In our quest to visit all 70+ Minnesota state parks, my wife and I started out the season visiting Frontenac State Park, just south of beautiful Red Wing.

Established in 1957, Frontenac got its name from a nearby town called Old Frontenac that sits south of the park in the valley. Louis de Buade de Frontenac, a French soldier and Governor General who established several forts along the Great Lakes in the late 1600s, is the parks namesake.

Frontenac is a wonderful spot for a state park, sitting on a bluff overlooking the Mississippi River (Lake Pepin), and the Minnesota and Wisconsin border. In the fall, colors dazzle the landscape and offer a wonderful sanctuary for migrating birds. Visitors can look out for miles at the overlooks.

When we visited, the park was still waking from its winter slumber. Brown hues blanketed the area.

Hiking Club trail at Frontenac

One of the fun things the MN DNR offers to help get people out to their parks is a “State Parks Passport.” Especially fun for kids and families, my wife and I enjoy getting each park’s stamp and then finding the “password” located somewhere along the hiking club trail.

Frontenac’s hiking club trail extends 2.6 miles and is not one of the easiest hikes in the park system. It starts up high in the bluff, near the parking lot and then meanders down through the valley and then back up again through meadows.

While the hike will test your endurance, it is one of my favorite parks for panoramic views and different topography. Often when hiking state park trails, you are limited in views due to being in dense forest. Not at Frontenac.

Sights to see

While at the park, be sure to take in the following before you leave:

• On the hiking club trail, be sure to take in some of the off-shoot trails that lead you to sight-seeing vistas. One of the best, is Eagle Point.
• We didn’t see this, but there is a short hike to view In-Yan-Teopa rock – an unusual formation in the bluffs.
• Take a picnic lunch and sit overlooking the bluff.
• Be sure to go into what remains of Old Frontenac (now Florence Township) and check out some of the historic homes. Also the Florence Beach may give you a view of barrages heading down the Mississippi.

Would love to hear about your experience at Frontenac State Park and any unique finds you discovered along the way!