Minnesota State Parks Revisited: Whitewater State Park, Carley State Park

 

Whitewater State Park

Date Hiked: September 20th, 2025

Trail Hiked: Coyote Point via Dakota Trail, Carley State Park Hiking Club Loop

Distance Hiked: 3.8 miles, 1.9 miles

Elevation Gain: 784 ft., 112 ft.

Duration: 1h 57m, 37m

These two are so close together that even without the Hiking Club motivation, still figured that I might as well pay a visit to both. After all, the last time I visited Carley, I couldn't even drive up to the trailhead, so that made for a briefly different experience, even if the hike itself was pretty much the same. Without any bluebells, it's a simple walk in the woods with a tremendous adventure nearby blowing it out of the water, and doing Whitewater first can only lead to being underwhelmed. But, a few extra miles to pad the yearly count? Eh, why not?

I thought tremendously well of the Whitewater Hiking Club trail, and with it being on the more difficult side of the spectrum for that particular measurement, I continued my self-imposed quest to seek the longest trail in every Minnesota State Park. AllTrails did me no favors with this one though.

Starting on the Dakota Trail... well, it was better than having to end on it, I guess? With my white blaze Appalachian Trail shirt though, I did notice a level of deference from other hikers that admittedly gave me a small ego boost. The initial incline reminded me of the non-flat section of nearby Beaver Valley Creek with its steep ascent along a woodsy bluff, but once the trail crosses the road, it became unbearable in a sensory manner. Spiderwebs everywhere, mud from the extreme shade of the canopy, overgrown thorns, and the slippery sense of doom from the possibility of sliding down the bluff like Gollum making the world's worst sneak attack all contributed to a less pleasant middle of this hike. The loop around a scenic view was half pleasant, half grass taller than I am, making one's skin believe it had ticks crawling all over regardless of the accuracy of that paranoia. 

After having an eye-level conversation with some cattails and dodging a few trail tourists, the quality of the trail increases immensely as it weaves through the Hiking Club sections, a nostalgic throwback to the Nerstrand-Big Woods adventure of this variety. With the temperature being considerably higher than my Hiking Club speedrun, it wasn't surprising to find quite a few more people along the way, and reversing the course of the aforementioned Hiking Club jaunt led to a different experience of crossing the river on stones, thankfully with no ice to fear. 

Traversing down the bluffs brings one to a new ascent on the other side of the visitor's center with some equally delightful rock climbs, granting one great views of the hills and bluffs most recently completed. With this being the day after Frontenac though, the steep elevation gains of the bluffs two days in a row were making my knees rebel against my pursuit. While the trail I was taking was supposed to be an out-and-back, the call of Gatorade from the store was stronger than my will to gain another verified complete badge. 

Still, unquestionably, a top tier state park. 

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.