonderland of snow. I told Blaze that I wanted to be encompassed by the woods and was super skeptical that this hike would fit the bill but I WAS WRONG!
As we continued to hike we continued to laugh and joke and just enjoy life. It was precisely what the doctor ordered!
Of course the snowball fight continued and eventually Biff had to take one to the face (he was a good sport about it but Blaze ran away just in case).
Next we met up with the Railroad Trail and decided we would have to check it out next time.
Everyone was having such a great time that we decided to continue on to the River Trail!
The best part of the day was that the kids got along. When Dad threw a snowball at one of them the other would immediately alert the other to the upcoming danger. This particular moment really captured my heart.
Of course the rest of our hike was filled with flying snowballs and running behind trees to dodge the impending doom. BEST HIKE EVER!
And just because we were in the area we decided to check out Franconia Sculpture Park (highly recommended).
Merry Christmas everyone and take care! Lots of love from Blaze, Ripper, Combo and Biff!
The Trail – A nice stroll around a beautiful lake with many opportunities to see various species of birds.
Trail Conditions – Some snow and ice on the trail but nothing that hindered our adventure. The trail began as a grassy walk, turned to packed dirt, pavement, back to a combination of grass and packed dirt and ending on a quick walk on the road back to the trail center.
Bathrooms – Located within the trail center and then near the Yurt campground about halfway through the hike.
Cell Service – Great.
Trail Information:
Length – 3.3 miles
Moving Time – 01:28:26
Elevation Gain – 81 ft 🙂
Difficulty – Easy
Highlights:
Combo – I really liked seeing the swans…that was cool.
Biff – Spending time with you guys (he’s such a ham!)
Blaze – I liked how secluded it was and I liked how windy it was. It was peaceful and loud at the same time.
Ripper – The swans were gorgeous! I also enjoyed watching the way the sun reflected off the newly formed ice and areas of open water.
We chose to go to Glendalough State Park because we thought it was time to get another password and stamp for our passport club. We examined the remaining parks, considering drive time and hiking distance and decided to go a little farther to get slightly more distance on the hike. Fun thing to note, the city of Battle Lake looked really quaint and would be a fun place to explore in warmer weather.
The main road within the park ended at the Trail Center and lodge that could be rented out. After a long(ish) drive we stopped to check out the bathrooms – surprise, surprise before hitting the trail. As we waited for the boys, Combo grabbed a winter activity book and birding checklist for her and Biff and spent the next several moments perusing the pamphlets.
It just so happened that our drive on Highway 94 took us passed a gas station known for their enormous and scrumptious donuts, this was a no-brainer, we had to stop! Armed with our newly acquired treats (cut in half because they really were massive) we set out. The first leg of our hike was brutally windy and cold but the sweet donutty goodness kept us going.
The sugar began to work it’s magic in our systems and soon Biff pushed me off the trail, yelling “stay on the trail mommy!” The game was on! We pushed, hip checked, and bum rushed one another until we found ourselves on a paved path.
While the pavement was not as interesting as the grass and packed dirt, it did bring better hiking conditions. The wind speed dropped noticeably, almost to nothing and the sun began to peek out of the clouds warming our faces and our spirits. We found a “crazy cat lady” hat and joked that Combo had lost her hat…she did not think that we were so funny. We also stumbled across the site of an old earth oven and stopped to learn more about how the site had been used and that this was the largest earth oven ever found in Minnesota!
Before long we were surprised to find another animal bone right on the pavement! We have found more bones this year than any of our previous hiking years combined and we spent the next few minutes searching the sides of the path for more animal remains, in an attempt to figure out what kind of animal the bone had once been a part of.
As we were searching for more bones Biff yelled out “PASSWORD” and took off down the path with renewed energy. The password was located just outside the Yurts campground, so of course we needed to check them out deciding that we would need to come back and stay in one. Very cool indeed!
Just passed the Yurts the Hiking Club trail diverged from the paved path and once again turned to dirt. At this point Biff began to complain that he had to go to the bathroom, despite Dad having just given him the opportunity to use the facilities within the Yurts campground. We convinced Biff that the best way to the bathroom was to kick it into gear and make it to the trail center.
My favorite part of the trail was just around the corner. As we returned to the edge of the lake we caught our first glimpses of the swans swimming in only section of open water. We talked to the kids about being quiet the closer we got to the swans so we would be able to get an up-close view.
Combo has been reading the Harry Potter series for the past two years and is finally on the last book. Imagine her excitement when we came across a tree that resembled the mark on Harry’s forehead – it was Harry’s tree! Biff got a kick out of the tree that looked like a massive butt crack (mature I know).
Unfortunately the view of the lake was obscured by the various undergrowth but we could catch small glimpses of the majestic birds. The honking of the swans was a surprise. Their calls did not match their beauty and we got a kick out of honking at one another, as if we were swans ourselves.
Moving along we came across a stream with the clearest water we had seen in quite some time. It looked crystal clear, we could even see the quarters and dimes that others had sadly thrown into the water. A bridge crossed the stream and a picnic table was located between the bridge and the lake. The picnic table would make a perfect lunch spot in warmer temperatures and the bridge provided great entertainment as the kids threw sticks over one side of the bridge before racing to the other side to see pass by.
The bridge took us back into a prairie setting and the kids enjoyed finding sticks that could be used as walking sticks along the way (to be left in the park before we headed for home). Dad found a tree that had a cross between cherries and cherry tomatoes growing from it – if you know what type of tree this is please let us know in the comments! We pondered this for some time while continuing on our journey.
We’ve seen beaver dams and remnants of where the beavers had chewed off logs for their dams but we have yet to see a tree that beavers were in the process of chopping down. Biff was super into examining all of the chew marks on the tree and made sure that I snapped a quick photo so he could look at it again later.
Following the “beaver tree” as Biff called it, we strolled through yet another campground but this time it was a grouping of camper cabins. So many options for camping for those that do not like to tent it. Good thing to keep in mind for those that want the camping experience with some of the modern amenities they are accustomed to. The trees in this area looked like they were reaching their limbs toward the water and Biff and I wondered just why they were reaching for the water. Nature is amazing!
And before we knew it we passed a canoe launch area and found ourselves walking along the last portion of road before the trail center. Biff was super excited to find that he was close to the bathrooms and sweet relief and as such, took off with new energy! While Biff raced to the bathrooms, Dad and Combo stopped one last time to take in the lake and the serenity it had to offer.
That’s it for this adventure! We would love for our next adventure to be a trail that someone is interesting in previewing before actually hitting the trail. If you have a suggestion please leave a comment and we will work to plan it in the near future. As always, thank you for joining us on our stroll through the woods. We had a great time and hope that you enjoyed reading and previewing this park. Also, don’t forget we have an email address that you can send questions, pictures, comments, etc. to in the event you do not want to post publicly online. Happy Trails!
Running Wild – We would definitely recommend exercising caution in some areas due to the steep cliffs and areas of ice and slick terrain. We will make note of the specific areas below.
The Trail – Today we decided to skip the Hiking Club trail (we’ve hiked it several times and it is awesome but we wanted to try something new) and instead hiked the Chimney Rock and Inspiration Point trails. Both trails were accessed by the same steep trail up, Chimney Rock to the left on the ridge line and Inspiration Point to the right. We hiked on packed dirt, stone steps, wooden steps, and pavement for a short distance.
Trail Conditions – We had the trails completely to ourselves! For the most part we did not have issues but there were some areas of ice, frozen mud, snow, and areas where the snow melted, leaving wet and slippery almost frozen dirt.
Bathrooms – Outhouses located next to the second parking lot (we parked in the first). There are also multi-stall bathrooms near the parking and picnic areas that are accessible during the warmer months but had been closed for the season by this time.
Cell Service – Perfect, no issues.
Trail Information:
Length – 2.19 miles
Moving Time – 01:33:36
Elevation Gain – 340 ft
Difficulty – Easy/moderate where you climb to the ridge line, easy for the rest of the hike.
Highlights:
Combo – Going inside of Chimney Rock
Biff – The views
Blaze – The views
Ripper – Having the often crazy busy park and trail system all to ourselves. It was awesome to be able to stop and take in the sights without worrying that we were delaying others from taking in the scenery.
Earlier in the week the kids and I raked our yard while it was snowing and sleeting, with COLD temperatures outside…it was an adventure to be sure! Raking took an agonizing 9 hours and I was completely pooped when all was said and done. And what did Dad say? That we could choose to go ANYWHERE we wanted – no drive time limits!
One of our favorite places to hike is Whitewater State Park because of the challenging inclines, steep drop-offs, and amazing views! It was an 2 1/2 hour drive and was well worth it! We knew that we were in for fun but what we did not realize was that there would be next to no one at the park when we went. Usually we encounter throngs of people and find ourselves waiting in lines as we hike. What a treat!
Upon arriving to the park we looked out over the picnic areas and swimming beach (looked a little different this time of year) before heading to the bathroom…priorities people!
We took a short walk through the picnic grounds to the bridge that connects you with the swimming beach and access to the trail systems. Of course we needed to stop to throw things in the water!
At this point it became painstakingly obvious that our sweet Combo is getting close to her pre-teen years as the “tude” came out in full force and she refused to snap a photo with the rest of us. Challenge accepted – cheer Combo up!
After crossing the water we found ourselves climbing the familiar stone stairs up, up, and up! They were steep in areas but we had just started so we did not get any complaints.
Soon the ridge line appeared and we took a quick left to continue on our journey. The roots and changing trail were a sight to behold and we were excited to climb in and around Chimney Rock!
Chimney Rock is a tried and true favorite for our group. We love to crawl into the “cave” and look out over the amazing landscape! It gets a little steep on the way to Chimney Rock but manageable with kids. Caution should be taken within Chimney Rock as it drops of quickly.
If you hike just a bit further you will find yourself standing atop a cliff that provides dramatic views of the surrounding area. The way to the lookout is quite steep and requires climbing rocks and squeezing between small crevices. This is an area where we would recommend being a little more careful with the kids.
Getting back down from the overlook takes a little teamwork. The following photos show the areas of rock that needed to be climbed. It was fun!
And of course when you are on top of the rocks you must stop and proclaim yourself the “King of the World!”
As we retraced our steps to the intersection of the Chimney Rock and Inspiration Point trails, Biff began to become a little disheartened. He did not like that the rest of us were hiking our own hike – Biff wanted to go back to the car…maybe when you are older buddy.
As Biff’s mood continued to get worse, somehow Combo’s mood elevated to jubilee. I think this might have something to do with sibling rivalry but I took it none the less. Combo stopped Dad and I, asking for extra pictures with just us.
Eventually Biff cheered up and happily snacked on the Beef Sticks we had purchased just for this hike. It was surprising this time around – the kids wanted the Beef Sticks and crackers over the sweet stuff. Our hike continued next to private property – fun side note: our neighbor told us the night before that she was good friends with the gal of the parents owned this private land. Neat!
As we continued along our journey, it became increasingly windier and colder. I tried to make it with my sweatshirt and tried and true hiking shirt but the cold got the best of me and I had to whip out my winter jacket. Even Combo decided to zip her coat! This was another area that we would recommend being a little more careful (at least at this time of year). The terrain was slick and couple that with the misshapen steps and you could have a recipe for disaster.
We endured the cold and soon came upon Inspiration Point. It was amazing and definitely a place that we would have loved to stop for lunch. We even saw several deer far below running through the park…so cool! This is another area where you should be a bit more careful with the kids. The “point” is a narrowish path that is not terribly wide but has seriously steep drop-offs.
On our way back down to the flat terrain that we would take back to the car we found ourselves going down steep, wooden steps. The stairs were wet from melted snow and as such were slick and I definitely biffed it something fierce on the way down. Luckily I did not pull Biff down with me.
Once back to the bottom (?) of the park we debated whether or not we wanted to take a longer path back to our car. The kids were cold and in favor of heading straight back. One thing that we have learned is that when your kids are not excited to continue on…don’t. Go back. Make sure that they enjoy the experience and have good memories to look back on (except when Biff is being a turd).
What we did not expect was the plank that we would need to scale across the water. The kids told us they heard water and saw something that looked like a bridge. We did not believe them. We were wrong (yep I can admit it).
Our last moments of the hike were filled with laughter, ever increasing as the car got closer (they kept a close eye on our GPS lol!)
It was a cold but wonderful day! Our next stop was to have an AMAZING dinner with Grandma and Grandpa Sadie. Perfect, just perfect! Until next time folks – happy trails!
Running Wild – The majority of this was an easy going walk through the woods, with a few hurdles to surpass. Areas to exercise a little more caution include:
Near the falls and river
Climbing up and down the rocks on the trail
A few steep portions of the trail that were covered with rocks (it had just rained and was quite slippery)
The Trail – INCREDIBLE! We wound our way up and down through the woods. The trail was ever changing and kept our interested piqued.
Trail Conditions – For how remote this park was, the trail was surprisingly well maintained. Hats off to those trail angels that keep it clear and beautiful!
Bathrooms – One outhouse located near the parking lot.
Cell Service – Spotty at best. Luckily the GPS on our phones worked or we would have been lost finding our way back to our campsite!
Trail Information:
Length – 4.2 miles
Moving Time – 01:47:12
Elevation Gain – 452 feet
Difficulty – Moderate due to the slippery terrain, otherwise would have been marked as easy.
Highlights:
Combo – Another waterfall!!
Biff – Getting a prize at the end!
Blaze – Solitude and it kept changing, the trail was very diverse.
Ripper – Climbing over the massive boulders to get to the next portion of trail. The trail kept us guessing and we met some really cool people along the way. Everyone noted what troopers our kids were and that gave them an extra boost in their step…very cool indeed!
Driving out to the park we wound our way on dirt roads, constantly going up and down and turning this way and that. Each mile we drove we lost more cell service and became more excited. We were getting out into the middle of the woods, away from all distractions…definitely what we love most!
The rain had just stopped when we reached the trailhead and we debated whether or not we wanted to wear additional layers. We decided to pack the layers and hope for the best out of the weather. It was a little chilly heading out but the fun of the trail quickly warmed our bodies and hearts.
Carefully choosing our path through the woods, we joked and laughed about the treats we planned to eat that night – Devil Dog’s here we come! Our eyes were soon drawn to this amazing field (more of a patch) of yellow. The contrast of the yellow and the grey sky was a sight to behold, which pictures do not do justice.
Moving along we found a boardwalk of sorts. We are so incredibly thankful for the people that took the time to place the boards over places where the mud usually takes over, as this definitely saved our feet from the cold!
Leaving the boardwalk, we found ourselves heading up a gentle incline. The trail changed often and we loved every moment of it!
One thing to note was the rebar that was placed throughout the trail. There were several areas where workers had placed safeguards to keep the trail from washing out but some of these areas had fallen into disrepair. This left the rebar poking out of the trail, posing a definite risk if you tripped and fell. Dad made sure to point out the rebar and Biff picked up on this and started pointing out the “rhubarb” throughout the park.
We chatted about all sorts of things on the trail and enjoyed the quality family time afforded to us by this hike as we strolled through the woods.
While the trees were mostly yellow to brown and/or bare, we found that this was actually helpful when we reached an overlook that we would not have been able to fully enjoy had the trees been full of leaves.
Eventually the kids did start to get a little tired. Dad promised them that we would take them to a gift shop and buy them ANYTHING that they wanted, so long as they stayed in a good mood. The race was on! They took this opportunity to show us just how good of a mood they could be in. Motivation folks! They deserved it. They had hiked in four different places over the past two days, stayed in a tent that reached 30 degrees at night and Biff did it all while recovering from a concussion.
Next came the portion of the trail that was littered with rocks and boulders. Unfortunately we did not get a picture of the boulders that we literally had to lift the kids up to continue on our journey. At this same point, we met two women that asked us where they were in the park. We pointed out our location on the GPS on our phone and they told us that they had only meant to head to the waterfall. Wait what? How did we not know there was a waterfall?! The kids found even more motivation to continue on.
Shortly after we found the Hiking Club password, we came across a few backpacking sites and decided that we needed to come back here next summer to backpack and check out the rest of what this amazing park had to offer.
While we discussed the provisions we would need to camp in this park, we gradually began to hear a noise. As we continued on we decided that the noise we could hear was running water. We were nearing the waterfall that we did not know existed!
And before we knew it we were at the falls! Dad took Combo one way and I took Biff the other way. We each enjoyed our moments by the rushing water in our own ways. It was crazy how loud the falls were! We had to talk into one another’s ears to be able to hear what the other person was saying.
As I said before, both parents took the kids on separate paths through the falls but what was really cool to note was that both kids stopped to check out one very cool tree along the way. We could not be more proud that our kids take the time to smell the roses and appreciate the beauty of the natural world around them. I truly hope this continues into their adult lives because I know they will be happy and find their own sense of peace.
We soon discovered that we had linked up with the Superior Hiking Trail (SHT). This is our favorite trail in Minnesota and we began talking about our past adventures on the SHT. Spoiler Alert: We discussed the portion of the Appalachian Trail that we plan to hike on our Spring Break trip!
And in true Combo form, Combo expressed to us that she needed to go #2! NO!!! There were several people on the trail after we left the falls and there was absolutely no place that she could stop. We had to quicken our pace to find our way to the car. We had not seen an outhouse when we hit the trailhead but were DELIGHTED to find that there was one at the end of the trail BUT there was someone in there…Combo waited patiently but was overjoyed when she could finally use the facilities. Like mother like daughter:)
Our adventure over MEA weekend was amazing. We had a wonderful time and refueled our engines, ready to tackle what life held next for us. If only we could do this on a weekly basis! We hope that this was informative and inspired you to get out and enjoy everything that mother nature has to offer you on the trail.
Running Wild – There were a few points where we watched the kids a little closer, encouraging hand holding and walking carefully:
Crossing the bridge over the swift moving river
On the slippery rocks next to the base of the waterfall
Traversing the stairs…so many stairs!
The Trail – This was an out and back trail complete with a bridge, a few overlooks, and numerous stairs.
Trail Conditions – It had rained a little this morning and some portions of the trail were quite wet and muddy but nothing that hindered our progress. The trail was well maintained and easy to navigate.
Bugs and Pests – Mute point as of now…the beauty of the cooler Minnesota weather is that it makes all of those little pests disappear!
Plants – Nothing too exciting to note.
Bathrooms – One outhouse was located at the parking lot and had a serious line of people waiting to get in. Each person left the outhouse shouting about the smell but really it was not that bad. There was another outhouse located just passed the bridge and this seemed to be a much better option as everyone else had stopped to use the one in the parking lot.
Cell Service – Decent, no issues.
Trail Information:
Length – 2.5 miles
Moving Time – 01:01:03
Elevation Gain – 390 feet
Difficulty – Easy (except for the stairs…they were no joke)
Highlights:
Combo – The waterfall!
Biff – Having Mom carry me up the stairs.
Blaze – The waterfall I guess, there were just way to many people for me.
Ripper – Getting the password and passport stamp:)
Another park on our North Shore To-Do-List was Judge C.R. Magney State Park. I think going on MEA weekend was somewhat of a mistake and did not allow us to give the park an honest shot. There were people EVERYWHERE! I enjoy the company of others but our goofy potty talk of farts, poop, pee and Daddy Tree’s does not go over well with some of the unsuspecting people around us. It is hard to really let loose and be the goofballs that we are when we are completely surrounded by people on all sides. That being said, we made the best of it and hit the with a goal in mind…get our password and head to the next park. Again, probably not an honest shot.
After a brief walk passed the parking lot and through a small grove of trees, we found ourselves walking over a bridge with a view of the river, Lake Superior, and Highway 61. It was pretty cool to see the river, Lake Superior, and Highway 61 at the same time. And of course the kids enjoyed the water and finding a couple sticks to toss in.
Combo found a tiny overlook of the river that almost every other person passed by. She stopped for several moments to enjoy the beauty. It was pretty cool that an 8 year old took the time to enjoy the great outdoors and people of all ages breezed right by it to get to the waterfall. Our children are learning to stop, smell the roses, and enjoy the little pleasures in life and I am so proud of that!
We chatted, ran, and played tag along the trail, cruising respectfully by numerous people as we talked about the many differences in the people that we saw. We saw people in bright white sneakers, heels, pajamas, shorts, see through pants, you name it! Many people also opted to carry a Latte versus water…the kids were VERY confused:) The people watching soon brought us to the stairs. 177 stairs to be exact. We did not catch a photo of it but I actually carried Biff up all 177 stairs on the way back…oh boy!
Immediately after the stairs was a place to stop at the rocks on the river, at the base of the waterfall. This was definitely a major attraction and several people were waiting in line to get their chance to check it out. We decided to cruise on ahead and check it out in the way back, in hopes that there would be fewer people at that time. Next we headed up again, sometimes using natural stairs and other times just packed dirt. This was FUN!
After taking a moment to look at the falls, capture the password, and reflect on the parents that allowed their kids to carve their names into nearby trees and fences placed by the park (the kids were furious), we headed on back down, stopping to get a closer look at the falls. It was a pretty impressive sight and I thoroughly enjoyed being sprayed by the water.
This is the point where Biff told us he was tired, ironically right when the stairs up began. It really was a workout carrying that little dude up the stairs but his smile and happy chatter was well worth it.
It’s a short one today folks as this was a really short trail and we did our best to keep a quick pace so we could get to our next destination and still have time to go out to eat…BOOM!
Running Wild – Given our current conditions we exercised more caution than normal, due to fear that Biff might trip and fall and make his concussion or “brain injury” as he called it worse. The first portion of the trail did not cause worry but as we reached the steeper portions with slippery rocks and then steep drop-offs we definitely worked on more hand holding and close supervision.
The Trail – AWESOME! One of my favorite hikes on the North Shore so far! The constant upward pull kept your heart beating but the views and every changing path underfoot made us feel like we were on Cloud 9.
Trail Conditions – Some muddy sections at the beginning when we were at a lower altitude but this fell off as we started to climb our way up. The trail was seriously awesome. We loved climbing over the rocks and twisting our way to our destination.
Bugs and Pests – We did have a few gnats in some areas but nothing that was bothersome by any means.
Plants – We did find some fungus and the changing colors of leaves was pretty cool.
Bathrooms – None, make sure to stop before hitting the trail if you feel you may be inclined to do so in the next couple hours.
Cell Service – Decent, enough to receive a message that our good friend had gone into labor!
Trail Information:
Length – 2.7 miles
Moving Time – 1:58:02
Elevation Gain – 650 ft.
Difficulty – Moderate – the elevation gain took off at a certain point and then it was just up, up, up!
Highlights:
Combo – We hiked MY mountain!
Biff – The views!
Blaze – The view from the top, not the mud, and there was not many people there especially for how beautiful it was.
Ripper – Nearly alone in the woods with my family, I felt a sense of peace and solitude that my heart had been yearning for. And the fact that we finally got our Combo to HER mountain was a pretty amazing feeling.
Several years ago I stumbled upon Mount Josephine and knew that we HAD to take Combo (Josephine) there. The years past and we had yet to find the opportune time to get her to her mountain but today was the day! The drive from Grand Portage State Park (SP) was especially pretty and we snapped a few shots from the car.
Quick family photo op before hitting the trail…it’s tradition. We were thrilled to be hitting a dirt trail again!
As previously stated we encountered several areas that were covered in mud. The kids tried to lead the way through the muddy sections but quickly gave up their leader status for following in Mom and Dad’s footsteps (good call on their part).
The first portion of the trail was a straight shot through the woods, with little to no elevation gain. This definitely boosted the kids spirits – hearing “mountain” can be kind of daunting for them because they have hiked some serious mountains out West. We definitely heard several comments to the effect that “this isn’t so hard” and “what kind of mountain is this? A baby mountain?” Just wait kiddos.
We were surprised to find a car graveyard along the way, as none of our hiking apps or books made mention of them. But they were pretty cool and the kids enjoyed exploring the remains of the decaying cars.
But soon our leisurely stroll through the woods came to an end as we veered left off the straight path, heading towards Mount Josephine’s peak. The incline began as soon as we veered left and continued all the way to the top. Some areas were steeper than others, granting a short reprieve from the climb.
Venturing further along the trail, the climbs became steeper and the rocks to climb around became more abundant, but this only added to the fun! I am proud to report that Biff never missed a beat and was the happiest hiker that I had seen in a long time. Way to go little buddy!
As the hike became more challenging, we were treated to our first glimpses of the surrounding area. This invigorated us and inspired us to continue along the upward pull, with thoughts of what the top may hold for us!
And so we continued!
Blaze and Combo were crushing the trail while Biff and I were taking our time, enjoying each moment. We stopped off at an overlook and stood surveying and enjoying the land for several minutes.
Before we knew it, our efforts had paid off and we reached the top! I cannot tell you how absolutely awe inspiring and breath taking it was up there. I WILL be back…it felt like home. Peace, solitude, and natural beauty for as far as the eye could see. We even met another couple that was attempting to take a selfie with the amazing backdrop. We offered to take the picture and they were so appreciative.
My favorite memory of this hike is the one that follows. Dad and I were snapping photos of the scenery and the kids stopped and laid down on the rocks, chatting away about what they saw and what they were looking forward to back at the campsite.
Finding our way back down the trail we received a message from our good friend, that her wife had gone into labor! The little one was coming! The beauty surrounding us and the thought of a long awaited new member to our family gave us an extra boost to our step. Perfect beginning to our trek down!
As promised, the moment Biff mentioned that he was getting tired, I picked him up and started the journey down with him in my arms. Man it was much easier during our 2016 trip to Montana when he fell asleep in my arms hiking down a mountain! How did he get so big?!
Our one and only cool fungus sighting!
When we reached the arrow made out of tree logs/limbs the kids knew that we had reached the flat and easy portion that would take us quickly to our car and they were off!
We made another stop at the car graveyard to once again check out the remains of vehicles past and the kids really wanted to take a souvenir with them. They eventually agreed to a picture…take memories!
Discussing plans for our evening shenanigans, we were surprised to find that we had made it back to the car. What an awesome hike! I could not rave more about this trail and cannot wait to tackle it again!
We hope that you have enjoyed this trail as much as we did! As always, please comment and let me know what you think about the post. Our aim is to be beneficial to those that want to get out and explore with their family. Any insight into what we can do better, what you like or what you would like to see more of would be greatly appreciated! Also, I am still testing out the informative post versus the narrative post, so if you have a moment to let me know which one you like better I would greatly appreciate it! Sneak peak for tomorrow – Judge C.R. Magney SP and George H. Crosby-Manitou SP!
Hiking with Kids! 