A Shakopee Hike
If you are in or around Shakopee and are looking for hikes to go on, there are plenty of options. Whether it’s a hike completely in nature on grass paths or a nice gentle walk between town parks, Shakopee has you covered. A few of the best hiking spots in Shakopee are the hike from Memorial Park to Huber Park, the hike from Huber Park to downtown Chaska, the MN Valley trail hike, or a walk at Louisville Swamp.
A hike we are going to look at today is the Memorial Park to Huber Park hike. Installed in April 2021, this new pedestrian bridge (right) at Memorial Park allows walkers and bikers to enjoy a beautiful trail that weaves ~1.5 miles to Huber Park (3 miles round trip). If you are looking for an easy, level hike, this may be for you. This trail is perfect for bikers or hikers as the path can get a little rough at points making scootering, rollerblading, or other small wheel activities difficult. This “new” trail is an old trail that the city had ignored for years until the new bridge was put in and the path was cleaned up.
Along with the new bridge that was put in, the city had to improve a bridge (left) already on the trail. Weaving through the trees near the Minnesota River is breathtaking, and come fall will be even more beautiful. As for right now, the green is plenty gorgeous and worth a hike if you have not already.
If you are near Huber Park, you will get the chance to see some of Shakopee’s remarkable history, an 1876 brickyard kiln. Owned and operated by Herman Schroeder, this kiln was known for making many of the red bricks you can see around downtown Shakopee.
If you are lucky, you may get the chance to see a beaver. If not a beaver sighting, you will most certainly see remnants of beavers. With half-chewed or fully chewed trees, you can see that the beavers are extremely busy.
If you are near Memorial Park, you get the chance to see beautiful wildflowers along the old mill pond. Also, you will get to see the local birds racing across the water, catching bugs for their meals.
Overall, this is one of the best hikes you will find in Shakopee. You get the beauty, you get to learn about the history of Shakopee, and you also have a chance to observe some wildlife. If the trail were paved enough for everyone to enjoy, it would be a five-star hike, but because of that, I will give it a four out of five. With fall right around the corner, this trail will only get more colorful.
