Minneapolis Official Visitors Guide - Fall/Winter 2007 - (Page 72) OUTDOORS Minneapolis Sculpture Garden Lake Calhoun in Minneapolis Minnesota Landscape Arboretum OUTDOORS With more than 50 miles of walking paths in the city and more than 900 metro area lakes, Minneapolis-Saint Paul is a walk in the park. N othing beats a walk in brilliant foliage on a crisp fall afternoon or the magic of that first snowfall. We take to the outdoors no matter what the temperature, in-line skating, golfing, or running well into November, and ice fishing and snowmobiling all winter long. Our two cities were built around nature, so no matter what month it is, there’s something for every outdoor enthusiast to enjoy. Discover a natural oasis right in the city at Minnehaha Park, one of Minneapolis’ oldest and most popular parks. This 193-acre park has a 53-foot waterfall, limestone bluffs, and walking trails that lead to the Mississippi River, where you may catch a glimpse of bald eagles flying overhead. In winter, when the falls turn to a dramatic ice sculpture, strap on snowshoes and enjoy a serene commune with nature throughout the park. Fort Snelling State Park, also located in the heart of Minneapolis-Saint Paul, has extensive hiking, biking, and ski trails that link to Minnehaha Park and to the Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge in Bloomington. One of four urban refuges in the nation, you can try to spot the beavers, eagles, deer, fox or coyote at home there. The Minnesota Landscape Arboretum, located in Chaska, is the state’s largest public garden. Stroll along 72 the paths and take in the fall colors—while picking up a few tips for your own yard and gardens—in this gateway to more than 1,000 acres of rolling hills, prairies, trees and gardens (or bring your cross-country skis or snowshoes to enjoy the trails in winter). Golf enthusiasts take swings well into October at any of the hundreds of courses around the state. With championship architecture, serene greens, native vegetation and posh clubhouses—many metro area courses present private club quality at public course prices—our golf getaways really sink the putt. Most locals have skates on their feet as soon as they learn to walk, which is why ice-skating is a favorite form of winter exercise, and rinks (also heavily used for hockey games and broomball tourneys) pop up all over the area by late November. And while Minneapolis-Saint Paul might not compare to Aspen, downhill skiers and snowboarders can end their search for powder at Buck Hill in Burnsville, Wild Mountain in Taylors Falls, Afton Alps in Hastings or many other nearby ski hills. If downhill skiing isn’t your thing, cross-country skiing and snowshoeing are also popular options. Several area parks offer miles of trails to explore, equipment rental to get you started and cozy visitor centers in which to warm up. Minneapolis&Saint Paul Fall/Winter 2008 O P P O S I T E : T O P P H O T O S © E X P L O R E M I N N E S O TA T O U R I S M ; B O T T O M P H O T O B Y A A R O N S M I T H @ S M I T T Y ’ S W O R K S H O P / C O U R T E S Y O F C A P I TA L C I T Y PA R T N E R S H I P THE GREAT T H I S PA G E : P H O T O S © E X P L O R E M I N N E S O TA T O U R I S M
For optimal viewing of this digital publication, please enable JavaScript and then refresh the page. If you would like to try to load the digital publication without using Flash Player detection, please click here.