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.