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With spring finally here and warmer weather upon us, it’s time to head outdoors and take advantage of everything that the new season has to offer. Minnesota’s Wild River State Park, located east of Almelund and occupying an 18-mile stretch of the St. Croix River, is a favorite destination for those that enjoy hiking, camping, canoeing, fishing and horseback riding. With a combined 55 miles of hiking and horseback riding trails, this 6,800-acre state park is quite expansive and would require you to visit numerous times to see it all.

Something that might not be known to many area residents is the fact that Wild River hosts numerous seasonal activities throughout the year.

Beginning April 1, the park is offering a hands-on workshop called “Maple Syrup From Tap to Table: Making Syrup.” The same workshop will be offered each Saturday and Sunday for two consecutive weekends.

Hours for each of the four programs are from 9 a.m.–4 p.m. Participants can expect to perform every aspect of creating maple syrup, from tapping trees to tending the cooker. (And yes, you will take some maple syrup home with you!) Sign-up is required, so call the park’s visitor center at 651-583-2125.

Also being offered at Wild River on May 20 is “Seegwan: A Celebration of the Sights and Sounds of Spring.” This annual open house event offers a variety of educational and informative program that will be conducted throughout the day, as well as bird/nature hikes and hands-on ecosystem restoration activities. Native plants for landscaping around your home or business will be on sale at the visitor center.

At 7 p.m., there will be a special guest presenter combining entertainment and humor with learning about the landscape and people of Minnesota. This event is sponsored by Friends of Wild River State Park.

Numerous events are offered year-round at Wild River State Park, so if you’d like to be alerted of upcoming programs and activities, call park naturalist Dave Crawford at 651-583-2925 and ask to be added to their mailing and email list. It’s a great way to experience a lot of fun and educational outdoor activities throughout the year, and all it’ll cost you is the price of a park sticker.

Dan Brown’s weekly outdoor column is brought to you by Frankie’s Bait and Marine, in Chisago City, and St. Croix Outdoors, in St. Croix Falls, Wis.

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