This was one of those unplanned, spur-of-the-moment things, but it ended up being cool.
In Duluth, there was a Winter Solstice Lantern Hike at the golf course and a group of us decided to go. The path was lit by paper lanterns on both sides of the path and looped around so the start and finish were in the same spot. There were even little fires and hot chocolate served to keep us warm on the chilly evening.
I tried to take some cool night shots, but my phone’s camera kept going into nightscape mode. They turned out kind of cool, but I would have liked a dark shot of the lanterns.
Accessibility of Facility
Parking is available in the lot across the street, but there is also parking on the road. We parked down the road and walked to the entrance. I’m sure there were handicapped spots in the lot, we just didn’t use it.
Bathrooms were not available from what I could tell. The event was after hours so the buildings weren’t available.
There was some signage at the entrance, but since it was at a business, there wasn’t much outside of that. Getting to the trail was easy, there was only one way to go.
Trail Info
This isn’t the typical trail I usually write about as it was on a golf course, but I will do my best to cover it as I normally do. It’ll be short and sweet.
I don’t know how long it was or the elevation change, but I can describe the rest. The path started as a paved trail and was cracked and uneven in places. It did turn rocky, muddy, and grassy and was slippery in some areas because of the weird weather earlier in the week. The terrain was not for those who have mobility issues or are unsteady on their feet. I struggled a bit, especially because it was dark.
There was a large incline that both made me huff and puff and irritated my pelvis problems. I needed to go slower than most, so I just stepped aside and let them buzz around me. Thankfully, the friend I was with kept pace with me so we were able to experience it together and not wandering around in the dark on our own.
All of this being said, this one would fall into the moderate to hard category on my rating scale. I did recover fairly quickly once we got back, but it was difficult nonetheless. It was a fun way to spend the solstice and I would probably do it again.
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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