Outdoors

Favorite Hikes Around St. Croix Valley. Hidden Gems. Read more about Favorite Hikes Around St. Croix Valley

Take part in a guided bird hike at a Washington Country park! Read more about Beginner Birders: Check Out This Hike at Lake Elmo Park Reserve

Tips for making your outdoor space an oasis. Read more about Outdoor Design Trends and Tips for 2020

Go behind the scenes with local ski groomers. Read more about Here's How They Keep the Slopes Slick at Wild Mountain and Trollhaugen

The Franconia Sculpture Park's Community Learning Center expands the attraction's capabilities and availability. Read more about 'A Magical Place': Franconia Sculpture Park Continues to Grow

For the third straight summer, J.R. Hunter is spending as much time as possible sailing the St. Croix River on his 34-foot Catalina sailboat, docked at Bayport Marina. Read more about 'Cheapest Way to See the World': St. Croix Sailor Goes All-in on Hobby

Evanne Hunt wears a yellow protective suit while she carefully watches a fire burn a strip of the native prairie she’s volunteered to protect over the past 25 years. Hunt, the chairperson of the local chapter of the Prairie Enthusiasts, says prescribed burns of prairie remnants are key to the survival of native plants and ecosystems.

“We have to go out and burn to keep the brush down,” Hunt says, adding native prairies are fire-dependent ecosystems. “A prairie can’t last without fire and maintenance. It’s impossible for a native prairie remnant to exist without help anymore.” Read more about Group says Minnesota's Native Prairies Are 'as Rare and Worthy of Saving as the Amazon'

True North Map Company's fabric maps are durable, multipurpose guides that also serve as keepsakes. Read more about Tougher Map Made by Hudson Residents Tells the Story of Your Boundary Waters Trip

As we approach our warmer months, boats will appear on the St. Croix River like a seasonal bloom that is joyfully anticipated by so many outdoor enthusiasts. Read more about As Spring Arrives, Boating Season Begins on the St. Croix River

Bending Branches makes paddles designed for stand up paddle boarding, canoeing, kayaking, longer excursions, day trips and whitewater as well as deeper lakes, rivers and salt water. Read more about Inside Bending Branches, the World's Largest Manufacturer of Canoe and Kayak Paddles