Wander Minnesota: A Hidden Gem In The City

Bordered on one side by the Mississippi River and the other by Interstate 94, there's a park in north Minneapolis that's both beautiful and not nearly as well known as it should be.

North Mississippi Regional Park is a lovely park that, if you drove by it on I-94, you'd never know it was there. It's an oasis of trees and rivers and wildflowers and prairie grasses.

There's a great playground, and in the summer, a water play area is available.

Trails wander about the park, through trees and prairie lands.

It also has stark reminders of June's deadly tornadoes that roared through north Minneapolis. There are areas where enormous old trees were uprooted, some of which have been cleared away, but because some landed in the river, cannot be removed, as they are not part of the river's ecosystem.

Fortunately, much of the park remains intact, and it's an excellent place to spend a beautiful day, seeing both the current natural state and the changing state caused by the tornadoes. Give it a try.

(Psst ... on Sept. 24, local nonprofit the Säjai Foundation is holding the Amazing Walk! at this park, a 5K walk that's more like CBS's The Amazing Race, with additional challenges and events along the path. Register for the walk by 9/1 to be entered for a drawing to win a Minnesota Swarm gift basket!)

What else is happening in our state? Be sure to check out the 10 p.m. Sunday night WCCO newscasts, where you can learn more in the weekly segment, Finding Minnesota.