2023 Rochester IBM Alumni Club Spring Walking/Hiking Events

2023 Rochester IBM Alumni Club Spring Walking/Hiking Events


Quarry Hill City Park	Root River County Park

Join IBM Alumni Club members, spouses, and guests for Walking/Hiking events this spring to get some exercise while enjoying nature and the outdoors. Nine walk/hikes will start in April and continue through mid-June at city and county parks. The trails are moderate with some inclines and will take about 1½ - 2 hours with the trail leader point- ing out interesting geological features and history of the parks and wildlife and flora along the routes.

1. April 19 - 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 Na- ture Center. The park offers more than eight miles of trails. Paved, grassy and rugged terrain provide a variety of options of trails through meadows, woodland, oak savanna, quarry ruins and overlook of Rochester. Directions to park

2. April 26 - 9:00 am: Indian Heights Park, 1800 Terracewood Drive NW, Rochester. Meet at the parking area at the end of Terracewood Drive. The 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. Directions to park

3. May 3 - 9:00 am: Oxbow County Park, 5731 County Rd 105 NW, Byron. Meet at the main parking lot by the Nature Center & Zoo. Oxbow Park, consisting of 572 acres, offers a great variety of hiking trails that wind through a landscape of wooded hills and meadows. We will h ike on the North Meadow Trail and part of the Zumbro trail. Directions and Trail map

4. May 10 - 9:00 am: Essex Park, 5455 West River Road NW, Rochester. Meet at the main parking lot by the picnic pavilion. Essex Park, located on the north edge of Roch- ester, 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. Directions

5. May 17 - 9:00 am: Root River County Park, 4012 80th St SE Rochester, MN 55904. The 125 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 options of beauty and natural history. Great scenery with towering limestone bluffs along the Root River. A section of the trail is on a1800’s wagon trail used by early settlers. Directions

6. May 24 - 9:00 am: Chester Woods County Park, 8378 Highway 14 East 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. Directions and Park Info

7. May 31 - 9:00 am: Oxbow County Park, 5731 County Rd 105 NW, Byron. Meet at the main parking lot by the Nature Center & Zoo. Oxbow Park, consisting of 572 acres, offers a great variety of hiking trails that wind through a landscape of wooded hills and meadows. We will hike on the Maple trail and part of the Zumbro trail. Directions and Trail map

8. June 7- 9:00 am: Indian Heights Park, 1800 Terracewood Drive NW, Rochester. Meet at the parking area at the end of Terracewood Drive. The 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. Directions to park

9. June 14 - 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 rug- ged terrain provides a variety of options of trails through meadows, woodland, oak savanna, quarry ruins and overlook of Rochester. Directions to park

NOTE: All hikes will meet-up at the 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

Any questions contact Dave Lind at davel616@chartermi.net,

Dave Lind
your walk/hiking activity leader