Lake Bemidji State Park

Lake Bemidji State Park is so beautiful and serene but the history is pretty cool, too.  It had been home to the Dakota Indians for hundreds of years. They called the lake "Bejiji-gau-maug" which means "cutting sideways."  It was also sort of a trapping hub and early traders use to call the lake "Lac Traverse" which also means "diagonal."  This is in reference to the Mighty Mississippi River, which cuts diagonally through the lake.  The region is full of White and Norway Pine, so as settlers reached this area, it became a popular logging hub.  There is even a log mill remnant on the Nymore Beach shore. 

 The Park also offers one of my favorite activities-  Geocaching!  While I was here I did a lot of geocaching as our pictures show.  But at the end of the day, it was the sunset we enjoyed most.  Make sure you take in a sunset over Lake Bemidji!

Big Bog State Park

Big Bog State Park is very cool.  It contains a 500 square mile peat bog, making it the largest peat bog in in the Continental United States!  The park contains two units, a Northern Unit, and a Southern Unit.  The Northern Unit contains a 1 mile long boardwalk though a section of the bog, which makes it very easy to hike through the bog and watch the wildlife and see the fascinating plants.  It is also easy to take strollers and let the little ones enjoy, too.  The Southern Unit contains a campground and more recreation activies, such as hiking, biking, canoeing, and more.  The park also offers spectacular views of Upper Red Lake.  Check it out!

Happy Thanksgiving to all!



Photo courtesy of Thoele Photography



Thanksgiving is such a special day at my house.  Our family starts the preparation for our celebration early in the morning by preparing the turkeys.  Yes, that's two turkeys!  This year we are making 20 lb and 22 lb birds as one just wouldn't be enough!  We will be feeding our family of 12, plus my grandparents on my mother's side, my aunt Clarilyn Riedinger, my uncle Jordan Goldesberry, and our friends, the Hustad family, Jim, Aaron, and Daniel.  Thats 19 people!  We decided to do the extra bird just because then we have leftovers, and who doesn't love leftovers?  For our Thanksgiving celebration, we are having Turkey, potatoes and gravy, sweet potatoes, baked corn, dinner rolls, cranberry sauce, pickles, carrots, celery, olives, pumpkin pie, and pistaccio delight.   Of course, we will also have milk and coffee. 

One of the great things about Thanksgiving is that we get to take time to focus on the people and things that are important to us.  Its a great time to reflect on giving thanks for all these people and things, so this year, I want to share a short list of things for which I am thankful. 

1)  God.  God takes such good care of me!

2)  My family-  My family helps me in every way and loves me unconditionally.

3)  My friends who support me in everything I do

4)  My health-  working with Children's Miracle Network, I am reminded how blessed I am to have good health.

5)  My safety.  I thank all those that serve and have served in our armed forces.  Without their selfless service we would not be safe.

6)  My freedom.  As I study history in school I am reminded how many countries and civilizations do not have the freedoms that we have in the USA.

7)  Music.  God has given me this gift to share.  And I so thoroughly enjoy it, too!  I am so fortunate to have my piano and cello!

8)  Our park services.  This may seem small at first, but think about all the amazing places that our country has to explore!  City parks that tell our local story (check out the Riverwalk in Thief River Falls!), state parks that show us our heritage and provide outdoor recreation, and even the big picture- national parks-  that teach us our nation's history, culture, and science, like geology, too!

9)  Opportunity.  I am elated to have the opportunity to meet so many wonderful people around Minnesota while I promote "Explore Your Backyard:  Visit Your Minnesota State Parks and Trails."

10)  You!  With out you, those reading my blog, I wouldn't have a network of supporters helping me achieve my goals.  I truly am thankful that you have taken time to help me!

I'd ask that you take a moment to add the things you are thankful for, too.  Simply leave comments after my post, and please mark my blog and "follow" it!

Happy Thanksgiving and God's blessings to each of you!

Franz Jevne State Park

 Franz Jevne State Park is one of Minnesota's smaller parks, however, its 118 acres are loaded with scenic beauty.  The park sits on State Highway 11 a ways east of Baudette.  It offers amazing views of the Rainy River and, on the other side of the river, Canada's Ontario Province.  The park boasts a short trail through its gorgeous birch and jackpine forest and some very cool rock outcrops.  It may be a small park but its full of big memories.  It even has a secluded campground that offers stunning views of the river and if you stay quiet, lots of wildlife.  Check it out!  Oh-  I should mention-  The park is named after a gentleman named Franz Jevne, who was a lawyer in nearby International Falls.  After his passing, his sons donated the land to the state.  Since Franz Jevne was instrumental in the development of the Rainy River area it was suiting to name the park in his honor.

Garden Island State Park

Photo courtesy of Minnesota State
Parks and Trails

Garden Island State Park has a rich history.  It is a small island out in Lake of the Woods and is about 19 miles from Zippel Bay State Park.  It is the only park in the Minnesota State Parks and Trails system that I likely will not visit personally this year, since the only two ways to get there are by boat or snowmobile, and I have neither.  Hopefully, I will get a chance someday to ride the Ballard snowmobile trail, which runs 35 miles from Baudette to Angle Inlet.  I am told that ride is so desolate over the lake that it leaves a lasting impression similar to crossing the snowy, icy Arctic, but only for 35 miles....  That would be cool!  History tells us that the Island has been home to humans for over 8000 years.  The Island provided these residents with plenting of fishing, hunting, and rice, and of course, gardens, where small grains and other crops were grown using substinance farming methods.  The Island has been home to many industries, too, including fisheries and fur trappers.  It is storied that one of the fur traders, French explorer La Verendrye, claimed to have taught the local residents how to raise corni in these very gardens.   Modern day Garden Island is a destination for sport fisherman and outdoor recreation enthusiasts. It’s a great place to take a hike or watch the unique bird community.  Or... enjoy a quiet evening on a secluded, sandy beach.

Zippel Bay State Park

 

Zippel Bay State Park is truly fascinating!  The park is located on the northern border of Minnesota on the south shore of Lake of the Woods.  Lake of the Woods is huge, in a word.  It is 80 miles from north to south and 55 miles from east to west.  Its like a mini-ocean, having southern areas as shallow as 4 feet and northern areas 150 feet deep!  And of course, there is great fishing here, especially in the winter!  If you have never gone ice-fishing, this is the place to do it!  The park has an awesome fine-sand beach where visitors can swim and relax in the sun.  My brothers seemed to enjoy the driftwood and had great fun finding huge pieces.  The day we were there the current was drawing North so they had a blast throwing the driftwood back in the lake and watching it float back to Canada!  There is also a lot of wildlife up here.  It is quite common to see deer and even moose, but its always cool to see a bald eagle.  Take a trip up north and check out Zippel Bay State Park!

Hayes Lake State Park

  

Hayes Lake State Park is part of the history of Northwestern Minnesota.  It contains the site of the first homesteader to the area, Alva Hendershot, and in the northwest part of the park, his grave and the remains of his homestead can stll be seen while walking along the trail.  Those date back to the early 1900s.  Many of his descendants' grave sites are also here.  Another cool fact that few people know is that Hayes Lake is a man-made lake.  Northwestern Minnesota doesn't have lots of lakes so in 1967 it was decided to dam the river, thus creating a lake behind it.  The lake was named for A.F. Hayes, who also was an early settler in this area.  The park has 13 miles of trails and along them, you can see lots of wildlife, such as deer, porcupines, and even mink!  Be on the lookout for the black bear, too.  If you are in the mood for a scenic hike, take the path to Beemis Hill, which the park also manages.  Its about a 6-7 mile hike, but once there, you can rest in the cabin, pump well water, and camp.  We are going back this winter because Beemis Hill also boasts an amazing sledding hill with a warming house right on top of the hill. 

10/30/2010 Fargo Halloween BOO-Galoo Parade

On October 30, 2010, My family was in downtown Fargo, ND for the 2nd Annual Halloween BOO-Gaboo Parade.  While it was a little chilly, there were lots of families and people out watching the parade and getting a head-start on collecting candy!  I dressed as Ariel from Disney's "The Little Mermaid," and brought some of my sisters along for the ride!  Bralynne dressed as Belle from "Beauty and the Beast;"  Brynn was Cinderella from "Cinderella;"  and Brenna was Snow White from "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs."  We all had a great time waving to the crowd.  I was fortunate to have two of my brothers, Brett and Brayden, follow behind us handing out my platform brochures, encouraging teens to "Explore Your Backyard:  Visit Your Minnesota State Parks and Trails." 

Once again, I'd like to thank our good friends at Muscatell for lining up another great truck for us!

Maplewood State Park

Maplewood State Park is a naturalist's paradise!  The park has about 25 miles of hiking trails and if you are quiet, you can spot lots of wildlife.  The park boasts over 150 species of birds and well over 50 species of mammals.  For those not so inclined to hike the trails, the park also has a beautiful scenic drive.  On this trip my family stopped for a short visit after a piano ensemble festival in Detroit Lakes and on our way to Fargo so we didn't venture out on the trails, instead, electing the drive.  However, from past experience, I can say the wildlife here is worth the hike, plus, there are many kinds of trees, from red cedar, sugar maples, dogwood, oaks, and tamaracks.  A visit in the fall will result in an amazing palette of color!

 
On this trip, you will also see snow in the pictures.  We had a little snowball fight in the park because, believe it or not, we did not have snow further north where we live.  See all the fun you can have at Maplewood State Park?  Come try it out for yourself!

Upper Sioux Agency State Park

Upper Sioux Agency is a somber place.  This area used to be known sa Yellow Medicine Agency.  It was created as part of the Treaty of Traverse Des Sioux of 1851.  The treaty moved the Dakota Indians from parts of Minnesota and Iowa to this area, which was a reservation about 20 miles wide and followed along the Minnesota River Valley from Big Stone Lake (northwest) to Fort Ridgely (southeast). The Yellow Medicine Agency was established to administer the terms of the treaty.  It was widely thought by the Dakota that the Agency was not following the terms of the treaty very fairly and in 1862, the Dakota began a conflict known as the Sioux Uprising.  In the summer of 1862, the Yellow Medicine Agency was destroyed during this conflict.  The park was built to preserve the historic agency, good and bad, and to provide recreational opportunities in the Minnesota River Valley.  While we were there we got up close and personal with several deer, including a 10 point buck, that decided to explore us.  The came very close to us while hiking and even came close to our van!  We toured around the old Agency building.  The campsite is very cool, too.  It boasts a remote campsite including two rentable Tee-Pees.  What a unique experience!  We are going to return to camp in the Tee-Pees!

Fort Ridgely State Park

Fort Ridgely State Park is part of Minnesota's history and the Indian Wars of 1862.  It starts with the building of Fort Ridgely from 1853-1855.  The Fort housed 300+ soldiers and civilians and was located on the edge of the Dakota indian reservation.  During the 1850s and early 1860s The United States government made several treaties with the Dakota and the Indian Agents repeatedly made late and unfair payments required by the treaties;  the result was many Dakota starving and angry.  In 1862 the Dakota chose to attack the settlers in the area to push them out of their native lands.  They also attacked the Fort.  Several soldiers were killed and over the next few months, as many as 800 civilians were killed.  By December 1862, the US Army had taken control and forced the Dakota out of Minnesota.  The US Government negated the treaties and ultimately, sentanced 38 Dakota to death by hanging.  The hanging occurred on December 26, 1862 in a public execution in Mankato.  This remains the largest public execution in American history.  Another notable result from this execution is that it was commonplace during that time to take bodies of those executed and use them for medical study.  One of the bodies ended up with Dr. William Mayo, a founder of the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN.  A visit to this park is worth the effort to learn about this vital, pivotal, and contoversial piece of Minnesota history.  You will leave the park feeling very somber, but more informed.

Flandrau State Park

 

Flandrau State Park, located in New Ulm, MN, sits in the Big Cottonwood River valley and was originally named Cottonwood River State Park.  The area was formed by glaciers melting and the resulting runoff cutting through the rocks.  In the case of this park, that run off cut through over 150 feet of rock!  Thats a lot of water runoff!  To try to fathom how much water and time this would take, let me suggest a little experiment-  ask your parents if they have a circulating pump, like a submersible sump pump.  Together with your parents, fill a 30 gallon garbage can with about 5 gallons of water.  Put a large rock in there so that the rock is above the water line.  Set the submersible pump at the bottom and run the hose up the side of the garbage can and direct the flow from the hose right over the rock.  See how long it takes to disolve the rock.  Hint-  it takes a really, really, really, really, really long time!  That should give you somewhat of an idea how long it took to wear down 150 feet of rock.  I'd suggest that after a few hours of pumping water over the rock, which won't likely disolve any noticeable amount at all, should be enough to get an idea of how long it would take.  Make sure to shut off your pump!

When I visited the park I learned that it was the site of a Work Projects Administration (WPA) work camp in the 1930s and 1940s. There are several park buildings remaining today that show the achitecture that they used.  Simple but stunning.  During the 40s and World War II, the same camp was used as a German POW camp. I also learned that the park was renamed Flandrau by the state of Minnesota on March 15, 1945, to honor Charles E. Flandrau. He helped to draft the Minnesota constitution and was a member of the first Minnesota Supreme Court. Lots of history and beauty in this park.  Take the time to come check it out for yourself!  Did I mention the man-made swimming beach and the scenic campground?