#nerstrand
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champthefox.bsky.social
Wowee! Pics of me and Arty at Nerstrand Big Woods waterfall! So majestic! 🌳🍂
September 25, 2026 at 6:28 PM
champthefox.bsky.social
CHOO-choo! 🚂🌳🍂 Pics of me and Arty at Nerstrand Big Woods playground! ☺️
September 25, 2026 at 6:27 PM
champthefox.bsky.social
The Nerstrand State Park swing set was so high off the ground my 5’3” butt had to JUMP to get in the seat! 😂 Well that’s one way to induce littles/middles headspace!
September 23, 2026 at 2:30 PM
paws2trail.bsky.social
There have been interesting plants and things to look at along the way!

Perhaps some a little TOO closely...

🧵 4/x
Three tall, prickly plants rise out of a grassy bit of prairie. They're compass plants, a native sunflower, but all that remains are the thick stalks, spiky shriveled-star seed pods on short stalks along the side, and shriveled fern-like leaves at the base. Hiker Jeff is lead by huskies Zeena and Tonttu in the background, slightly out of focus, following the mowed trail through mostly bluestem prairie at Nerstrand Big Woods State Park. Zeena investigates an impressively large fungus rising from a fallen tree trunk in the woods at Nerstrand State Park. It's round and slighlty cupped, yellowish beige around the outside, but dark rotten brown in the middle where water gathers and a couple of fallen leaves have collected. If it were a serving tray it could hold a whole roast turkey! A trio of bulbous seed pods branch out from a single central stalk amid grasses and native sunflowers and other plants in a prairie. The pod shape and branching arrangement suggests a lily. Which species? Who knows! Back at home, Zeena stands on a hardwdood floor, showing off her crown of thorns. Or perhaps her diadem of sticker-seeds is a better descriptor: a stalk of plant with tiny round barb-covered seeds has become attached to her head, spreading from ear to ear.
September 21, 2026 at 6:05 PM
paws2trail.mountains.social.ap.brid.gy
There have been interesting plants and things to look at along the way!

Perhaps some a little TOO closely...

🧵 4/x
Three tall, prickly plants rise out of a grassy bit of prairie. They're compass plants, a native sunflower, but all that remains are the thick stalks, spiky shriveled-star seed pods on short stalks along the side, and shriveled fern-like leaves at the base. Hiker Jeff is lead by huskies Zeena and Tonttu in the background, slightly out of focus, following the mowed trail through mostly bluestem prairie at Nerstrand Big Woods State Park. Zeena investigates an impressively large fungus rising from a fallen tree trunk in the woods at Nerstrand State Park. It's round and slighlty cupped, yellowish beige around the outside, but dark rotten brown in the middle where water gathers and a couple of fallen leaves have collected. If it were a serving tray it could hold a whole roast turkey! A trio of bulbous seed pods branch out from a single central stalk amid grasses and native sunflowers and other plants in a prairie. The pod shape and branching arrangement suggests a lily. Which species? Who knows! Back at home, Zeena stands on a hardwdood floor, showing off her crown of thorns. Or perhaps her diadem of sticker-seeds is a better descriptor: a stalk of plant with tiny round barb-covered seeds has become attached to her head, spreading from ear to ear.
September 21, 2026 at 6:07 PM
paws2trail.bsky.social
We've also been hiking in forests and along beaches!

🧵 2/x
Huskies Zeena and Tonttu hike along the shore of the wide St. Croix River at Afton State Park on a gray cloudy day. Zeena looks up at a dead tree ahead that holds a dozen or so Turkey Vultures. Hiker Jeff is led by Zeena and Tonttu down an old gravel path through UMore park, a.k.a. Vermillion Highlands. Deciduous trees border and partially shade the road, and Tonttu is off in the deep shade on the right side, nose investigating something of interest. Zeena and Tonttu lead the way through a forest that is shady on the ground but glowing yellow green above as the sun lights up the canopy at Nerstrand Big Woods State Park.
September 21, 2026 at 5:40 PM
paws2trail.mountains.social.ap.brid.gy
We've also been hiking in forests and along beaches!

🧵 2/x
Huskies Zeena and Tonttu hike along the shore of the wide St. Croix River at Afton State Park on a gray cloudy day. Zeena looks up at a dead tree ahead that holds a dozen or so Turkey Vultures. Zeena and Tonttu lead the way through a forest that is shady on the ground but glowing yellow green above as the sun lights up the canopy at Nerstrand Big Woods State Park. Hiker Jeff is led by Zeena and Tonttu down an old gravel path through UMore park, a.k.a. Vermillion Highlands. Deciduous trees border and partially shade the road, and Tonttu is off in the deep shade on the right side, nose investigating something of interest.
September 21, 2026 at 5:40 PM
paws2trail.bsky.social
Hi! We've been kind of scarce lately because of work, so it's time for an update!

As summer turns to fall we've been hiking the open prairies, here UMore Park (Vermillion Highlands), Afton State Park, and Nerstrand Big Woods (which has a prairie as well as woods!).

🧵 1/x

#Hiking #Huskies #Prairie
Zeena and Tonttu lead the way down a low hill on a wide mowed trail through prairie with scattered stands of trees. In the right foreground is a tall reddish stand of Big Bluestem grass, and the tracks in the trail show sand underneath: the hill is probably of glacial origin. Zeena and Tonttu lead the way down another grassy mowed path through a prairie towards a stand of trees on the horizon, and some old stone posts that mark the gate to a former farmstead. Two hikers are approaching from the gate. This is the north eastern corner of Afton State Park. Hiker Jeff is led by huskies Zeena and Tonttu through yet another prairie, with woods on the left horizon. The sky has scattered bright backlit clouds spreading low across a blue sky.
September 21, 2026 at 5:33 PM
paws2trail.mountains.social.ap.brid.gy
Hi! We've been kind of scarce lately because of work, so it's time for an update!

As summer turns to fall we've been hiking the open prairies, here UMore Park (Vermillion Highlands), Afton State Park, and Nerstrand Big Woods (which has a prairie as well as woods!).

🧵 1/x

#hiking #huskies #prairie
Zeena and Tonttu lead the way down a low hill on a wide mowed trail through prairie with scattered stands of trees. In the right foreground is a tall reddish stand of Big Bluestem grass, and the tracks in the trail show sand underneath: the hill is probably of glacial origin. Zeena and Tonttu lead the way down another grassy mowed path through a prairie towards a stand of trees on the horizon, and some old stone posts that mark the gate to a former farmstead. Two hikers are approaching from the gate. This is the north eastern corner of Afton State Park. Hiker Jeff is led by huskies Zeena and Tonttu through yet another prairie, with woods on the left horizon. The sky has scattered bright backlit clouds spreading low across a blue sky.
September 21, 2026 at 5:33 PM
paws2trail.mountains.social.ap.brid.gy
Hi! We've been kind of scarce lately because of work, so it's time for an update!

As summer turns to fall we've been hiking the open prairies, here UMore Park (Vermillion Highlands), Afton State Park, and Nerstrand Big Woods (which has a prairie as well as woods!).

🧵 1/x

#hiking #huskies #prairie
Zeena and Tonttu lead the way down a low hill on a wide mowed trail through prairie with scattered stands of trees. In the right foreground is a tall reddish stand of Big Bluestem grass, and the tracks in the trail show sand underneath: the hill is probably of glacial origin. Zeena and Tonttu lead the way down another grassy mowed path through a prairie towards a stand of trees on the horizon, and some old stone posts that mark the gate to a former farmstead. Two hikers are approaching from the gate. This is the north eastern corner of Afton State Park. Hiker Jeff is led by huskies Zeena and Tonttu through yet another prairie, with woods on the left horizon. The sky has scattered bright backlit clouds spreading low across a blue sky.
September 21, 2026 at 5:33 PM
earthbyhardt.bsky.social
🧵6) Catwalk National Recreation Area, NM. 7) Hocking Hills State Park, OH. 8) Hidden Falls, Nerstrand Big Woods State Park, MN. 9) Mill Stream, NY.
September 16, 2026 at 11:24 PM
amanjo.bsky.social
Today is my friend @coldchef.bsky.social's birthday, and when he sent me a card that said “LONG HIKE,” I knew what I needed to do: a long hike! Today my husb & I went to Nerstrand Big Woods State Park to see Hidden Falls, which is kind of dry right now, but it was a great hike nonetheless!
September 12, 2026 at 7:36 PM
amanjo.bsky.social
Yo, MSP feed, anyone been to Nerstrand Big Woods State Park recently? Curious to know what kind of flowers are poppin' down there. I'm especially looking for ghost pipes. I can't get enough of that freaky monotropa uniflora!
September 10, 2026 at 11:23 PM
amanjo.bsky.social
These pictures are amazing! I love the cluster of ghost pipes with one of last year's flowers gone to fruit in the middle! Thanks for the hot tip. I'm hoping to get down to Nerstrand with my husband this fall!
August 24, 2026 at 1:37 AM
verdantwonder.bsky.social
Also @amanjo.bsky.social nerstrand has plenty of ghost pipe but not a lot of other interesting plants rn, if you go late sept/ early Oct after a good rain you'll probably have good luck!

I downgraded to a cheap old phone so sorry for the low quality photos lol
August 24, 2026 at 1:33 AM
amanjo.bsky.social
Nerstrand is on my list of places to visit! Thanks for the hot tip!! I thought of it more as a spring destination but maybe I should hit it this fall.
August 17, 2026 at 2:36 AM
verdantwonder.bsky.social
If you're up for a drive, there are tons of ghost pipe at nerstrand when the time is right! I've seen dead man's fingers, slime molds, and that fungus that oozes red out its pores there too (i forget the name at the moment, its been a bad brainfog day) in addition to all the common plants and fungi
August 17, 2026 at 2:13 AM
object.works
Nerstrand man arrested for drug sale, child endangerment
A Nerstand man was found with nearly 3 pounds of marijuana and a loaded handgun in his home Tuesday, where two 4-year-old children were also present.
www.southernminn.com
August 10, 2026 at 8:31 PM
farnaby.xyz
Nerstrand is one of my favorite places to go on a short day trip. Love the big woods.

Also I didn't know that about earthworms so now I have learned something new today!
July 22, 2026 at 1:19 PM
sinclairlewis.bsky.social
Nerstrand is where I learned that earthworms are not native to MN. They probably hitched a ride in the rose bushes early settlers brought with them. It’s lovely year round.
July 22, 2026 at 1:14 PM
farnaby.xyz
Since I have the day off I had been thinking about trying paddle boarding but uhhh 60f and cloudy right now doesn't really make me want to.

Maybe I will take a walk or go to nerstrand or something instead.
July 22, 2026 at 12:25 PM
paws2trail.bsky.social
After two days stuck in the house because of wildfire smoke, things cleared enough for us to escape back to the woods!

It's still hot and humid, so we chose a shady hike at Nerstrand Big Woods, and hit Hidden Falls on the way out AND back. Just enough water for water-cooled husky action!
Two huskies investigate shallow water above a waterfall. The bedrock creates a flat shelf over which the water flows in a thin surface, then drops over a sharp line straight down to a pool below. Husky Zeena stands at the edge in full sun, looking down, while Tonttu investigates the shallows in the shade. The surrounding trees cast shade over much of the scene, except the middle of the stream and some clumps of branches and leaves that shine green on the far side.
July 18, 2026 at 2:03 AM
paws2trail.mountains.social.ap.brid.gy
After two days stuck in the house because of wildfire smoke, things cleared enough for us to escape back to the woods!

It's still hot and humid, so we chose a shady hike at Nerstrand Big Woods, and routed our hike to pass Hidden Falls on the way out AND […]

[Original post on mountains.social]
Two huskies investigate shallow water above a waterfall. The bedrock creates a flat shelf over which the water flows in a thin surface, then drops over a sharp line straight down to a pool below. Husky Zeena stands at the edge in full sun, looking down, while Tonttu investigates the shallows in the shade. The surrounding trees cast shade over much of the scene, except the middle of the stream and some clumps of branches and leaves that shine green on the far side.
July 18, 2026 at 2:03 AM
santiverse.bsky.social
One of the first trips we took without Santiago was to Nerstrand Big Woods State Park. After this photo was taken, a mother walked her toddler under the falling water, his face bright with discovery. Santi was in that moment. He's in every joy he taught me to see. #dogs #nature #photography #spirit
In the foreground, green and white umbels of cow parsnip behind which is a low waterfall fringed by leafy hardwood trees, the water falling into a shallow pool decorated with stepping stones.
July 15, 2026 at 2:58 PM
mysharona612.bsky.social
Spring bloom at Nerstrand Big Woods State Park.

#BlueSkyArtShow #Macro #EastCoastKin #StateParks #Photography #Bloomscroll #Flowers
A white Anemone with five long petals is in focus. A cluster of long white stamen burst from its center. The brown ground and green leaves surrounding flower is blurred.
June 27, 2026 at 7:05 PM