Date: 12/4/2017 – 12/15/2017
Who: myself
Weather: cold

In December 2017 I was in Minneapolis, Minnesota for two weeks for some technical training. During my free time, I explored the Minneapolis city park system and took a day trip up to the north shore of Lake Superior.

City parks I visited were French Regional Park, Fish Lake Regional Park, and Coon Rapids Dam Regional Park. I was impressed by the regional trail network that links the city parks together. The city even clears snow from their regional trails to keep them accessible during winter.

One thing I noticed during my visit to Minnesota was the shorter day. The sun came up a bit later and went down a bit earlier compared to Colorado. I also noticed so many lakes–it seems like there’s a lake around every corner.

Fish Lake, a suburban lake in Maple Grove (northwest Minneapolis)

Mississippi River in Coon Rapids Dam Regional Park at sunset

Minneapolis hikes followed the BLUE lines:

View Colorado Chris Hikes in a larger map

Highlights of the day trip to Lake Superior included breakfast at Duluth Grill (recommended!), views driving along the lakeshore, and a hike at Gooseberry Falls State Park. I’d certainly like to come back in the future, to visit Isle Royale National Park and wander the lakes in the vast Superior National Forest along the Canada border.

Freighter on Lake Superior viewed from Silver Creek Cliff

Gooseberry Falls hike followed the BLUE line:

View Colorado Chris Hikes in a larger map