Minnesota is blessed with an abundance of scenic attractions and wonders that are renowned across and beyond the Land of Sky Blue Waters. But for those amongst us seeking less-trodden trails, a host of options can be found across the North Star State. Some are hidden deep within Minnesota’s wilderness while others can be found … [ Read more]
Remote Minnesota: Five out-of-the-way trails and state parks to escape to this summer
June 13, 2019 by
The Growler’s Outdoor Guide
May 29, 2019 by
During the four glorious months that compose summer in the Midwest, the call of the wild echoes over the plains and through the river valleys, through the forests and along the lake shores, and into our hearts and minds. For some, the call stokes the fires of adventure and self-reliance. It’s a chance to test … [ Read more]
Cooke Custom Sewing: Handsewn outdoors gear for the harshest elements
May 29, 2019 by
It just works.” That’s Dan Cooke’s response when asked why the hand-sewn camping gear he’s been making for 38 years continues to have such an enthusiastic and dedicated following. “When you have a car, it’s the little things that start to fail. By the end, you just have four wheels to take you from A … [ Read more]
Camp Fire: Over a century of bringing kids of all backgrounds into the great outdoors to discover their true natures
May 29, 2019 by
Catching a frog is something of a rite of passage at Camp Fire Minnesota. The wetlands at Tanadoona—the primary camp and nature-based learning property for the national youth development organization’s Minnesota branch—are teeming with the amphibians, and marketing director Kelly Abraham says that regardless of the kid’s age, background, and familiarity with nature, sooner or … [ Read more]
“Plants Have So Much to Give Us, All We Have to Do Is Ask” is botany, history, and sacred stories, all wrapped up in leaves
May 28, 2019 by
If you ever get the opportunity, jump off of Highway 51 in Wisconsin and start driving on County D toward Cunard Lake. In April, the trip takes you along a tree-clad isthmus flanked by still-icy lakes of such striking glamour that we have to slow down to hug the road’s curves to avoid literally dying … [ Read more]
Northern Lights: Talent and ambition powers the dining room of Poplar Haus on the Gunflint Trail
May 28, 2019 by
Ask a handful of Minnesotans about going “up north” and you’ll probably get a cluster of different responses that share a few things in common. Up north isn’t a specific place, although many people have a place in mind. It’s not a where, it’s a what—a slower pace of life, a retreat from the lacerating … [ Read more]
No Labels, No Limits: Individuals of all ages, shapes, and identities are proving that fitness is for every body
March 26, 2019 by
When she was 9 years old, Molly Lethert was in a snowmobile accident that severed her foot. Doctors were able to reattach it, but the resulting arthritis got worse every year. “Once I had my accident, year after year something got taken away,” Lethert says. “I couldn’t jump, so I couldn’t do basketball. I lost … [ Read more]
PHOTOS: Rock The Garden 2018
June 18, 2018 by
Rock The Garden 2018 has come and gone. If you were there, you know it was hot, sweaty, and an exhaustingly fun time. If you missed it, or just want to reminisce, The Growler’s got you covered. Our photographer was there (regrettably wearing a black shirt, and black pants) and captured the tropically humid music … [ Read more]
Heirloom Muskie Lures: Supernatural Big Baits
May 29, 2018 by
The warehouse complex at 755 Prior Avenue North in St. Paul most famously houses entities like Can Can Wonderland and BlackStack Brewing. But in the northwest corner of the building sits Supernatural Big Baits, where founder and owner Duff Thury has been hand-making some seriously big baits for serious muskie anglers since 2013. Duff is … [ Read more]
Minneapolis ranks No. 1 for best park system in U.S.
May 26, 2016 by Leave a Comment
Minneapolis has the best park system in the United States, according to The Trust for Public Land’s 5th annual ParkScore® index, which was released today. Minneapolis narrowly edged out St. Paul for the top spot. The cities tied for first in 2015. Washington, DC, placed third, finishing ahead of neighboring Arlington, Virginia. San Francisco, Portland, … [ Read more]
Happy 125th anniversary, Itasca State Park!
April 20, 2016 by Leave a Comment
Using the date Minnesota’s oldest state park, Itasca State Park, was established, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources’ State Parks and Trails division is claiming 2016 as its 125th anniversary. Itasca State Park officially came to be on April 20, 1891, designed to preserve the old growth pine trees that were in danger of being logged. More … [ Read more]
Pendelton and Rogue partner to brew a national park beer
April 4, 2016 by Leave a Comment
Rogue Ales and Pendleton Woolen Mills are celebrating Oregon’s Crater Lake National Park in the best way possible: by creating a specialty beer in its honor. Pendleton Pale Ale, brewed with hops and malts grown on Rogue Farms in Oregon, is a “crisp and refreshing ode to Oregon’s dramatic Crater Lake National Park that comes in … [ Read more]
Minnesota receives $33.6M for wildlife restoration
March 10, 2016 by Leave a Comment
It’s that time of year again, when this year’s distribution of the revenues generated from excise taxes paid by the hunting, boating, and angling industries gets doled out among the states via the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Pittman-Robertson Wildlife Restoration and Dingell-Johnson Sport Fish Restoration acts. The program raised $1.1 billion for state wildlife agencies in 2015, … [ Read more]
Waterfall season is a thing, and it has arrived
March 10, 2016 by Leave a Comment
North Shore waterfall season is officially here, according to Cook County’s website. Cook County has the North Shore’s most dramatic waterfalls, including Devil’s Kettle Falls in Judge C.R. Magney State Park, the ephemeral “phantom falls” that pour from the cliffs lining Highway 61, and the High Falls of the Pigeon River in Grand Portage State Park. … [ Read more]
Is overcrowding endangering our National Parks?
March 8, 2016 by Leave a Comment
The success of campaigns like the National Park Service’s Find Your Park and others from state tourism offices has created a huge demand at our nation’s parks—which is proving to be a bit too much of a good thing, reports National Public Radio. Last year, a record 305 million people visited national parks. That’s more … [ Read more]
