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Lisa Berning

The trail is well groomed and easy to walk. We spent a day last September exploring the park and did this trail. My daughter and I are in the process of visiting all MN State parks and this trail has been one of our favorites. A great mixture of a walk in the woods and skirting the meadows.

We visited on a rainy day in June. While on the trail it hailed and rained but we still had a great time. At one point my 6 year old daughter slipped and ended up with a muddy butt! We knew it was going to be muddy and had spare clothes in the car. The best part was when we came around a bend in the trail and there was a patch of yellow lady Slippers! I've never seen that many in one area. Worth the mud! And of course the bridge is neat.

We visited when the falls were mostly frozen over. The top of the waterfall is a short walk from the parking lot. We walked on the frozen river back to the base of the falls but did not go all the way up to the waterfall for safety purposes. Beautiful little waterfall worth the stop if you're in the area.

The self guided trail has numbered markers along the trail that point out the otherwise obscure interest points. At one end of the loop there is a spur trail the goes further along the river. This was the best part, a little more difficult to walk as the terrain is more variable but worth the effort!

I wouldn't say it's a summit, it's a short hike from the parking lot up to mount Tom. The trail that circles mount Tom is a great hike. Rolling hills, ponds and beautiful views make it a great place to spend a few hours. The camp grounds are recently updated with two areas to choose from, one down by lake Andrew and the other based back in the woods. There are also horseback riding trails that are beautiful and easy to ride. A great state park!