The Rim Trails of Beaver Creek Valley (MN) State Park

Bulblet ferns by sharp-lobed hepatica leaves

Beaver Creek Valley State Park (BCVSP) near Caledonia MN is one of the state parks I consider to be my "neighborhood" park. It is a quick 25 minute drive away from our home in La Crescent and a park we return to often. From it's trout stream trails to it's migratory spring warblers; from it's rim trails to it's spring ephemerals; from it's twisty-turny narrow footpaths up some of the hills and bluffs to it's watercress-kissed stream and it's source, this is a special gem that bears repeat visits.

Steep Rock Trail

Last spring I shared a post introducing you to this state park in southeastern MN. Today I want to focus on a couple of high trails up to and along the blufftops that surround the campgrounds in the narrow south valley: Steep Rock trail, Hole-in-the-Rock trail and West Rim trail. Doing a hike combining these three trails makes a wonderful 3.3 mile loop that takes you high above the park and that make up half of the MN State Parks Hiking Club trail (the other half is the flat Trout Run trail that takes you 3.3 miles along Beaver Creek on the north side of the park).

After parking in the first parking lot, cross the footbridge and immediately head left and UP onto the Steep Rock Trail. This narrow, twisting rocky/rooty dirt trail takes you along a 3/4 mile portion of west side of the rim. There are multiple lookouts and huge rock formations along the way that add interest as well as well developed hardwood forests. You will also see some amazing wildflowers (especially in spring) and some ferns that are more rare like bulblet and the tiny rock cap fern. Because of its steepness and a few spots where the trail is degraded, I would avoid this trail in damp or rainy weather. You end the trail down at the campground. This trail is closed during fall hunting season.

Overlook on the rim trails

Head to your right down the campground road for a bit to the West Rim trailhead. You climb up a wide old logging/farming road through hardwood forests and at one point next to an old farm field as you climb the west rim. There are a few high views through the trees but no overlooks to speak of on this slightly over a mile section of the trail. You enjoy a beautiful prairie or two before you head back down, cross a bridge near the bottom and come to stairs. If you take the stairs down, you are back at the campground road and can end your hike by following the road back to the parking lot. But if you take the stairs up...

Hole in the Rock trail cave

...you connect with the Hole-in the-Rock trail.  The beginning of this trail takes you up stairs and then a scramble up a steep rocky trail to an incredible overlook. You get a panoramic view of the west side of the narrow valley with a hint of civilization across the way. You have prairie to hike through as well on the top before coming to a marvelous cave you can climb right into. The1.2 mile trail continues ambling along a beautiful hardwood forest and more rock formations as it slowly brings you back down opposite the parking lot for 3.3 mile loop of all three trails.

THE HIKE

Three challenging to somewhat challenging trails take you up along the rim of the south valley of the park. Together these trails make a great 3.3 mile loop hike. Each one begins and ends at the campground road so as you hike the loop, you gain and lose about 500 feet of elevation a couple of times. Stunning overlooks of the park, beautiful hardwood forests, prairies and an abundance of rock formations including flat slabs perfect for a picnic and the scenic "hole-in-the-rock" cave, make this hike interesting. Hiking in spring means a profusion of wildflowers but I would avoid the narrower and steeper trails immediately after rain - they can be slick even in dry weather.

Location: 15954 County Rd 1, Caledonia, MN 55921

Follow Hwy 1 straight west from Caledonia into the park. These trails are accessed from the big main parking lot just past the ranger station.

A burr oak on Hole-in-the-Rock trail

All images - Marge Loch-Wouters