Make a Hiking Visit to Frontenac State Park (MN)

I wanted to do a special focus on MN's Frontenac State Park, north of Winona and a few miles south of Red Wing. I have only hiked a few trails there so I am by no means an expert but it is a favorite stop when we are traveling the Mississippi River Rd on our way up to the Twin Cities or just because. 

Bruce Ause showing bluebird chicks
 on a Saturday Naturalist hike
Image -  Marge Loch-Wouters

The park features a variety of trails and terrains (prairie, hardwood forests, blufflands, floodplain forests) as well as stunning views of the Mississippi River and Lake Pepin. There are birds a plenty and wildlife. 

I have attended two of their awesome programs and can't say enough about how informative and fun they are. Throughout the summer on Saturdays from 10-11am, naturalist Bruce Ause takes you on a nature walk through the ever-changing woods and prairie. Monthly Bird Walks on Saturday mornings at 8am hosted by MN Master Naturalists Janet Malotky and Steve Dietz help you really SEE the birds!

And, for me, best of all, a wonderful free online newsletter that helps me discover all the programs and information I need to make the most of my time there. Written and edited by Pamela Miller, a sister MN Master Naturalist and member of their very active Frontenac State Park Association, each monthly issue highlights the best of the park and it's staff, volunteers, programs and ruminations on what can be found inside the park. Pamela has a great dry sense of humor and every issue is a gem. Subscribe!

I want to share an article, "Trails to Try" from the Frontenac State Park Association's most recent issue that contains some great trail recommendations depending on your situation. :

"One of the many things that makes Frontenac State Park special is the diversity of terrains it enfolds. On a single long hike, you might walk along bluffs, on prairie, and through hardwood and floodplain forests. How to choose a trail? Print out a trail map ahead of time or grab one at one of several handout sites. And consider this cheatsheet:

You don’t have much time, have small kids in strollers, are pushing or in a wheelchair, or of limited mobility: Travel the paved path that runs along the top of the bluff near the main overlook and all the way to the campground. It’ll lead you, gently, past breathtaking views and through mature maple-dominated woodlands.

You like a challenge, your knees are just fine, and your Fitbit is itching for a whole buncha stairs, because that’s how you roll: The Upper and Lower Bluffside Trails are a beautiful challenge. They feature rocky trails with many limestone or wooden stair steps leading to a view of Lake Pepin. Not recommended for little kids, unless you can stuff them into your backpack.

In the Forest at Frontenac
Image - Marge Loch-Wouters

You prefer gentler hills, and love mixed woodland and prairie: Follow the Hiking Club Trail, marked in yellow on the park map. Everything about it is just lovely, especially the Eagle Point overlook. We recommend, however, that you use a park map to keep track of whether you’ve passed points F, G, H, I, J, K or L on the trail, because otherwise you might find yourself walking round and round and round in beautiful, familiar circles, sort of like the first time you drove in a roundabout. (Don’t ask us how we know that.)

Bonus loop: Several of the trails mentioned above link to the Pine Loop Trail, an unexpected, quiet, level loop of towering white pines planted long ago by a farmer. Rest on one of the loop’s rustic wooden benches and watch for owls sailing through the pines.

You love bluebirds, meadowlarks and prairie grasses swaying in the wind: Follow the gently rising and falling Prairie Loop trail, which starts on the south side of County Road 2 and curls over to Pleasant Valley Lakelet, which features a nifty wildlife viewing blind that kids, especially, will love. A lot of this trail is under the blazing sun, so wear sunscreen and a good hat, eh.

You want to see a floodplain forest and sandy beach, neon-colored little frogs, and the sometimes rare birds that live in both areas: The Sand Point trail begins away from the main park area. Bike or drive to the small parking area off Hwy. 61 and County Road 2 and follow the signs. It’s especially important to remember your mosquito repellent for this one (don’t ask us how we know that).

Want to see the park’s newest area?: Check your park trail map for the as-yet-unnamed trail southwest of Hill Avenue. It’s a steep loop up to a gorgeous view to the southwest and southeast of what’s historically been known as Waconia Cliffs, acquired by the park in 2020.

You prefer a trail less traveled: Frontenac State Park is a sprawling place, and the park map doesn’t show it all. If you’d like to explore some less-traveled paths, go to the park office and ask for directions to the two trailheads on the north side of Hill Avenue (or you can email pamelamarianmiller@gmail.com for maps and info). Both are moderately challenging hillside climbs that lead to high prairie paths that go northeast to the bluffs overlooking Lake Pepin. One is called the Santelman Firebreak trail, the other the Rattlesnake Bluff trail. Yes, there are some endangered timber rattlesnakes up there. No, you are not likely to be lucky enough to see one."

June 23, 2023 issue. Pamela Miller

Image - Pamela Miller

So head up or over to this great hiking park - and sign up for the free online newsletter too. You'll be glad you did!