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Wm. O'Brien State Park Annual Meeting Guided Walk October 31, 2009 Cosponsored by: William O'Brien State Park AVA Sanction ID#83324 20th Anniversary of Folkssports in Minnesota State Parks Join us after the walk for a potluck lunch followed by our 11th Annual Meeting. Door prize drawings follow the meeting.   E v e n t  C o n t a c t s Linda Valen, 651-773-8272 for event information. Call 651-433-0500 for park information.     P r e - r e g i s t r a t i o n  D e a d l i n e Wednesday, September 30. We recommend that you pre-register, especially if you wish to participate for an award. Click here to download the PDF pre-registration form.      R e g i s t r a t i o n Start/finish: Visitor Center Start times: Registration begins at 9:30 a.m. Announcements at 9:45 a.m. The Scooters (see walk group definitions below) faster group will begin at 10 a.m. with the slower Scooters starting 5-10 minutes later. The Batsouttahell at approximately 10:15 a.m. and the Shufflers will leave approximately 10:30 a.m. Refreshments: Water and restrooms are available at the center. Join us for a potluck lunch after the walk. Bring your favorite dish to share: appetizers, casseroles, salads, desserts, breads, etc. Eating utensils will be furnished.     T h e  T r a i l The event is sanctioned for 11km (6.9 miles) made up of two shorter loops of 5km and 6km. Rating: 2.     T h e  A w a r d The award is a pumpkin leather pin, $8; IVV credit only is $3; walk only is $2. Deadline for pre-registration is September 25 ... pre-registration is highly recommended. Additional $1 charge if award needs to be mailed. This is a guided walk and according to AVA Policies, all walkers must walk in a group with a group leader. No exceptions can be made as walkers on their own could represent a liability to NSTT and AVA if they are injured on the trail. Group Walk Definitions     The "Shufflers" ... this group will do just one loop for 5km and is the slow walking group that will stop at the top of hills to catch their breath, wait for pictures to be taken, and generally take their time and "smell the autumn leaves." The "Scooters" ... this group will move along at a pretty average pace. It will stop when group members feel a need but will definitely not be breaking any speed laws. The "Batsouttahell" ... This is the fast group who probably won't stop the whole 10K for any reason! Walkers are encouraged to walk with the group most closely resembling their style of walking. We want our group walks to be fun for everyone!   Top of page   G e t t i n g  T h e r e the park is located 12 miles north of Stillwater on State Highway 95, near the town of Marine-on-St. Croix. MapQuest map link.     P a r k  H i s t o r y The St. Croix river valley was inhabited by Dakota and Ojibwa. European trappers commercialized the fur-trade in the 1600s. Extensive logging took place in the mid-1800s; white pines were the target and most other tree species were ignored. Once the white pine was gone, the lumber companies were happy to sell, and a lumber baron named William O'Brien bought up much of the land for his personal estate. In 1945, 20 years after William O'Brien's death, his daughter Alice offered 180  acres along the riverfront to the state. The donation was accepted, and the park was ratified by the legislature two years later. Land was added to the park at every opportunity, to reduce crowding and to prevent housing developments from being built right up to the boundary. William O'Brien remains one of the top ten most-visited state parks in Minnesota. Geology Sandstone outcrops formed millions of years ago by inland seas are found along the St. Croix River. Glacial activity played a major role in developing the picturesque valley. As the huge glaciers lumbered south, they scoured the sandstone and deposited soil and rocks of various sizes. As large masses of ice melted, the tremendous volume of released water cut through the soft sandstone, creating the St. Croix River and landscaping the wide, boulder-strewn valley.   Top of page   N e a r b y  F o l k s p o r t s Twin Cities Volkssports hosts YRE walks in the Twin Cities area. Call Gene Schutte, 651-429-6938 for more info.   N e a r b y  S t a t e  P a r k s Afton Interstate Wild River   U s e f u l  U R L  L i n k s DNR: William O'Brien State Park Explore Minnesota   Current weather information and forecast:
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