Park Highlight: Cuyuna Country State Recreation Area
Adventure is calling at Cuyuna Country State Recreation Area near Ironton! Abandoned by mining companies more than
30 years ago, this area of former mining pits
and rock-deposit stockpiles now boasts 5,000 acres of regenerated vegetation. The area
offers a variety of recreation opportunities
including biking (both paved and mountain
bike trails), snowmobiling, fishing, boating,
hiking, wildlife-watching, scuba diving,
camping and more. The Cuyuna Country mountain bike trails cover nearly 800 acres and six mine lakes connect to create 267 acres of
continuous water surface -- perfect for exploring
by boat or canoe. Anglers can cast a line for
trout (with a trout stamp), northern, bass,
crappie or sunfish.
 The List: Unique Trails
A variety of unique trail adventures await you at Minnesota State Parks and Trails.
For example:
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 Find more information on unique trails opportunities.
Game Time: Outdoors in Every Language
Encourage your family to love the outdoors by exploring a variety of activities and finding some that you enjoy together!
Below is an outdoor action word to share with young children and non-native English speakers to build new literacy skills and to help them understand the joy of connecting with nature.
This month's outdoor action word is "bike." Plan a time to go for a bike ride around the neighborhood or at a nearby park or trail. Take it slow and observe the plants and animals around you. Make sure to wear an approved helmet and to practice bicycling safety before taking children near traffic.
An
excerpt from “Let’s Play Outside! 50 Ways to Connect Kids with Nature,” a
project of the 2014
Collaborative Leadership Fellows Program, Rochester, MN.
 Traveler Tip: Prepare for Tick Season
With Cinco de Mayo approaching, fiestas aren't the only things to be thinking about! Tick season in Minnesota is well underway and it is important to know how to take precautions to protect yourself and your family from tickborne diseases.
In
Minnesota, there are roughly 12 species of hard ticks. However, not all of them spread disease and only a
few of these tick species are a primary public health
concern.
The Minnesota Department of Public Health recommends that outdoor participants take the steps below to reduce chances of contracting a tick-borne disease.
- Know when and where you’re at risk.
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Wear EPA-approved tick repellent.
- Check yourself for ticks.
- Remove ticks as soon as possible with a pair of tweezers or even
with your own fingers. Don’t get too worried
about the proper technique of removing a tick.
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 Learn more about protecting yourself from tickborne diseases.
 Discover: Aquatic Quest Geocaching Challenge
You're invited on a geocaching quest through Minnesota's state parks and trails. Use a GPS unit to find hidden caches while discovering the fascinating plants and animals that live in our waters. The Aquatic Quest hunt begins April 22, 2018 and ends October 31, 2020.
Each state park or trail cache contains a collectible aquatic card, with a beautiful photo on the front and fun facts on the back. A different card is featured at each location – see if you can collect all 82!
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Find out more about geocaching at Minnesota State Parks and Trails.
 I Can Mountain Bike! Events
Remember your kids' triumph when they first learned to bike? Take that joy off-road with the I Can Mountain Bike! program for families. You'll learn shifting, braking, body position, and basic safety and trail etiquette, and at the end, you'll be ready to hit the trails on your own!
All programs are held on the Midwest's premier mountain biking trails at Cuyuna Country State Recreation Area in Ironton.
Check out some of these upcoming I Can Mountain Bike! programs:
- Saturday, June 2 from 9 to 11 a.m.
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Saturday, July 14 from 12 to 2:30 p.m.
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Saturday, August 11 from 3 to 5 p.m.
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Find more programs and events.
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