Each October, Minnesota’s children get a school break during the Minnesota Educator Academy. The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources encourages families to spend time outdoors during the MEA break, which is Oct. 16-17 this year.
The DNR’s top 12 free or lowcost ways for families to enjoy the MEA break outdoors, no matter their skill level or outdoor experience, are: 1. Visit the DNR’s Fall Color Finder to see where fall colors are at their best There will still be plenty of beautiful fall vistas to enjoy in mid-October. Even if leaves have fallen in some parts of the state, a hike through the crunchy leaves on the forest floor can also be fun! Use the DNR’s Fall Color Finder (mndnr. gov/fallcolor) to see how the leaf color change is progressing when you’re choosing a location for a fall getaway.
2. Attend a naturalist program
Many state parks and recreation areas offer events and programs led by interpretive naturalists. Most naturalist events are free but sometimes require reservations. Check the online events calendar (mndnr. gov/ptcalendar) for a full list of programming and event details.
3. Become a Junior Ranger With the free Junior Ranger booklet in hand, explore state parks and recreation areas to learn about plant and animal adaptations that are like superpowers. Pick up a free booklet from a ranger station during open hours, and complete activities in the book to earn points and a Junior Ranger patch. Learn more at the Junior Ranger webpage (mndnr.gov/ junior-ranger).
4. Take a tour
MEA weekend is the last weekend of the tour season for the three state parks that offer tours: Blue Mounds, Forestville/ Mystery Cave and Lake Vermilion-Soudan Underground Mine.
5. Pack a fall-themed picnic Pack apples, pumpkin muffins, trail mix or cider and enjoy lunch under the autumn canopy. Most state parks and recreation areas have picnic areas with tables, grills or campfire rings and plenty of space for kids to run and play – visit the Park Finder page (mndnr.gov/ parkfinder) on the DNR web site to search for locations with the amenities you’re looking for.
6. Watch wildlife
Fall is a great time to watch migrating birds, deer, and other animals preparing for winter. Bring or borrow binoculars and turn it into a family challenge: who can spot the most species? Birding kits, including binoculars, are available to check out at many state parks.
7. Build backpacking skills at an I Can! program The I Can! series offered by DNR helps people who are new to outdoor recreation learn the skills and gain confidence to participate in outdoor activities. An I Can Backpack! program is offered at Afton State Park on Oct. 18-19. The program is best for kids ages 10 and up. The cost is $105 per reservation, which covers meals and backpacking equipment for two people and a one-day state park vehicle permit. Learn more or register at the I Can Camp! webpage (mndnr.gov/ icancamp).
8. Do a fall-themed family activity Project Learning Tree, an environmental education program with the Minnesota DNR as its state affiliate, offers naturebased activity guides for kids and families. Find guides, including a Signs of Fall family nature activity, on the Project Learning Tree webpage (mndnr. gov/plt).
9. Hit the trails for a hike Whether people prefer long treks on challenging forest trails or short, easy jaunts down accessible paved trails, state lands offer a trail for everyone. There are trails at state parks, state forests, and 1,500plus miles of state trails open to everyone. Some Scientific and Natural Areas also have hiking opportunities, although they don’t all have maintained trails. Find trails and safety tips at the DNR’s hiking webpage (mndnr. gov/hiking).
10. Have a campfire night Cool evenings make campfires cozy. With hours of daylight waning, there’s time to have a campfire after dark but before the kids’ bedtime. Roast marshmallows, share stories, or look to the sky to spot constellations. Campfire rings are available in most state park and recreation area picnic grounds. State parks are open until 10 p.m. Keep campfires small and manageable, and always have plenty of water and a shovel close by to put the fire out cold.
11. Go hunting on public land Minnesota has extensive options for hunting on public land. Wildlife management areas, state forests, national forests and federal waterfowl production areas are among those most popular areas for hunting. More information is available on the DNR learn to hunt webpage (mndnr.gov/hunting/tips/ locations.html).
12. Ride off-highway vehicle trails There are 79 state and grantin- aid trails for people to ride, thanks to club volunteers and the DNR, or there is great riding in Minnesota state forests! Find trails using the OHV Trail Atlas, which is found on the DNR OHV webpage (mndnr. gov/ohv).
Families should keep safety in mind when recreating outdoors in the fall as there are typically hunting seasons from mid-September through the end of February. For safety, the DNR recommends everyone visiting areas open to hunting during an open hunting season wear at least one item of blaze orange or pink clothing above the waist.
