Best Outdoor Adventures Near Minneapolis and Saint Paul

by Joe Baur, David Baur (Contribution by), Steve Johnson (Contribution by)

Overview

Who says you have to travel far from home to go on a great hike, paddle, or bike ride? Best Outdoor Adventures Near Minneapolis and St. Paul details forty of the best hikes, paddles, and bike routes within an hour’s drive of the Twin Cities area, perfect for the urban dweller and suburbanite who may be hard-pressed to find great outdoor activities close to home.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781493011643
Publisher:	Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc.
Publication date:	05/01/2017
Series:	Best Adventures Near
Pages:	248
Product dimensions:	5.90(w) x 8.80(h) x 0.30(d)

About the Author

Joe Baur is a travel writer, filmmaker, and podcaster whose work has appeared in a variety of international publications from BBC Travel to National Geographic. Most recently he released Talking Tico: (Mis)adventures of a Gringo In and Around Costa Rica on his year living and traveling in Central America (available at joebaur.com and Amazon). Currently, he’s based in Düsseldorf, Germany, and continually trying to find his way off the tourist track.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments ix

Introduction 1

Weather 1

Flora and Fauna 2

Wilderness Restrictions/Regulations 2

Getting around Minneapolis and Saint Paul 3

The Ten Essentials 4

First Aid 5

Adventure Etiquette 11

Adventures with Children 12

Adventures with Your Dog 14

How to Use This Guide 18

Using the Maps 19

Map Legend 21

Hiking 23

1 Saint Anthony Falls Heritage Trail 24

2 East River Flats to Witch's Hat 30

3 Chain of Lakes 36

4 Summit-Capitol Loop 41

5 Bunker Hills Regional Park 47

6 Elm Creek Park Reserve 52

7 Crow-Hassan Park Reserve 57

8 Tamarack Nature Center 62

9 Lake Rebecca Park Reserve 67

10 Wolsfeld Woods Scientific and Natural Area 73

11 Minnesota Landscape Arboretum 79

12 Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge-Louisville Swamp 86

13 Cleary Lake Regional Park 93

14 Murphy-Hanrehan Park Reserve 99

15 Lebanon Hills East 104

16 Afton State Park 110

Road Cycling 116

17 Cedar Lake to Midtown and Hiawatha Ramble 119

18 Dakota to Minnetonka Loop Ramble 124

19 Luce Line to Wayzata Beach Park Ramble 129

20 Minneapolis Grand Round Cruise 133

21 Minnesota River Bluffs to Lake Minnetonka Loop Ramble 139

22 Saint Paul Grand Round Cruise 143

23 Gateway to Brown's Creek State Trail, Stillwater Ramble 148

24 Medicine Lake to Elm Creek Ramble 153

Mountain Biking 158

25 Carver Lake Park 161

26 Theodore Wirth Park 165

27 Murphy-Hanrehan Park Reserve 170

28 Lebanon Hills 176

29 Elm Creek Fat Tire Trails 181

30 Salem Hills Trails 185

31 Battle Creek Regional Park 189

32 Mendota Trail-Eagan 195

Paddling 200

33 Mississippi River 201

34 Lake Nokomis 206

35 Minnesota River 210

36 Long Lake 215

37 Lake Phalen 219

38 Lake Calhoun to Lake of the Isles and Cedar Lake 223

39 White Bear Lake 227

40 Saint Croix River 232

Adventure Index 237

About the Author and Contributors 238