William O'Brien State Park hike
Mon, Oct 5, 2026, 9:30am
Please join the UMRA hiking club on Monday October 5th, 2026 when we enjoy fall colors at William O’Brien State Park.
There will be two hiking options, The 1.6 mile Riverside Trail starting at the lower parking lot, traverses woodlands, the shores of Lake Alice and the St. Croix River. Hikers can go around twice for a total of 3.2 miles. This trail is level, but an additional 0.5 mile hill can be added at either end, if starting from the upper parking lot.
Another option is the hilly hiking club trail that traverses woodlands, wetlands, and prairies for a total of about 5 miles.
William O’Brien State Park was established in 1947 when Alice O’Brien donated land from her father’s logging company. The first commercial lumber mill in Minnesota was established at nearby Marine-on-St. Croix. The St. Croix River was one of the first rivers to be protected under the 1968 Wild and Scenic Rivers Act. Senators Walter Mondale and Gaylord Nelson were instrumental in advancing this legislation. The St. Croix is one of the best canoeing rivers in the nation.
Depending on the weather, bring rain gear if you think you need it, good hiking shoes or boots, sunscreen, a snack, and a bottle of water. Bring hiking poles if you think you might need them.
Let's meet at the visitor center at 9:30 a.m. and start hiking at 9:40. A state park sticker or day pass is required to enter the park.
The address is 16821 O'Brien Trail North, Marine on St. Croix, MN 55047.
We will meet at an area restaurant after the hike.
Upcoming Events
UMRA Book Club I will discuss The Silent Patient, a psychological thriller and debut novel by Alex Michaelides, when it meets via Zoom on Friday, July 17.
Two major conferences, one organized by the Association of Retirement Organizations in Higher Education (AROHE) and the other by the Big Ten Retirees Association (BTRA), will take place this year. The AROHE conference will be held in Florida and the BTRA conference will be hosted by UMRA on the UMN campus.
The AROHE conference invites all interested retirees and university faculty and staff to reimagine retirement. You are invited to register if interested at https://www.arohe.org/2026-Conference.
The BTRA is being hosted by UMRA this year. Leadership of retiree organizations around the US will convene to share competencies. Attendance is restricted.
Bev leads the Nokomis walk to Minnehaha Falls.
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.