The parks that Luke visited in the past week include Sibley, Lac qui Parle, Monson, and Big Stone Lake. Unlike previous weeks, there was a clear favorite for Luke in this group. "Sibley was my favorite park of the week by quite a bit," Luke said. "The water on Lake Andrew was really clear, really nice. The beach was hoping because school had just let out. The campground was hoping. It was great."
The uptick in fellow park visitors is predictable as the summer months roll on here in Minnesota. But there was also a different type of uptick that Luke noticed on his daily hikes in the park. "Monson Lake is a small park, only 300 acres. It only has a mile of trails," he said. "But I tell you, the mosquitoes were the worst I have ever encountered."
We can all share in Luke's pain this spring, as there have been many reports of worst-ever year for mosquitoes. But in the past week or so, there has also been a light at the end of the tunnel. "The dragonflies came to save the day," Luke said. "There were so many dragonflies suddenly when I was at Monson Lake. I was able to do the entire one-mile hike with no bugs spray." The cavalry arrived just in time for Luke to enjoy his day in the park that much more.
Luke also reported some interesting geological features in his travels this week. About five miles separates Big Stone Lake (the headwaters of the Minnesota River) and Lake Traverse (the headwaters of the Red River of the North). What makes these headwaters even more unique, is that the continental divide bisects the two lakes. Water from Big Stone Lake and the Minnesota River eventually flow southward to the Gulf of Mexico. Water from Lake Traverse and the Red River flow northward to the Hudson Bay.
And what conversation with John Latimer would be complete without a phenology report. Luke has observed a variety of wildflowers blooming on his travels. This week, Luke observed Corn Flowers and Hoary Pique.
Next time, Luke will be traveling further northward to visit Glacial Lakes, Charles A. Lindbergh, Glendalough, Maple Wood, and St. Croix. Join us to learn more about Luke's adventures in these state parks (and all the Minnesota state parks) in our next instalment of Just a Walk in the Park!
The pictures in this post and the previous posts were generously provided to us by Luke Gorski.
