2019 Rochester IBM Alumni Club Spring Walk-Hike Activities

Join IBM Alumni members, spouses and guests for Walking/Hiking events this spring to get some exercise while enjoying nature and the outdoors. Six walk/hikes will start in May and continue into June and include 3 city parks and 3 county parks. The trails are moderate with some inclines and will take about 1½ - 2 hours with the trail leader pointing out interesting geological features and history of the parks and wildlife and flora along the routes. We are planning 6 spring walk-hiking activities at the following parks:

1. May 8, 9:00 am: Quarry Hill Park, 701 Silver Creek Road NE, Rochester which is accessible from County Road 22 (East Circle Drive), meet at the parking lot by the Nature Center. The Park offers more than eight miles of trails. Paved, grassy and rugged terrain provides a variety of options of trails through meadows, woodland, oak savanna, quarry ruins and overlook of Rochester. Park Info and map.

2. May 15, 9:00 am: Indian Heights Park, 1800 Terracewood Drive NW, Rochester. Meet at the Parking area at the end of Terracewood Drive. Indian Heights Park is a little known gem situated between Assisi Heights to the west and the Zumbro River. Trails wind through woods, oak savanna, around an old quarry and offers a hilltop overlook of the city of Rochester. The name “Indian Heights” was coined by pioneers who recognized this as an Indian burial ground in the 1800’s. The trail leader will talk about the Indian and Pioneer history of the area. Park info and map.

3. May 22 9:00 am: Essex Park, 5455 West River Road NW, Rochester. Meet at the main parking lot by the picnic pavilion. The entrance to the park has changed due to the 55th street expansion that is now complete but online mapping may not be accurate. Essex Park, located on the north edge of Rochester, has many trails that loop through prairie, woods and meadows providing a great opportunity to enjoy nature and the outdoors. Some trails are paved, others are grass or dirt trails (the park map shows trails as winter ski trails but can be used for hiking spring through fall). Park map.

4. May 29 9:00 am: Oxbow County Park, 5731 County Rd 105 NW, Byron. Meet at the main parking lot by the Nature Center and Zoo. Oxbow Park, consisting of 572 acres, offers a great variety of hiking trails that wind through a landscape of wooded hills and meadows. The walk/hike will take about 1 ½ hours. Park Info and Trail map.

5. June 5 9:00 am: Root River County Park, 4012 80th St SE Rochester, MN 55904. The 90+ acres of Root River Park offer many secluded areas to hike. A 2 mile looped hiking trail winds through the meadows and wooded hills along Root River providing visitors with a variety of op-tions of beauty and natural history. Great scenery with towering lime-stone bluffs along the Root River. A section of the trail is on a1800’s wagon trail used by early settlers. Park Info and map.

6. June 12 9:00 am: Chester Woods County Park, 8378 Highway 14 E Eyota, MN 55934. Meet at the parking lot by the boat ramp. There are about 12 miles of primitive trails wind through a variety of inviting natural habitats in the undeveloped areas of the park. The trail leader will select a route of about 3 to 5 miles depending on weather and desires of the hiking participants. Note: there is an entrance fee of $5/car unless you have a park sticker. Park Info; Trail map

NOTE: All hikes will meet-up at the Park parking lot at 9:00am. A reminder email for those who have signed up will be sent a few days prior to the walk-hike date with directions to the park. To sign up CLICK HERE Or contact the Alumni Club office at (507) 288-3663 x120 or email rchret@aol.com

Dave Lind - your walk/hiking activity leader