Minnesota
Nature|Hiking

There’s No Other Hike In The World Quite Like This One In Minnesota

Lester Park in Duluth, Minnesota, transforms into a winter wonderland, offering unique ice skating adventures on its trails.

Published Mar 30, 2017

Written by 

Lea Monroe

In Minnesota, we're accustomed to winters that bring lots of snow and cold weather. Unfortunately for those residents who look forward to this frigid season, this winter we didn't see quite as much snow as we would've liked. But give us a little and we'll make a lot. This year's conditions didn't stop us from having some outdoor fun!

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Tucked up north not far from the shores of Lake Superior is a secluded park that offers unforgettable adventures.

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Google Maps

Right in the scenic city of Duluth, Lester Park is a popular place for adventurers to come and explore.

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Lester Park features over 9 miles of trails that give explorers views of Amity Creek and Lester River.

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Known for turning into an absolute winter wonderland during this time of year, Lester Park in recent weeks has taken a page out of Frozen's book and gotten quite icy.

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But if you thought that icy trails would keep our residents from going outdoors and having fun, you thought very wrong. Turning lemons into lemonade, Andrew Kilness and a few of his friends hit the winding trails of Lester Park this past week. Using the frozen scenery to their advantage, the group of ice skaters created an epic adventure and turned the park into their own personal skating rink. Check out the thrilling footage that the group was able to capture in the video below!

Have you ever explored Lester Park during our colder months? For more adventures, check out this This Park In Minnesota That Makes You Feel Like You've Stepped Through A Magical Wardrobe!

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Nature|Hiking

This Beautiful Boardwalk Trail In Minnesota Is The Most Unique Hike Around

Duluth’s Lake Walk offers a scenic 7.2-mile hike along Lake Superior with beautiful views and unique sights.

Updated Aug 8, 2024

Written by 

Betsy Rathburn

Minnesota may not be a coastal state, but we do have the next best thing to the ocean: Lake Superior. The North Shore offers many ways to enjoy its beauty, from boat rides to scenic drives to some of the best hikes in Minnesota. Next time you're up north, get a tiny taste of the seaside by taking a hike along this beautiful Minnesota boardwalk trail. It passes alongside the rushing waves of Lake Superior to offer a wonderful taste of the port city of Duluth.

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The Duluth Lake Walk is a 7.2-mile trail along some of Minnesota's most beautiful scenery.

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This popular Minnesota hike has two endpoints. It starts at Canal Park and ends at the intersection of 26th Avenue East and London Road.

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Because it starts in Canal Park, the Duluth Lake Walk will give you great views of the Aerial Lift Bridge. You can even follow the trail to walk under it.

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You'll also see the lighthouse that has guided boats into the harbor for years.

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The boardwalk crosses a sandy beach riddled with Lake Superior stones. If you're lucky, you might even find an agate! But even if you don't, this beautiful sight is well worth the walk.

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The view of Duluth is also very beautiful. The sight of all the buildings lining the hill is absolutely spectacular, especially with the water sparkling below.

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You'll also pass along areas that are a little more quiet.

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It's the perfect way to feel like you're far from the city without venturing too far away.

You might even see some unusual sights.

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For example, Uncle Harvey's Mausoleum is a sunken building that has been in the harbor since the early 20th century.

This boardwalk hike is a beautiful way to see Duluth and take in some of the best sights the North Shore has to offer. Pack a picnic lunch and enjoy the day. Don't forget to slow down and enjoy a Lake Superior sunset while you're at it.

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You can find a complete trail map of the Duluth Lakewalk on AllTrails Plus. If you enjoy Minnesota boardwalk hikes, you may want to check out the Mickey Elverum Bog Walk in Orr and the Treetop Trail at the Minnesota Zoo in Apple Valley.

Have you hiked the Duluth Lake Walk? How was it? Do you know of any other boardwalk hikes in Minnesota? Let us know in the comments!

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Nature|Hiking

There’s A Slot Canyon In Minnesota That Resembles Antelope Canyon, But Hardly Anyone Knows It Exists

Discover a hidden slot canyon at Crosby Farm Regional Park in Minnesota, accessible via a less-traveled trail.

Updated Aug 6, 2024

Written by 

Trent Jonas

You can find a slot canyon in Minnesota, like Arizona's Antelope Canyon, at St. Paul's Crosby Farm Regional Park. Strangely, it is almost always referred to as the park's "secret slot canyon," but a quick search of the web shows that it's not all that hard to find, and people certainly seem to know about it. Although it's not really much of a secret, Crosby Farm doesn't go out of its way to advertise the canyon, so it's a less-known feature of the park than it otherwise could be. Let's take a look at this natural wonder in Minnesota.

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Although Crosby Farm Regional Park boasts more than six miles of paved trails, none of them offer access to the park's slot canyon.

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To get there, hike east from the parking area, and follow one of the social trails along the bluffs on the west side of Lake Crosby.

About midway along the lake, look for a less-traveled trail leading toward the bluff.

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Follow it to the mouth of the slot canyon.

Although narrow, and high-walled, the small canyon is not deep.

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Once you round the curve, the canyon widens into a cul-de-sac where a seasonal waterfall sometimes trickles over the edge.

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Explorers venture into the slot canyon year round.

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When sufficient water has run over the lip of the cliff, ice climbers will sometimes visit the canyon to hone their skills.

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When hiking in winter, be sure to bring along traction devices, as the floor of the gorge is often covered in ice. Have you explored the secret slot canyon at Crosby Farm Regional Park?

If you're interested in hiking another slot canyon in Minnesota, check out the Kadunce River gorge, which is east of Grand Marais, along the north shore of Lake Superior. Although the trail is open year-round, you can really only explore the canyon by heading up the river. In warm weather, when the flow rate is low, you can wade up the gorge. Or go in the winter, when you can hike on the ice and marvel at the frozen formations in the canyon. For either of these treks, be sure you have AllTrails Plus downloaded and handy.

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