Walk on the Wild Side: Thursday Night Hikes

Interested hikers and walkers are invited to join the Walk on the Wild Side Thursday Night hikers, an aggregation of hiking enthusiasts from the Minnesota Rovers, the North Star Ski Touring Club, the Sierra Club, and others, for an evening of hiking, conversation, and conviviality.

The group schedules hikes every Thursday night throughout the year, rain or shine and cold or hot, except for Thanksgiving. The hikes are open to any interested hiker or walker. Hikes begin at 7:00 P.M. and conclude at approximately 8:30 P.M. There is no cost to participate in a hike. Hikes are moderately paced and typically cover between three and four miles during a 90-minute hike. After each hike, interested hikers are invited to reconvene at a nearby restaurant for dinner/dessert and further conversation.

Questions about the hike schedule can be directed to Larry Martin, at l_a_martin@lycos.com.

Click on the applicable hike name to obtain further information, directions (either driving or transit), and maps to hike locations.

Upcoming Hikes

• July, 2009 Hikes

• July 2, 2009: Russell Sorenson Landing/Nine Mile Creek Raft Hike (Bloomington) +Join the group for a hike along this unique portion of the Minnesota River Valley. The Lyndale Boat Launch was designated the Russell A. Sorenson Landing, in honor of the late Mr. Sorenson's contributions as former manager and chair of the Lower Minnesota River Watershed District. The hike will be along the unsurfaced joint use mountain biking/birding/hiking trail west of the boat landing, along the Minnesota River. As part of the hike, the group will ferry over Nine Mile Creek near its confluence with the Minnesota River on a 12’ by 8’ raft that was built by and is maintained by local mountain bikers. The Minnesota River was initially known as the St. Peters River. The creek got its name from early settlers in Minnesota, because when they traveled west from Fort Snelling, along Old Shakopee Road, the creek crossing was nine miles from the fort. Nine Mile Creek enters the Minnesota River at Mile 12.5. Mdewakanton Chief Pennesha had his village near the mouth of Nine Mile Creek between 1805 and 1852. The Dakota made up of seven tribes, the Mdewakanton, the Wahpeton, the Wahpekute, the Sisseton, the Yanktan, the Yanktyonia, and the Teton, and before various treaty cessions, occupied much of Southern Minnesota from Fort Snelling to Brown’s Valley.

• July 9, 2009: Henry Sibley House Hike (Mendota/Northern Dakota County) +Join the hiking group for a hike along the Mississippi River west from the Henry H. Sibley House Historic Site in historic Mendota, northern Dakota County. Henry Hastings Sibley (1811-1891) was one of the most prominent names in early Minnesota history, working as a fur merchant at Mendota, serving as the first justice of the peace, as a territorial delegate to the federal Congress, assisting in the negotiation of the Treaty of Traverse des Sioux, serving in the territorial legislature from Dakota County, serving as the first governor of the State, commanding the army assigned with putting down the 1862 Dakota Uprising, serving on the National Board of Indian Commissioners, serving as one of the original regents of the University of Minnesota, serving as the president of the St. Paul Chamber of Commerce, serving as the president of the Minnesota Historical Society, serving as the president of the Oakland Cemetery Association, and having been appointed an honorary member of the Ancient Cliosophic Society of Princeton College (New Jersey). Sibley and his wife, Sarah J. Steele Sibley ( -1869), had nine children. His house in Mendota was the office for his fur trading business and Mendota was once planned by Sibley and his nearby friend, Alexander Faribault, to become the capitol of the State. After years of neglect, the house was purchased by the Daughters of the American Revolution, restored by them, and operated as a tourist site for almost 50 years. The site is currently managed by the Minnesota Historical Society.

• July 16, 2009: Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge-Long Meadow Hike (Bloomington) +Join Larry Martin for a hike along a portion of the 2400 acres of floodplain forest, ponds, marshes, bluffs, spring fed streams, historic sites, and the lake in the Long Meadow Lake Unit of the Minnesota River Valley National Wildlife Refuge. The Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge was established in 1976 to provide habitat for a large number of migratory waterfowl, fish, and other wildlife species threatened by commercial and industrial development. The Refuge contains 14,000 acres in total. Many species of waterfowl, songbirds, and raptors use the Refuge as a stop-over on their migrations to and from breeding grounds. Over 200 species of birds have been seen on the Refuge. Bald eagles also nest on the Refuge. The Refuge is home to about 50 mammals, including red squirrel, white-tailed deer, red fox, muskrat, beaver, wood chuck and raccoon, and 30 species of reptiles and amphibians, including the leopard frog, green frog, painted and snapping turtles, and the bull snake. Natural levees formed by the Minnesota River trap spring and stream flows to create marsh areas, but there were no controlled outlets to the river. The trail will cross a recently constructed $300,000 stoplog water control structure that is a controlled outlet from Long Meadow Lake and prevents the Minnesota River from backing up into the lake.

• July 23, 2009: Swede Hollow Trail/Bruce Vento Nature Sanctuary Hike (St. Paul) +Join the hiking group for an urban hike through historic “Swede Hollow” in St. Paul, along the southern portion of the Bruce Vento Regional Trail, and into the newly established Bruce Vento Nature Sanctuary. Swede Hollow is the ravine in St. Paul that once carried Phalen Creek to the Mississippi River. Phalen Creek was diverted into the Belt Line Tunnel in the 1920's. The ravine's first settler was Edward Phelan (his name was subject to various spellings) in 1841. In 1844, William Dugus built Saint Paul’s first sawmill on the creek. In 1865, the first train rolled through the valley, heading to Duluth. Early immigrants were Swedish and they named the valley "Svenska Dalen" or "Swede Hollow." Subsequent Polish, Italian, and Hispanic immigrants moved into the squatter homes built along the sides of the ravine. In 1956, St. Paul Health Department officials "discovered" that Swede Hollow had no sewer or city water service, they declared the Hollow a health hazard, and ordered the last 14 families to move out and the remaining homes destroyed. Once a former rail yard nestled at the foot of Daytons Bluff, the Bruce Vento Nature Sanctuary offers an array of unique and beautiful features, including towering sandstone and limestone bluffs, pristine underground springs and dramatic views of the Downtown Saint Paul skyline. The sanctuary includes the remains of the North Star Brewery Cave and of Carver’s Cave, known to the Dakota as "Wakan Tipi" or house of spirits, which was a landmark to early European explorers but which was seriously altered by the construction of the nearby railroad lines.

• July 30, 2009: Lake of the Isles Architectural/House History Hike (Minneapolis) +Join Larry Martin for a hike around the convoluted trails of lovely Lake of the Isles in Minneapolis. The Lake of the Isles was named for its islands (now two, but formerly four, as mapped in the Andreas Atlas, 1874.) The one to the north is called Mike's Island, and the one to the south is Raspberry Island. The other two were located in a marshy area that has now been filled in, so that they are now part of the mainland. They were jointly called Maple Islands. The lake was originally a large wetland. Extensive dredging occurred from 1889-1911 to create the lake. The access to Lake Calhoun was created in 1911. The lake covers 102 acres, with 2.86 miles of shoreline. The maximum depth of the lake is 54 feet. Nearby Lake Calhoun was originally known as “Mde Mdoza” or Lake of the Loons. It was renamed after John Caldwell Calhoun, who was Vice-President of the United States from 1825 to 1832. The Kenwood section of Minneapolis, in which Lake of the Isles is located, was originally a suburb and today is one of the most affluent neighborhoods in the city. Some interesting examples of Prairie Style architecture and the designs of architect William Gray Purcell also are located on Lake of the Isles Parkway and on nearby streets. An 1874 city map indicates that only six people owned the property around Lake of the Isles, with John Green owning the land on the north end of the lake, Reed and Goodrich owning the land on the northeast portion of the lake, R. P. Purcell owning the land on the southeast portion of the lake, Thomas Haleran owning the land on the west portion of the lake, Barber owning the land on the northwest portion of the lake, and S. H. Smith owning the land on the north northwestern portion of the lake.

  Tentative Schedule of Future Hikes

  For planning purposes and to allow interested hikers an opportunity to suggest alternative hiking locations, here is the tentative schedule of future hikes:

  August, 2009 (to be finalized on July 26, 2009)

  8/6 Arden Hills/Twin City Arsenal Park Hike (Arden Hills) (139)

  8/13 Boom Island/St. Anthony Main Hike (Minneapolis) ()

  8/20 West Side Architectural/House History Hike (St. Paul) ()

  8/27 Snelling Lake Hike (Minneapolis) ()

  If any hiker wants to suggest a different hike than the tentatively scheduled hike, please e-mail Larry Martin at l_a_martin@lycos.com.

  Other Available Hiking Opportunities

  Annually, the Minneapolis Heritage Preservation Commission and the Minneapolis Department of Planning and Economic Development sponsor guided walking tours of historic sites in Minneapolis. Except for the Como-Harriet Streetcar Line tour, which has a fee of $5, all of the walking tours are free. The walking tours do not require reservations, but a ticket is required for the walking tours, with a ticket available starting 15 minutes before each tour. Tour sizes are limited.

  The following is a schedule of the remaining Minneapolis Heritage Preservation Commission/Minneapolis Department of Planning and Economic Development walking tours in 2009:

  Wednesday, July 15, 2009 6:30-8:30 p.m.: Washburn-Fair Oaks Historic District. Meet at the Hennepin History Museum, 2303 3rd Avenue South, Minneapolis. Tour the district that was home to some of Minneapolis’ most prominent families from 1870 until 1920.

  Wednesday, July 15, 2009 Noon-1 p.m.: Minneapolis City Hall & Courthouse. Meet at City Hall, the Father of Waters Atrium, 351 South 4th Street, Minneapolis. Visit the five-story rotunda with its stained glass windows and grotesques, the Father of Waters statue, the Council Chambers, and million-year-old fossils.

  Wednesday, July 15, 2009 7-9 p.m.: Warehouse District. Meet at the Butler Square lobby, 518 1st Avenue North, Minneapolis. Tour the district’s many renowned commercial buildings that were designed by some of the city’s most distinguished architects.

  Wednesday, July 22, 2009 6:30-8:30 p.m.: Grain Belt Brewery. Meet at 1220 Marshall Street NE, Minneapolis. See the evidence of the slow decline of this 19th century industrial complex and its innovative and award-winning rehabilitation.

  Saturday, July 25, 2009 10-11:30 a.m.: Red Cedar Lane and the Purcell and Elmslie Homes. Meet at 2606 Cromwell Court (one block east of 54th and Upton Avenue South,) Minneapolis. See architect John Arts & Crafts style house and several houses designed in the 1920's and 1930's by William Gray Purcell and Frederick Strauel.

  Sunday, July 26, 2009 3-4:30 p.m.: Northside Synagogues. Meet at the former Mikro Kodesh Synagogue, 1000 Oliver Avenue North, Minneapolis. Visit a neighborhood with three synagogues, the Emmanuel Cohen Community Center, and the Jewish Shelter Home for Children.

  Sunday, August 2, 2009 11 a.m.-12 noon: Christ Church Lutheran. Meet at 3244 34th Avenue South, Minneapolis. The 1949 Christ Church Lutheran, designed by Eliel and Eero Saarinen, is the only National Historic Landmark church in Minnesota and a renowned high point of mid-century modern architecture.

  Saturday, August 15, 2009 10 a.m.-12 noon: The City Tree Canopy. Meet at Minnehaha Park at the north side of Minnehaha Pavilion, 4801 Minnehaha Ave South, Minneapolis. Learn about local tree history, the current state of our city’s tree canopy, tree identification tips, street tree planting efforts, the benefits of trees, and how to care for your trees. The tour size is limited to the first 24 attendees.

  Wednesday, August 19, 2009 Noon-1 p.m.: Minneapolis City Hall & Courthouse. Meet at City Hall, the Father of Waters Atrium, 351 South 4th Street, Minneapolis. Visit the five-story rotunda with its stained glass windows and grotesques, the Father of Waters statue, the Council Chambers, and million-year-old fossils.

  Saturday, August 22, 2009 1-3 p.m.: Tangletown. Meet at the Washburn Library, 5244 Lyndale Avenue South, Minneapolis. Visit the Washburn Water Tower, the Harry Wild Jones House, Minnehaha Creek and Parkway, and the Washburn Memorial Orphan Asylum.

  Sunday, September 6, 2009 11 a.m.-12 noon: Christ Church Lutheran. Meet at 3244 34th Avenue South, Minneapolis. The 1949 Christ Church Lutheran, designed by Eliel and Eero Saarinen, is the only National Historic Landmark church in Minnesota and a renowned high point of mid-century modern architecture.

  Saturday, September 12, 2009 10 a.m.-12 noon: Kenwood. Meet at the Kenwood Tower, at the intersection of Kenwood Parkway and Douglas Avenue, Minneapolis. Stroll down Kenwood's main street past its historically designated water tower, Mary Tyler Moore’s house, all the way to Lake of the Isles.

  Wednesday, September 16, 2009 Noon-1 p.m.: Minneapolis City Hall & Courthouse. Meet at City Hall, the Father of Waters Atrium, 351 South 4th Street, Minneapolis. Visit the five-story rotunda with its stained glass windows and grotesques, the Father of Waters statue, the Council Chambers, and million-year-old fossils.

  Saturday, September 19, 2009 10 a.m.-12 noon: Lowry Hill. Meet at Thomas Lowry Park, at the intersection of Mount Curve Avenue and Colfax Avenue South, Minneapolis. The Mount Curve and Groveland Terrace area in Lowry Hill was one of the first upper class suburbs in Minneapolis.

  Additional information is available at the Minneapolis Heritage Preservation Commission walking tour webpage or by telephoning (612)673.2615.

  Local Weather and Related Information

  Twin City weather conditions
  Twin City weather camera
  Twin City weather radar
  Twin City weather satelite photos
  

  Traffic Condition Links

  Twin City Traffic Cameras

  Twin City Traffic Flow Maps

  Listing of Hikes

  Thursday Night Hikes hike directory (alphabetic)
  Thursday Night Hikes hike directory (geographical)
  
  Thursday Night Hikes hike directory (seasonal)
  

  Table of Past Thursday Night Hikes
  

  Architectural Hikes House Information and Histories

  Capitol Hill/Cathedral Hill Architectural Hike

  Capitol Hill/Cathedral Hill Architectural Hike Details and Route
  

  Capitol Hill/Cathedral Hill Architectural and House History Information, Part 1

  Capitol Hill/Cathedral Hill Architectural and House History Information, Part 2

  Dayton's Bluff Architectural Hike

  Daytons Bluff Hike Directions and Route
  

  Dayton's Bluff Architectural and House History Information, Part 1

  Dayton's Bluff Architectural and House History Information, Part 2

  Fair Oaks Architectural Hike

  Fair Oaks Architectural and House History Hike Route and Directions

  Fair Oaks Architectural and House History Information

  Irvine Park Architectural Hike

  Irvine Park Architectural and House Hike Route and Details

  Irvine Park Architectural and House History Information, Part 1

  Irvine Park Architectural and House History Information, Part 2

  Irvine Park Architectural and House History Information, Part 3

  Lake of the Isles Architectural Hike

  Lake of the Isles Architectural and House History Hike Route and Directions

  Lake of the Isles Architectural and House History Information, Part 1

  Lake of the Isles Architectural and House History Information, Part 2

  Linwood Avenue/St. Clair Avenue Architectural Hike

  Linwood Avenue/St. Clair Avenue Architectural and House History Hike Route and Directions

  St. Clair Avenue Architectural and House History Information

  Osceola Avenue/Linwood Avenue Architectural and House History Information

  NorthEast Minneapolis Architectural Hike

  NorthEast Minneapolis Architectural and House History Hike Route and Directions

  NorthEast Minneapolis Architectural and House History Information

  St. Albans/Lower Crocus Hill Architectural Hike

  St. Albans/Lower Crocus Hill Architectural and House History Hike Directions and Route

  St. Albans/Lower Crocus Hill Architectural and House History Information, Part 1

  St. Albans/Lower Crocus Hill Architectural and House History Information, Part 2

  St. Albans/Lower Crocus Hill Architectural and House History Information, Part 3

  Summit Avenue East Architectural Hike

  Summit Avenue East/Portland Avenue East Architectural and House History Hike Route and Directions

  Summit Avenue East Architectural and House History Information, Part 1

  Summit Avenue East Architectural and House History Information, Part 2

  Portland Avenue East Architectural and House History Information, Part 1

  Portland Avenue East Architectural and House History Information, Part 2

  Summit Avenue West Architectural Hike

  Summit Avenue West/Portland Avenue West Architectural and House History Hike Route and Directions

  Portland Avenue West Architectural and House History Information

  Summit Avenue West Architectural and House History Information

  West Side St. Paul Architectural Hike

  West Side St. Paul Architectural and House History Hike Route and Directions

  West Side St. Paul Architectural and House History Information, Part 1

  West Side St. Paul Architectural and House History Information, Part 2

  West Side St. Paul Architectural and House History Information, Part 3

  Pictures of the Hiking Group and Hikes

  (Photos courtesy of William Clark Photography)

  Picture of the hiking group from the Boom Island Hike

  ;Picture of the hiking group from the Minnehaha Creek West Hike

  Picture of the hiking group from the Thomas Lake/High Line Hike

  Picture of the hiking group after the Richfield Wood Lake Hike, Part I

  Picture of the hiking group after the Richfield Wood Lake Hike, Part II

  Picture of the hiking group from the Lake of the Isles Hike

  Links to Other Outdoor Activities

  Minnesota Rovers
  St. Paul Hiking Club
  Superior Hiking Trail Association
  Hiking Primer
  Twin City Bike Club
  Twin City mountain bike trails
  North Country Trail Organization
  Kekekabic Trail Organization
  Collection of Twin City Architecture and Walking Tour Sites
  Anoka County Regional Parks
  Carver County Parks
  Dakota County Parks
  Suburban Hennepin County (Three Rivers Park District) Parks
  Ramsey County Parks
  Scott County (Three Rivers Park District) Parks
  Washington County Parks
  

  Links to Special Hiking/Backpacking Locations

  Hiking in Auyuittuq National Park, Baffin Island, Nunavut, Canada
  **Additional information on hiking in Auyuittuq National Park**
  Hiking at Lapa Rios, Peninsula de Osa, Costa Rica
  Hiking the Appalachian Trail (AT)
  Hiking along the East Coast Trail, Avalon Peninsula, Newfoundland, Canada;
  ** Pictures of Larry and his son, Andrew, hiking the East Coast Trail in August, 2006**
  Hiking in Gros Morne National Park, Newfoundland, Canada
  Hiking in the Lake Louise/Plain of the Six Glaciers Area of Banff National Park, Alberta, Canada
  Hiking in Waterton Lakes National Park, Alberta, Canada
  Hiking in the Grand Canyon National Park
  Hiking in Isle Royale National Park
  Hiking in Chaco Canyon National Historic Park
  Hiking in Fundy National Park, New Brunswick, Canada
  Hiking in Hecla Island/Grindstone Provincial Park, Interlake Region, Gull Harbour, Manitoba
  

  

  University of Minnesota Golden Gophers: 2002 NCAA Men's Ice Hockey Champions

  University of Minnesota Golden Gophers: 2003 NCAA Men's Ice Hockey Champions

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  Webmaster: Larry Martin

  Email the Webmaster: l_a_martin@lycos.com

  Last Updated: July 13, 2009.