Schaaf's Bluff Hike

Long ago we received a book that highlights 60 hikes within 60 miles of the Twin Cities and we've been meaning to explore some of those areas ever since.  I finally decided that fitting in some of these day trips/hikes is going to be a goal of mine this spring/summer/fall.  We took our first of these hikes today at Schaaf's Bluff Trailhead, which is part of Dakota County Parks' Spring Lake Park Reserve.  How is that for a mouthful!  The trails go along the forested bluff beside a widened area of the Mississippi River just about 30 minutes out of town.

Oh, what a beautiful day it was!  The weather was absolutely perfect for hiking: temperatures in the 70s F with a slight breeze and just a few clouds in the sky.  Perfect, I tell you.  We picked up some picnic supplies and made a day of it.

those are train cars passing by in the background

After a summer of misery last year, I am really, really grateful for each day of relatively little discomfort, but even more grateful for days like today where I am well enough to feel alive and connected to the world.