A word to the wise:
Take the spur from the trail to the Jay Cooke Nature Center. You and your grandchild will enjoy hiking over the swinging bridge that goes over a fast and complex waterway. You’ll truly appreciate the water rushing between the black rocks, the root-beer-colored water, the white foam of the rapids and the deep green forest. It is a wonderful landscape. Plus, kids get quite a thrill when they realize that the swinging bridge moves under their weight. You’ll also find restrooms, a picnic shelter and a small interpretive display here.
Age of grandchild: 10 and up
Best season: Spring and fall
Contact: Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR): Willard Munger • www.dnr.state.mn.us/state_trails/willard_munger
Also check out:
Bike/walk Twin Cities; www.bikewalktwincities.org/maps-routes/bike-maps
Root River State Trail; www.rootrivertrail.org/site/index.php
Mesabi Trail; www.mesabitrail.com/
Brainerd Lake Trails; www.brainerd.com/bikemaps/
Gitchi-Gami Trail; www.ggta.org/
The charm of a woodland road lies not only in its beauty but in anticipation. Around each bend may be a discovery, an adventure. DALE REX COMAN
Moose Lake Agate Days
There are so many community celebrations that it would be impossible to list all of them. We live in a state where community picnics, fireworks and parades are relatively common. Agate Days in Moose Lake is among my favorites, so I will focus on that one here. However, you should consider this more of a recommendation to find and participate in the small-town events near you.
The community of Moose Lake is built along the shore of Moosehead Lake. The town includes a campground, a picnic area, a swimming beach and a beautiful city park. Agate Days, held annually during the middle of July, is a celebration of those beautiful rocks and the people who collect them.
Live music and great food are always a part of Agate Days. You’ll also find Art in the Park amidst the excitement. Plus, the high school next to the park hosts a two-day gem and mineral show that attracts vendors from all over the country.
Of course, every year, the main event is the agate stampede. Adults line Main Street; for children it’s the parking lot by the library. Two dump trucks take their positions at the end of each area; as participants lean against yellow flags, eagerly awaiting the event’s start. The dump trucks raise their beds, and the fun begins! The trucks move forward, the gates open, and rocks begin to fall—covering the street with three inches of gravel salted with more than 150 pounds of agates and a hundred dollars in quarters. The cannon goes off and the prospectors are underway. This is the ultimate treasure hunt! Most people win, and those who participate with the right mindset always go home happy.
To set the record straight, agates do not originate in Moose Lake. In fact, you would not find them there if not for the large chunk of continental glacier that moved through the area centuries ago. It left a gravel dump of Lake Superior rocks with an extraordinary amount of agates mixed in. But that doesn’t matter to the fine folks of Moose Lake; they just see it as a good excuse to celebrate.
Bonding and bridging:
Most towns that host celebrations such as Agate Days have carried on the tradition for years. It’s an annual reminder of what makes that town special. It’s a chance for people to take pride in where they live.
Use this opportunity to have some fun, but remember to share with your grandchild the history behind the event. Help him to be proud of his community. After all, it’s part of what makes him who he is; it gives him roots. Most importantly, liking the town he comes from is a key aspect to liking himself as he gets older.
A word to the wise:
Moose Lake State Park offers a nice picnic area and swimming beach, but what really makes this place special is the Agate Museum (now part of the park headquarters). Beautifully polished agates, a great timeline of geologic ages and other wonderful geology information will add to your weekend’s experiences.
Age of grandchild: 5 and up
Best season: Summer
Contact: Moose Lake Chamber of Commerce, PO Box 110, Moose Lake, MN 55767 • (218) 485-4145 • [email protected] • www.mooselakechamber.com/agate-days-and-art-in-the-park.php
Also check out:
Hill Annex Mine State Park, Bigfork; (218) 247-7215 or (218) 743-3362; [email protected]; www.dnr.state.mn.us/state_parks/hill_annex_mine/index.html
Lilydale Regional Park, St. Paul Parks and Recreation, St. Paul; (651) 632-5111; www.nps.gov/miss/planyourvisit/lilydale_park.htm
Moose Lake State Park Agate Center, Moose Lake; (218) 460-7001; [email protected], www.dnr.state.mn.us/state_parks/moose_lake/index.html
A grandmother is a babysitter who watches the kids instead of the television. UNKNOWN
Intergenerational Camp
Do you think that summer camp is a thing of your past? Think again. You can return once more, but this time you don’t have to go alone; bring along a very special friend—your grandchild. Intergenerational Camp is offered at Wolf Ridge, near Finland, Minnesota along Lake Superior’s North Shore.
For six nights and five days grandparents and their grandchildren participate in a variety of indoor and outdoor activities, offering both entertainment and education for everyone. All that you need is provided: rooms, bedding, meals, transportation and a full schedule of fun and adventure.
With all of the logistics handled by the staff, grandparents are free to focus their attention on their grandchildren. This is an opportunity like no other. You and your grandchild come together for countless bonding opportunities. Discover the wonders of nature. Hike and explore new territories, like a beaver pond or a wetland. March to the tunes of the songbirds, and perhaps even hold one.
This camp isn’t all “old person” stuff either. You can step aside and cheer your young one