Saturday Day Trip to Whitewater State Park + Scenic Trail Lunch

Spring is in the air…it’s time for a road trip to Whitewater State Park for a challenging (and rewarding!) 7-8 mile hike in the beautiful Driftless Area of SE Minnesota! BONUS: I have timed this hike for an abundance of Spring Ephemerals (wildflowers)!
We will take a break mid-hike for lunch/snacks-please pack what you enjoy and don’t forget water.
Following the hike, we could consider a food/beverage/ICE CREAM stop along the route back to the Twin Cities at Genesis Restaurant, 331 West 6th Street, Saint Charles, MN 55972.

THE HIKE: Whitewater State Park is known for picturesque limestone bluffs and deep ravines. The trails are challenging, but the views are spectacular! We will plan to hike 7-8 miles at a medium pace over 3-4 hours with occasional breaks to hydrate and take in the scenery. We will take a break mid-hike for lunch/snacks in an area with pit toilets and picnic tables.

There are a lot of stairs up and down(400+), with some narrow areas on the trails. The trails are uneven, rocky, likely to have roots and ruts, possible mud, often narrow and steep at times, and may include crossing streams that will get your footwear wet. Poles are recommended to assist with navigating the rocky trails while enjoying the view and to help with knee fatigue.

This is a challenging hike, so if you are new to hiking or unsure of your hiking strength and stamina to keep up, then this event is not for you.

PARKING: Each car will need a state park pass. The prices are: $35 for an annual pass and $7 for a daily pass.

FACILITIES: There is drinking water and modern restrooms in the visitor center with one vault toilet along the trail at the lunch stop.

SORRY, NO dogs, +1s or children allowed on this hike. Only Twin Cities Hiking Meetup members who agree to these expectations and the Meetup Community Guidelines will be welcome on the hike.

IMPORTANT: Please honor your RSVP and if your plans change update your status to Not Going as soon as you know, even if you are on the Waitlist.

HIKE AT YOUR OWN RISK: By signing up for this event, you agree to assume personal responsibility for all risks associated with this event, and release the organizers, event hosts, and other members of the venue, from any liability.

Furthermore, all participants are expected to adhere to the guidelines agreed to when signing up for Meetup which can be reviewed at: Meetup.com > Policies and Community Guidelines > Community Guidelines (https://help.meetup.com/hc/en-us/articles/360002897532-Usage-and-content-policies-Rules-for-using-Meetup)

CARPOOLING: is encouraged, especially for a park this far out, but safety should be the top priority. If you wish to carpool, I suggest contacting other hikers you already know by direct message and make your arrangements that way. Alternatively, someone can suggest a meetup time and place in the event comments (e.g., 7:45 AM @ REI Bloomington) and then whomever shows up decides who drives/rides. I suggest marking the comments regarding carpooling as private(lower left corner while entering note), so those conversations are only viewable to hikers on the “going” list. Also, it's always nice to give some gas money to comp the driver.

Meetup time is 10:00 AM, in front of the park office/Visitor Center(NOT the Nature Store or Picnic Area). We will make introductions, go over the route and get on the trail no later than 10:15 AM.
*Be sure to plan your route to the park ranger office/Visitor Center before you set off for the park. There is little to no cell signal in the area of the, so your only option to get into the MeetUp app once you get to the park is possible WiFi at the visitor center*

I’m looking forward to this adventure--See you there!