2025 03 23 - Afton Alps State Park - Afton MN

Afton Alps Ski are in the distance.

Once we are at the park we realize it may have been years since we were here last and it is only a few miles from our house.

First we had to stop and buy our permit. We plan on visiting a few this year so we got the annual one which we have done for the last 20-30 years. But there usually is a gap where we don't have one, Last years expired in October.

We parked in the main parking area by the building. Today we decided it was dry enough that we could walk where it is not paved. So we walked across the street and down the hill. The bad thing about this park is that parking is on top of the hill so the last stretch getting back, when you are already tired, and you have to walk up hill.

There area a few trails that are on top of the hill including the main winter hiking trail. There is a portion of that that is paved and flat.

As soon as we pull in we know how pronounced the neighboring ski area is. No leaves on the trees, everything is brown except where there is still snow on the ski hills.

We did see people at the ski area and now I have looked and see that it was their 'Spring Fling.' A big party for their last day open for the year.

When we walked, we noticed that we are a lot closer to the ski area than in years past. But it is likely a few years past. At one point I was crossing off all the paths we had walked because we were coming to this park so often. But that is likely 15-20 years ago.

The only water running was the stream that comes from the ski park.

When we turned to walk back to the car, that trail almost looked like a new trail and did not have a bridge but where we turned had a bridge over the same creek. The whole area there for a ways looked like there were sand bars within the weeds from a recent flood maybe?

Walking back up the hill we stayed on the blacktop which is a few more paces that walking up the steps.

For a short ways we are on the old rail road bed. It runs through this State Park and the County Park just down the road. This would be a great area to reclaim the whole rail line from Stillwater to Hastings. The St Croix is a protected area so there is not much people can do with their riverfront property. Ahhh ... if someone would buy out each property owner, split off the rail bed and river shore and then resell the property.

Today we walked. Almost two miles which is about double what we usually do. We both lived.

The dirt on the right of this picture is the path, so the path is right on the property line.