| Loring Park at 1382 Willow Street is named for | | | | operated as such through World War II. Fort |
| Charles Loring, the "Father of the | | | | Snelling was spareddestruction when it was |
| Minneapolis Park System." Loring hired Frederick | | | | named as the first National Historic Landmark in |
| Law Olmsted to bring a world-class park system | | | | Minnesotain 1960 and the park - now the state's |
| to rapidly growing Minneapolis in 1883 and the first | | | | most visited - opened two years later toconserve |
| 30 acres ofthis park were purchased. A series of | | | | open space in the heart of the Twin Cities. |
| bike and walking paths wind around a lakeand | | | | Fort Snelling State Park is packed with canine |
| gardens; across the Whitney Bridge is the | | | | hiking opportunities - 18 miles of foottrails, 18 |
| Minneapolis Sculpture Garden. | | | | miles of cross-country trails and 5 miles of |
| For a more extended hike with your dog try Fort | | | | multi-use trails. It is a day-usepark only - no |
| Snelling State Park, 10 minutes tothe southeast of | | | | camping - so you'll need to return to do it all. |
| Minneapolis. | | | | This is easy, shady hiking in mature woodlands. A |
| The Dakota Indians considered this spot at the | | | | good place to start is the 3.2-mile hiking-only trail |
| confluence of the Minnesota and | | | | that circles Pike Island, site of the treaties that |
| Mississippi rivers the center of the world; | | | | allowedestablishment of the first European |
| European visitors recognized its | | | | settlement in Minnesota. |
| strategicimportance for trade and defense. On | | | | The 5.8-mile gravel Medota Trail offers seclusion |
| September 21, 1805 Zebulon Pike picked up | | | | along the Minnesota River andconnects to the |
| 100,000 acres for $200 of trinkets, a keg of | | | | Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge. The |
| whiskey and the promise of a tradingpost. | | | | refuge protects morethan 10,000 acres of often |
| Colonel Josiah Snelling shaped the post into a | | | | marshy lands with 34 more miles of trails. Dogs |
| military fort when he arrived in 1820and so it | | | | arepermitted throughout the dog-friendly refuge. |