Sunday, July 7, 2013

Hyland Park Reserve

WOW!!!  This is one park inside of the HUGE three rivers park district.  I am not even going to pretend to know a lot about this area, we went for the first time this weekend and will be going back sometime again before the snow falls.  It is AMAZING!!!!  Seth's comment was he feels bad for the residents of Bloomington who have to pay for this.  Here in Maplewood/Roseville/Shoreview which are the city parks we usually go to we are used to glass in the sand, goose poop everywhere and graffeti lining the walls of the park equipment.  This was a HUGE luxury for us to see such a CLEAN, well kept park!  Not too mention everything they had to offer within one park.  Nature center, numerous trails both in the woods and paved, beach, chutes and ladders playground, picnic tables and shelters gallore and even an outdoor workout facility.  The few close park reserves we have around our house all have fees, so what is the cost to this wonderful family friendly park, FREE!!!   We were threre for almost 7 hours and only were able to do half of the things I listed.  The kids LOVED it!!!  Oh, and can you tell I also thought it was pretty amazing.  I could be a spokesperson for this park, that they need one :)
I almost forgot to mention that we made history on our first visit.  Numerous park rangers, park workers as well as other park visitors continously were coming up to us to comment on our traveling park system.  The park workers even found their most senior staff member to ask if this has ever been done before.  He said, in thrity years he has never seen a family come in pulling their own trailor with gas grill and picnic table before.  Leave it to Seth to come up with this unique yet VERY VERY handy way of picnicing with two young kids.  Everybody LOVED it, and I must admit I rolled my eyes at first but now have to admit he was right!   We took the trailor out like this on July 4th, and again this past Saturday.  Quick and easy way for everyone to enjoy a healthy lunch, and never have to leave the park! I don't know why but I don't have any pictures of it.

Mommy swan and her babies.  hard to see but super cool.


Addy pouting on the dock

she did not want to leave

hike through the woods to see the swan and babies

nature center fun with puzzles

The walls alone were entertaining to the kids

They had a whole observation room to watch these turkeys

The kids put on several puppet shows.  They were amazing

Look closely that is an owl in the middle of them.  LIVE owl that is.  We have looked for the owls at the maplewood nature center twice and could never find them.  They thought this was awesome.

This is a pic of half the park
across the ropes

up the ropes

race up the ropes

They LOVE tire swings

Isaac and Seth way up high

down a slide

up more mesh/rope

another pic of one of the play structures

Isaac called this the tootsie roller

This slide was awesome and went fast

another fast slide

through a tunnel

up the stairs


Going home treats

spider man treat (aka stay awake on the ride treat)



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