#stuffaboutminnesota

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Lake Harriet bandshell

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Lake Street bridge at Lake Calhoun

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Good morning spring in Owatonna

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Wild River State Park | Center City, MN | 1/1/2019

Several of the state parks offered “first day hikes” this year, and I gathered up the family and said we should go. Then I woke up and it was a couple degrees below zero and I thought, “Well, this is my idea. Can’t back out now.”

My brother even said he was surprised that I followed through, but we all bundled up in our snow pants and went on a ranger-led hike at Wild River. Our naturalist was great. He took us off trail to show us a bear’s den, to have us stand on a beaver dam, and to show us another spot that was a beaver’s lodge. He also pointed out a bald eagle in its nest and we saw a ton of trumpeter swans. 

After our short hike (1.6 miles), we had coffee, cocoa, and s’mores at the Visitor Center, where our naturalist also fed the snakes in front of it. A great way to start the year!

Hike 3/52.