2020 10 04 - State Park, Fort Snelling

Flood marker with the years listed on it.

Another day with not a whole lot of drive time so we went to the 2nd closest as it hasn't been as crowded in the past.

Lots of cars but still parking available. This location is also on a bike path that runs from Minneapolis so there are those people besides those that drive in. We managed to find a place to park where someone had just backed out.

We have been to this park many times in the past so we didn't stop to look at the maps. Trails are almost still in the same place. Improvements since the first times we were here. Paths are wider, some have crushed rock.

And lots of people. I wasn't paying attention to this detail when we were there, but I don't think there was any time when we could not see anyone else. Some parks we go to we don't see anyone else the whole walk. Here we could sometimes see 20, most were well spaced but still we are within six feet when we meet. Did see a couple of people that were putting on their masks to pass people. A few others did wear their masks while walking. Most did not.

Then we heard birds.

First in the air, and then perched.

Two eagles. One didn't want to seem to fly and that was the one that was making most of the noise. We did spend some time not walking here taking pictures. So here we saw wildlife.

We walked 3+ miles and an hour and a half.

Trails are dry, river is way down. They are making new paths further inland because of the erosion. Some places we took the old trail because it was a 'cow path,' and much less traveled. Other places we didn't take the old trail because it was too overgrown and full of burrs.

Very little elevation change, pretty much just over water level. Depending on what time of the year you go.

This time we heard both the highway noise and the boat noise. Doesn't seem that anyone was following a no wake policy.