We headed out on what was supposed to be a sunny, warm Spring day in Minnesota. Of course, it started out as a crisp, cool 35 degree morning when we arrived at the parking area which is conveniently located adjacent to the Renaissance Festival. This assisted me with finding the correct road to turn off of 169. After grabbing the camera and backpack, we took off for a hike down the Mazomani Trail toward the bluff overlook site. (For a larger view, please click on the images below.)
Along the way, we spotted various animal tracks, including what looks to be a dog. Pets are allowed at the recreation area as long as they are leashed at all times.
The trail conditions on this day were a mix of frozen and muddy. We walked the easy 1.25 miles to the bluff overlook before it was just too cold for my co-adventurer to continue. While there, we stopped to rest on a park bench and check out the migrating birds flying through the skies and resting in the water below.
As we arrived back at the parking lot, we were approached by a wildlife observer who was new to the park and wanted to know about the wildlife we observed and whether there were any large observation areas nearby. We informed him about the overlook area, to which he went back to his van for a large telescopic lens to observe the migrating birds in the valley. I definitely would come back and visit this MN recreation area to hike some of its 47 miles of trails.
It's worth noting as well, the park offers campgrounds and an equestrian campground and trails for those interested in horseback riding or spending a night or two in the area. According to the MN DNR website, the main campgrounds are closed this year, but the horse campgrounds will be open in mid-May. To check out more information on this specific area, please visit the DNR website.
