Minnesota Driftless Hiking Trails Updates 2/23/26

The planning and work towards the 100 mile Minnesota Driftless Hiking Trail (MHDT) is really starting to coalesce. As a reminder, the trail is a multi-year effort to create a hiking/backpacking trail in southeastern Minnesota similar to the Ice Age Trail. 

It's been six months since the last update so let's take a peek

The map that the group produced originally has been updated below to show the work that has been accomplished and the coming year's plans. The gray area on the map shows a wide swath of land between Chatfield Mn and the Mississippi River where the trail might go. That gray area contains public land like wildlife and state management areas, state forests, state parks and private lands that could possibly be connected to create the trail. The MDHT group plan is to work with willing landowners and partner with them to procure easements to allow the trail to pass through portions of their land. They are also working with communities to have trails pass through them so hikers can enjoy all that southeastern Minnesota has to offer.

So what's new?

The area in green above shows where the planners have secured access, This area includes the 6.5 mile Lost Creek Hiking Trail near Chatfield as well a designated 2.5 mile trail through Chatfield. 

The area in yellow, which includes Eagle Bluff Environmental  Center and the Big Woods/Newburg area and Beaver Creek Valley State Park to the Caledonia area, are area that are going to be worked on in 2026.

Grant funds secured from the MN Environmental and Natural Resource Trust Fund in 2024 allowed the group to hire a full-time director and purchase trail building equipment that will make building trails easier. Grant writing is underway to secure additional funds.

To read details of the 2026 plans, please stop here.

To stay updated, you can follow their FB page, stop by their website and/or subscribe to their newsletter. All in all, it's pretty exciting.

Additional posts on the Minnesota Driftless Hiking Trail:

• Minnesota Driftless Hiking Trail 7/25 Update
• Minnesota Driftless Hiking Trail Introduction 10/18/23
• Minnesota Driftless Trail Development Update 5/1/24
• Minnesota Driftless Hiking Trails Updates  2/7/25
• Helping to Make the Dream Come True  3/7/25

Lending a "Nature" Hand

There's always something to be said for giving back as a trail user and nature lover. As certified Master Naturalist volunteers (MNV), my colleagues and I throughout Minnesota and Wisconsin contribute at least 40 hours annually in volunteer work. Most of the MNV I know contribute far more.

This service ethic has helped countless outdoor-centered organizations through our contributions of time and effort to fight invasives, maintain natural areas and trails, serve on parks and forests Friends groups, assist communities by serving on natural resource board, present interpretive programs.

But you don't have to be a MNV to lend a hand to help "nature." Your time, effort and/or donations can have a huge impact.

Here are a few opportunities I have run across just this past week. Won't you please consider lending a hand - or giving a donation if your body says "I can't do that anymore."

Nature Backpack Project

Project Get Outdoors, partnering with Lark Toys in Kellogg MN and Janky Gear in Rochester MN, is asking for help so they can create "nature backpacks" to distribute to kids who are sheltering in place during ICE operations in their communities. The backpacks will contain nature-themed books, puzzles, games, field guides, and sensory pouches filled with agates, fossils, shells, rocks, and gemstones - bringing the calming, healing power of nature indoors.

Gently used or new backpacks can be dropped off at Janky Gear (611 N. Broadway Ave, Rochester) as well as agates, fossils, shells, rocks, and gemstones you might have and want to donate. Deadline for backpack, sensory object donations: February 28. 

You can also donate directly on-line through the Project Get Outdoors website Or mail donations to: Project Get Outdoors, PO Box 244, Wabasha, MN 55981 Project GO is a 501c3 non-profit organization and all donations are tax-deductible. 

Volunteers Needed for Nature Restoration Work

This has been a busy year for cutting invasive brush and trees, saving and spreading seed and other tasks on Driftless prairies and in forests. Volunteers willing to get time outdoors and meet some incredible stewards of the land are always needed and welcomed. Again, if your body isn't able, these organizations gratefully accept donations to help them.

The Prairie Enthusiasts

From a recent FB post: "If you have cabin fever, cold weather is actually perfect for work like this. Wet snow makes for wet humans. Dry snow makes for warm, comfortable humans. Most people shed their outer layers soon after starting. If you are looking for a chance to get out and do good near where you live with other members of your community, find one of our work parties. This work can be strenuous, but we've got logs and limbs of all sizes, so you can pick your challenge! Check out our Events Calendar" Our nearby chapters are the Minnesota Driftless and Coulee Region. Donations are also welcome.

Mississippi Valley Conservancy

The work MVC does on its many nature preserves is extraordinary. While opportunities abound outside, they can also use help in other support projects that can match your skills. And again, sometimes the support you give might be monetary and that is an important way to lend a helping hand as well!

Trail Work and Maintenance

Outdoor Recreation Alliance 

Headquartered in the La Crosse area, ORA does a tremendous amount of shared biking and hiking trail building and trail maintenance in the blufflands of Hixon Forest and now at their Community Trails Farm. They train and set up regularly scheduled trail work and are always looking for folks to pitch in. It's a great way for hikers to contribute to the trails we use.

And they just put out a survey asking trail users to help them prioritize trail work for the upcoming season. Hikers, let your voice be heard and fill in this brief survey! The survey closes on February 27 and takes less than 3 minutes! It's an opportunity to prioritize some "hike only" trails (there are currently just .5 miles of hike-only) for their farm.

Hope you can lend a hand to make sure lots of people can enjoy our beautiful Driftless area!

See you on the trails.

SE MN Regional Development Partnership Seeking Volunteers

Minnesota friends:

Southeast RSDP seeks applications for board and work group members

The University of Minnesota Extension Southeast Regional Sustainable Development Partnerships is seeking local residents to serve on their regional board and work groups.

Southeast RSDP is one of five regional partnerships that connect local communities with University of Minnesota resources to support sustainable development in Greater Minnesota.

RSDP has four work groups: natural resources, local food systems, resilient communities and clean energy. Members work together with University staff and faculty to make recommendations about how to support community-driven projects in each region.

Watch this short video to learn more about how they do their work! 

In particular, Southeast RSDP is currently seeking those with an interest in agriculture and natural resources. Read the full press release here

For more information and to apply, please see z.umn.edu/rsdpworkgroups. Applications are preferred by Monday, September 15th for an October 1st start date.

For questions, or to learn more about being a work group or board member, please contact either Andi Sutton, Southeast RSDP Executive Director- sutto364@umn.edu or Danielle Piraino, Southeast RSDP Outreach Specialist- pirai006@umn.edu.


Andi Sutton (she/her/hers)
Executive Director – Southeast
Southeast Regional Sustainable Development Partnership | Extension | rsdp.umn.edu
University of Minnesota | extension.umn.edu

National Trails Day® is Coming Up

The American Hiking Society sponsors National Trails Day® annually. This year, the designated day is Saturday, June 7. It is a chance not just to get outdoors but also to connect with our community and give back to the trails we love. AHS wants to empower everyone to become trail stewards on any trail, anywhere.

They encourage trail stewardship, something we should all give some thought to. According to their website: 

"Being a trail steward means enjoying, sharing, preserving, and respecting the trails and outdoor spaces we all enjoy. While responsibly recreating on trails is essential, being a trail steward involves more than that — it's about ensuring they remain welcoming, accessible, and well-maintained for everyone now and in the future.

Trail stewards:

• Appreciate the outdoors and enjoy them responsibly: Admire the trails' beauty while respecting their natural and cultural significance.
• Leave trails better than they found them: Participate in clean-ups, volunteer for trail maintenance projects, and,, when you head to the trails, ensure you pack out all of your waste.
• Promote community: Ensure the outdoors and trails are welcoming for all to enjoy, and work to foster a sense of belonging and connection.
• Advocate for trails: Use your voice to speak out for public lands, trail funding, and trail preservation. These efforts help ensure these spaces are preserved and accessible for future generations.
• Share the space: Be considerate of all trail users — whether hikers, bikers, equestrians, etc., and wildlife, too, of course!

Being a trail steward is a way to give back to the trails we love to explore, ensuring they remain a source of joy, connection, and adventure for everyone."

So don't just get out on the trails that day - take a trash bag and pick up litter, resolve to volunteer with a city, county or state park to help them with trail work and invasives removal and be a great advocate for making sure everyone can access trails.

See you on the trails!

Volunteers for Nature Needed

Garlic mustard is overspreading many natural spaces. This tall, fast-growing, and huge seed-spreading plant outcompetes native plant species and quickly takes over areas. 

Early spring in the Midwest, when garlic mustard emerges -and before it sets seed - is the best time to go out and pull this invasive species. It’s pretty easy work. And it can yield some tasty tender leaves for garlic mustard pesto, a popular forager's delight!

If you see a call like the one below sponsored by my City of La Crescent, please consider pitching in as a volunteer for nature. It’s amazing how much we can beat back an invasive like this with a short hour of work together. 

And it’s a great way that we, as hikers, can contribute to the ongoing health and beauty of local natural areas we hike in. 

I'll be at this garlic mustard pulling project - and hope I can pull this invasive alongside you!

Become a Volunteer Water Monitor

Exciting Volunteer Opportunity for Community Members

Spring is here and the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency’s Volunteer Water Monitoring Program is gearing up for another great season of lake and stream water clarity monitoring across the state. With more than 92,000 miles of streams and over 12,000 lakes in Minnesota, more volunteer monitors are needed to help track the health of our waters.

How does it work?
Volunteers conduct a simple water clarity test in a body of water at least twice a month during the summer. We provide all the equipment and training for free, so no experience is needed. Lake monitors boat or paddle to a designated spot in the lake to check the clarity, while stream monitors record data from the streambank or a bridge crossing.

The MPCA uses the volunteer-collected data to help determine whether lakes and streams are meeting water quality standards, designed to protect aquatic life and recreational activities (like fishing and swimming). In some cases, the information gathered by volunteers is the only monitoring done on a particular lake or stream, making volunteer gather data critical to our work to protect Minnesota waters.

Volunteer Story: A family affair
For the past 36 years, checking Long Lake’s water clarity often involves the whole family for volunteer water monitor Sheri Berg. First, her children helped her check the clarity of the lake in the Detroit Lakes area, and now her grandchildren accompany her.

“They all know how to do it, and sometimes we all go out together on the pontoon,” Berg said.

When they started taking measurements in the mid-1980s, clarity in Long Lake was about 16-17 feet, but it gradually worsened, declining to about 11-12 feet, until recently when it improved again. This was a few years after most of the homes on the lake hooked up to the city sewer.

“We don’t know why but the lake is much clearer now. We even had to ask them to send us a longer rope since we ran out at 25 feet and could still see the disk!” Berg said.

Berg retired from state employment a few years ago after working almost the same number of years as the family has been volunteer monitors. “I probably won’t ever ‘retire’ from monitoring,” Berg says. “We will likely continue to do it because the kids and grandkids love doing it so much, and I’m always curious how the lake is doing.”

Gain experience
This is the perfect opportunity for outdoor enthusiasts and those interested in protecting our state’s natural resources! We’d be happy to provide a certificate, letter and/or resume/cover letter language at the end of each monitoring season you participate in to verify your participation in the program.

Interested?

Head to www.mn.gov/volunteerwater to locate open volunteer sites near you and learn more about this important program. Please let us know if you have any questions or would like further information on the program at watervolunteers.mpca@state.mn.us.

[Correction for blog subscribers on the previous post from March 19: I inadvertently moved the decimal point on the trail mileages for Ni Tani and Xe Xete trails in that post. I have edited the post to reflect their correct mileage (.37 mi and .39 miles, respectively). Thanks to Sue K for her sharp eye!]

Helping to Make a Hiking Dream Come True

Our friends at the MN Driftless Hiking Trail, which is being developed in southeast MN, have more news! They are looking for volunteers to help make the dream come true. Read on:

Let’s Build This Trail Together!

We Need Your Help! Join the Volunteer Team for the MN Driftless Hiking Trail

Building a trail takes a community, and we’re looking for volunteers to help bring this project to life! As an independent, volunteer-driven effort, we rely on passionate people like you to make this vision a reality.

Starting in summer 2025, we’ll need volunteers to assist with trail designation, signage, and building. We’re also looking for those with skilled expertise—graphic design, mapping, events, outreach, and more—to support our work behind the scenes

Want to get involved?

Simply visit our website and send us a message asking to be added to our open call volunteer list! If you have special skills you'd like to contribute, let us know in your message.

Together, we can create something truly special for our community. Let’s build this trail together!

Contact Us And a reminder of the MDHT's upcoming Community Forum : Minnesota Driftless Hiking Trail  Community Forum Monday, March 10, 5:00 - 7:00 p.m. City of Caledonia Municipal Auditorium, 219 E. Main St "Join us for an engaging evening to discuss the future of the Minnesota Driftless Hiking Trail! We’ll share updates on the trail’s development and provide an open space for your ideas, questions, and feedback. Whether you’re a passionate hiker, a local resident, or simply curious, your voice matters in shaping this exciting project. Refreshments will be served, and no registration is needed! This event is designed for residents of Caledonia and the surrounding communities. Whether you are a landowner, outdoor enthusiast, local business owner, involved in tourism, or simply interested in learning more and sharing your perspective, we warmly invite you to attend. Feel free to bring a friend or colleague—everyone is welcome! This project is supported by University of Minnesota's Empowering Small Minnesota Communities program, a statewide initiative aimed at strengthening small communities' projects and plans for resilient physical, social, and economic infrastructure through UMN partnerships. This is the second event in a 3-part series—a perfect opportunity to connect with trail staff, dedicated volunteers, and other outdoor enthusiasts. Stay tuned for details about our upcoming session in Whalen! Don’t miss this chance to be part of the conversation and help bring the Minnesota Driftless Hiking Trail to life. See you there!” If you are interested in this effort to create a 100+ mile hiking/backpacking trail across the Driftless region of MN, you can subscribe to the Minnesota Hiking Trails' newsletter here. These occasional newsletters are info packed and keep you in the know. Minnesota Driftless Hiking Trail Introduction 10/18/23 Minnesota Driftless Trail Development Update 5/1/24 Minnesota Driftless Hiking Trail Update  2/7/25

Eagles Bluff Park (MN)

Rock outcroppings
Red Apple Trail - Upper

I've always considered Eagle Bluffs, a city of La Crescent Park, my "backyard" bluff. I live just a short 15 minute walk from one of its trailheads. If I get antsy for an aerobic hike, there she is! I've been waiting to share this hike since last summer because there have been some great changes going on.

La Crescent was awarded a MN SHIP  (Statewide Health Improvement Partnership) grant to create trail maps of Eagles Bluff Park. The trail mapping work was completed in 2023 and the GPS trail data converted into digital trail maps by Map the Xperience, thanks to the SHIP grant. The Lion's Club of La Crescent then generously donated $10,00 from the Club's Trails and Parks Project Fund as a Lion's Club activity supporting outdoor community activities to see the project to completion.

City of La Crescent Facebook post

But it takes more than money to make this kind of work happen. It takes vision from the city (provided by city Sustainability Coordinator Jason Ludwigson), city crews, and a lot sweat equity and planning from Lion's Club volunteers*.  The Lion's Club funds supported the creation of large trail maps. Then this fall, city public works crews and multiple Lion's Club volunteers installed the following to make wayfinding a snap:

• 5 large map signs and pedestal at trailheads and on top the bluff
• 30 color-coded, aluminum trail markers
• 20 directional aluminum trail signs on each of the bluff's six trails 

 

City of La Crescent Facebook post

Finally, much work was done to maintain the trails this year, with city crews and volunteers clearing brush, dead overhanging and fallen trees and an ongoing project to clear invasive red cedar from one of the dry bluff prairies at the top of the bluff. 

The most recent workday in November brought volunteers from the MN Driftless chapter of The Prairie Enthusiasts, the La Crescent Natural Resources Advisory Group and other volunteers to join city staff in a work day that continued earlier work to bring the southeast prairie gem back to its glory.

All of this is to say, if you haven't been to this park yet - or recently - put it on your calendar for 2025

Eagles Bluff Trail map.
Click here to access a clear copy

There are five main trails inside this park, plus one spur access trail that connects nearby Veteran's Park to one of Eagles Bluff's trailheads on Mcintosh Rd. East. (green trail on the bottom of the map). There is ample parking at Veteran's Park and this trail begins just north of the baseball diamond. 

This short .42 mile ravine trail winds below two La Crescent neighborhoods. A trail sign directs hikers left and up a short hill, then across a residential street to the eastern trailhead of Eagle's Bluff park. 

Mcintosh Road East Trailhead and Yellow Trail

The Mcintosh trail (yellow trail) is just over 3/4 miles long. There is street parking along this quiet road by the trailhead. The trail has a few significant steep spots along the climb to the rim (approx. 500 ft elevation gain). At the beginning of the hike, you are right along the neighboring houses until you start gaining that elevation. This is a quieter and less used trailhead but it's my favorite.

Rocks along the Mcintosh Trail

You pass through a large hardwood forest. During early spring, late fall and winter you can also see some rock formations here and there as you climb to the rim. Looking south and east, you also get some great views of the Mississippi River almost all the way along the higher portions of this trail. 

View from Table Rock overlook
Image - Kris Lawson

There are a couple of fun spots along this trail. One is a marked spur trail to the right as you ascend that takes you down to an overlook on the edge of the bluff with a great view of the Mississippi. Continuing back on the main trail, you soon come to Table Rock, a significant rock formation which affords a view of the Mississippi's main channel and the historic Swing Bridge that crosses it.   You finish this trail at the junction of the red and blue trails on the rim. 

There is one permanent trail closure along the way that hikers may note - and are asked to honor. The old Boy Scout, trail created and developed by the local scouts, is a heart-poundingly steep trail with few switchbacks. This trail has badly eroded over the years. While the community appreciates what the scouts built, the decision was made to close it.

Red Apple Drive Trailhead and Red Trail/Orange Trails

Red Apple Trail - Lower (red trail)

The trailhead sign, located opposite Old Hickory Park, directs you up the grass and prairie hillside on a old grassy road. You will see a sign as you leave the wide grassy road for the Upper Red Apple Trail (orange) but let's stay on the main trail for now. 

Red Apple Trail Lower with trail marker

The .65 mile Lower Red Apple trail winds 350 feet slowly up and above the neighborhood through a hardwood forest. There are numerous rocks along the switchback trails as you near the top. This trailhead appears to be more used of the two main trailheads, with just slightly wider trails on some portions. You get fantastic views of the forest and sloping bluffsides as you ascend.

On your way up, near the end, you run into the trail junction for the Upper Red Apple Trail (orange) to your left, followed shortly by another junction that brings you to the Ridge Rocks trail loop (black), also to your left. You can continue on to the ridge top, though, to access the two trail loops on top the bluff described below.

Red Apple Trail - Upper (orange trail)

This very short .22 mile trail is what I like to think of as the escalator to get you quickly up or down from the bluff top. You can access it off the trailhead as you begin or from the blufftop, .1 miles down the Red Apple Trail-Lower. It is a must-hike from either direction for it's massive rock outcropping right next to the trail at its halfway point. This sandstone formation is a real treat! 

Ridge Trail Loops 

Ridge Rocks Trail (black trail)

You can access this trail from the Red Apple trail (red trail) or the Mcintosh trail (yellow trail).  This takes you on a .42 mile loop around the north rim of the bluff. There are some nice views from the trail and rock "sitting" shelf along the way. During summer months, this trail can have nettle overgrowth onto the path so consider long pants if the tail sides haven't been cleared back. At the end of this trail, you can join either the Mcintosh (yellow) or Red Apple Lower trail (red) which can take you back to the trail junctions.

Eagles Bluff Loop Trail (blue trail)

Southeast prairie overlook in summer

Again, this loop can be accessed from either the Red Apple Lower (red) or Mcintosh (yellow) trails. It is another .42 mile loop that takes you through a lovely maple forest along the rim to two dry bluff prairies at the top. The southwest facing overlook looks out over an old orchard area that has been developed into one of the city's newer neighborhoods along with parts of the rest of the community. You can also look across to Vetsch Park and Stoney Point from this vantage point. The southeast facing overlook provides views to the Mississippi, Blue Lake and the Wisconsin and Minnesota bluffs. This remnant prairie has been extensively worked on to restore it. Both overlooks have vibrant prairies with plenty of flowers and insect life in the summer.

THE HIKE

2.5 miles of shared, narrow, primarily dirt hiking /biking trails (although hikers and runners are more prevalent) lead up from two trailheads to ridge trails and some fine forests, views, prairies and rock formations. The elevation gain is 350-500 feet (the Red Apple Dr trailhead starts slightly higher up the bluff). This is a good aerobic bluff hike that makes up for overall short mileages. Well-marked and maintained trails make this attractive in all seasons. This can be fun as a through-hike or as an out-and-back from any trailhead.

The Location

Red Apple Trailhead is opposite La Crescent MN's Old Hickory Park (422 Red Apple Drive) on the park's east side. 

Mcintosh Trailhead can be accessed from La Crescent's Veteran's Park (595 Veterans Parkway) located behind the Best Western Plus Hotel OR by on McIntosh Road East opposite houses at 165 and 163 McIntosh Rd E.

New trail signage and markers along the trail

* A big shout out to the Lion's Club of La Crescent for their generous donations of funds, time, planning, installation and continued support of the project. Lion's involved in the project: Stephen Gund, Randy Rosenberg Patti Martell, Curt Murray, Heidi Kerska, Teresa O'Donnell Ebner. 

The community and trail users can't thank you enough!

Images, unless noted - Marge Loch-Wouters

Looking for more area hikes? Please stop by the web version of the blog and under the "Labels" tab on the right hand side of the blog, click on "find-a-hike". There are over 75 hike descriptions and lists of hikes to try!

MN Master Naturalist Class Offered in Lake City MN

Sara Holger, the Driftless Naturalist, is again the instructor for the Big Woods Big River UM-Extension course offered in Lake City beginning in August.  These courses, offered in different locations around the state throughout the year, are a great way to do a deep dive into learning about our Driftless area. 

Sara Holger writes: "This is a fantastic opportunity to learn about the natural history of the Driftless Area through expert guest speakers and hands-on field trips. We will get to know local conservation organizations and discover opportunities to assist with stewardship activities and projects in the area."

The course will be offered on successive Tuesdays plus one Saturday field day - although most days involve learning in the field as well as classroom work with an incredible textbook.

Participants gain the knowledge and skills to work as volunteers in outdoor stewardship projects, interpretive work, program support and so much more. This blog is part of my Master Naturalist volunteer work but so is citizen science; serving on nature-related boards and in outdoor-related organizations, doing programs, supporting state, local and national parks and refuges in their outdoor work including invasives control, tree planting, seed collection, trail maintenance and more. There are so many ways to give back and be a knowledgeable participant in nature related work locally and regionally once you get your certification.

If you'd like a little more insight into how it all works, this recent blog post describing the same course offered in August in Winona and it's impact may be helpful.

Be a Trail Champion

As trail users, we put in many miles exploring the outdoors. It's easy to take for granted just how much work goes into keeping those trails we hike on maintained; the understory clear, healthy and open; and preserving each precious resource we are exploring on any given hike. Someone else is doing it (park staff, DNR folks, naturalists, volunteers) and we're grateful.

But I want to issue a challenge to all of us who hike. 

Can we step up to the plate and give back through volunteering our time or money to support these efforts to keep trails and outdoor resources open, usable and maintained? Can we be trail - and outdoor resources - champions?

Spring garlic mustard pulling

Perhaps you've heard the expression "many hands make light work."  In terms of trail work and resource management, that is golden. Much of the work of maintenance -  from cutting back overhanging branches and trail-crowding brush to removing invasives like garlic mustard, buckthorn, honeysuckle and Queen Anne's Lace to tree planting, trail building, mowing and seed collecting - isn't rocket science. It can easily be taught and supervised. 

A group of volunteers can make a huge difference in quickly getting the work done. Even an hour of volunteer time is helpful.

How do you get involved? There are a few ways:

Master Naturalist Certification
Consider becoming a certified MN Master Naturalist volunteer (MNV) through the University of MN Extension (WI and IA also have Master Naturalist training programs). Training sessions are held around each state. I'm excited to see a MN 40-hour Big Woods, Big River course is being offered in nearby Winona MN August 14-21 with a focus on the Mississippi River and the Driftless area. After your certification, you are required to volunteer 40 hours and do 8 hours of advanced training annually to maintain certification. You can do stewardship projects, citizen science projects, program support and education/interpretation. Plus you meet an an ever-expanding network of other Master Naturalists to keep learning with and from. It's easy to get those hours in since the MNV certification makes you a valued volunteer  - and there are a ton of opportunities to give back.*

Volunteer in Local Trails Groups

Clearing trails in summer

Volunteer with groups that have active programs to maintain and build trails, maintain prairie remnants, plant trees, remove invasives and so on. The Prairie Enthusiasts have a number of chapters in MN, WI, IL. Besides guided hikes, they do prescribed burns and invasives control throughout the Driftless region. They often partner with The Friends of the Blufflands who devote endless hours to battling invasives and restoring prairie remnants to health. WI's Mississippi Valley Conservancy has many opportunities for volunteers at all skill levels to help with projects. The Outdoor Recreation Alliance of La Crosse, which focuses mainly on mountain biking but supports all outdoor pursuits, does tons of trail maintenance. 

Volunteer in Nearby State Parks/Environmental Organizations
There are also opportunities to volunteer locally in Friends groups for parks, nature centers and environmental groups. You can support and do programs, volunteer at the information desk or help in leadership positions in those organizations.

Volunteer with Your Local Municipality

Late fall buckthorn
cutting/treatment

Talk to your local community leaders and let them know you would be happy to help in keeping local trails and wild areas healthy. Towns and cities that have Park boards or Natural Resource boards are always looking for members willing to give time, ideas and effort to make the community green spaces better. It's a great way to give back if physical work is difficult for you.

Support Financially
If your body says "Whoa, I can't handle physical trail maintenance kind of work," consider making donations to organizations that do the work. Your support makes a huge difference in what these organizations can do.

Spread the Word

If you're part of a hiking or walking group that uses any public trails, encourage other members to join you in doing an hour of two of volunteer work in parks, forests and on trails. If you are a group leader, see if you can organize a volunteer hour with your group once or twice a year in collaboration with local parks, municipalities or organizations to pull garlic mustard, plant trees, collect seeds, sow native plant seeds or help with larger trail maintenance or invasives control work. Ask your family members, friends and acquaintances to come along on trail projects or invasives control that you are doing. Spread the word in youth groups at church, school, scouting, 4-H about the need for hands to help with nature-enhancing projects. Your advocacy and enthusiasm can translate to more involvement with people you know and are active with.

City crew and volunteers
broadcasting native plant seeds

We can give back to ensure that our trails and outdoor resources remain robust and healthy. It only takes a little bit of time and effort. Hope you will be a trail champion too.

See you on the trails!

*I received my MNV certification in 2022. For my volunteer hours, I guide hikes, do interpretive nature programs, publish this blog, serve on two city nature-related boards and do invasives control work and other stewardship projects. It's super easy to go well beyond the expected 40 hours annually.

Queen's Anne Lace cleared from the left hand side of 
pollinator garden after three volunteers spent an hour pulling.
The pulled plants will be mowed
Image - Jason Ludwigsen

MN Master Naturalist Course Offered in Winona

Has the nature bug hit you? As you hike and enjoy the outdoors, do you want to go beyond using apps like Merlin and PictureThis to dive more deeply into all that nature offers throughout the year? Are you always looking for ways to encourage people to enjoy the outdoors?  Do you want to be an active steward for the land?

If you are nodding yes to any of these, then the MN Master Naturalist volunteer course may be for you. You don’t need any special expertise other than a love of the outdoors for this course. It provides the grounding to build on that love through hands-on learning and field days along with tons of resources to grow your knowledge.

The multi-day, 40 hour course is offered through the University of MN Extension. It is taught by experienced naturalists who open up and widen your knowledge base so you can earn your certification and do all of the above.  

MN offers three biome-centered course and the Big Woods, Big Rivers course, which focuses on our Driftless region, is being offered for the first time nearby in Winona for two weeks in this August (the nearest location before this was Rochester)! The instructor is Sara Holger, who founded Project Get Outdoors and works as the Driftless Naturalist bringing outdoor experiences to children and people of all ages. She long taught the course at Whitewater State Park.

The course textbook and the course itself provide deep information and valuable resources to help you to understand and interpret our area ecology, natural history and unique features.

The course immerses you in information, activities and hands-on field experiences that help equip you to be a volunteer in your community and area in promoting the outdoors and being a steward of the land. 

After certification, you volunteer 40 hours annually in outdoor/nature related activities that can include doing citizen science, assisting organizations and communities in nature-based service (Arbor Day plantings, invasive control work, serving on boards and commissions, organizing events or interpretive programs, etc). Your training helps you be a knowledgeable volunteer and advocate for organizations you work with and with the public.

Eight of your 40 volunteer hours are devoted to training. Attending online webinars or outdoor-related classes, attending conferences and going on guided hikes are just a few ways to add to your knowledge and expertise. It helps equip you to better serve your community.  Those 40 hours annually keep your certification up - and let's face it - it's just fun to add to your knowledge base!

I found the ongoing volunteer opportunities to be abundant. I serve on our city's Park and Rec Commission and Natural Resources Advisory Group; provide interpretative programs at libraries and in other educational settings, volunteer for invasives control and created and write this blog to encourage others to discover the wonders of the Driftless regions many trails, flora, fauna and fungi. 

For me, the opportunity to use this blog as a link for people to encourage hiking and deeper discovery of the natural world has been profound. And your learning cohort become friends and colleagues that support you in your ongoing learning and work.

Becoming certified as a MN Master Naturalist volunteer was a life-changing experience. There are so many ways to give back to organizations and communities through knowledgeable volunteerism. 

I hope you too can be part of this experience through the Master Naturalist volunteer course and certification.

Plans Afoot - Backpacking Trail in Southeastern MN

 

Marty Walsh has a dream! 

While working in community development in Fillmore County, Walsh was looking over maps of the county and surrounding areas. He realized that there were many areas of public land that could be utilized - along with private land used with permission - to make a 100 mile backpacking/hiking trail between Chatfield MN and the Mississippi River near Brownsville MN.

Marty was inspired by the Lost Creek Trail (Chatfield MN) that 7 landowners developed and built cooperatively between Chatfield and Jordan Township. He also thought about backpacking trails like Ice Age Trail, Superior Hiking Trail and other trails that wind through state and national forest land and along connecting roadways and landowner and campground easements.  It could be done!

And so the Minnesota Driftless Hiking Trail effort began. 

The MDHT vision: "a 100+ mile backpacking trail across the Driftless area of Minnesota in the style of the National Scenic and Recreational Trails, supported by volunteers and operating as an independent organization."

The gray area in the proposed corridor below outlines all areas within which the trail could run, depending on landowner agreements to cross property or the use of only public land and paved roads. 

Nothing is set in stone at this point. Alot of the direction the trail will take depends on ongoing work spreading the word and connecting to agencies, working with the MN DNR, landowners and other local, state and national trail associations to see what could work in southeastern MN. At the moment, everything is in flux. The goal for the trail is to have it develop in a way that involves willing  participants and volunteers who are excited to see this trail developed and come through their area. So far so good!

This is a project that needs lots of volunteers and cooperating landowners. Over the past three years, MDHT has developed a solid leadership team of skilled volunteers, gotten agreements from 20 land owners along the corridor (with more in the pipeline), engaged with communities, nature centers, campgrounds and more to grow the network of possibility. 

Marty Walsh and Andy Petzold 
on "test run for proposed MDHT, June 2022
Image -Marty Walsh

In June 2022, MDHT folks did a "test" hike along a 25 mile segment of what could become part of the trail. They hiked only on existing trails, public lands and connecting roadways. They were looking at the possibilities for camping on the trail, water access, how the trails were - and, of course, enjoyed the incredible views, wet stream crossings and boots on these trails. The test run - to prove this trail could work  - was a success.

The MDHT board is currently engaged in filing for non-profit status. In addition, they submitted a $425,000 project to fund trail building supplies, print materials and an executive director for three years through the Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund (half of all MN lottery ticket sales go to this fund)  The Legislative Citizen Committee on MN Resources has included the MDHT in their FY2024 Funding Recommendation. The LCCMR recommendation will be voted on by the MN legislature in February or March (with the money available July 2024 if the recommendation is successfully passed).  

The leadership team has also spent a great deal of time working with the MN DNR on exploring legal agreements and leases for parts of the trail that they hope to have on state lands. This work in particular is delicate because of the scope of land uses supported in the State Forest lands.

The overall goal is by 2027 to have the basic trail set and maps of the trail (including connecting roads) so people can hike. While work will need to be done beyond that date (think of this as a 20 year project), the basic plan would be in place.

Ambitious? Maybe. But if you attended Marty's update in February this year at Eagle Bluff Environmental Center in Lanesboro, you can see the steady progress being made. My notes from that February 11 presentation in Lanesboro and the more recent October 14 update in Caledonia reflect that.

You can support the work the work in a number of ways: donations; buying cool merch and signing up for the newsletter. Let your MN legislative rep know that you are in support of the MDHT project in the Environmental and Natural Resources Trust Fund recommendations that comes up for a vote this coming spring. If you know landowners in the corridor, speak to them and encourage them to reach out to the MDHT folks through the website. If you live in the corridor shown in the graphic above, you can also host a presentation by Marty to help spread the information about the trail to local folks in your community. 

There are also opportunities to collect data on formal trails and features: parking lots, logging roads, hunter trails - as well as informal ones like social camps, game trails etc. It helps the MDHT folks to better know the existing routes in State Forests and on private land. Maps can be mailed in.gpx format to MNDriftlessHikingTrail@gmail.com

All these ways big and small will help make this dream a reality!

from the MN Driftless Hiking Trail website

Additional posts about the MDHT:

• Minnesota Driftless Trail Development Update 5/1/24
• Minnesota Driftless Hiking Trail Update  2/7/25
• Helping to Make the Dream Come True  3/7/25

Upcoming Master Naturalist Training

One of the more life-changing events in my last few years was my certification as a MN Master Naturalist volunteer (MMNV) through the University of Minnesota Extension program. While I've always been an outdoors enthusiast, it gave me the tools to know more and be a more knowledgeable and committed volunteer in my community in preserving and enhancing natural areas.

Our April 2022 MMNV Cohort

There is a MN Master Naturalist volunteer training course coming up in September that focuses on two biomes along the Mississippi and Minnesota Rivers and the deciduous forests of the eastern regions of MN. I can't recommend it highly enough.

What's it all about?

For $295 (scholarships available), participants receive a textbook/materials and an intensive two-week training program consisting of 40 hours of classroom and field work plus completing a capstone project of their choice.  The instructors are the super-knowledgeable and super-enthusiastic Sara Holger and Jeremy Darst, park ranger/naturalists at Whitewater State Park (where the training takes place). Participants dive into the geology, history, ecology, hydrology, flora, fauna of the biomes and how to interpret nature for people. It's a fascinating and intense experience learning from instructors, field experts and doing volunteer work during that time. Plus you make alot of new friends in your cohort in the training that you can continue to learn from and connect with well after the training is done!

Weaver Dunes Field Trip

Once certified as a Master Naturalist volunteer, 40 hours of volunteer work annually are required to maintain one's certification. Those hours are easy to fulfill. You can do your volunteer work for parks, nature centers, your city via Park and Rec boards/commissions, interpretive hikes, trail maintenance; volunteering with Friends groups connected to large areas (conservancies, blufflands and prairie restoration); US and Fish and Wildlife sites and more. 10 of those hours can be be earned through training - workshops; webinars; presentations; guided interpretive hikes; field trips, etc. 

I mentioned life-changing at the beginning of the post. What did MMNV give me? First, a taste of all I didn't know. This past year has been full of opportunities to learn more on group hikes; from presentations and guided hikes and from solo hikes where I identify and re-identify all the flora, fauna and fungi I can find. On each hike I get a little better at spotting and identification. 

Checking out a sinkhole
on training field trip

It also gave me a chance to give back through volunteer work - planting trees and native wildflowers; leading interpretive hikes for kids and adults; assisting at parks and nature centers as a volunteer at events; serving on city boards/commissions preserving/enhancing natural resources and parks. Earning hours is a snap!

Everyone who is curious about the outdoors and everything in it is a naturalist whether they have taken the MMNV certification or not. For myself, the training fired me up even more and has placed me in learning situations with knowledgeable people that have advanced and deepened my understanding. 

There are still a few spots open in the upcoming course. I hope you consider this Sepember course or the spring course in April. You'll be glad you did.

Death to Garlic Mustard!

I am a member of our city's Natural Resources Advisory Group (NRAG) It is a great fit with my love of the outdoors and MN Master Naturalist volunteer certification. This science-based advisory group helps the city navigate care of our two blufflands parks as part of our charge in preserving the natural resources in our community.

Before- garlic mustard

Our group is tasked with planning and helping with invasives control in the bluffland parks. Like many wild areas, our bluffland parks have buckthorn, bittersweet, russian elm, garlic mustard, dame's rocket and a few other pernicious non-native species scattered in areas throughout them. This year NRAG is tackling two of the invasives.

Garlic mustard has been our spring focus in Vetsch, one of our city bluffland parks. We have had a total of three 1.5-2 hour work days over a 10 day period to address three large patches. The crews have varied from 3-8 people. 

Working in early spring with rainy weather and before the plants set their flowers allowed us to quickly clear large swaths of each patch of young plants (which are easily pulled out with their roots intact, a major plus). In consultation with our county and DNR experts, our city is responsibly disposing of the bags of pulled garlic on site to prevent any re-seeding.

After garlic mustard pull

We weren't able to completely clear two of the patches. This first year pull "experiment" will help us plan more strategically next year. One thing we hope to do is recruit more people over more days for an hour or two shift.  The more people, the more areas we can clear completely. 

This is work that will be ongoing as we return next year to pull to clear more, monitor these sites and add others in coming years. In the fall, we will be going after targeted areas of buckthorn to begin the work on eradicating that. These projects are not one-and done. They take commitment over a number of years to help stop the spread.

We cleared 1/2 this patch in 2 hours!

If you ever have an opportunity as a hiker or outdoor user to step up as a volunteer, your 1-2 hours will make a difference in preserving and keeping healthy a vital part of the outdoors. 

I hope you will!

All images, unless noted - Marge Loch-Wouters