Nature scavenger hunts offer fun way to experience State Parks

Visitors to Rice Lake State Park can add some extra fun to their experience this summer with an educational scavenger hunt launched by Parks & Trailers Council of Minnesota.
This hunt is part of a statewide challenge happening at 69 Minnesota state park locations and five local parks. Each scavenger hunt is tailored to a specific park and highlights 19 different types of birds, mammals, wildflowers, trees and recreational activity that can be found in that location.
The hunts combine online technology with in-person experiences. Participants access the hunts online in the form of an interactive checklist that features a photo of each item along with a brief description or fun fact about that plant or animal. Some items are very common and will be seen by most people who visit the park, such as black-capped chickadee, while others are more elusive, such as a sundew plant or a ruby-throated hummingbird.
“Even if a participant isn’t able to check off a specific item, we hope the experience of looking for that plant or animal opens their imaginations to the diversity of plant and animal life that exist in the parks,” said Lisa Filter of Parks & Trailers Council.
Participants can submit their hunt into a weekly drawing for a $20 gift card to Minnesota State Parks. Points are awarded for each item that is found as well as for completing the hunt with children. These points translate into entries in the weekly drawing.
An additional prize drawing has been sponsored by Friends of Rice Lake State Park that will be awarded at the end of the season from all entries to Rice Lake State Park. The additional prize is a $25 park gift certificate.
“Friends of Rice Lake State Park hope that participants will get out and experience nature in a beautiful area,” said Cherry Schwartz, chair of the group. “Remember that the State parks belong to all of us and need our support.”
Parks & Trailers Council piloted the scavenger hunt idea two summers ago as virtually all park programs were canceled due to COVID-19. The hunts were self guided, socially distanced option to fill that gap. But, even as the pandemic restrictions have lifted, these hunts have continued to evolve as a fun outdoors activity,
The hunts are designed for all ages, but with a special attention to parents of young children. “Kids love a challenge and the colorful photos that we included make it even more engaging for them,” Filter said.
Visit www.parksandtrails.org for more details.