December 6, 2020

The Richard T Anderson Conservation Area in Eden Prairie, Minnesota


The Richard T Anderson Conservation Area in Eden Prairie, Minnesota

Todd Swank's Diary Entry for December 6, 2020


We are finishing week 2 of Minnesota's 4 week lockdown.  We continue to seek entertainment options that don't take us inside and keeps us socially distant from human beings, so our options are pretty much limited to hikes.  This week we discovered the Richard T Anderson Conservation Area in Eden Prairie, Minnesota.


We entered through a residential neighborhood called Settler's Ridge which sits high on the bluffs overlooking the Minnesota River Valley.  We had to go off the beaten paths to discover the best overlooks of the river, but once we discovered these views we were glad we made the effort.


There were actually quite a few people on the trails.  One lady was even nice enough to volunteer to take our picture which never happens any more so we jumped at the chance.  Then Blue had to blow everything by blinking during the shot.  Maybe we'll get another opportunity at a family picture in a few months or so.


There's a couple of miles of trails scattered throughout the bluffs.  Some are paved, some are dirt and some were probably created by deer and not meant for human travel, but we like to explore so we're not too fussy on who made them.


Blue is always up for adventure and will happily go anywhere we let him.  Usually he finds something disgusting to eat along the way, so we try to keep a pretty close eye on him.

The sign at the park entrance describes the area as being 125 acres of high quality woodlands, prairies, and exceptional vistas.  I agree with all of it except that first part.  These were medium quality woodlands at best.


There were big, colorful signs scattered throughout the trails explaining the area's history and pointing out the native critters that live here.  I didn't see anything dangerous like bears, wolves, or cougars, but I do know that raccoons can be pretty scary if you catch them in the wrong mood.


The park was named after Richard T Anderson who apparently spent 25 years on the Eden Prairie city council and was a huge advocate for preserving land like that found in the conservation area.  I'm guessing he was also buried here somewhere, but they probably just don't advertise that on the monument.


This Week's Tik Tok Videos

@toddswank

Richard T Anderson Conservation Center ##Nature ##hiking ##trails ##edenprairie ##minnesota

♬ The Night We Met - Lord Huron
@toddswank

Richard T Anderson Conservation Area ##nature ##creek ##edenprairie ##minnesota

♬ Smoke on the Water - Deep Purple

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