6의 스턴스 카운티가지 명소 & 주요 장소

Quarry Park Scientific and Natural Area (SNA) encompasses 323 acres embedded within a larger, 684-acre Stearns County Park in Waite Park, Minnesota. This landscape is best known for its rich history of granite mining, which peaked during the first half of the 20th century. If you look back much further in time, the story of this granite begins with a mountain‑building event known as the Penokean Orogeny. This event started about 1.9 billion years ago, when the collision of two continents greatly thickened the continental crust. Geologist Terry Boerboom of the Minnesota Geological Survey explains: “As this over‑thickened crust collapsed and thinned, high‑temperature magma welled up from the earth’s mantle and pooled beneath it. The addition of the magma to the already hot base of the crust caused it to melt and mingle with the underlying magma from the mantle. Batches of this mixture rose upward to a depth of about 10 miles below the surface, where it slowly cooled to form the granite. The different colors of granite reflect the varied degrees to which the two different magma sources were mixed.”

The Dairyland Trail spans approximately fourteen miles, beginning at 438th Avenue in the southwest and ending at 315th Avenue in the northeast, just a mile shy of New Munich. There are two trailheads equipped with facilities and off-street parking: one located in Elrosa and the other in Greenwald. The distances are as follows: it is 4 miles from the southwest terminus to Elrosa, 5 miles from Elrosa to Greenwald, and another 5 miles from Greenwald to the northeast terminus. The trail follows an abandoned Soo Line Rail Corridor. The majority of the surface is compacted gravel, while some sections are paved. Plans are to extend the Dairyland Trail southwest to Brooten and northeast to connect with the Wobegone Trail in Albany, resulting in a total length of 26 miles.

This county park has it all: a beach for swimming, a picnic area, a nature center, and trails for hiking, biking, snowshoeing, and cross-country skiing. There is ample parking and restroom facilities.

The Beaver Island Trail is a beautiful 5-mile long trail. It follows the Mississisppi River from St. Cloud. The trail is paved and gives you great views of the water.

A collection of old buildings, machinery, signs and vehicles right on the side of the trail. There was a museum in the buildings, which closed in 2019. I've seen online that you can get into it with a reservation, but I can't find any contact information to do that; there are signs warning to beware of the dog and no trespassing, so this may be something you want to watch from the trail instead of getting a close look.

A fairly new park - I saw several cyclists using the splash pad to clean off their bikes as they just finished a nearby dirt road after a rainy day. Otherwise, it's very much a typical modern park, with bathroom facilities, playground, and shaded picnic areas.

Small town vibe with some restaurants and parks. Great spot for a long break depending on the length of your ride.