A Walk in the Park – Long Lake, MN

This month’s park: Woodrill Scientific and Natural Area in Long Lake, MN 917 Old Long Lake Rd, Wayzata, MN 55391

“Wood-Rill preserves an outstanding example of Sugar Maple “Big Woods” forest. This forest type is ranked S2, or imperiled, in the state and is increasingly rare in the developing metro-area.”

This “Walk in the Park” series is all about getting outside, exploring new places, and “seeing what we can eat” along the trail. These walks are meant to be casual, curious, affordable, educational, and social—perfect for anyone who simply wants an excuse to learn about edible wild foods and spend time with like-minded people.

The location will vary each time and may even be somewhere I’ve never visited before. Think of it as an open invitation to come explore together.

This isn’t a traditional foraging class or guided hunt. We won’t scout the location ahead of time, we’ll stick to the trails, and we may visit locations where foraging isn’t allowed—so there are no expectations, nothing to bring besides your curiosity, and nothing to take but pictures.

We’ll simply walk slowly and observe what’s growing, hoping to find edible mushrooms and plants along the way. Trees will be identified and we’ll stop for any other surprises nature reveals to us along the way. I certainly don’t know everything – these walks are about learning together and sharing observations. Bugs, birds, flowers, and basically anything in nature is allowable for discussion!

Trail conditions will vary and may include grass, dirt, rocks, mud, or pavement, and could be flat or hilly. Participants should be comfortable being outside and walking and/or standing for up to 1.5 hours. Some walks will be accessible, but please reach out if you have questions about terrain.

(If you have a location suggestion for a future walk, please let me know!)

Parking fee may apply.