Jay Cooke State Park Snapshot Tour
(Page Two)


37 of 61	Camper Cabin Jay Cooke State Park has five camper cabins available for rent year-round. These rustic, one-room cabins have a screened-in porch, electricity, and heat

38 of 61	Marshmallow Roast Camping opportunities at Jay Cooke State Park include drive-in sites for tents and RVs, plus a choice of walk-in and backpack sites. When the sun goes down, the campground is full of scenes like this, with families roasting marshmallows over a campfire.

39 of 61	Tall Tales A campfire can be enjoyed any time of day. Cook your breakfast, lunch, or dinner over the fire, or just sit around it with your family and friends, telling tall tales. Firewood is available at the park office.

40 of 61	Skinny Skis Jay Cooke State Park has 32 miles of cross-country ski trails to explore in the winter.

41 of 61	Adventure Visitors to Jay Cooke State Park will find plenty of adventure, from hiking across the Swinging Bridge to finding a geocache. The park loans out GPS units and instructs beginners how to use them to find hidden treasures in the woods.

42 of 61	Memories All Minnesota state parks offer free admission on the first Sunday in June. It's a great opportunity to check out a new park, have a picnic, and make family memories.

43 of 61	Discovery There is much to discover along the trails at Jay Cooke State Park. Pausing at a scenic overlook, this family appears to have spotted something interesting in the water below.

44 of 61	Trail Riding In addition to eight miles of paved bike trails like this one, Jay Cooke State Park also has 9 miles of mountain bike trails.

45 of 61	Beaver Works Here, a beaver has started chewing away at the trunk of a tree. Beavers are just one of 46 animal species at Jay Cooke State Park. The park is also home to 185 bird species and 16 species of reptiles and amphibians.

46 of 61	Trillium Trillium bloom at Jay Cooke State Park in the spring. Low to the ground, these wildflowers have three white petals and yellow centers.

47 of 61	Yellow Lady's Slippers The best time to find yellow lady's slippers blooming at Jay Cooke State Park is from late spring to early summer.

48 of 61	Showy Lady's Slippers Minnesota's state flower, the pink-and-white Showy Lady's Slipper, can be found throughout the park, but it is unlawful to pick them.

49 of 61	Autumn Rays Grand oak trees can be found throughout the forests of Jay Cooke State Park. Fall is a great time to visit, when the oak leaves turn brilliant shades of orange and red.

50 of 61	Majesty Paper birch trees tower high over the forest floor, creating a golden canopy of leaves flickering in the sunlight on a fall day.

51 of 61	Autumn Glory A streak of red leaves hints at the autumn glory that is drawing near.

52 of 61	Forest Red Sugar maples, which turn bright red in the fall, add an extra splash of color to the tree line.

53 of 61	Frost Visit Jay Cooke State Park in the winter to see frosty white branches glimmer against the bright blue sky.

54 of 61	Moonset As night falls upon the park, the forest is illuminated by a full moon, and a careful listener may hear the sounds of tree frogs, crickets, owls, and other wildlife.

55 of 61	Ground Cover A close examination of the forest floor reveals new life—seedlings and clusters of red berries, for example—springing forth from the ground cover of fallen leaves.

56 of 61	Winter Flow During the winter, the St. Louis River does not completely freeze over, but ice and snow cover large sections of it.

57 of 61	Blue Jay While many other birds migrate south for the winter, blue jays stay in the park year-round.

58 of 61	Great Gray Owl With its round face, brown feathers, piercing yellow eyes and yellow beak, the Great Gray Owl is the tallest American owl with the largest wingspan.

59 of 61	White-tailed Deer White-tailed deer are a common sight in the park. They are especially easy to spot in winter, when the trees are bare.

60 of 61	Great Blue Heron The largest of North American herons, the great blue heron stands four feet tall. A quiet observer may notice these birds tiptoeing in the shallows and catching fish in their long beaks.

61 of 61	Bald Eagles Adult bald eagles are unmistakable with their white heads and tails, yellow beaks and dark brown bodies. Once an endangered species, they are now thriving along lakes and rivers throughout the United States and make regular appearances at Jay Cooke State Park.

Page 1 \| Page 2