The St. Croix in spring

Canoeing is a major recreational activity

Invasive zebra mussels threaten the park's native mussel populations

St. Croix National Scenic Riverway includes 154 miles of the St. Croix River from Gordon, Wisconsin, to its confluence with the Mississippi River and the entire 98 miles of its Namekagon tributary. The St. Croix River is one of the last undisturbed, large floodplain rivers in the upper Mississippi River System. The Riverway is an unrivaled combination of exceptional natural and cultural resources and scenic, aesthetic, and recreational values. The Riverway boundary outlines an irregular, narrow corridor averaging about 1/2-mile wide along these two rivers. A mosaic of ownership includes the National Park Service, private landowners, the states of Minnesota and Wisconsin, counties, and communities. The Riverway is especially known for its outstanding paddling opportunities.

This field trip will explore various aspects of park management. A hike is part of the trip and will take place regardless of the weather. If the weather and water levels cooperate, instead of the hike participants may choose to go on a canoe excursion outfitted by a local livery. Read on for more details.

ITINERARY

8:00 am: Bus departs hotel in St. Paul
8:45 am: Arrive Stillwater, Minnesota, on the St. Croix. On the bus, Tom Bradley, superintendent of the Riverway, will give a welcome to the group and summarize the Stillwater Bridge negotiations that had resolved a long-standing controversy pitting natural resources against cultural resources and preservationists against developers. Included would be the role of the White House's Environmental Streamlining Task Force, interest-based negotiation, and context-sensitive design.
9:15 am: Arrive at Science Museum of Minnesota's Watershed Research Station in Marine on St. Croix, Minnesota. The group will split in two for site tours. Coffee and bathrooms available.
10:15 am: Depart for park headquarters in St. Croix Falls, Wisconsin. On-bus narration from representatives of the St. Croix Scenic Coalition about Scenic Byways (Minnesota State Highway 95 was recently desigated) and dicuss their organization's efforts to preserve the river valley's scenic viewshed.
10:45 am: Arrive park headquarters and visitor center. Tour this new sustainably designed facility. Several short presentations through lunch, including invasive species, preservation of historic cabins, and lower
river camping management plan.
1:30 pm: Depart for Interstate State Park, Wisconsin, for hike on Ice Age National Scenic Trail and pothole trails, following welcome by their staff. (At this point the canoe excursion would split off if it is offered.)
4:00 pm: Hiking and canoeing groups join up and depart for return to hotel.
5:15 pm: Arrive hotel in St. Paul.

Notes:
1. The field trip will take place regardless of weather. All participants should be prepared to do the hike because it will occur no matter what.
2. The optional canoe excursion will be a "game-day decision" that depends on the weather and water levels on the St. Croix. If you want to go on the canoe excursion, you must sign up for it ahead of time on the conference registration form. Those who sign up for the canoe excursion must come prepared to pay the livery directly in cash; the cost will be $25 per person. Canoes, paddles, PFDs, and shuttle service will be provided by the livery. The excursion will be appropriate for all paddlers regardless of skill level; no rapids are involved. You will be asked to identify your skill level (beginner, intermediate, advanced) on the conference registration form. Beginner paddlers will be matched with more advanced partners.

Suggested outerwear/footwear: Dress in layers according to the day's weather forecast, being prepared for chilly temperatures and possible precipitation. Wear good hiking shoes. If canoeing, dress so as to allow yourself freedom of movement for paddling. Again, PFDs will be provided by the canoe livery.

Hidden Falls Regional Park

Minnehaha Falls

Big Rivers Regional Trail

Follow both sides of the Mississippi River between Minneapolis and St. Paul and within the Mississippi National River and Recreation Area (MNRRA), a unique unit of the National Park System. This is a very scenic, easy-to-moderate, 25–30 mile ride on paved, multi-use trails along the river, atop bluffs, and through the only true gorge on the Mississippi River. The National Park Service will lead this tour, stopping at various points along the way to share how goals for resource protection, recreational development, and riverfront revitalization are being accomplished through partnership efforts,* all while enjoying an outstanding bike ride along one of the most beautiful urban river trails in the country (including one of the most scenic rail trails in the country).

*The National Park Service works with numerous partners to protect the river corridor's nationally significant resources, and in 1996, established the Trails and Open Space Partnership, a group of over 50 agencies and organizations who are "paving the way" to complete a continuous 72-mile trail and open space corridor along both sides of the river in the Twin Cities metro area.

ITINERARY

10:00: Welcome/Trail Etiquette/Overview of MNRRA (meet in lobby, Crowne Plaza Hotel)

11:00: Floodplain Forest Restoration (Hidden Falls/Crosby Farm Regional Park)

12:00: Historic Resource Protection/Ford FERC (Meeker Island Lock and Dam)

1:00: Lunch Break, Minnehaha Falls Regional Park

2:45: Ride Scenic Rail Trail/Confluence of Rivers (Big Rivers Regional Trail)

4:00: Tour Ends at Crowne Plaza Hotel

Notes:
1. Ride times based on 9-minute miles.
2. Additional information on all segments can be found in the National Park Service's Trail Guide for the Mississippi National River and Recreation Area.
3. In the event of an emergency the National Park Service will have a support van nearby at all times. NPS staff will also be available at any time during the ride. Please do not hesitate to inform us if you have a special need or concern.
4. The bike rental fee includes a helmet (required to ride), a lock, and your choice of bicycle types. (You'll make your selection on the conference registration form). A water bottle is not included, so bring your own.
5. This moderate bike ride will not exceed 25–30 miles. Participants should be in good physical condition (i.e., can handle moderate hills), wear appropriate clothing, and bring water.

Suggested outerwear / footwear: Warm, all-weather bike riding attire and shoes. This is a rain-or-shine event; come prepared for all kinds of weather, including precipitation. Helmets are required and will be provided as part of the bike rental fee.

William O'Brien State Park

Angle Rock, Interstate State Park

Attendees will visit two Minnesota State Parks, William O'Brien and Interstate. Both of these parks are along the St. Croix National Scenic Riverway. At William O'Brien participants will visit 1–2 wetland restoration projects that were done in cooperation with the Minnesota Department of Transportation, see and discuss prairie/savanna restorations in various stages, and hear how the park is addressing challenges related to resource protection and increasing and different types of recreational use as the Twin Cities population continues to grow. Interstate State Park was established over 100 years ago as the first interstate (MN & WI) park in the nation. Much of this very scenic park is a National Historic District with many CCC/WPA structures as well as some outstanding natural resources. This stop will deal with managing cultural resources in a natural resource setting, and also address resource vandalism and natural community restoration.

ITINERARY

8:00-8:45: Travel from hotel to William O'Brien State Park (interpretive center)
8:45- 9:15: arrival and orientation to WOB state park
9:15-10:30: visit Nine Springs Wetland Restoration project (reps from DNR Parks, Fisheries, Minnesota Department of Transportation)
10:30-12:00: Hike through prairie/savanna restoration efforts, discuss invasive issues, high visitor use, unit plan update, etc.
12:00-1:00: Travel to Interstate State Park (MN). Eat box lunch en route.
1:00-1:45: Visit Glacial Gardens/pothole areas — managing cultural resources within a natural resource setting, climbing, historic images. Resource challenges.
1:45-2:45: Visit campground area and hike Curtain Falls Trail — trail issues
2:45-3:45: Visit balds, discuss management, ravine dump sites, etc.
3:45-5:00: Return travel to St. Paul

Notes:
1. The field trip will involve hiking at both locations. Terrain is flat to hilly. Total distance approximately 1–2 miles. Participants should dress for the weather. In April, it can be warm and summer-like one day and cold and/or rainy the next.
2. Bring a small day pack or fanny pack for carrying water, camera, snacks, etc.

Suggested outerwear / footwear: Boots/shoes for hiking that can get wet/muddy, and which will provide good support.

Bruce Vento Nature Sanctuary
photo courtesy of Community Design Center of Minnesota

Mounds Park

Situated on the Mississippi River within walking distance from downtown St. Paul, the Bruce Vento Nature Sanctuary, currently under development, will be accessible to a wide range of visitors. The location of a nature sanctuary on the edge of a downtown is a remarkable attraction. It will be a national model for reclaiming former industrial land.

The Bruce Vento Nature Sanctuary began as an environmental restoration project, but the presence of important historic sites created some tension between historic preservation and environmental restoration. Deep within the sanctuary lies Wakan Tipi, a cave sacred to the Dakota. Four other caves open onto the sanctuary. These caves belonged to a brewery once owned by Jacob Schmidt. When removing contaminated soils, archeologists discovered the brewery's foundation. 

As the partners work on interpreting the sanctuary, some don't want too much historic interpretation to diminish the site's natural character, and others are worried about telling the story of a brewery next to a Dakota sacred site. National Park Service historian, Dr. John Anfinson, will lead the tour and the discussion regarding the development and interpretation of the sanctuary.

Participants will first stop at Mounds Park, which rests high above the Mississippi. This park contains mounds built by Indians of the Hopewell culture some 1700–1900 years ago and offers panoramic views of St. Paul, the river and the sanctuary. The tour will then wind down the bluff to the sanctuary. (More information about the sanctuary)

ITINERARY

1:30–1:40: Bus ride from hotel to Mounds Park
1:40–2:00: Mounds Park
2:00 –2:10: Mounds Park to Daytons Bluff Overlook
2:10–2:30: Overlook
2:30–2:40: Overlook to Vento Nature Sanctuary
2:40–4:20: Sanctuary
4:20–4:30: Sanctuary to Hotel

Notes:
1. The particpants will walk about one mile (round trip) at the Vento Nature Sanctuary over a gently sloping to flat gravel path. 

Suggested outerwear / footwear: Cold April showers or snow flurries are possible. A brisk wind could create a wind chill, if the temperatures are below 50. Check the day's forecast and dress appropriately, in layers. Tennis shoes or hiking shoes would be best.

One of the park's 40 historic structures

Visitor activities at Historic Murphy's Landing

Acquiring a historic site with an organizational and operational history of its own has been a recent endeavor by Three Rivers Park District, an outdoor education/recreation- and natural resources-based organization serving the Twin Cities metro area since 1957. Historic Murphy's Landing is a living history site, which was developed and operated by a private organization from the 1970s through 2002. The 88-acre site includes a collection of 40 historic structures moved and arranged as a village and two farms, as well as in situ cultural resources from burial mounds to Depression-era structures. Bordered by the Minnesota River, the city of Shakopee, a major secondary highway, and associated industry, the physical parameters of this "island" are as challenging as its thirty-year history as a struggling museum. Visit this "case study" to learn how Park District staff are trying to change the course of this site's history with an eye to daily operations, managing site facilities, infrastructure and cultural resources, and future development.

ITINERARY

1:00 pm: Bus departs the Crowne Plaza
1:45 pm: Arrive at Murphy's Landing
5:00 pm: Depart from Murphy's Landing
5:45 pm: Arrive back at Crowne Plaza

The tour will begin at the village Town Hall for a 20-minute introduction/orientation to Historic Murphy's Landing. Based on the mobility of the group participants, we will then tour the site either on foot or by bus, stopping at various points along the mile-long route to discuss various elements of the redevelopment plan, cultural resources, operational challenges, and actions to address these items. The tour will return to the Town Hall or may conclude at the end of the site with discussion, question and answer, etc., as time and interest dictates. The bulk of the tour will be on site.

Notes:
1. The first choice would be to walk the site, which is a mile long over level surface. However, we can also use the bus as needed. No special fitness skills or special equipment are required.

Suggested outerwear / footwear: Sound footwear for walking on a gravel road. Dress for the weather and being outdoors most of the time.

Mill City Museum (a site of the Minnesota Historical Society)

The Stone Arch Bridge

Learn about the three-decade-long process to bring the St. Anthony Falls Historic District from a skid row to being once again the heart of Minneapolis. An overview bus tour followed by a walking tour will focus on the creative, adaptive reuse of the historic structures (dating from the 1850s to the early 20th century,) and the processes that integrated the sometimes conflicting goals of historic preservation, economic development, and the creation of new parks. The tour will include a visit to Mill City Museum, built inside the ruin of the National Landmark Washburn A Mill, a walk on James J. Hill's Stone Arch Bridge, and a look at the issues and opportunities that have come with success. A panel discussion (Session #77) on Wednesday morning, led by the same people who will lead the field trip, will discuss the riverfront revival in depth. The field trip can be done with our without attendance at the panel discussion.

ITINERARY

1:00 pm: Bus departs the Crowne Plaza. En route to Minneapolis, informational packets will be distributed and field trip leaders will provide historical background about the St. Anthony Falls Historic District.
1:30 pm: Arrive at Minneapolis Riverfront District; driving tour of area.
2:00 pm: Arrive at Mill City Museum; short break.
2:20 pm: Split into two groups for a walking tour (each sees the same sights, but in a different order). Walking tour includes one hour at the Mill City Museum and 40 minutes on the Stone Arch Bridge viewing St. Anthony Falls, the riverfront district, and Mill Ruins Park.
4:20 pm: Break at U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Upper St. Anthony Falls Lock overlook.
4:35 pm: Depart for Crowne Plaza Hotel. Leaders will provide a recap and answer any questions.
5:00 pm: Arrive back at Crowne Plaza Hotel.

NOTES:
About a mile of walking is required. Some stairs are optional. Check the day's weather forecast and dress appropriately — the walk will take place rain or shine. Good walking shoes will be sufficient footwear. Bring snacks/water, if desired.