Park Info
Afton State Park is located in Hastings, MN. It is set in a glacial moraine (soil and rock left behind by a glacier) and blufflands, as well as woodlands, prairies and oak savannas.
If you’re looking to hike, there is 20 miles to explore with six tenths of a mile (like why?) and three quarters of a mile being self guided. There are also four miles of paved biking trail and five miles of horseback riding trails. During the winter months, you can cross country ski on 12 miles of groomed trails, 12 miles of snowshoeing trails, and one mile of paved bike trail cleaned off for hiking.
In the summer, the park also offers three picnic areas with tables, fire rings, and charcoal grills–two are accessible, two picnic shelters–one is accessible, volleyball, and horseshoes. In the winter, there is a warming house in the visitor center with bathrooms, tables, and a woodstove. There is also boat access on the designated boater beaches on the St. Croix River, park office, interpretive exhibit, gift shop, rentals, and firewood sales.
All of this was found on the MN DNR website, so credit where credit is due. If you’d like to learn more, you can do so here.
Accessibility of Facility
Parking
Parking at the trailhead I went to was a gravel lot located right at the start of the trail.
Bathrooms
The only bathroom I saw was a vault toilet located on a portion of the loop I walked. Boy, I am glad it was there too…
Getting to the trail
The trail is located about seven minutes from the park office, which is down the highway a bit. I almost missed the entrance to the parking lot, but that’s what reverse is for.
Trail Info
The Prairie Loop trail is about 3.10 miles in length and there is 170 feet in elevation. It was all prairie with a hard packed dirt and grass trail. There was no shade on the part I did and the sun was HOT! I would definitely bring a sun hat or sun parasol next time. This trail could be okay for those with mobility devices as long as they’re good with somewhat uneven terrain and changes in elevation.
I did 1.51 miles of this trail because of bathroom needs and fatigue. Mostly bathroom needs, to be honest…thank goodness for that vaulted toilet on the trail. It’s the biggest reason I cut through when I did. The elevation that I did was around 98 feet and it took me 41 minutes. There was a nice bench that I utilized at the top of the hill.
As for my rating, I would classify the portion I did as moderate to hard. The ground was uneven, despite it being wide open prairie; no coverage from the sun; and the inclines were tough. I had to stop three or four times to catch my breath going up that final incline to my car. I’m glad I decided to stick with about half of the trail instead of the whole thing.
Do you spy Currently Unnamed CardyBear? If you spot him, put FOUND in the comments 😊 He didn’t make a physical appearance, but he was there…
Be safe out there! REMEMBER YOUR MAPS AND PASSPORT STAMPS!! Seeyalaterbye <3
Also, if you feel called to help a sista out with her travels, check this out!
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