Oh Beaver Creek Valley. Such a simple park, yet somehow it’s become one of my favorite state parks in Minnesota.
Kaysey and I explored this park as part of an adventure through Winona this fall, and this was by far the best park that we visited, at least in my opinion. I could have spent hours here, and would love to visit it again sometime!
Here’s my top four list of things to see and do while at Beaver Creek Valley State Park.
1. The suspension bridge
It’s not the most intense suspension bridge, but it is definitely beautiful. The views of the river are lovely, and there is a unique outcropping of clover along the rocks in the stream.
Kaysey and I actually seated ourselves on the edge of the bridge for quite some time, as it just felt so peaceful and warm there.
It was golden and bright. We didn’t want to leave, but eventually an older couple came along, wanting to cross the bridge. There is a limit of the number of people who can be on the bridge at one time, so Kaysey and I needed to leave the bridge so the couple could cross it.
2. The lovely trails
The woods here were dappled with creeks. Kaysey and I had a blast, roaming around like kids, hopping in and out of creeks.
We’d both recently purchased really nice waterproof hiking boots, so we felt invincible and also comfortable walking through the creeks, as long as they weren’t deeper than our ankles (and sometimes even if they were).
This park is basically like a playground. Everywhere we looked, there was something fun or beautiful.
Like this simple yet beautiful trail.
Or this fun little bridge nature made out of a tree.
During our hike, we stumbled across a cute fuzzy friend.
We named him Edgar. Edgar had a mustache and was excessively fuzzy. He was also a busy little guy, crawling all over the place!
Also, make sure you’re cautious of the wild parsnip! It was everywhere in the park, so pay attention to where you’re walking and what plants you’re brushing up against. If you’re unfamiliar with it, wild parsnip is a plant that, if it comes in contact with your skin, will give you a blistery rash that you really, really want to avoid.
3. Walk across the creek
There are several areas where you can walk across a creek or river that are really neat, but there was one spot just to the left of the start of the Beaver Creek Valley Trail that felt like something I would have dreamed up in a fairytale as a child.
I was definitely one of those kids that believed in fairies, and this is exactly the kind of spot that young me would have imagined they’d live.
It had a set of boards running across it that you could walk on to get to the other side of the trail.
It was fun crossing the creek over the tiny, board bridge, and I made a few passes over it just for kicks.
4. Big Spring
Ok, the spring itself is not really a big deal. Pun intended.
In fact, I was a little disappointed by the immediate sight of it. However, the area around it is pretty beautiful, and I think it’s worth checking out if you plan to spend some time at the park. If you’re making a short trip, I would honestly skip this part of the park – but, if you have a few hours to spare, I’d check it out.
Maybe it was a disappointment because it took us a bit to find it.
We initially saw the sign that said “Big Spring Trail,” but continued driving past it, as our map seemed to indicate that the actual spring was still ahead.
Then we crossed several odd points of the creek – it was like they had strategically built the road so that cars could cross, and yet the river could keep flowing.
I’ve never driven over anything like that before, so it was a little unnerving. You can see that the river flows right across the road.
Eventually, we figured out that we needed to head back toward the trail, and made it to Big Spring.
Not very big, and not very assuming.
I’m not sure if “Big Spring” is meant sarcastically.
To be fair, this photo is a bit more aesthetically pleasing than the first.
Not by a lot, but it’s better.
I had to cross the creek to get to this vantage point, and my overconfidence in my boots failed me on several accounts – for one thing, I stepped on the same slippery rock twice, like an idiot, and fell 1.5 times (meaning that I re-centered my gravity mid-fall the second time). Additionally, in an effort to not step on slippery rocks, I waded through deeper areas of the creek than I should have, and totally flooded my boots. My bad. That’s exactly why I keep an “adventure kit” in the trunk of my car, which includes towels, a dry bag, and spare socks. You just never know out there.
Anyway, back to “Big” Spring.
The spring itself isn’t super amazing, but the small springs surrounding it were pretty and intriguing to watch. The water also fed into a larger creek, and the general area around the spring was beautiful.
Just not so much the spring itself.
Kaysey and I spent some time exploring the springs, until our drenched boots became too much for us to bear.
Overall, I would highly recommend gallivanting around Beaver Creek Valley State Park. It’s a lovely park with a lot to offer, and lots of beautiful scenery.
Other amenities at Beaver Creek Valley State Park:
- Gift shop
- Interpretive exhibit
- Picnic shelter
- Playground
- Swimming beach
Want to read more about my 25 Things list? Click here for more adventures.
Let’s Connect:
