All News

2022 Friends Group Habitat Restoration Grants Recap

In 2022, Parks & Trails Council partnered with six Friends Groups to spearhead habitat restoration projects at state and regional parks and trails. See the recap below. 2022 by the Numbers $11,550 $8,174 6 403 705.5 Funds granted Local cash match Friends Group Partners Trees ...

March 2, 2023

Webinar: Partnering with Youth Groups

Details Hear from Tony Manzara (Friends of Lake Elmo's Sunfish Lake Park) and Jill Beim (Friends of Tettegouche State Park) about their group's experiences partnering with youth groups. More Webinar Recordings

Outdoor clubs: An antidote to loneliness, political divisions, and more

Solitude in nature is precious—just you, the birds, and the trees—there’s nothing else like it. But, sometimes, the fellowship that comes from sharing the outdoors brings another kind of benefit. Unfortunately, busy schedules and competing demands make it challenging to connect with others. Cue in ...

In memory of parks champion Dave Durenberger

Memorial service to be live streamed Feb. 7 at 10 am. As the tributes to Senator Dave Durenberger continue to pour in following his passing on Jan. 31 at the age of 88, there is a common thread that runs through all of them. Sen. …

Former farm cleanup underway at future William O’Brien addition

February 1, 2023 Cleaning up a century-old farm takes time. They have a tendency to collect more than just memories. Stuff abounds, from the long-forgotten broken tractors to the more recent refrigerators--not to mention personal items in the house. So, when Parks & Trails Council ...

List of outdoor clubs in Minnesota

Getting outdoors with other people is so beneficial on so many levels. Check out our list of clubs to help you get out there. Go to List

December 19, 2022

The Jackson County Trail Action Plan is on its way

From Friends of the Jackson County Trails The Friends of Jackson County Trails is working with the City of Jackson, Jackson County, and representatives from local schools to create a MnDOT-funded Trail Action Plan to connect the city of Jackson to Robertson, Brown, and Anderson ...

December 12, 2022

Our latest research initiative reveals user profiles at 3 mountain bike trail systems

Last summer, Parks & Trails Council worked with Greater Minnesota Parks and Trails Commission (GMRPTC) to conduct visitor surveys, and user counts at three mountain bike areas across the state: Lake County Split Rock Wilds, Winona Bluffs Traverse, and Tioga Recreation Area. The reports detailing the results of this research were published in November 2022.

December 12, 2022

How climate change affects Minnesota and our parks and trails

According to Dr. Kenny Blumenfeld, a climatologist with the Minnesota State Climatology Office and the guest speaker on our Dec. 7 webinar, our state is already warmer and wetter, and this change is expected to become more pronounced in the coming decades.

Historic, stone-pillar bridge crossing a rushing river

November 15, 2022

Free Park Fridays

The last Free Park Friday of the year will be on November 25th this year. You can visit any one of Minnesota's 75 state parks and recreation areas for free, including as an overnight camper. This is a great opportunity for people currently without an annual park permit to explore nearby natural areas - and, given that this Free Park Friday falls directly after Thanksgiving, it is also a chance to spend more time with family over the long holiday weekend!

November 1, 2022

Parks & Trails Council assumes official ownership of former Boy Scout Camp along Lake Shetek

On Oct. 31, two years after being the highest bidder during a live auction, Parks & Trails Council of Minnesota (P&TC) assumed ownership of an 80-year-old former Boy Scout camp on the wooded shores of Lake Shetek in southwest Minnesota. Patience and diligence proved essential in this deal, which ultimately protected the land from being subdivided into five private estates.

Grassy field dotted with oak trees along a lake shore

November 1, 2022

FAQs on our Lake Shetek Project

Who owns the land now? On October 31, 2022, P&TC became the official owner of the land. Why did it take so long after the auction for P&TC to become the landowners? On October 24, 2020, Parks & Trails Council secured this land with the ...

October 3, 2022

Recapping the 2022 Annual Dinner

A big thank you to everyone who attended our Annual Dinner on Sep. 28. We had a great turnout and several very memorable speakers. Senator Carrie Ruud received this year's Reuel Harmon Award and the Friends of Whitewater State Park were honored with the Friends ...