- Max Trip Size: 12 people
Join Rovers for a 5-mile backpacking hike on Saturday, November 4th at Elm Creek Park Preserve. We will meet at the Eastman Nature Center at 9 a.m. and hike for 1-2 hours. Plan on a modest speed of 2.5 – 3 miles per hour. Wear your backpacks for this training hike. We will be hiking the Eastman Nature Center and Elm Creek Park Reserve Loop with an elevation gain of 239 feet. This trail is great for birding, hiking, and mountain biking, and it is unlikely we will encounter many other people while exploring.
We will meet at the front doors of the Eastman Nature Center at 9 a.m., the address is 13351 Elm Creek Rd, Maple Grove, MN 55369. (Do not go to the ski chalet! We will not be there!)
Dress for the weather and wear appropriate footwear with traction (devices). Bring water and a snack if you want. Bring your rain gear (we hike rain or shine).
Well-socialized dogs are allowed. Per Three Rivers policy, they must be on a 6-foot leash and are allowed on paved and turf trails.
Afterward, feel free to explore the Eastman Nature Center. It has something for everyone. Floor-to-ceiling windows entice visitors to do some indoor birdwatching. Children enjoy hands-on activities, dressing up in costumes and putting on a puppet show in our puppet tree. Live reptiles and amphibians add to the rotating interpretive displays throughout the building.
Non-Rovers and guests are welcome, so bring a friend! You do not need to be a member to come on day trips. But if you are not a current member, submit the trip waiver at the bottom of this posting.
Send me an email or text and let me know if you are joining us. If your plans change, let me know that too, please.