A visit can help you slow down, enjoy nature.
The cold and dark days of winter are mostly in the rearview mirror these days. As we move into longer days and warmer temps, Linda Radimecky, an interpretive naturalist for the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Parks and Trails, reminds us that spring and summer are especially great seasons to get outside and visit one of Minnesota’s 64 state parks and nine state recreation areas.
“Our parks are for everyone,” Radimecky told The Phoenix-Spirit in a recent interview. “There’s a beauty and a peacefulness in a state park, a grounding that happens every time your foot hits the path. And, it’s been proven that walking in a park lowers one’s blood pressure.”
Indeed, the U.S. National Park Service reports that medical studies have shown that a 30-minute visit to a park can improve heart health, circulation and lower cholesterol, blood glucose and blood pressure.
Beyond these physical benefits, the Park Service reports that studies have also shown that walking or spending time in nature can improve mood and self-esteem. Frequent exposure to nature can reduce anxiety and depression, while promoting a sense of well-being and fulfillment. As a result, a visit to a state park just might enhance one’s mental health, maybe even one’s recovery.
The DNR’s Radimecky is a firm believer in the physical and mental health benefits of hanging out in nature, a view that makes her passionate about her job as a naturalist, a role that she’s had with the DNR for more than 30 years, serving at six different parks. She currently works at Afton State Park near Hastings.
Nature and Our Senses
Radimecky views the benefits of nature through what we experience with our senses. Case in point: Our sight.
There’s a beauty and a peacefulness in a state park, a grounding that happens every time your foot hits the path. And, it’s been proven that walking in a park lowers one’s blood pressure.“When you’re walking in a park or on a trail or other outside setting, you are able to just slow down,” Radimecky says. “As you slow down, you begin to notice and see more — the green trees, the blue water—and you notice that we are part of the earth, part of the environment. We are not on it, we are part of it.”
Another example: Our sense of hearing. Radimecky explains that you start noticing the soundscapes of nature: “As you slow down, you hear more—birds chirping, the wind in the trees, a rushing river.”
Further, Radimecky says, “Sounds are a wave … it goes through our bodies, and sound waves can also help our healing, sound waves create space in our bodies so our bodies can heal, so when you are out in nature … those sound waves are in there … like the wind or the birds … that’s why some people have wind chimes … If you can slow down, you can experience how we are all connected. Everything is connected in nature and we are part of it, not separate from it. That’s healing in and of itself to know that you are a part of it.”
The sense of smell can come into play in nature, too, Radimecky says. “One of my favorite smells is just before a rain, the air pressure is lower and the smells, the aromatics, come out of the earth. It’s fresh smelling, so refreshing.”
Even the sense of touch can be used to experience nature. Trees, for example, have various kinds of bark—think of a birch tree’s bark compared to an oak’s bark. “And you can feel the differences in our park [trees] as you encounter the varied types of trees we have.”
State Park Options Abound
Do some basic Googling about Minnesota state parks, and you’ll find plenty of information.
Afton State Park, for example, where Radimecky works, can be a great choice for metro area residents because it’s nearby, along the scenic St. Croix River. The park hosts plenty of trails for hikers, has a swimming beach, offers hike-in backpack campsites and includes a visitor center. Visitors also find plenty of wildlife to observe: Hawks, ducks, geese, a variety of migratory birds, deer, fox and more. Afton also hosts an eagle’s nest in the park. Ironically, Radimecky says, the nest is right on a main trail to the beach. “Thousands of people walk that trail.”
Ft. Snelling State Park is another nearby park to consider for metro area folks, located at the confluence of the Mississippi and Minnesota Rivers. It’s actually quite near MSP Airport, just off Post Road and State Highway 5. As the DNR’s website states, this park offers a number of hiking, biking, snowshoeing and skiing trails that link to an extensive regional trail system. Visitors can also canoe, fish or swim on Snelling Lake.
If you are up for a road trip, a popular destination has always been Jay Cooke State Park, just outside Carlton, Minn., not far from Duluth. The terrain is rugged, part of a rocky gorge where the St. Louis River flows, eventually making its way to nearby Lake Superior. More adventurous visitors can bring their canoes and kayaks. The park’s iconic swinging suspension bridge high above the river is likely the most prominent feature of the park. Washed out several years ago during flooding, the bridge has been replaced. Jay Cooke State Park has also always been a great birding destination. According to the DNR’s website, the pileated woodpecker, marsh hawk and the great blue heron are a few of nearly 200 species of birds that nest and feed in the park.
About forty-five minutes northeast of Duluth on the North Shore of Lake Superior, Gooseberry Falls State Park is another perennial favorite. The stunning waterfalls here are the main attraction of course: The Upper, Middle and Lower Falls of the Gooseberry River. Visitors find plenty of hiking, camping and picnicking options. The park also includes an exceptional view of Lake Superior.
These are only four of the state parks. The DNR has more information on all of the other parks that are located throughout Minnesota on its website, or at Explore Minnesota.
Cost? How About No Cost?
It should be noted that the DNR charges various fees for state park usage, such as yearly vehicle permits ($35) or one-day passes ($7), campsite fees, etc. But if you’re on a tight budget, no worries. There are free ways to get into state parks and recreation areas.
First, on four days each year, all state parks and state recreation areas offer free admission to everyone, that is, no vehicle permits are needed. Two of those freebie days have already occurred for 2025, but two dates remain: Saturday, June 14, and Friday, November 28.
Second, the DNR works with public libraries across the state to provide free seven-day state park passes for checkout for library cardholders. The Minnesota Star Tribune recently reported that, currently, there are 175 passes distributed among about 100 libraries, and the DNR is planning to expand that amount to 500 passes. You can check the DNR’s website for a list of participating libraries.
Finally, Radimecky offered one other notable piece of advice. When planning to get out into nature, don’t settle for a rushed, 15-minute walk with ear buds blasting loud music or tuned to a podcast. Take out the ear buds. And leave all of those “screens” behind, too—phone, computer, TV. Visit a state park. Slow down. Notice nature and be a part of it. Enjoy.
Angelo Gentile is a Minneapolis freelance journalist and former newspaper and magazine editor who has also worked in public relations and corporate communications.
Last Updated on May 8, 2025