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Nerstrand-Big Woods State Park is a state park of Minnesota, US, northeast of Faribault just outside the small town of Nerstrand.The park derives its name from the Big Woods, a large, contiguous forested area covering much of southeast Minnesota prior to the 1840s, when European settlers began to establish farms in the territory, [2] and from Nedstrand in Tysvær, Norway, [3] of which ...
William O'Brien State Park is a 1,520-acre (6.2 km 2) state park of Minnesota, USA, along the St. Croix River.Its hiking trails traverse rolling glacial moraine, riparian zones, restored oak savanna, wooded areas and bogs.
Nerstrand-Big Woods State Park is nearby. The nearby Valley Grove Church Building is considered an important historical site, though several active churches around the area are better preserved: St. John's United Church of Christ (3 mi southwest) Grace Lutheran Church (ELCA) (in town) Nerstrand United Methodist Church (in town)
The park has 14 miles (23 km) of trails, 6 miles (9.7 km) of which are open to horseback riding. The 1-mile (1.6 km) Zumbrunnen and Forest Shadow Trails each boast interpretive signage. The park's trail center features interpretive displays, modern restrooms, and indoor picnic tables. It is open all year, serving as a warming hut in the winter.
The Big Woods would have once covered 5,000 square miles (13,000 km 2) in a diagonal strip 100 miles (160 km) long and 40 miles (64 km) wide. Today most of this region has been cleared for agriculture and urban development. Remnant and secondary stands of Big Woods remain in parks and other protected areas.
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Trails are well-developed and extensive in the forest: 3 miles (4.8 km) trails are designated for hiking and cross-country skiing in the wintertime, 32 miles (51 km) for horseback riding, with 121 miles (195 km) designated for both Class I and II all-terrain vehicle and off-highway motorcycling use.
A wide variety of recreational activities are offered: camping, fishing, horseback riding trails (including horse picket lines and corrals); an extensive network of hiking and nature trails (including a wheelchair-accessible trail), and off-highway vehicle trails. It is named in honor of a former Commissioner of Conservation.