Minnesota Hiking Club #60 - Lake Louise State Park

Minnesota Hiking Club

#60 - Lake Louise State Park

Date Hiked: December 30th, 2024

Other Hikes That Day: None

Wanderloon Ranking System Score: 2.17

I'll freely admit that I wasn't even planning on visiting Lake Louise State Park on this day. 

It was only my third completed trail in the Minnesota Hiking Club booklet, though it wasn't my only hike that day. Completing an Adventure Lab in Austin, Minnesota had me wandering through the mist like a loon upon daybreak already. Another Lab nearby took me on a drive through several more small towns in the area, and when the final one was Le Roy, I thought it sounded familiar. 

At this point, my quest to finish the Hiking Club in one winter hadn't officially begun, so the state parks were not my solitary motivation for hiking-based travel yet. 

I started the Hiking Club with a visit to two parks on December 22nd, and both of them had open offices and friendly attendants to point out where the Passport stamp was. This was the first one where I realized that many of them, during this time of year at least, would have the stamp available at the kiosk because the office was closed. This was good to learn, considering many of the other entries in this travel series would've been far more difficult with different expectations. 

If it isn't apparent from my photograph selection, Minnesota was in a stretch of foggy days dense enough for air raid sirens and Pyramidhead sightings to be plentiful. 

Wandering alone through the woods in such conditions, much like days of snow and ice, takes on different vibes and characteristics than the park's summer counterparts. Fogbank solitude doesn't invoke the same memories as crystal lake water and green leaves fluttering in the breeze, but it would not be accurate to describe the visit as unmemorable either. Soft piano music and Centralia-esque feelings of being truly alone were very appropriate, for better and worse. 

Without spoiling yet what the previous two Hiking Club trail endeavors were at this point in my journey, they involved icy hills, longer miles, and stunning views. Lake Louise's Hiking Club trail, it's fair to say, was... not that. 

If it's convenient to the proximity of your starting location, this would be a good one to start on, especially if you're not an experienced hiker. It's a short, flat loop that shouldn't trouble most anyone on a stroll, and I'm not saying that as a detriment to the trail itself. Some who participate may like the more difficult terrain or longer treks in this club, while others may prefer the ones that are flat and easily completed. Everyone is at a different point in their experience as a hiker, so I speak only for myself without any shade cast. As well, I am certain hiking this trail in July is a drastically divergent endeavor than a foggy day in late December. 

But, had there not been a Hiking Club password to log and a spot on the map to highlight, it's likely I may not have remembered this trail at all minutes after leaving it behind. 

Minnesota Hiking Club #61 - Fort Ridgely State Park

 

Minnesota Hiking Club

#61 - Fort Ridgely State Park

Date Hiked: January 5th, 2025

Other Hikes That Day: Minneopa State Park

Wanderloon Ranking System Score: 2.17

While this was not one of my favorite hiking trails, I feel the need to state up front that I am aware of the historical context of this State Park. The Hiking Club trail may be a part of it, but the significance of the events that occurred at the fort and the surrounding area many years ago are far more important than my cameo on the land and how I felt about it that particular day. 

That said, the reason the ranking is even this high is the aforementioned historical context and the information accessible about it. Though that has little to do with the trail, there is interesting information abound in this park if you're willing to look for it, and that was one of the six categories on which I was ranking. 

It is easy to overlook the prairie in Minnesota. When the Iron Range and Lake Superior are up north, the Mississippi and Minnesota rivers align with the major metropolitan areas, the river bluffs in the southeast, etc., grasslands can sometimes be forgotten. Unfairly, I'd say, especially with the efforts to restore native species and landscapes over the recent years. Alas, that was not my problem with this trail either. 

To be quite blunt, I couldn't spend much of my time admiring the scenery in my solitude because my eyes were scanning the ground looking for horseshit. 

I'm aware that sometimes park resources are limited. I'm aware that the Hiking Club trail may not be the biggest priority. I'm aware that some people aren't even conscious of the Hiking Club existing, as I wasn't until shortly before this journey began. But, hiking is for exercise, unwinding, peace, and enjoying nature, and it is very hard to do that while making sure my two boots and two trekking poles are not pressing into scatological landmines. If there was one fortunate thing about it being January 5th, it's at least statistically unlikely said hill surprises weren't fresh as they might be when normal people are searching for the password to write in their booklets. 

This was my fifth park in two days, and while the polar vortex wasn't nearly as vicious as the day ere (more on that much higher in this list), the prairie winds and icy grass weren't particularly helpful in the enjoyment of this weekend's final odyssey. 

While some Hiking Club binges after this racked up more stamps and longer miles, the desire to roam far and wide was more a result of missing my special people a bit harder than usual. Rather than simmer in solitude, I opted for ice cleats and highlighted maps, and maybe a few Geocache finds along the way. 

That said, frigid prairie winds and repeated games of equestrian hopscotch did not lead to one of my more positive rankings. But, you should still absolutely visit; not just to complete the password, but to learn something about a part of this state's past that is, unfortunately, often overlooked or forgotten.  

Minnesota Hiking Club #62 - Big Stone Lake State Park

Minnesota Hiking Club

#62 - Big Stone Lake State Park

Date Hiked: January 26th, 2025

Other Hikes That Day: Lac Qui Parle State Park

Wanderloon Ranking System Score: 2.08

I have accidentally called this park "Big Stone Gap" at least 37 times, including the first time writing the name of this essay.

This place is extremely visible for those who frequent the state parks. For those who don't know, Minnesota State Parks have a daily parking fee of $7, but one can bypass that and purchase a yearly permit for $35. In other words, if you're looking to partake in the Minnesota Hiking Club and plan to do more than five parks in a year, it's a bargain. The permit that I received before beginning this expedition has a gorgeous sunset photo from Big Stone Lake State Park, as I presume everyone else who purchased theirs in 2024 has on their front passenger window.

This park is less than 200 miles away, and yet it takes almost 3.5 hours to get there. US-212 is the biggest road to head toward that area of the state, and even that is only a two-lane road after a certain distance from the Cities. Near Ortonville on the border with South Dakota, approaching from the south may find one in a bit of confusion without knowing in advance that there are multiple sections of the park. The stamp can be acquired at the first entrance, but the Hiking Club trail is a considerable distance north. After navigating the winding roads to find the correct starting point for the Hiking Club trail, I simply once again recall that most people won't be dealing with thick ice as an inhibitor on the final descending hill.

Speaking of things that made me instantly regret my life choices, one moment of stepping outside the car on January 26th was enough to make me think a trip to Oz was imminent. A cold wind that stiff should be reserved for pond hockey rivalries or temporarily wiping out approaching Ring Wraiths from crossing the border. Many scenarios are possible in these remote locations in the extreme desolation of the deep winter. 

While the eponymous lake supported many people and vehicles, I was the only one traversing the Hiking Club Trail, as I'd come to expect. Most days would find this a delightful woodsy stroll, a down-and-back excursion with a little loop at the end. I found myself being grateful for elevated wooden planks in the loop, as they were considerably less icy than the rest of the path. There are falls to be viewed along this route, though like many I would encounter during my winter travels, they were frozen when I visited. Beautiful they are, though in a different but notable way from the typical experience when one can feel their own face. 

Big Stone Lake's reputation has it placed upon the windshields of many state park visitors. Its Hiking Club trail sees some elevation change along its terrain, which can be tricky when ice is a factor. I have no doubt of its splendor, at least when not being pummeled by wind with an apparent vendetta. 

Minnesota Hiking Club #63 - Carley State Park

Minnesota Hiking Club
#63 - Carley State Park
Date Hiked: January 6th, 2025
Other Hikes That Day: Whitewater State Park
Wanderloon Ranking System Score: 2.08

Unlike some of the other hikes that were hampered by terrible weather or conditions, this one was overshadowed by the one I did earlier that day. 

Coming off the heights (literally and figuratively) of Whitewater State Park, which mercifully had no ice, I had just enough time to check off nearby Carley State Park before heading back home for an appointment. Yes, I was relatively underwhelmed, but I doubt I would've felt that way if I switched the sequence. 

Carley State Park's Hiking Club trail is unique in its shape, resembling an upside-down "U" when viewed from above on AllTrails, and the park is known for its Virginia bluebells bloom. That, of course, is not visible in early January, which also required an extra hike to get to the actual hike due to the gate being closed. Mercifully, unlike Franz Jevne, there was no snow through which to trudge. 

Because of the limited time, even more exacerbated by my difficulty figuring out where to go once the gate was closed, it was a micro-version of the speedrun through the Hiking Club itself; getting through it without even taking a picture for reference and heading back north to maintain punctuality. 

Yes, it paled in comparison to the bluffs and views of Whitewater, which I'll be talking about much later in this series. But also, it's a perfectly fine walk through the woods. The shape, looking like a second grader tried to draw the logo on the helmet of the Indianapolis Colts, was decently maintained, and unlike other later hikes, I didn't run into any mud issues. Its only notable flaw is its proximity to a park that I'm much more likely to revisit without the Hiking Club requiring it for completion. 

Curling along the North Fork Whitewater River (twice), it does feel like an escape from the mostly flat agricultural land in its immediate surroundings. Unfrozen water and green leaves likely enhance this effect, and I'm sure those of you who visit this park when it's not desolate and silent will find it to be lovely and peaceful. But, you're reading the wanderer who did the hike when the gates weren't even open, so while the former may be the more common narrative, and the different vibes and characteristics in its solitude are emblematic of why I thought this series would be interesting in the first place. 

I spent less than the airtime of a TGIF sitcom in Carley State Park, and that is no fault of Carley or the Hiking Club. The southeast section of Minnesota's state parks are filled with giant bluffs, rocky trails, gorgeous views, plentiful nature and wildlife, and the true escapism and peace in which state parks and Hiking Clubs allow their patrons to indulge. 

If you're doing the Hiking Club and looking to knock off two in a relatively short time, I highly recommend hitting Carley first and then proceeding to Whitewater. In hindsight, it might be less difficult, because those elevation gains at Whitewater are no joke.

Minnesota Hiking Club #64 - Monson Lake State Park

Minnesota Hiking Club
#64 - Monson Lake State Park
Date Hiked: January 12th, 2025
Other Hikes That Day: Sibley State Park
Wanderloon Ranking System Score: 2.08

I'm sure this place is really nice in the summer!

That was my second thought upon arriving at Monson Lake State Park. The first was "I didn't know my car was interested in ice skating."

Looking at the map for this trip, my initial intention was to knock out three that, on a map, looked relatively close together. Once I saw the distance between Monson Lake and Glacial Lakes, as well as the distance and difficulty of Glacial Lakes, I decided two would be enough for this day.

Well, to be fair, any consideration for hiking a third park, on this day specifically, froze out with the rest of me when I felt the temperature drop 17 degrees in less than the 20 minutes during this quick lake loop.

Sibley State Park, earlier that morning, had been a joyous solo adventure, but it's also very forested, thus protecting me from icy winds. However, in the short time between leaving my Kerrigan-esque car and returning to it, the "feels like" temperature dropped from 3 to -17, so I likely would've been somewhat inhibited regardless.

There is nothing wrong with Monson Lake's short lake loop. Most people who hike this trail won't be combatting agitated snow drifts as they regret their life decisions, and the likelihood of spotting a halo rainbow around the sun from all the ice crystals is very low at times when there are leaves on the trees. The winds started howling like I owed them money, and if my face weren't as frozen as Jor-El's head in that weird shot from Superman: The Movie (1978), it's possible I may have been singing a "hey-nonni-nonni-hey-nonni-nonni-hey!" for my regrettable climate-based choices.

Some of the Hiking Club's trails are only a mile long, and this is not the only one that contains that minimum distance with a flat loop around a lake. It is Minnesota, after all. While some may feel disdain about driving hours of distance only to complete a trail that can be described as hiking only in the most generous of terms, the brevity of this ground halo to the lake's sun not taking much time was a welcome reprieve.

Upon beginning the lake trail, I was reminded of my non-Minnesotan origins, as the ice huts and pickup trucks on the lake's surface incessantly nag at my transplant meter. Despite Gordon Bombay teaching me at a very young age that it'll be alright to take a vehicle with several hockey players on the ice with no problem, that is one line I have yet to cross for assimilation purposes. While the danger of ice melting at temperatures that would make Jupiter shiver is relatively minute, I'll keep my outdoor activities limited to the ground. Or, at least, what I assume is ground beneath those ever-changing snow drifts.

Monson Lake State Park is probably a beautiful respite on the prairie when the humidity and bugs are at choking levels, and that's presumably when most people will experience its splendor.

Minnesota Hiking Club #65 - Red River State Recreation Area

Minnesota Hiking Club
#65 - Red River State Recreation Area
Date Hiked: March 10th, 2025
Other Hikes That Day: Old Mill State Park, Lake Bronson State Park, Hayes Lake State Park
Wanderloon Ranking System Score: 2.08

I'd put off the Northwest corner of the state as long as I could. I started (and intended to finish) the Hiking Club in the winter, after all. And being the autistic completionist that I am, there was no "skip that portion" option.

However, I also figured that if I saved the ones that were farthest away for last, it may have a demotivating factor, and with this damn self-imposed deadline, I didn't want something like my own head talking me out of doing the thing that nobody but me insisted upon doing in this amount of time in the first place! That would just be silly!

Who needs distance and time commitment for demotivation when you can have the same effect arriving at a Hiking Club trail to find a bunch of pavement and a suburban neighborhood instead?

There isn't anything inherently wrong with hiking on a paved path through a suburban park, or taking a stroll in a neighborhood on a dangerously windy day, but it's also not exactly what was implied by signing up for a Hiking Club either.

Hey, bridges are cool though. I could see North Dakota across the Red River, when my eyes weren't being assaulted by bursts of wind that should've been reserved for getting some farm chick to un-alive a witch with her house.

Truth is, this particular day of adventure made me feel very silly, and not for the aforementioned self-imposed deadline "must do them all in one day" reasons either.

Back at home near the Twin Cities, it was 62 degrees. For those who aren't from Minnesota, yes... it does get above 10 degrees occasionally, despite what the Fargo universe would have you believe, and even sometimes outside of the eight-and-a-half seconds of summer we do receive.

So, when it took nearly five hours to reach East Grand Forks, and when I had to drive through North Dakota to get back to Minnesota in order to make this first hike, I still had a t-shirt on. It was a good weather day, after all. But, those highway signs about wind advisories weren't kidding, and the temperature was dropping rapidly.

I cannot reiterate enough that I'm grateful every single one of these parks and trails exist, and I'm not trying to talk anyone out of visiting even the early ones that I've ranked at the bottom of my list. But, after leaving 62 degrees and sunny to have to drive five hours through another state to get back into my own, my first hike of the day being something I could've done outside my own home in far better conditions was a bit of a letdown.

Conversely, this would be the only one of the four hikes I did this day where I saw another person, and that probably says more about me than they, all things considered.

At least this time, the five hour drive was met with a hike that eclipsed two miles. Even mushroom clouds have silver linings.

Minnesota Hiking Club #66 - Franz Jevne State Park

Minnesota Hiking Club
#66 - Franz Jevne State Park
Date Hiked: February 22nd, 2025
Other Hikes That Day: Big Bog State Recreation Area, Zippel Bay State Park
Wanderloon Ranking System Score: 1.5

This is an occasion where my ranking is not inherently the park's fault, and thus I spent a good deal of time in the Introduction explaining and emphasizing the subjectivity of this ranking system.

Is there anything wrong with this state park? Probably not. The lack of enjoyment I had hiking this trail was more due to the surrounding factors than the park itself. Totally unrelated, but this is how I learned about the seasonal updates on the websites for the state parks. Until that point, I'd relied entirely on what I called the "W* Code." 19 of the Hiking Trails are listed as ones that will be groomed when there is snow (because when is there any of that in Minnesota?), therefore hiking on them is not allowed in order to make way for snowmobiles, snowshoeing, or skiing. On the map I made, I put a W next to every one with this designation so I wouldn't break that rule, and until this park, that was a very effective system. Franz Jevne had no W, therefore I thought it would be realistically hikable.

Franz Jevne is close enough to Canada that I could throw a Hail Mary to someone across the river. Two streets run on either side of the park, with a main road perpendicular about a mile away. With the entrance being closed, I parked outside the gate. The trail didn't look terribly far away, so getting a little extra cumulative distance for my AllTrails stats didn't slow me down. Rather, the snow did.

When one looks in the booklet and sees 1.3 miles as the distance, it's reasonable to assume not much of a time commitment will be necessary. Normally, I can cover 3.5-4 miles in an hour. Add in a half mile from the entrance through nearly thigh deep snow, downed trees, the effort it took to get up hills in these conditions, and a solid hour had passed when I finally spotted that password sign. One might ask why I didn't just try it another day? Well, as previously mentioned, it's a good toss away from the Canadian border, so it took a five-hour plus drive to get there.

I am not a native Minnesotan, but even still, this should've probably been logical to assume. But, mostly until this hike, I had no trouble accessing and hiking the trails, so it didn't occur to me that there might be several feet of uncleared snow, making traversing the grounds difficult. That's on me, I'm not denying that. But I wasn’t driving nearly six hours north without getting my password!

The best part was before I started, when I spotted the Great Gray Owl pictured hanging out nearby.

(*Winter)

Minnesota Hiking Club #67 - La Salle Lake State Recreation Area

Minnesota Hiking Club

#67 - La Salle Lake State Recreation Area

Date Hiked: March 2nd, 2025

Other Hikes That Day: Glendalough State Park, Lake Bemidji State Park, Itasca State Park

Wanderloon Ranking System Score: 1.42

There is a common refrain I found myself journaling throughout this, for lack of a better term, "speedrunning" of the Minnesota Hiking Club. 

"I imagine this place is lovely in the summer."

This is the first time I've invoked this notion (of course it is, it's the first park I'm writing about), and it will not be the last. If you're looking for the passport stamp, save yourself the time of checking the information kiosk, because it's located at Itasca State Park, a short drive down the road. I'd also recommend checking this one off your map before heading to Itasca, merely because I'm the kind of person who saves their favorite food on the plate to eat last. 

As stated in the Introduction, the very premise of a ranking system necessitates that one of the options is going to be at the bottom of the list. La Salle Lake State Recreation Area looks to be a lovely remote getaway spot in Northern Minnesota, not far from the headwaters of the Mississippi River. 

The general landscape of the area reminded me a lot of the first time someone brought me to Northern Minnesota, long before I lived here. The feeling of being far away from civilization permeates throughout the area, and for a reclusive wanderer like myself, that pairs well with doing these hikes in the winter. 

On this unseasonably warm day (for Minnesota in March), there wasn't another soul in sight at La Salle Lake, and another advantage to hiking these trails in the winter is that a horror movie-level swarm of mosquitos did not immediately descend upon me the second it heard my car door unlock. 

The Hiking Club trail is not next to the information kiosk. It's down the road and on the other side. Hopefully you have it loaded on your trails app of choice, or you risk missing it if you... I don't know... Sneeze.

Do not let the presence of seemingly locked doors deter you... unless they actually are locked at the time, in which case you should probably respect boundaries. This short walk will require pushing through two of them and simultaneously not scaring the shit out of yourself when they slam shut behind you. 

One who becomes accustomed to the Hiking Club trails will easily spot signs at the beginning, as well as throughout the hike, pointing one along the way. Other than the password sign itself, there was only one sign, indicating that the river view and password would be found in 1520 feet. This down-and-back jaunt won't take especially long, even if it's covered in ice and slush like it was the day I completed the trail, but other than the final scenic view, it's not exceptionally noteworthy. 

As this is the newest state recreation area (it wasn't even on my highlighter map), it's possible the presentation will be improved, but on this particular day, it felt like even the park itself didn't know it had a Hiking Club trail.

Minnesota Hiking Club - Introduction to the Wanderloon Travel Series

Greetings and salutations. 

I am E.A. Moon, the Wanderloon, and a hiker. This is the beginning of my first travel series on this page, detailing my unusual journey through the Minnesota Hiking Club. 

What makes it unusual? Not only were they all done in the winter, but a single winter season. 

What made me want to do this journey when most people in Minnesota don't even want to leave the house? Well... 

1. I found out about the Minnesota Hiking Club in December of 2024. 

2. I am autistic and tend to get hyperfocused on things, especially if I can document them. Conversely, I also did the Passport Club simultaneously.

3. Speaking of hyperfocus and documentation, I kept track of my progress using a map of the state parks, and I would highlight them as I completed the visit. Highlighting the newest trees was the first thing I would do upon coming back home.

4. I wanted to.

5. Most of the writing about the state parks, and the Hiking Club specifically, appears to be done over the summer (and reasonably so!) and multiple years. I am not taking anything away from them. But, the perspective of seeing and hiking these parks in the winter is different.

6. I did all 67 hiking trails in the span of 82 days. I think that's neat and I'm proud of it. 

7. Do I need a 7th reason? Probably not, but now this list has 7 reasons.

8. Along the journey, I ranked all 67 parks. Mostly on the Hiking Club trail specifically, but also my experience of the park in the process of completing the Hiking Club trail. These rankings are entirely subjective, biased, and determined by nothing but my own personal experience of the hike at that particular time. As previously described, these were done in the winter as well, so these rankings bear nothing on what these parks and trails are like in the summer. 

I am grateful every single one of these trails and parks exist. Nothing about my ranking should discourage you from visiting, whether you're participating in the Hiking Club/Passport Club or not. Based merely on the concept of a ranking system, one of them had to be the lowest, but that is not an insult. The rankings are based on my perception, what I was going through at the time, and how the hike itself went. 

The Wanderloon Ranking System is based on 6 (mostly) subjective factors that I made up, each of them on a scale of 1-5, then averaging them out. These factors are: 

-Trail Quality: on that day

-Views and Scenery: on that day, in the winter, what I wanted to see, and what I like

-Elevation Gain: hills, slopes, and climbs of all kinds

-Interesting Information: placards, displays, descriptions, cool stuff to learn about

-Vibe: cannot emphasize enough that these are subjective, personal rankings and based only on my experience

-Easy to Find: the park itself, Hiking Club trail