Robin Pfeifer

Grey Cloud Dunes Scientific and Natural Area, the largest intact prairie system located within the Twin Cities, is home to a number of rare plants and animals. The SNA has no marked or maintained trails, but there are a few well-worn footpaths that create an easy-to-follow three mile loop through the area's most interesting features.Begin in the south parking lot located at the top of the bluff...

Begin in the Old Mills parking lot located on 18th Street E. Head south along the paved trail running parallel to the railroad tracks. This trail is part of a 10-mile loop that leads out of the park and past the banks of the Mississippi. In approximately ½ mile, you’ll cross a long, wooden bridge spanning a dramatically deep limestone gorge. Follow the trail west through Vermillion Falls Park. ...

History, solitude and wildlife abound in this quiet corner of Great Smoky Mountains National Park, but getting here is not easy. Take the scenic route via Cove Creek Road from Cosby, TN. Drive 40 miles along the twisting, gravel road to Cataloochee, NC. The scenery along the way is outstanding, but this drive is not for those who are sensitive to motion sickness.After bouncing over rocks and wi...

Curious about what Minnesota looked like in pre-settlement times?Then spend the day hiking through Nerstrand-Big Woods State Park, a botanical reserve for the temperate hardwood forest that once covered much of central Minnesota. Located 45 miles south of Minneapolis, the park offers the opportunity to hike along 11 miles of trails running through one of the last remnants of Big Woods vegetatio...

There are two approaches to conquering the Dune Climb at Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. You can run to the top (the preferred method for those under the age of 10). Or, you can slowly trek up the side of this seemingly vertical wall of sand, breathing and sweating heavily, cursing each loose patch that knocks you back three feet for every one advanced. Once you reach the top, stop for...

Most visitors have a vision of how they'd like to see Great Smoky Mountains National Park, and it typically involves climbing to the top of a mountain like 4,928-foot Mount Cammerer. This is a very strenuous hike involving a breathtaking amount of elevation gain along the rugged Low Gap and Appalachian trails. Get an early start because this 15-mile round-trip hike takes approximately six to e...

A little known section of the Chippewa National Forest called “The Lost Forty" leads day hikers through some of the last remaining virgin red and white pine trees in Minnesota. These trees are 300-400 years old and measure between 22 and 48 inches in diameter. But even more incredible than the age and size of the trees is their back story. In 1882, a land surveyor accidentally mapped this secti...

Marquette, Michigan is known for its natural beauty and Presque Isle Park may be the loveliest place of all. Referred to as the “Island” by locals, this oval-shaped peninsula cuts into the crystal-clear waters of Lake Superior.Make sure to check out Black Rocks Cove located on Island's western side. To get there, park in the small lot located just off Peter White Drive and follow a narrow foot ...

It's easy to spot Maiden Rock Bluff as you drive along Highway 35: the 400-foot-tall limestone cliff extends for nearly a mile. Getting to the top is also easy. Begin by turning onto County Road E - a twisting, narrow road that leads straight up. Once you're at the top, keep an eye out for Long Lane, which is marked by little more than a break in the corn fields. Head west until you dead end at...

The "River Bottoms" is an unofficial network of single track, double track and service roads just south of Minneapolis along the Minnesota River flood plane. Flat, fast and easy to navigate, the 11-mile trail system is a popular spot for mountain bikers, trail runners and hikers looking to do long distance hauls in relative solitude.The main trail closely follows the river and winds through div...

Wild River State Park, located about 55 miles northeast of Minneapolis, is a fantastic getaway and caters to a wide-variety of visitors. If you have an afternoon and are looking for an easy hike through a variety of natural environments, take The River Trail north, then follow the Old Lodging Trail south. The loop is about 4 miles of well-established trail and is very popular on the weekends. G...

Buckhorn State Park is located just off of Interstate 94, halfway between Milwaukee and Minneapolis. The park occupies the end of a large peninsula that cuts into the Castle Rock Flowage of the Wisconsin River.Forty two backpack sites line the outer ring of the peninsula, arranged in clusters of three or four sites each. Most are secluded and positioned along the shoreline of Castle Rock Lake, ...

The badlands of South Dakota meet the prairies of Minnesota in Blue Mounds State Park. Located in the extreme southwestern corner of Minnesota, Blue Mounds is one of the largest prairie parks in the state. A majority of the 1,500 acres of grassland sits atop a massive outcrop of Sioux quartzite rock known as "The Mound." Its cliffline rises gently from the surrounding prairie, topping out at n...