Tuesday, May 19, 2020

Split Rock Loop Trail

I joined the North Country Trail Challenge for the month of May. The challenge is to walk 100 miles during May. Not all miles have to be on a trail which is great because walking a trail takes a lot longer than walking on a paved or gravel path. Today I walked 5 miles and it took me three and a half hours. On a paved path I walk walk five miles in an hour and a half. The trail I walked today was the Split Rock loop trail from the parking area on Highway 61 uphill along the west bank of the river. The walk was very scenic. I had to keep my eyes on the path mostly because I walked over rocks, roots and other things that could make me stumble.

This camp site on the Superior Hiking trail means I made it the full 2.5 miles.

Once there was a bridge here across Split Rock River but it is need of repair. I can see pieces of the former bridge on the west and east side of the river. Without this bridge this is not a loop trail. I just turned around and walked back down.

Walking uphill I noticed this nest between the path and the river. On my way back I saw there were two nests; a big one above and a little one below. A bird duplex I guess.

2 comments:

PCRalph said...

I really enjoyed walking this trail too! It was very cool to encounter the natural monoliths that might have been the origins of the Split Rock name. STILL no bridge!!??!! Wow. I came upon the missing bridge two years ago. Younger folk more adventurous than me went rock hopping to the other side but it looked too risky to me. A beautiful hike even if you end up going back the same way!

Sue said...

Ha! I thought about rock hopping too but I didn't chance it. I wasn't sure if the other side was really the other side or just and island.

Municipal Band

  Beginning in 1915, the Winona Municipal Band has been playing concerts for the city. The band shell is located near Veterans Park next to ...