Minnesota Hiking Club #30 - Great River Bluffs State Park

 

Minnesota Hiking Club

#30 - Great River Bluffs State Park

Date Hiked: March 4th, 2025

Other Hikes That Day: None

Wanderloon Ranking System Score: 3.33

For once, it wasn't the cold or snow that led me to have a comparatively unique experience of a Hiking Club trail. 

There was only one park left in the entire southeast to do, mostly because of its W-coding and the others in proximity not being such. But I was excited to give this one the time and focus it deserved, because the river bluffs remind me so much of the Appalachian mountains where I grew up. I understand they are different geological landscapes and the latter is tremendously ancient, but they give me similar vibes. In a state that can be socially isolating to those who aren't from here, feeling some vague connection to even a concept of "home" is endearing. 

Sure wish I could've seen it though!

The Great River Bluffs State Park Hiking Club trail is shaped like a fancy signature with a heart in the middle. Where most are loops, this is a down-and-back with a small heart loop, and that is quite unique. Rather than climbing the bluffs, like many trails in the surrounding Winona area, this one starts and finishes atop them, leaving the far point for the views of the river valley to inspire the trip back.

Sure wish I could've seen it though!

Unpleasant weather was imminent, and I wanted to get something in before the skies unleashed. While I didn't get any rain, US-52 on the trip home was a monsoon of meteorological punishment for daring to have hope that spring was approaching. Being already on the bluffs was merciful, because the trek was so muddy that I'd be a Moon that descended rapidly to hear the song of a flute. This way I only slid around the foggy barrow-downs and hoped I didn't have to fight a wight. 

When the trail reaches the bluffs overlook, the trees clear, and it feels like summiting a great peak with a flat top, minus the whole climbing part. In this case, I moved from the densely foggy woods to the Misty Mountain Hop, as instead of fog in a bunch of trees, there was open space with nothing but fog filling it in! Diversity of landscapes for the win!

This park is really cool, and while I wish in a general sense that we could've gotten some Manitou-esque elevation change, the slip factor would've made that a muddy nightmare that no laundry machine could wash away. The views, according to the photos on AllTrails, are as spectacular as advertised. Fortunately for me, the fog and inclement weather at least led to a quiet stroll of solitude through a place I'm sure is hopping all throughout the summer, as well it should be! 

My avoidance of people is not their fault... unless they have bluetooth speakers with no headphones. Then, all bets are off and my death stare is genuine. This Hiking Club trail lives up to its reputation and anyone searching for scenic overlooks will enjoy it. 

Sure wish I could've seen it though!

Minnesota Hiking Club #31 - Charles A. Lindbergh State Park

 

Minnesota Hiking Club

#31 - Charles A. Lindbergh State Park

Date Hiked: January 7th, 2025

Other Hikes That Day: Crow Wing State Park

Wanderloon Ranking System Score: 3.25

This state sure does love to hang on to its figures of cultural and historical significance. 

That's not an insult, I actually admire it. I like being in this Lindbergh a hell of a lot more than the one that's a terminal, that's for sure. 

This hike was really odd. Not in a negative way, but it's noteworthy nonetheless for the particular quirks I encountered along the way. Half of the Hiking Club trail was covered in ice, which made me grateful I wore my ice spikes before descending the stairs into the trail area. Unfortunately, the spikes and some steps up soon after didn't work well with each other, and I nearly slid my awkward ass the whole way down. What also didn't work well with spikes were the beds of pinecones on the half of the trail that wasn't icy. There was no medium, it was either thick ice that made the lovely crunch sound, or it was soft ground and pinecones that got attached, maybe to remind one of the ticks they were missing out on by not being there in the summer. I'll take the ones that don't cause diseases... that I know of. 

The historical location gives a perfect excuse for abandoned and half-collapsed buildings, so that always gets bonus points. The mix of terrain makes what would otherwise be a relatively easy hike through the woods more interesting, though the loop on the map looks like a bad rendering of New Jersey. They can't all be Lake Vermilion-Soudan in their shape simplicity. There isn't much for elevation gain outside of the stairs, but there are some lovely bridges and ridges. The park's namesake does well to inform one of the family's history while along this trail, which reflects its location of being near Little Falls quite well. You can't take a step in that town without learning that a Lindbergh once stopped there to be quick with their joke or to light up your smoke. 

Like most of the hikes before the winter's thaw, I was the only one there from start to finish, and despite the half-convenient, half-nuisance nature of my spike hike, it wrapped up pretty quickly. I wasn't sure if I was on the right trail more than once, and this was another location where I completely missed the password sign somehow despite the AllTrails badge of verified completion (thanks for the assist, Geocaching Bronco!). 

This park's visit was early in the speedrun, and I'm not even certain I'd decided to do the one-season trek by this point. But, with my first hike being at Crow Wing earlier, it was a logical second hike to grab on the way back, as US-10 goes right through Little Falls to get back to the metro from the Brainerd area. This is another instance of two parks being in sequential order in the passport booklet, so that provided me a useless bit of amusement as well. Considering the era we're in, I'll take anything I can get.

Minnesota Hiking Club #32 - Lake Vermilion-Soudan Underground Mine State Park

 

Minnesota Hiking Club

#32 - Lake Vermilion-Soudan Underground Mine State Park

Date Hiked: February 21st, 2025

Other Hikes That Day: None

Wanderloon Ranking System Score: 3.08

It's a good thing the name of this place is a result of two parks merging, otherwise that would've been quite the wordy choice. 

I didn't go get Bear Head Lake, which was only 16 minutes away, but this trail was clearly used by snowmobiles, so the W-code was somewhat confusing upon this realization. Turned out to be a blessing though, because the compacted snow made it easy to hike on top of most of this route. Except the very beginning, where I was in thigh deep and regretting life decisions for how long I thought this was going to take me. Ely area in February, it's a choice! 

I missed the turn multiple times, though I don't think I started at the actual trailhead. When it's a near-perfect oval loop though, does it really matter? Maybe if I'd found where I was supposed to start, the initial impression of being in the short side of the pool wouldn't have been necessary, but alas, when did I ever learn anything the easy way? 

Anything with abandoned stuff is gonna get bonus points on the special interest spectrum for me, and this Hiking Club trail actually included some of it along the way, so that was a nice surprise. Old mining stuff was everywhere, so the park's not just a clever name. This was one in the brochure that encouraged coming for the hike but staying for the tour, though I doubted that would be available this time of year. Even if it was, going underground with snow packed on top didn't seem like the greatest idea in the world, so this might be one I circle back to someday.

Even covered in several feet of snow, the views on this Hiking Club trail are immaculate. Mostly in the woods but perched up on a hill, even just fleeting glances offer gorgeous windows into the surrounding nature. 

Walking on top of snow is a strange feeling, but I immensely prefer it over sinking in half the time. I'm glad the snowmobiles can handle my intrusive hiking tracks, whereas my presence would just ruin the day of a skier. Because of where I started, the final stretch was going uphill on considerable grade, and being on top of snow made this exponentially more difficult than it would've been otherwise. That effort made the mere 2.5 miles of credit feel a bit underwhelming, but considering my Franz Jevne and Zippel Bay excursions were soon to come (the next day, actually. Maybe a hotel would've been a good plan, in retrospect), this could've been a lot worse. 

On the way home, I stopped by to get the Iron Range Off-Highway Vehicle State Recreation Area stamp, and considering I don't even know what an off-highway vehicle is, I didn't feel too bad about driving in, getting the stamp, and turning right back around to never return. Being in the Ely area always has me in a good mood, so I didn't mind the stop. 

Minnesota Hiking Club #33 - Flandrau State Park

 

Minnesota Hiking Club

#33 - Flandrau State Park

Date Hiked: March 1st, 2025

Other Hikes That Day: None

Wanderloon Ranking System Score: 3.08

No proximity-based convenience was going to work for this one because of my damn need to compulsively follow the W-code rules, but that was just another excuse to visit New Ulm again, so... 

I have a Deutscheland scarf that I bought in Stoudtburg Village a decade ago, and I took German in university. Not just language, but multiple film and history classes, so I have an affinity for the culture. I think a good part of it comes from being an autistic person who takes things literally and doesn't play well in the Midwest verbal tango games of not saying what you mean. Some people think German people are mean for being direct and blunt, but I appreciate them on a level many can't understand for exactly that reason. I'm never worried if they're trying to sugarcoat something or blow sunshine for the sake of it. 

New Ulm reminds me of that, therefore New Ulm is a place I love to visit. 

I didn't even know about it, outside of having one more name to add to my score in a Robzle Sporcle quiz, until Geocaching took me to the town last year. Not being from Minnesota and not having someone to bring me in on the secret knowledge those from here possess, this got to be a delightful surprise when I was just following a trail of caches on a road that started in St. Peter, and since that day, I've been there four or five times. Now, with Flandrau State Park out of the W-code and into the Mud Olympics of March in Minnesota, it was time to go back! 

I stopped by Hutchinson first to retrieve the stamp for Greenleaf Lake State Recreation Area, so I vaguely scratched that proximity itch. It's right in the middle of Minneopa and Fort Ridgely, but I skipped over it when I did those. 

Unlike most of the state parks, Flandrau is right there in town, barely a hike from ol' Hermann on the hill. Yet the descent down into the park immediately immerses one into a land of woods, ridges, and riverlands. State Parks can be lovely that way sometimes in this state. 

Despite being New Ulm, I'd say some of the river views were quite Washingtonian, a superlative I don't easily give out. But, considering this trail intersects with three different trails, the landscapes are diverse. Woodland Trail to Grassland Trail to Oxbow Trail (Oxbow being a word I encountered on many of these Hiking Club trails), it's a loop shaped like Dad in his favorite recliner around 3 miles in length. The elevation change is optional, according to the sign, so of course I took it. 

Oddly enough, this was the first (and only) time I encountered someone else doing the Hiking Club. They were going in the opposite direction and asked me directions from their paper map. I must look like someone who knows their way around, news to me. I demonstrated where to go using my AllTrails route and told them about where they'd find the password, and off they went.

Minnesota Hiking Club #34 - Moose Lake State Park

 

Minnesota Hiking Club

#34 - Moose Lake State Park

Date Hiked: January 31st, 2025

Other Hikes That Day: Banning State Park

Wanderloon Ranking System Score: 3.08

This is one of those names that everyone who has been going north on the 35 has seen, even those who think state parks are where visiting states park their RVs on vacation. Rhode Island has a habit of sneaking in by hiding behind other states at the gate, usually a western one. It's a problem, but who's gonna stop them?

I was really intrigued by the Visitors Center, and not (just) because the answer to an Earthcache was inside, but alas, like most during this odyssey it was closed, This became common enough that when I would see an open sign, or even more scarily, a person in uniform doing worky parky things, that was the surprise. I suppose I don't blame them. If I worked a whole shift and the only person I saw all day was my awkward ass searching for the passport stamp, I'd probably ask for the season off too. 

I'm not a fan of having to cross a road on a hiking trail, but considering I didn't see or hear a car the whole time I was there, it could've been worse. I didn't do it in ice spikes like at Lake Bemidji, so it wasn't the sensory nightmare it could've been. 

Though that might've been a mistake on my part. Mostly, this was a snowless jaunt through the edges of the northern woods, but then in a section I had to cross twice was a sheet of ice thick enough for Wrench and Numbers to lose Wish Malvo in, so I had mild regrets. 

Is it obvious yet that I don't have a lot to say about the Hiking Club trail itself? I mean, clearly I didn't think it was bad, as I ranked it high enough to be here, but... not a lot... happened, I guess? 

It's a loop but with a spur route going over the road to the parking lot. Can it technically be a loop if it's a square with a stem? Because that's what it looks like on the map. There's elevation change over rolling hills, which must be true because that's what they named the trail, but nothing too difficult. The views of the lake are very nice, though considering the section of the state and the parks therein, it doesn't stand out a great deal. The walk through the woods is lovely, as would be expected from a hike in this part of the state, but it wasn't particularly noteworthy either. 

I'd rank this Hiking Club trail as perfectly average, which isn't an insult by any stretch. If you've read to this point, you know I have affection for trails I've ranked much lower than this. But, to be ranked number 34 of 67, perfectly average makes logical and mathematical sense. I ranked each trail by my subjective measures right after finishing them, so I didn't even plan on this one being the median. I just got blog lucky.

Sometimes even the numbers work out serendipitously. 

Minnesota Hiking Club #35 - Bear Head Lake State Park

 

Minnesota Hiking Club

#35 - Bear Head Lake State Park

Date Hiked: March 9th, 2025

Other Hikes That Day: McCarthy Beach State Park

Wanderloon Ranking System Score: 2.92

Any drive that takes me near Ely is already set up to have positive association with it. 

Despite previous temptations of proximity, I did wait until this one's W-code was lifted. That said, this hike still involved walking on top of (and occasionally sinking into) considerable levels of packed snow. It's good to consider when factoring in speed, not to mention effort output, as every step that requires lifting out of heavy, melting snow saps more energy than the ones that don't. 

Towering white pines are also always a positive attribute when spending time in Minnesota nature, for reasons I've detailed in previous posts but it's still always important for me to mention. 

Though I am a long-term transplant to the state, there's an aura of pure awe, even I might say, correctness when hiking a trail in Minnesota and being surrounded by the skinny woodsy towers that they are. The state deserves credit for revitalizing this treasure of nature when so many others, especially in this day and age, wouldn't bother with something that doesn't involve increasing stockholder share values or encouraging the addiction of gambling on sports events. That's neither here nor there, but this is my blog and I'll bitch about what I want to, dammit. 

The infrastructure of this park is a fine medium between the ones where there's a tiny office with no one present for a considerable portion of the year and places like Gooseberry or Grand Portage where they are literal rest stops that double as state park headquarters. A visitor's center next to the trailhead provides meeting rooms, loos that don't have a wind sheer factor, and, most necessarily in these northern parts, an opportunity to thaw. 

Admittedly, the name itself leaves a bit to be desired in the creativity department, considering that even in the immediate area, there is also Bear Island, Bear Island Lake, another Bear Island, etc., though I suppose even the repeated usage of the ursa nomenclature is more creative than one I saw on the map while driving up named "Lake No. 2." 

The loop trail itself takes some twists and turns that do require paying attention, since there are quite a few trails that intersect and diverge along the route. There's a little stem at the beginning and end before the actual loop that somewhat resembles the Horn of Gondor. At 3 miles, it's right in the middle of Hiking Club trail distances. There is some elevation gain, but nothing too drastic, steep, or jarring, though with ice spikes and snow cover, the difficulty does increase somewhat. 

The weather was immaculate for a hike on this day, contrasting with the snow remaining on the path. Eight years in Minnesota and I'm still not over the odd sensation of being in short sleeves while also traversing snow and ice, so I suppose it will never not be weird for me. I'll take that without the worry of mosquitos or bluetooth speakers playing with no headphones any day. 

Minnesota Hiking Club #36 - Savanna Portage State Park

 

Minnesota Hiking Club

#36 - Savanna Portage State Park

Date Hiked: March 11th, 2025

Other Hikes That Day: Father Hennepin State Park, Mille Lacs-Kathio State Park

Wanderloon Ranking System Score: 2.92

Talk about being out in the middle of the woods! 

Savanna Portage State Park gives that feeling in two different but sequential ways. Looking at it on the map, it seems like it'd be a relatively close hop over from Jay Cooke or Moose Lake. Hill Annex Mine might've been a better proximity comparison, but though still listed in the booklet, that park closed in 2024, along with Upper Sioux Agency. Talk about your interesting comparisons though... Upper Sioux Agency closed to give indigenous people their land back, and the other closed because it once again became an active mine. Minnesota, everybody! 

Oh, right, the differential sequence of the park, yes... Getting to Savanna Portage requires its own jaunt into the deep woods before one even gets to the park itself, but once the office is seen and the stamp is pressed into the Passport booklet, it becomes another mini-adventure of finding the Hiking Club trailhead. Granted, once again, the timing of such a hike may have impacted the difficulty of finding it, but I made at least two wrong turns while carefully navigating the extremely icy road. Deeper and deeper into the woods I went, accidentally circling through an empty campground before then taking the correct turn and parking on top of a patch of ice that somewhat resembled a space. It was all ice, so parking ice is in the eye of the beholder, but since I was the only person I saw that day anyway, it didn't matter all that much. 

It honestly felt like I wasn't supposed to be there, given said ice and solitude, but being this close to finishing my speedrun, I journeyed on since I hadn't met any tangible resistance in doing so. I don't exactly advise that course of action, but with the premise of my journey once again restated, I don't expect most people are trying to do this Hiking Club trail with ice spikes being a prerequisite. 

Savanna Portage's Hiking Club trail is among the longer routes of selection in the club catalogue. A solid five miles of a deep woods excursion, I imagine this trail is similar to George C. Manitou's in terms of rugged and steepness, though not as condensed as the aforementioned. I would dare say it's akin to Dr. Frank-n-Furter himself: a wild and untamed thing, and some bees with a deadly sting. Akin, but not exact, because nothing and nobody can be an equal to Tim Curry. 

Without ice, this is probably still a more difficult hike than most of the Hiking Club trails. With ice, even with spikes, it's advisable to be careful and take the slopes at a safe pace. The loop on the AllTrails map looks like a sassy wizard sticking out their tongue in defiance of precautions, but I'd take them nonetheless. Especially since a wizard won't part from their walking stick, but anyone hiking this terrain should have two. This is the kind of hike trekking poles were made for. 

Minnesota Hiking Club #37 - Afton State Park

 

Minnesota Hiking Club

#37 - Afton State Park

Date Hiked: February 27th, 2025

Other Hikes That Day: None

Wanderloon Ranking System Score: 2.92

The W-code restriction was lifted! 

Those 19 parks, for which I respected the rules, kept me from finishing this even faster than I intended. By the time I hiked Afton here after work in late February, there were only 4 non-W parks left, so the timing of that false hope of early nice weather in Minnesota allowed me some flexibility. 

I'd heard a lot about Afton State Park, even before I started exploring the parks themselves. I suppose its proximity to the Twin Cities doesn't hurt. Despite that being the major population center of the state, there aren't many state parks within what most would consider a reasonable distance, and I say most because traveling ridiculous distances stopped bothering me a long time ago. I drive 16 hours back home without much of a struggle and in one shot. Point being, Afton is comparatively close than most of the state parks on the map, and because most people don't view five hour drives as short Sunday excursions, it gets a lot of attention.

The ski culture is readily apparent when approaching through the winding road. Even on the day where I was setting out because the snow on the trail was gone, the snow hills were alive and well. I say "hills" affectionately, because to those from this area, they might be mountains the same way the Appalachians were mountains to me growing up. Once I visited Utah, California, and Washington though, they became rolling green hills.

The hill on the Afton Hiking Club trail didn't seem so small when I was trying to determine what was ice and what was slush though.

For a park that's well known for its hikes, I have to admit I expected a little more from Afton. Something more like William O'Brien State Park's Hiking Club trail, for instance, though I didn't yet have that basis of comparison. As one of the descending St. Croix parks, it has a lot to live up to. It's shorter, like Interstate State Park (still awkward phrasing even when writing it), but whereas theirs is a down-and-back along a cliffside with tons of rocks, Afton is... Well, it's not really a loop, it's two loops. There's a small prairie loop along the interpretive trail, and then there's the bigger one that starts along the river, descends into the woods, and then makes one gain most of the elevation right before the end. I suppose if you did it the other way, that would also be true, but I digress.

I imagine I'll be visiting Afton in warmer and less slushy, muddy times, as by the time this has posted, I'll have hiked with another AllTrails user for the first time since I started on the app in April of 2024. In a state that has the mother of all lakes, that's tough competition for epic views and challenging trails. Afton is a good hike, though the best St. Croix adventures are yet to come on this ranked list. 

Minnesota Hiking Club #38 - Forestville/Mystery Cave State Park

Minnesota Hiking Club

#38 - Forestville/Mystery Cave State Park

Date Hiked: February 7th, 2025

Other Hikes That Day: Beaver Creek Valley State Park

Wanderloon Ranking System Score: 2.92

I again don't know whose decision it was to have Hiking Club trails also be accessible to those riding horses, but I promise, I have questions and I just wanna talk. 

Okay, so maybe I was a bit worn out and slightly more ornery than usual at having to dodge horseshit with my boots and poles, but seriously, who thought that was a good idea? At this point, I wasn't worn out from traveling and bingeing the Hiking Club trails yet, but I did the Beaver Creek Valley Hiking Club trail before this one, and I don't particularly recommend doing another trail after the steep climbs of that one at any time of year, let alone winter. 

Forestville/Mystery Cave State Park lured me in with the promises of... well, caves of course, but also with cool old buildings, which hit multiple potential special interest engagements. This trail does not take you through, or even near, either of those things, but even the Hiking Club brochure recommends taking the tours after the hike. That's likely much easier to do if you're not traversing this trail in early February. 

Finding a good spot to start this trail is also somewhat difficult, as it's not clear where the trailhead is. But since it is a loop, if you can find a space to park that's along the trail somewhere, it shouldn't be too difficult from there, especially if you didn't hike Beaver Creek Valley's Hiking Club trail first. I can't emphasize enough how that one should probably be done on its own. I made it through most of this trail just fine, save for dodging the scatological landmines, but as all the elevation gain on this trail was toward the end, or the end based on where I parked and which direction I went, I was regretting multiple decisions on that ascent. The rise itself isn't difficult, but my calves were screaming at me because of the day's aforementioned hike, so take that into consideration when choosing your proximity-based multiple hike days. 

The ridge itself upon which you ascend is gorgeous, and easily the most beautiful part of the two mile loop that resembles a rad mushroom or a particularly dull axe. The trail takes one along the river, but also through camping grounds, which fortunately was not a detraction for me because of the time of year, but if someone might be doing this for the solitude and peace with nature like I was, it's good to know. It's not quite a suburban neighborhood's potential for loud noises and crowded activity, but it's worth knowing to set expectations for all the same. 

While I do feel like I gave this park a generous grade because of its other features, it's still a lovely hike through the woods and ridges. Outside of the W-coded Great River Bluffs, it was closing out of the southeast region for me, and I enjoyed that section of the state a lot more than I initially thought. 

Minnesota Hiking Club #39 - George C. Manitou State Park

 

(I didn't take any pictures on this hike, so here's a cool rock from the first hike that day.)

Minnesota Hiking Club

#39 - George C. Manitou State Park

Date Hiked: March 8th, 2025

Other Hikes That Day: Jay Cooke State Park, St. Croix State Park

Wanderloon Ranking System Score: 2.92

Okay, now this is what I was expecting from a Hiking Club trail! 

Several trips to the North Shore for specifically knocking out Hiking Club trails, and I'd passed this one over on three separate trips. Mostly because it was winter on the North Shore, and while most were accessible right off the 61, this one was tucked back near Finland, Minnesota. After driving back the route to get there, calling it Finland felt very appropriate because it was far away, cold, and snowy. Of all the North Shore Hiking Club trails, this one is by far the most remote. 

There were only five parking spaces and the gates were closed. Despite this being a relatively warm day on the two hikes bookending this one, I felt little benefit in that regard for either traveling or hiking. I'll say it now: this isn't the longest hike, it doesn't have the most elevation gain (though it's near the top of the list), and it's not the most difficult to find, but I would say it's the hardest trail of all 67 by a comfortable margin. 

Other hikes in this Hiking Club can be done by anyone, especially the ones that are only a mile on flat terrain. This is one for which you'd better be prepared, and if you're not an experienced hiker, either work your way up to this one or take your time and be a little extra careful. On AllTrails it looks like a simple loop, it's only 2.6 miles, how hard could it be? But within those 2.6 miles, you gain over 400 feet in elevation, and even with spikes I nearly slid down a few times. I don't know how difficult it is without the winter conditions, but after this, St. Croix's mostly flat 4.7 mile felt like a cooldown on which to reflect my life choices that led me to do this trail in the winter. I didn't take pictures, not because there aren't gorgeous views and amazing scenery, but because I didn't want to risk breaking anything. 

Reviews in better weather mention roots and stones on this trail, so there are more difficult obstacles than most in the Hiking Club to consider no matter when you hike, but winter is taking it up a notch, especially when you add the half mile of getting to the trail because the gates are closed, which was not unfamiliar to me by this point. I'm really glad I didn't try this on my previous North Shore trips, especially January 4th, as climbing up the Cascade's River trail in -20 was difficult enough. There are comparatively fewer guiding signs, and you're going up and down steep slopes constantly, so be prepared and follow the route closely on your map app of choice. 

If more of the 67 Hiking Club trails were like this one, I don't think I would've attempted the 82-day speedrun than I did. Know what you're getting into beforehand with this trail. 

Minnesota Hiking Club #40 - Sakatah Lake State Park

 

Minnesota Hiking Club

#40 - Sakatah Lake State Park

Date Hiked: January 1st, 2025

Other Hikes That Day: Nerstrand-Big Woods State Park, Rice Lake State Park

Wanderloon Ranking System Score: 2.92

At least this time I knew what the creepy sound while I was alone in the woods was.

Now, anyone from Minnesota knows, first Wednesday means we're all cosplaying for a Pyramidhead showdown, but when it's the first of the month, a drinking holiday for most people, and you're alone in the woods in the middle of nowhere, it's got vibes, that's all I'm saying. 

This was my third hike of the day, month, and the year, because what is time if not weird and irrelevant, but I was starting off productively, rather than bemoaning my delayed trip out west. Given that I've already written on one and there's one to go, you can deduce which of my three was my favorite, but Sakatah Lake State Park's Hiking Club trail was pretty cool in its own right, even if it had me ready to fight the invasion, whether that be Silent Hill nightmare fuel or WCW 2001. Fortunately, January is too early for Unforgiven, because if I had to fight three-headed heel Stone Cold, I'd rather deal with Pyramidhead's giant but impractical death slicer, because it'd be over mercifully quicker. 

Like the previous two on this day, the Hiking Club trail was in the 2+ mile length and a relatively simple loop. There was more elevation gain than Rice Lake but less than Nerstrand. All three are remote, predominately-woodsy loops. The second two had a lake, as the name would imply, but with the Hiking Club trail being comprised of three other park trails, the view was limited at best. I'm sure the namesake lake is lovely, but frozen, brown, and only sorta near the northwest corner of the route didn't endear it much. But hey, no mosquitos either, so who won, really?

In retrospect, I think the only reason this one ranked ahead of the previous entry is that at no point did I expect to see livestock flying by, let alone twice. That's not to trash the ranking of this one, though I suppose I should also mention this was only the 7th one I did, so my energy was higher and I wasn't necessarily speedrunning the journey yet, despite this being the first trilogy day of hikes. I still had some of that longer distance endurance that the weather in Minnesota always tempers a bit, and the pictures will show that I wasn't dealing with snow and ice quite yet. 

That's once again not meant to belittle this trail. Obviously I liked it enough to put this high, but it also didn't traverse multiple landscapes or provide any especially spectacular views. That said, it's a nice, slightly hilly walk in the woods, and that has its own merit and enjoyment factor, especially when it's the third hike on a cold, lonely day on which I went hiking to distract myself primarily from wishing I was somewhere else. The map makes these three look closer though, as it's a 40 minutes drive from Rice Lake, so be aware. 

Minnesota Hiking Club #41 - Myre-Big Island State Park

 

Minnesota Hiking Club

#41 - Myre-Big Island State Park

Date Hiked: January 28th, 2025

Other Hikes That Day: None

Wanderloon Ranking System Score: 2.83

I had no intention of doing any other hikes on this day, and not just because I had nothing within a reasonable distance left around it. 

Myre-Big Island State Park's Hiking Club trail is one of, if not, the longest of the entire selection. It's hard to say because the longest they list any in the brochure is 6.2, but actually walking them turns out longer sometimes. The distance isn't a problem by itself, and while there is some elevation gain, it's nothing that should be inhibitive. 

And yes, it was cold. January in Minnesota, who knew, right? None of those things on their own kept me to just one, even without convenient proximity. But the wind...

Several different wooded areas intersecting multiple routes make up the Hiking Club trail, but one part involves walking on a causeway from Big Island to the rest of the hike. The wind was so fierce, cold, and intense that I took video of myself just taking in the sound and watching my hair nearly fly off my head. 

Cold I can deal with. Wind strong enough that Gordon Lightfoot would sing about, that's much closer to intolerable. And that's a shame because even in January, this is an absolutely beautiful hike. 

Most people know Albert Lea, Minnesota simply because it's where the 35 meets the 90. If you know to look there, you can also find a theatre named after the incomparable Marion Ross, who is from there. This state park is huge, and the Hiking Club trail does a tremendous job taking us through all the state park itself has to offer. Rolling prairies, woods, lakeshore, an island, this is the kind of trail I expected to be more prevalent when undertaking a Hiking Club. 

Part of it was closed off. Also, apparently some people think that if it's cold, you don't have to clean up after your dog, so dodging scatological landmines was also a factor that inhibited my enjoyment. That's not the park's fault. Just one of those small things that when enough people do them, it reminds me why I spend a great deal of time avoiding contact with the majority of the human population (not anyone reading this, y'all cool.) 

This is a very good trail, though the route can be confusing to follow at times, especially if part of it is closed and a detour isn't denoted. I'll get to another example of that happening to a greater degree later in this list, but I suppose if there's trail maintenance to do, January is preferable to the time when most people with some semblance of reason are traversing this trail. The fact that it's this soon in the series is not a negative reflection on the park itself, but rather an indicator of just how many good-to-great experiences there are in the Minnesota Hiking Club. If something like this ranks as my number 41, I can imagine it's even better when not being blown to Oz. 

Minnesota Hiking Club #42 - Buffalo River State Park

 

Minnesota Hiking Club

#42 - Buffalo River State Park

Date Hiked: February 2nd, 2025

Other Hikes That Day: Maplewood State Park

Wanderloon Ranking System Score: 2.83

This is one of those trails that was awesome, but also even with AllTrails, I went the wrong way multiple times. 

I mean, but also don't show me a bridge I'm not supposed to go over. Put it on the route. It's the rules.

Despite it being cold enough to make Winterfell seem like spring break, I set out for two parks down the 94, rather close to where we would go to visit the Gerhardts and immediately regret our life choices. Or at least notice that Skip Sprang still hasn't opened his damn typewriter shop yet. 

Buffalo River State Park is in that weird space of Minnesota where it's sorta close to Fargo, sorta close to Detroit Lakes, sorta close to other places, but not really anywhere. The Hiking Club trail is technically a loop? Although there's a small spur to get to it, but to call this shape a loop is to distort all but the most technical meanings of the word. It looks like I tried to draw the shape of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan while blindfolded and after five glasses of Cabernet to bring out Red Wine Wanderloon. 

And the snow doesn't help one to follow this creation of red-inspired delusion. On this day, the path was ice covered in snow, and I congratulated myself once again for using those ice spikes, or I might've added self-luge to the sports in the brochure several times. 

Some of this park is current riverside, while part of it contains the geological features of former coastlines. Prairie hikes may often be a forgotten third behind the other landscapes Minnesota has to offer, even within the state park system itself, but this one shows out really well. The ancient Lake Agassiz once covered this area, meaning that I was technically hiking on beachfront property. That could've made me some kind of prototypical ice wight Mitch Buchannon. My save! 

Though the picture in the brochure indicates the possibility of moose sightings, in that aspect, it chalked up to be another zero in the lifetime quota. However, on that type of landscape in levels of cold that even moose themselves likely find ridiculous, it's probably an advantage. Who wants to add "moose-dodging" to their resume when they're just anxious to find out how long it'll take after the car's heated up to remember they do, in fact, have cheeks? Sometimes the adventurous ambitions take a backseat to practicality, though considering the nature of this speedrun, I'm not one to preach on such reasonable comparative analysis. 

Like many of these parks, I have no idea what it looks like in bloom and during bug invasions, but I imagine the possibilities are extensive. The geological ancient lakebed with a river flowing through, woods in the prairie, and the natural draw of the wilderness likely make this an even more impressive visit when temperatures don't have that pesky minus in front of them. It's a solid mid-range hike with elevation changes and scenic surroundings.

Minnesota Hiking Club #43 - Lake Carlos State Park

 

Minnesota Hiking Club

#43 - Lake Carlos State Park

Date Hiked: March 13th, 2025

Other Hikes That Day: Lake Maria State Park

Wanderloon Ranking System Score: 2.83

I knew I was getting tired when a road trip that took just over two hours felt longer than the previous ones that took more than five. 

There were only four parks left. Four stamps to imprint, four passwords to find, and just under two weeks to do it. The following day was going to be magnificent weather, but since it's Minnesota, right after that we were to expect a blizzard, so I did my best to optimize. No good weather goes unpunished in Minnesota's March. 

As previously detailed, I'd first intended to do this park and Lake Maria on the way back from Glendalough, but having the thought that toward the end of this speedrun, I might be exhausted and having trails closer to home could be useful in the completion, I thanked myself for the courtesy. 

Lake Carlos's Hiking Club trail is unpaved and near a lake, so naturally the complaints of muddiness were likely abound. This was a fine mix of slippery slidy mud and ice sheets that hadn't cracked yet. Having learned my lesson from Glacial Lakes (more on that much later in this list), I thought it better to be careful on the ice rather than get my cleats stuck in soft mud. That also turned out to be a good decision, because while I almost slipped a few times on the parts under the woods still covered in ice, I might've torn both ACLs trying to pull my cleats out of the plentiful and abundant mud deposits. 

I think I hiked the trail backwards from what would be expected, though sometimes I did that to get the password out of the way more quickly. It utilizes two different trails for the route, going through the woods and then finishing by the namesake lake, but since I did it in reverse, I started with the lakeshore and wandered through the muddy and/or icy woods. With the shape of two vague loops creating one mid-range trail in terms of length, sequence doesn't matter too much, especially since the minor levels of elevation gain were made more difficult by the slip factor. Mud does not discriminate by uphill or downhill factors, it'll ruin the traverse equally with pleasure. Though it is also slippery enough that it technically could still be considered a ski trail in the loosest of definitions, so it's got that going for it, which is nice! 

This trail probably got a more friendly rating based on the fact that when I was done, my fingers were still able to move, but I imagine it's a lovely stroll with good views at any time of year, even if the mosquitos are treating you as their own personal breakfast buffet. I was almost finished with the journey, and Lake Maria's trail was even shorter than this one, so despite wondering what my figure mudding scores would've been since I stayed upright, my mood was situationally elevated nonetheless. Can't go wrong with hiking in the woods.

Minnesota Hiking Club #44 - Schoolcraft State Park

 

Minnesota Hiking Club

#44 - Schoolcraft State Park

Date Hiked: February 24th, 2025

Other Hikes That Day: Scenic State Park

Wanderloon Ranking System Score: 2.75

This was one of those days where I was amused by the two parks I planned to do being right next to each other in the Passport booklet. That also happened with Crow Wing and Charles Lindbergh, and probably others too.

This was also one of those days where Minnesotans treat it like the summer and most others still think of putting a coat on. Naturally I abandoned the unseasonably warm weather and headed north because I make good decisions. 

The snow was melting rapidly (this time, it would come back), which made the first hike at Scenic only moderately easier in terms of the trudge factor. Rather than violate the W-code by grabbing nearby Bear Head Lake, Schoolcraft was not only on the way home, but I could also grab the stamp for Cuyana relatively nearby too. Logistics based purely on convenience and abiding by the winter rules that most will never have to consider, because I love doing things the hard way when I don't have to! 

The best part of the Schoolcraft Hiking Club trail is its intense focus on the continuing restoration of white pine. For those who don't know the history of Minnesota, non-indigenous folx started arriving here and essentially went "oh my goodness, look at all this beautiful land! The confluence of three distinct types of land coming together! The prairie, the coniferous forest, the deciduous forest, it's so unique! Hey, what if we destroyed all three to make farmland!" Old-growth white pine was abundant in the state, with 3.5 million acres of forest in 1837. In 1936, it had been reduced to 224,000, because why have a thing without nearly wiping it off the map? Thankfully that map had an error at the Lost 40 (more on that in the Itasca entry) or that statistic would be even more depressing. 

Schoolcraft's Hiking Club trail takes one through its loop, not only demonstrating the process of restoring the white pine, but detailing the difficulties of doing so because deer tend to wipe out young trees before they even have a chance. It is on the shorter side, and the terrain isn't particularly difficult, or it wouldn't be without dodging deep puddles of snowmelt (again, which is no reason to downrate the trail itself, that's literally what happens in this state, ya damn rubes) and still frozen ice sheets. Still, it's a simple walk in the woods that's given a much greater appreciation for its existence based on the historical and restorative contexts in which the details are displayed and explained thoroughly. It's one thing to learn about it, it's one thing to see it, but combining the two and showing someone reasons they should appreciate what they're experiencing in the moment is a really effective utility that I wish more of the parks' Hiking Club trails did. 

Being near Deer River always makes me nostalgic for my first trip north, and this park gives those same ethereal vibes I so fondly remember.