#62hike of my 52 Hike Challenge
Trail/Park: Vadnais-Snail Lakes Regional Park
When the sun is shining and the chores are done, what’s left to do? Hike of course. I decided very last minute to check out the trails at Vadnais-Snail Lake Regional Park. Over the past few months I’ve been diving deeper into the county parks that surround Minneapolis and St. Paul. There are so many parks to choose from that are tucked in places I would never have expected.
Ramsey County has some wonderful parks and this one is another delightful option for anyone near St. Paul or the surrounding suburbs. The park is made up of mixed use trails that weave round Snail Lake, Grass Lake, Sucker Lake, West Vadnais Lake and East Vadnais Lake. In checking the park website, I noted that several sections of trail are currently closed due to flooding. After a summer of similar conditions across the metro, this wasn’t a surprise. Water seems to be rising everywhere, but if even part of the trails are open, I’ll be there.
This park is a beauty even with the trail closures. With the sticky snow that fell in the past few days, the trees were coated with snow making the trails magical. I wandered a bit aimlessly, following trails that ended in the surrounding neighborhoods or under a convenient tunnel to access the trail that is open part of the way around a marshy area. I also found the trail access to Grass Lake, but opted to skip that section of trail.
There is so much to explore in this park and I will look forward to returning in 2020 on an occasion where I need to stick closer to home for a hike.
GEAR: Oboz Women’s Bridger 7″ Insulated Waterproof, Patagonia Womens Down Sweater Jacket, Marmot Kompressor Pack, SPOT GEN3 Satellite GPS Messenger, Dueter Dirtbag, Kula Cloth, Leki Lhasa Lite AS trekking poles. Want to know more about my gear selections? Head on over to Gear & Gadgets.
Next Post Preview: I’ll be joining ladies from Women Who Hike for a First Day Hike that will be a great start to the new year.
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Great post. Ive never been to this park. Maybe I can go with you sometime!