One of the best things about living in Minnesota is how absolutely beautiful our summers are. By far our state has some of the best summer weather– mostly because we don’t get baked alive all summer long– but also some of the most lush greenery I’ve ever seen.
We also have some of the best parks to spend the summers in, on both the city and state level. As someone who grew up in rural Minnesota and now lives in the twin cities I really do appreciate how wonderful the parks are in this state. Since if I want to be in a heavily wooded area for about a half hour to an hour I can easily do that within walking distance from my home. In contrast if I really just want to be out of the city and back in the woods again we have so many options for doing that as well.
Especially for people who like to hike. I grew up just walking about in the woods, which I now know is basically what hiking is, because it was something to do and it was fun. It was rural Minnesota in the mid to late 2000s going outside to play in the woods is just what we did. And if rural Minnesotan kids don’t do that any more they should because it's fun. Now that I live in the city I have become a person who likes to hike, because frankly going outside into the woods is still fun.
About a half hour south west of Cannon Falls is Nerstrand Big Woods State Park. This park is home to the endangered Dwarf Trout Lily, which as we learned from a park ranger only grows in three counties in Minnesota. Funnily enough I did recognize this flower from being a child in one of three counties and I’m fairly certain that I probably picked it at somepoint– so oops.
Aside from being home to an endangered plant, Nerstrand Big Woods State Park is just a beautiful park with so many paths to walk. So if you are someone who likes to go walking in the woods and either doesn’t have woods in your back yard or wants different woods to walk in. I would highly recommend going there to walk and to see the Dwarf Trout Lily.
