Hiking in the Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge
April 4, 2006

 

After work we headed to southeastern Bloomington to take a stroll in the Old Cedar Avenue and Bass Ponds portions of the Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge. When we arrived at the parking area we discovered that the Old Cedar Avenue bridge was now closed to pedestrians due to structural concerns. Bummer!

Instead we headed a short distance west and south to an observation platform where we found ourselves very near some muskrats and their lodge. They were cute! We then cut back across the parking area to the trailhead to the Bass Ponds loop a few miles away. The Bass Ponds is an interpretive loop, and you can pick up a guide at the trailhead near its parking area.
 
Relevant links: Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge - Long Meadow Lake Bloomington, Minnesota

 
Jonas is ready to go! Note the geocaching.com window cling in the rear window!

See the muskrat sleeping in the sun on top of the lodge?

Here's a more close-up shot of the sleeping muskrat. You can even see his little claws.

The first muskrat is still sleeping, but now his friend is swimming in the water nearby.

There are two muskrats visible in the water in this picture.

Julia strolling along the observation platform.

In the background you can see the old Cedar Avenue bridge, now closed to both vehicles and pedestrians. Immediately behind it is the new Cedar Avenue bridge.

Julia heads up the trail to the Bass Ponds interpretive loop.

It's hard to tell in this poor-quality zoom, but this is a swimming beaver.

The sun is setting so it's getting dark, but you can see the beaver lodge in the water.

A few geese and a swimming beaver.

Right where the path turns, there is a deer standing right in the middle of it. It's hard to see, but you can see its white tail.