The new MN Great Outdoors website is a joint initiative of Greater Minnesota Regional Parks and Trails Commission, MN DNR and Metropolitan Council.  After almost two years of planning and construction, the new site was launched on June 12, 2018!

https://mn.gov/greatoutdoors/

The website will make trip planning easy and provide a great way to filter a search based on location, accessibility, amenities and features.  Once a search is complete, the site provides the parks or trails that fit the parameters and users simply click through to the individual websites for more detail and planning assistance.

The site provides a comprehensive database of State Parks and Trails, Metropolitan Council Parks and Trails and all Greater Minnesota designated parks and trails, along with snowmobile and ATV trails. 

One of the primary benefits to the designated facilities in Greater Minnesota is the ability for city and county facilities with smaller marketing budgets to gain greater exposure to a much larger audience of park and trail enthusiasts.  To date the site includes 184 parks and 419 trails!  The new site is a win for all involved, and we’re excited to announce the launch at the start of the busy travel season.

CANNON FALLS, Minn. --  U.S. Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke has designated the Cannon Valley Trail in southeastern Minnesota as a national
recreation trail.

The Cannon Valley Trail is one of 19 newly designated national recreation trails in 17 states announced Wednesday. Zinke says the designations recognize the efforts of local communities to provide outdoor recreational opportunities that can be enjoyed by everyone. The announcement adds more than 370 miles to the National Recreation Trails system of more than 1,000 pathways.

The 19.7 - mile Cannon Valley Trail opened in 1986. It runs through diverse and spectacular scenery along an old rail bed along the Cannon River, connecting the cities of Cannon Falls, Welch and Red Wing. It's open year-round for hiking, bicycling, in-line skating, skateboarding, and cross-country skiing. It attracts close to 100,000 visits per year.The Greater Minnesota Regional Parks and Trails Commission has classified the Cannon Valley Trail as a trail of regional significance in Greater Minnesota.

Complete article: https://www.doi.gov/pressreleases/secretary-zinke-announces-19-new-national-recreation-trails-17-states

The Trust for Public Land has released their ParkServe analysis tool, a comprehensive standardized database of local parks in nearly 14,000 cities, towns and communities across the U.S. ParkServe uses available GIS information to conduct an analysis of the distance between population and parks, defined as a 10 minute walkable service area among other criteria.

This analysis is a great tool for a broad look at the potential need for additional park space in your community, or to compare your community with others. We recommend using this as an initial analysis to explore your system, but also developing your own criteria that meets local public values for a more in-depth GIS analysis.

Park Serve Analysis Tool LINK

Lac qui Parle County has a gem of a County park that has been in development for decades, thanks to the work of the park's friends group. In 2015 the County applied for designation as a regionally significant park, receiving a "High" ranking by the Commission. Having no master plan in place, the County Board and Friends of the Park group started a long process of visioning and planning for the park's future development..

This week, the new Master Plan entered final public review before being finalized and adopted by the County Board! The next step after official adoption will be to submit the Plan to the Greater Minnesota Regional Development Commission through the online portal for final scoring evaluation by the ETeam, the District Planning Committee and the Commission. The Commission will use that evaluation to determine if the park merits designation as a regionally significant park.

Follow the park's progress on their Facebook page HERE.

You can also read the full plan HERE.

For any questions, contact Kristi Fernholz of the Upper Minnesota Valley Regional Development Commission at kristi.fernholz@umvrdc.org
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From our friends at the Bicycle Alliance of Minnesota: Everyone deserves a fair chance at living their healthiest life possible. Bicycling can help you stay healthy and have fun, but having access to a bike that fits your needs (and knowing how to use it safely) makes all the difference... The training prepares physical education teachers and other educators how to share essential lessons, including how to safely cross the road, responsible riding, parts of a bike, and more. ​READ MORE HERE

This Star-Tribune article links to a statewide study on the economic and health impacts of recreation and commuter bicycling. This can be important information for trail developers and community leaders as they consider investments in infrastructure, economic development and community events.
Minnesota Star-Tribune Article
U of M Research Report

​Study finds that walking in nature yields measurable mental benefits and may reduce risk of depression.