Take a hike to welcome spring!
Mon, Mar 2, 2026, 9:30am
St. Paul
Spring is just around the corner and a great time to get outdoors to witness our natural world waking up from winter. If you’ve been thinking about getting more exercise and want to meet new friends, now is the time to join the UMRA Hiking Club.
Our March 2 hike is an old favorite! Julie Sweitzer has led this hike for the last three years, and will once again lead us on a hike in Fort Snelling State Park. We are likely to see a lot of deer and fascinating river views. The 3.9-mile Pike Island Loop is generally considered an easy route and takes just over an hour. Hikers can leave at the end of that loop, or stay to add another, shorter loop. The trail is located below the bluff on which the historic fort sits.
Please arrive by 9:20 a.m. so we can get going by 9:30. Enter on Post Road and park in the lot at the Thomas C. Savage Visitor Center on Fort Snelling State Trail at the end of the entrance road. State park vehicle permits are required and can be purchased as you enter the park. There are outdoor porta-potties available.
Julie Sweitzer will lead the hike and will contact everyone who registers a few days before the hike with an update on conditions. Newcomers are welcome!
Upcoming Events
Bev leads the Nokomis walk to Minnehaha Falls.
You are invited to a discussion of the Minnesota midterm elections. We have set the date after the primary, which is on August 11 so we can discuss the candidates who will be in the election.
Nanette leads a trail of two cities hike.
10:30 a.m. check in; 10:45 boarding; cruise from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
Join UMRA friends and colleagues for a summer cruise and lunch aboard the Paradise Destiny II on beautiful Lake Minnetonka. Paul Maravelas, sailor, historian, and author of The History of Big Island, Lake Minnetonka will join us to share stories from 200+ years of lake-dwellers. Come early or stay after the cruise to explore Excelsior, a charming small town on the big lake.
Ticket price includes lunch: chef's sandwich, garden salad, fruit, chips, and cookies. Coffee, iced tea, and lemonade are complimentary and there will be a cash bar for other beverages. A vegetarian sandwich can be selected during registration.
UMRA’s Book Club I will discuss the debut novel Buckeye by Patrick Ryan when it meets via Zoom at 2 pm. on Friday, August 21.
The theme for September is "Monuments."
Bev leads a Lake of the Isles hike with Bun Coffee afterwards.
Critical issues facing detained immigrants and their families will be discussed.
Michelle Trudeau-Spanjers leads the hike at William O'Brien State Park.
Topics include longevity, distributions, long term care, Social Security, and comprehensive planning.
The theme for October is "Hands."
UMF CEO John Morris