Next Chaska - 2023

NEXT IN FARMERS MARKETS NEW TIME AND PLACE IN CHASKA

NEXT IN SUMMER CONCERTS

CHECK OUT THE VARIETY OF STYLES

SummerConcertsStartinJune!

•June13,10:30-11:30am,JohnKern,CarverGazeboPark

•June20,6-7pm,JollyPops,Firemen’sPark

•June14,6-8pm,TheDirtyShorts,Firemen’sPark

•June21,6-8pm,ZacharyScotJohnson,Firemen’sPark

•June30,7-8pm,VinnieRose,CarverGazeboPark

•July11,6-7pm,TheBazillions,Firemen'sPark

•July12,6-8pm,SkarlettWoods,Fireman'sPark

•July19,6-8pm,Kashimana,Fireman'sPark

•July21,7-8:30pm,VinnieRose,CarverIronwoodPark

•July25,6-7pmAuntieDallas&UncleSiama,Firemen'sPark

•July26,6-8pm,TraveledGround,Fireman'sPark

Seemoredetails&theAugustscheduleat: chaskamn.gov/817/Summer-Concert-Series

DowntownChaskaFarmers'Market -Firemen'sPark

WednesdayJune21-Sept20(exceptweekofthe4th)

CarverVehicleFair - June22,6-8pm

Climbaboardheavyequipmentvehicles,firetrucks,policecars, &more!Therewillbefoodtrucks,games&prizes!

Fire&IceBonspiel -Firemen’sPark-Food,Beer,Music

Fri,July14:6-11PM&Sat,July15:Noon-11PM

BarkinthePark - July26,5:30-8pm-Firemen’sPark foodvendors,doggieobstaclecourse,prizes,&pooches!

RiverCityDays -July28-30-LionsPark

ArtinthePark -Aug27,11am-5pm-Firemen’sPark

Livemusic,localartvendors,&kidsactivities

LatinMusic&FoodFest -Sept22,5-11pm-Firemen’sPark Zumba,livemusic,foodfromaroundtheworld,&fireworks!

JOINUSTHISSUMMERFORFUN! JOINUSTHISSUMMERFORFUN!

Farmers Market fun at Firemen’s Park

Downtown Chaska Farmers Market has new location, new time and new sounds

BY AUDRA GRIGUS agrigus@swpub.com

Instead of doing summer produce shopping around the City Square Park Gazebo, Downtown Chaska Farmers Market regulars will be doing it next to the clayhole pond at Firemen’s Park. Weekly visitors can rest assured that “the park allows for a similar number of vendors, and as of now we are trending to have close to the same number as last year,” said Autumn

Kaye, events and marketing manager with the SouthWest Metro Chamber of Commerce.

This year’s market will feature locally grown produce, pasture-raised and other varieties of meat, fresh cut flowers, bread, maple syrup, honey, beverages, soaps, jewelry, food trucks and more.

New to this year’s market is the food truck Adventure Bowls, which serves smoothie bowls. Kaye likens the superfood/ açaí bowls to that of Nautical Bowls.

Jordan-based food truck Smooth Move will also be there for the first time with its dairy-free, gluten-free fruit smoothies. Kaye is hoping to have other savory food truck options, as well.

“We’re going to keep the vendors as far away from the construction noise as we

More Information

Keep up with market updates at the Downtown Chaska Farmers Market Facebook page.

can, because we want a pleasant experience for people that are attending and for the vendors,” Kaye said.

Construction along Highway 41 will take place between the hours of 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. according to the Bolton & Menk website. The market will be held slightly later in the day this year, from 5-8 p.m., so that it overlaps with the Wednesday summer concerts, hosted by Chaska Parks and Recreation, held at the park from 6-8 p.m.

PHOTO BY AUDRA GRIGUS

Downtown Chaska Farmers Market customers walk the sidewalks of City Square Park in June 2022. This year the markets will be held at Firemen’s Park due to construction.

The ample green space and stage at Firemen’s Park make it an ideal spot for many summer events.

“We are taking lemons and turning them into lemonade,” Kaye said.

But that later start time will only be for part of the season.

“It’ll start at 5 p.m. from June 21 through Aug. 9,” Kaye noted. “Starting Aug. 16, the market will be from 4–7 p.m. through Sept. 20.”

If the main parking lot gets full between the various events going on, parking will be available on the side streets surrounding the park.

If You Go

What? Downtown Chaska Farmers Market

Where? Firemen’s Park, 3210 Chaska Blvd, Chaska

When? June 21 through Sept. 20.

June 21–Aug. 9 from 5-8 p.m.

Aug. 16–Sept. 20 from 4–7 p.m.

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PHOTOS BY AUDRA GRIGUS

Even though the Downtown Chaska Farmers Market won’t be held at the shady City Square Park, Firemen’s Park can hold around the same number of vendors.

Much to do starting in June in

BY AUDRA GRIGUS agrigus@swpub.com

Despite the abundance of construction through Downtown Chaska this summer, many of the events that the community knows and loves will continue with no delay.

The “true summer events,” as the recreation supervisor with Chaska Parks and Recreation, Alyssa Trumbower, calls them, will run from June through August.

The fourth annual Pride Picnic, hosted by the Chaska Human Rights Commission and the ISD 112 Gender and

Sexuality Alliance, will kick off the summer on June 17 from 3-6 p.m. at McKnight Park. It is usually held at City Square Park, but due to the construction there and along Highway 41 it was one of many events that had to find a new location.

“It’ll be similar to what we’ve had in the past where there’s gonna be a lot of community art projects, a lot of volunteer groups come out and run their own activities. We had a face painter from the school serve ice cream and a quiet area for journaling and coloring — we call it our sensory friendly zone,” Trumbower said.

In recent, years, the Parks and Recreation Department has prioritized sensory friendly zones at events to make them accessible to more people.

“We have comfy chairs, a table, coloring, cards, fidget toys and noise-canceling headphones,” Trumbower said. “It’s a space for people who need a break from the action … it’s intentionally designed for those who might have sensory sensitives and disabilities, but anyone can use it.”

The Carver Vehicle Fair is back in 2023 for the first time since 2018 on June 22 from 6-8 p.m. at Carver Station.

“The Carver Public Works Department will host it and they will have all their equipment, some fire trucks, police cars, etc. and there will be games, prizes and food trucks as well,” Trumbower said.

AUGUST EVENTS

Just past the dog days of summer is the annual Touch-

The Art in the Park festival drew a crowd to Firemen’s Park in 2022.

PHOTO COURTESY OF CHASKA PARKS AND RECREATION

a-Truck event, Chaska’s largest carnival.

The Chaska Community Center parking lot will be full of games with prizes, a bouncy house, complimentary popcorn and ice cream, a Kids Dance DJ performance and many trucks and city vehicles to admire and get photos with on August 17 from 5-7:30 p.m.

“We’ll have some big trucks that kids can climb on, play on and take pictures with,” Trumbower said.

Due to use of the parking lot, attendees should carpool or use public transportation as able, or park in the middle school parking lots.

Ten days after Touch-aTruck, Art in the Park will be held in Firemen’s Park on August 27 from 11 a.m.-6 p.m.

The event acts as a release party for the CD “The Songwriters and Musicians of Carver County” put together by the Arts Consortium of Carver County.

“This will be the third year. We had it last year and it tripled in size from the first year, so it’s growing,” Trumbower said.

Artists can register to be a vendor at the event through June.

“We usually have live music, kids crafts and games, art vendors and food trucks,” Trumbower said.

The last event of the summer is the Back to School Bash on Aug. 29 from 5-7 p.m. at the Carver Community Park.

Trumbower attributes the Parks and Rec Department’s abundance of successful events to the fact that it’s “a young team, a young department … we just have a lot of ideas”

“We have a sponsorship program now where different organizations can provide an activity at an event or provide funds or donations, which really helps us to be able to think bigger and really make it feel like the community is a part of these events,” Trumbower said.

PHOTO COURTESY OF CHASKA PARKS AND RECREATION

Attendees of the 2022 Pride Picnic tie dye shirts on the beautiful summer day.

BOW WOW!

Pets to strut their stuff at 8th annual Bark in the Park

BY AUDRA GRIGUS agrigus@swpub.com

Before you enjoy a Wednesday evening trip to the Downtown Chaska Farmers Market and listen to the tunes of the Traveled Ground, stop by the eighth annual Bark in the Park on the evening of July 26.

“Bark in the Park is a pet-friendly event where we have pet supply vendors, rescue resources, pet obstacle course and food trucks,” said Alyssa Trumbower, recreation supervisor for Chaska’s Parks and Recreation Department. “And we will have our second year of the Pet Parade.”

Families can dress up their pet, make a float if they want and walk with their furry friends from Veterans park to Firemen’s Park to the Bark in the Park event.

Just The Facts

What? Bark in the Park and Pet Parade

When? July 26 from 5:45-8 p.m. Pet Parade from 5:45-6:15 p.m.

Where? Firemen’s Park in Downtown Chaska

The parade lineup starts at 5:30 p.m. and the parade begins at 5:45 p.m. There is a $5 registration fee and a limit of six people per unit.

“If the pet isn’t on a leash or in a cage, it will be asked to leave, and then from there, we will use our discretion,” Trumbower said. “If people want to bring their fish or hamster or bird, I guess they could as long as it’s on a leash or in a cage.”

Trumbower got the idea for the Pet Parade from the city that she worked for prior to Chaska.

“It was a big to-do. We had like 75 families that came and signed up either the day of or ahead of time,” Trumbower said. “We thought it would be a fun thing to add as complementary to our current Bark in the Park.”

Awards and prizes will be given out for

the largest pet, smallest pet, best costume and best overall decoration/unit in the parade.

The Carver County K9 Units will be in attendance to do a demonstration with the dogs to show “how and what they train their dogs to do,” according to Trumbower.

PHOTO COURTESY OF ALYSSA TRUMBOWER Owners are encouraged to dress up their furry friends in fun costumes for the Bark in the Park festivities.

‘EAT, DRINK, AND PLAY THE DAY AWAY’

Fire and Ice Festival and Bonspiel is back

BY AUDRA GRIGUS agrigus@swpub.com

Chaska’s “premier summer festival” is back for another year with live music, bouncy houses and tournaments galore.

The Fire and Ice Festival and Bonspiel is what Alyssa Trumbower, recreation supervisor with Chaska Parks and Recreation, calls “the big one,” the “highlight” of the summer. “Eat, drink, and play the day away,” is the tagline for the event that includes two days of live music, food and beverages, family friendly activities and fireworks.

The event will be held July 14-15 at Firemen’s Park, where

it is hosted annually by Chaska Parks and Rec and the Chaska Curling and Event Center. The event will remain mostly the same compared to previous years.

“We will still have kids activities, same timeline. We’ll have a bag toss tournament, food vendors — we have five food trucks booked for this year,” Trumbower said.

The main difference is that there will be a charge for a wristband in order for 21+ to buy alcoholic beverages. That cost had yet to be determined as of early spring.

“That’s really just because everything is getting more expensive, and we want to keep providing the same quality of events that we have in the past. This’ll help us cover some of

the fees that have increased,” Trumbower said.

Friday night live music includes Tim Haussner from 6-8 p.m. and The Fabulous Armadillos from 8:30-10 p.m. Saturday performances are by the Belfast Cowboys from 6-8 p.m. and Adam Warner from 8:30-11 p.m.

Trumbower recommends people keep up with the Chaska Downtown Business Alliance and the Bolton & Menk Downtown Highway 41 Project website for parking information and updates.

“It looks like they should be done with construction on the area next to the park on Highway 41 by mid-July, so there aren’t really major concerns at this point, or any concerns at this point,” Trumbower said of the potential impact of construction on the event.

FILE PHOTO

The band 4onthefloor performs at the 2021 Fire and Ice Festival and Bonspiel. This year’s live music includes Tim Haussner, The Fabulous Armadillos, Belfast Cowboys and Adam Warner.

DON’T FORGET

so i l to test your soil

yo

Right amount of nutrients can be the difference in your garden success

BY TOM SCHARDIN tschardin@swpub.com

There are many advantages to raised garden beds — space, healthier harvests, water control, pest protection and even extending your growing season.

But perhaps the most overlooked advantage is the ability to control the soil. Your tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers and

other tasty garden treats need the proper soil to flourish. So when is the best time to test your soil?

That answer many not be so obvious, either.

Keith Piotrowski, a laboratory manager for soil testing at the University of Minnesota, said the fall is the best time to test your soil — yes, after the growing season. It will help you get a head start on next season’s crops.

“The nutrient status isn’t going to change,” Piotrowski said in a news release from the University of Minnesota Extension. “You can go out in

the middle of October or whenever fall actually hits, collect a sample and send it to us. We will get your report back to you in approximately two weeks.”

Most of your area gardening and landscape shops have all

the needed items, along with master gardeners’ advice for all types of home garden enthusiasts. Some good places to start in Scott and Carver counties include:

 The Mustard Seed Land-

FILE PHOTOS

Raised beds can help home gardeners control the soil better and get started with the growing season earlier since the soil tends to warm up faster.

The Minnesota Landscape Arboretum in Chanhassen includes more than 1,200 acres of gardens and tree collections, prairie and woods and miles of trails.

scaping & Garden Center, 10000 Great Plains Blvd., Chanhassen

 Cal’s Market & Garden Center, 6403 Egan Drive, Savage

 Hartman Companies, 8099 Bavaria Rd., Victoria

 Minnesota Gardens, 200 Pioneer Trail, Chaska

 The Garden By the Woods, 78 West 78th St., Chanhassen

 Plant Place, 800 West 78th St., Chanhassen

 Sailer’s Greenhouse, 1610 170th St E., Shakopee

 Queen Bee’z Lawn & Garden, 17860 Panama Ave., Prior Lake

Of course, you can’t forgot about the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum in Chaska, which serves as a research center for the University of Minnesota Extension. It’s a 1,200-acre public garden that attracts more than 500,000 visitors per year.

The Arboretum offers gardening and horticulture classes and workshops, including short courses from managing

pests to an edible plants.

Yet still, no matter how much you learn, your garden success still may come back to your soil. Finding the right balance of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium is not always easy for the average gardener.

“If you’re growing tomatoes, you want the most tomatoes per plant; the healthiest, the best tasting. If you’re growing flowers, you want the prettiest flowers,” explains Piotrowski. “By having a soil test done, you can get a snapshot of the nutrient status of your garden. ... It’s a good way to check and make sure that there are sufficient nutrients there for optimal growth.”

Once you get your soil test results, it’s a matter of finding the right fertilizer for your garden. The N-P-K levels are printed on every bag sold, so then it’s your job to find the ratio closest to your test results.

“If you can’t find a product

with the exact N-P-K ratio from your soil test, don’t worry, this is very common,” Piotrowski said. “We always say ... get as close as you can with the nitrogen level. That’s what’s necessary for growth and energy

within the plant. From there, you can compromise a little bit for P and K.”

For more information on soil, as well as other types of gardening, go to extension. umn.edu/yard-and-garden.

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FILE PHOTO

Cal’s Market and Garden Center has been in Savage off County Road 42 since 1977.

FI RE M EN' S PA R K , CA RV ER PA R KS TA K E

on Summer Concert Series

BY AUDRA GRIGUS agrigus@swpub.com

With City Square Park and the downtown stretch of Highway 41 set to be under construction this summer, many events have to be moved around to various other parks and locations.

The beloved summer concerts, which have historically been in City Square Park, will be held at Firemen’s Park, Carver Gazebo Park or Carver’s new Ironwood Park.

While attendees will have to be more mindful about going to the correct location for concerts, there are some positives to the location switch.

“The Downtown Chaska Farmers’ Market is going to be there as well on those [Wednesday] concert nights, so it’ll be kind of a combined event,” said Alyssa Trumbower, recreation supervisor with Chaska.

This year’s concerts will feature many familiar faces — previous performers with the highest attendance rate are invited back first — as well as some new talent.

“We choose who to reach out to new performers based on reviews that I’ve seen, whether it’s on Facebook or Instagram, look at any sort of promo materials they send us,” Trumbower said. “We explore all of that and determine from there who we think would be the best fit for our concerts.”

New kids entertainment this year includes John Kern, a member of returning band the Bazillions, and Auntie Dallas and Uncle Siama.

“[Auntie Dallas and Uncle Siama] have performed in a lot of different cities around the metro, different summer concerts and festivals, and they have Africana music,” Trumbower said. “We’re really excited to have them this summer.”

For the Wednesday night concerts, new performers include Zachary Scot Johnson, Kashimana and Skarlett Woods. Trumbower is excited for Kashimana, in particular, who describes her style as “acoustic, soul, pop and alternative.”

Two of the four Friday night concerts will be dedicated to the music of Vinnie Rose, a well-known acoustic guitarist and vocalist in the Twin Cities music scene. On his professional website, he states he is “fluent in the musical stylings of greats such as Buddy Holly, James Taylor, Willie Nelson, Jimmy Buffet, Eric Clapton,

Keith Urban, Coldplay, John Mayer, Sam Smith and many, many more.”

Solid Gold, a brass band, played in Chaska around a decade ago and will be back this year to perform at the final Friday concert of the summer.

“Wednesday concerts are gonna be quite a variety of styles We have a blues band, big band, acoustic, 80s/90s/today and originals — so quite a variety, very eclectic,” Trumbower said. “Friday it’s a little more toned back and less variety, but the number one difference is location.”

Trumbower recommends that attendees bring chairs or blankets, bug spray and things for kids to do to stay entertained at the adult concerts. “Wednesday night concerts, the city will provide some yard games like ladder golf and bag toss,” she added.

Those of legal drinking age can bring their own alcoholic beverages to the park as long as they are not in glass containers.

“We recommend if you are at Firemen’s Park to buy from Crooked Pint. They will provide a plastic cup so you can bring it out into the park,” Trumbower said.

In the instance of a bad weather day, the Chaska website and Parks and Recreation social media will be updated with announcements.

Construction moves June-August concerts to other locations

The Dirty Shorts Brass Band will be playing June 14 at Firemen’s Park from 6–8 p.m.

PHOTO COURTESY OF CHASKA PARKS AND RECREATION

Plenty to choose from in Carver and Scott counties

BY MATTHEW VOIGT mvoigt@swpub.com

Looking for a beach to sun, build a sandcastle or simply cool off during the hot and muggy Minnesota summer? Here’s a few of the area’s local public beaches to help you beat the heat.

LAKE MINNEWASHTA REGIONAL PARK

The beach at Lake Minnewashta Regional Park in Chanhassen, 6900 Hazeltine Boulevard, is open Memorial Day weekend through the Sunday after Labor Day. The beach is open during park hours and has lifeguards from June 11 to Aug. 21 from noon-p.m. Amenities include changing rooms with showers and restrooms, shade umbrellas and picnic shelters for reserve.

LAKE ANN PARK

The beach at Lake Ann Park in Chanhassen, 1456 West 78th Street, is open starting Memorial Day weekend. It is guarded typically from mid-June to mid-August from 11 a.m.-6 p.m., weather permitting. In addition to the park, there are watercraft rentals, canoe and kayak rentals and various picnic sites.

LAKE WACONIA REGIONAL PARK

The beach at Lake Waconia Regional Park in Waconia, 8170 Paradise Lane, is open Memorial Day weekend through the Sunday after Labor Day. The beach is open during park hours and from June 11 to Aug. 21 the beach has lifeguards from noon6 p.m. Amenities include onsite portable restrooms, seasonal shade umbrellas and nearby picnic tables and grills.

A sign reminding guests to keep social distancing and practice good hygiene welcomes visitors to Lake Minnewashta Regional Park Beach in Chanhassen.

Lake Ann Beach in Chanhassen is non-motorized, so watercraft rentals are popular at this location. These includes kayaks, canoes, paddle boats and paddleboards

FILE PHOTOS

PRIOR LAKE BEACHES

There are two public beaches on Lower Prior Lake — Sand Point Beach and Watzl’s Beach at Lakefront Park.

Sand Point Beach, 14341 Crest Avenue, Prior Lake, is next to the most popular boat launch for Prior Lake on the north side of the lake. The beach is open from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend and its hours are 5 a.m.-10 p.m. In addition to the typical park offerings, there are rentals for paddle boards, canoes and kayaks, and picnic shelters. Because of limited parking, there is a $6 parking fee or a seasonal parking pass. Parking is first come first serve.

Watzl’s Point Beach, 5000 Kop Parkway, Prior Lake, is located in Lakefront Park on the south side of Lower Prior Lake. The beach is a quarter-mile walk from the parking lot. The beach is open Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend.

CLEARY LAKE REGIONAL PARK

Cleary Lake Regional Park, 18106 Texas Avenue, Prior Lake, has an unguarded beach on Cleary Lake. The beach is open 9 a.m.-8 p.m. from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend. Parking is free and is very close to the beach. There are restrooms and the beach is shaded by old oaks. There is also a trail around the lake, golf course and playground.

A stack of canoes sits on the shores of Cleary Lake at Cleary Lake Regional Park in Prior Lake. In addition to 22 campsites, the park offers a golf course, campground, picnic area, trails, swimming beach and more.

Watzl’s Beach is located at 15620 Red Oaks Road in Prior Lake.

CAMPING OPTIONS ABOUND OPTIONS

BY BRENDAN O’BRIEN bobrien@swpub.com

For people who suffered from cabin fever the last few months, camping is one of the ways to get away and recharge your batteries.

“It makes a big impact on everyone, whether they realize it or not,” said Shaun Mertes, park facility supervisor for Scott County. “It’s just a good way to kind of recharge and disconnect from all the craziness that goes on with screens and technology and staying indoors.”

Eager campers have several opportunities to experience what both Scott and Carver counties have to offer during the warmer months. With many open from late April until the end of October every year, the campgrounds offer visitors different programs and activities to enjoy.

While several parks are included in Carver County, Baylor Regional Park is the main attraction through the Carver County Parks and Recreation department with campgrounds available to people. The park includes 50 campsites with a mixture of utility sites with water

and electric hookups and primitive sites for tents. Campers can hike or bike different trails in the park as well as other outdoor activities like playgrounds, horseshoe pits and a disc golf course.

Along with the available camping activities, the park offers additional programs on Saturday mornings for families or groups to enjoy. Running from Memorial Day weekend to Labor Day weekend, Saturday Morning Mischief is a free two-hour program that involves different crafts, walks or scavenger hunts throughout the park. Drop-in archery lessons are also available on Saturday mornings for $5.

Camping with the Stars — a program taking place at Eagle Lake Observatory in Baylor Regional Park — is another camping opportunity the park provides. From July 21-23, the 16th annual program will have presentations, prizes, guided tours of the night sky and star gazing.

Lake Auburn campground in the Carver Park Reserve in Victoria also provides 55 drive-in sites, two hike-in sites and one bicycle-in-only site. Campers are also able to rent water equipment like canoes, kayaks, rowboats and boats.

Further east, campers can find even more campgrounds within Scott County. One of the main campsites in the area, Cleary Lake Regional Park,

sits near Prior Lake and has 22 sites and several amenities.

Water rentals for boats, canoes, paddle boards and paddle boats, along with trails for biking and hiking, are common activities for campers to enjoy in the park. However, Mertes said many campers do not know how close the campsites are to a nine-hole, executive golf course and practice facilities, not to mention how quiet the campsites can be.

“I would say it’s like an unmediated environment… so you don’t have a lot of traffic nearby, not a lot of noise or roads,” Mertes said. “You kind of feel like you’re getting away from the noise and congestion of people and all that stuff even though you’re not very far from shops or Prior Lake.”

Like Baylor Regional Park, Mertes said Cleary Lake occasionally holds health and wellness programs at the campgrounds on Saturdays throughout the season. It is not the only park in Scott County for camping enthusiasts, as Cedar Lake Farm Regional Park in New Prague is another group campsite available through the Three Rivers Park District.

Other campgrounds in Scott County include Fish Lake in Prior Lake, the Minneapolis Southwest KOA in Jordan and Town and Country RV Park and Campground in Savage.

You don’t need to travel far to find a wilderness escape

PHOTO COURTESY OF THREE RIVERS PARK DISTRICT

Campers enjoy paddling through the water at

Cleary Lake.

REEL IN pl e n t y o f f i s h plenty of fish

Area lakes and streams offer opportunities for all kinds of anglers

BY TOM SCHARDIN tschardin@swpub.com

It’s been said that if you “give a man a fish, you will feed him for the day. Teach a man to fish, you’ll get rid of him for the whole weekend.”

That sort-of-famous quote was slightly altered, but Minnesota is the Land of 10,000 Lakes and fishing is quite popular. And yes, it can consume your entire weekend.

According to Explore Minnesota, only Alaska is ahead of Minnesota in terms of resident fishing participation. In 2020, there were 1.5 million licenses anglers in Minnesota.

The state is also the third most popular inland fishing destination in the country.

So where do hopeful anglers go to catch sunfish, bluegill, crappie, bass, northern pike and Minnesota’s State Fish, the walleye? And don’t forget trout; the state has about 3,800 miles of designated streams available for fly or bait casting.

According the Minnesota DNR, the state’s 10 largest lakes — Cass, Kabetogama, Lake of the Woods, Leech, Mille Lacs, Pepin, Rainy, Upper Red, Vermilion and Winnibigoshish — account for 40% of the state’s walleye harvest each year.

But all of those lakes are up north. Where are the popular spots to fish in Scott and Carver counties? It depends on what you are trying to catch.

Upper and Lower Prior Lake have plenty of different variet-

ies of fish — bass, northern pike, crappie, bluegill — but it’s primarily managed for walleye between 12 and 28 inches, according to the DNR.

Spring Lake is another popular walleye spot in Prior Lake. In December of 2021, a total of 3,099 walleye, equating to 309 pounds, were stocked into Spring, Upper and Lower Prior lakes.

Jefferson Pond, Lakefront, Crystal Lake and Cleary Lake are also spots to fish in Prior Lake, especially if you are looking for bluegill and largemouth bass.

McColl Pond in Savage is known for its bluegill and black crappie. It’s great for families or kids trying to reel in their first-ever fish. The same could be said for Lion’s Park Pond in Shakopee.

Jordan Mill Pond has that same feel, but there are also largemouth bass and northern pike to be had there. The pond is also a great spot to launch a canoe and fish for bass, or anglers can fish from the pier.

Beason Lake in Belle Paine, which is the Quarry Campground in the Minnesota Valley Recreational Area, is best for its crappie and bluegill.

In Carver County, there’s Lotus and Minnewashta lakes in Chanhassen and Steiger and Auburn lakes in Victoria. They all provide a wide-range of fish, including the familiar favorites, bluegill, crappie, sunfish, bass, northern pike and walleye.

Fireman’s Pond in Chaska has two fishing piers and, like Jordan Mill and McColl ponds, bluegill are abundant, along with sunfish and yellow bullhead.

TROUT FISHING

Eagle Creek in Savage is a hidden gem for trout. It’s also the only trout stream in Scott County, which is at the crossroads of Highway 13 and 101. It’s a self-sustaining stream and is catch-and-release only.

Eagle Creek is known for its big brown trout that can be difficult to catch. It has native trees, prairie grass, invasive vegetation like buckthorn and beaver dams, while parts of it run behind industrial buildings and suburban backyards.

It’s not always about the fishing at Eagle Creek, but instead the nature that surrounds it.

Courthouse Lake in Chaska and Quarry Lake in Shakopee also have trout. Courthouse Lake, which was a former clay mine, is 10 acres where rainbow trout can be caught.

Quarry Lake is a former sand and gravel pit. The 70acre lake was designated for trout in 2018, and each year roughly 2,000 yearling rainbow trout get stocked in midOctober.

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Jordan Mill Pond is stocked with bluegill, black crappie, largemouth bass and northern pike and is a great place to take a kid fishing for the first time.

PHOTO BY PRIOR LAKE SPRING LAKE WATERSHED DISTRICT Spring Lake, Upper Prior Lake and Lower Prior Lake all received fingerlings to help build the walleye population.

Groups, trails provide area cyclists with several options

BY BRENDAN O’BRIEN bobrien@swpub.com

Winter has been long and grueling for several Minnesotans, but bicycling enthusiasts and beginners see the turn in the season as an opportunity to get outside once again.

There are plenty of ways people in the area can get involved in the sport, whether it is finding some area paths to pursue alone or joining weekly group-led rides. Here is some information on what to know before hitting the trails this spring and summer.

Biking by oneself is always

an option, but one of the fun aspects of the sport, according to Jennifer Sobota of Great Scott Cycling Club, is socialization. Sobota, the group’s treasurer, said she has met several people from different backgrounds due to the rides and enjoys seeing how people grow after joining the group.

“We get new people that show up and might struggle on their first ride, and it’s just really nice to see some of these people that have come a long way since their first ride,” Sobota said. “It’s just really great to see those relationships develop and it’s just a fun time.”

Great Scott Cycling Club

holds rides every Monday and Thursday throughout the summer, with the first ride taking place on the first Monday in May and the final one taking place on the last Thursday in September. The road cycling group has about 120 members and divides them into six different groups based on experience and ability.

Michael’s Cycles in Prior Lake also holds its own rides three times a week, going through different trails in the area. Manager Stuart Thomas said the group has done fat tire bike rides in the winter but will begin road, mountain and gravel biking as the weather allows.

PHOTO BY TERRY BLACKFORD

Members of a group with Michael’s Cycles ride a mountain bike trail in the area.

Members of the Great Scott Cycling Club enjoy one of its many group rides on the road throughout the summer.

TRAILS

Both Scott and Carver counties offer different options for people to break out the bike on the trails instead of only road biking. Thomas said there are a variety of reasons why people might choose mountain or paved trail biking over road biking.

“A lot of people like the fact

that they’re not having to deal with any cars and that kind of thing. So they feel safer riding single track, and it’s a really, really good exercise,” Thomas said. “A little bit more full body with climbing and such and obstacles that sometimes you have to ride over.”

Thomas mentioned Cleary Lake Regional Park in Prior

Lake as a good option for paved trails, as the park has about three miles of paved trails that connect to Big Woods Regional Trail. He added that the 10 miles of singletrack trails in the Murphy-Hanrehan Park Reserve in Savage has also become one of the most popular for mountain biking in the area.

Carver Park Reserve also offers about nine miles of paved trails for riders along with the Monarch singletrack trail for mountain biking. The trail is currently 10 miles long, but construction is being done through October to add four miles. It will remain open during that time with some closures of different sections.

PHOTO BY ANDREA GELHAR

Plent y of public golf courses Plenty of public golf courses FOR ALL SKILL LEVELS

Minnesota ranked 11th best state for golf by LINKS Magazine

BY TOM SCHARDIN tschardin@swpub.com

local golf course two years in a row in 2018 and 2019.

was No. 1 and Alaska ended up No. 50.

hat do The Wilds, the Chaska Town Course and the Meadows at Mystic Lake have in common?

Last summer, GolfWeek ranked the top 10 public golf courses in each state and those three made the cut in Minnesota. Chaska Town Course was ranked No. 4, followed the Meadows at Mystic Lake and The Wilds, both in Prior Lake, at No. 7 and 10, respectively.

Scott and Carver counties are filled with quality links to challenge the lowest handicappers, along with the average weekend duffers.

Southwest News Media’s annual “Best of the Best” readers’ choice contest selected Stonebrooke Golf Club in Shakopee as the best

WStonebrooke is best known for its signature hole, the par4 eighth hole, which requires a tee shot over O’Dowd Lake and a ferry across the lake to the fairway.

“It was voted one of the top 10 holes in Minnesota and voted favorite par 4 by Tee Times Readers Choice Awards,” Stonebrooke general manager Einer Odland said after the course won “Best of the Best” for a second time.

Dahlgreen Golf Club in Chaska, the Ridges of Sand Creek Golf Course in Jordan and Legends Club in Prior Lake are also recommended public links to play.

The Ridges of Sand Creek is also the home for the Minnesota State High School League’s Class AA boys and girls state tournaments each year in June.

Last March, LINKS Magazine ranked the best states for golf. Minnesota, where winter feels like it’s around for at least five months, ranked No. 11, one spot ahead of New York and one spot behind Illinois.

Not surprisingly, Florida

Back in January, Minnesota Golf Association’s annual facility rounds study showed a 5.4% decrease in rounds in the state in 2022. But unfavorable weather, and not an absolute decline in golfer participation, was considered the most influential factor.

It’s the first time in four seasons that rounds were down in the state.

“As we discovered during the pandemic, golf was one of the few sports or activities that all Minnesotans could safely participate in throughout the summer,” said Tom Ryan, MGA executive director and COO, adding that “even though rounds played were down (in 2022) compared to last (four summers), they were very close to 2020 numbers.

“This is an indicator that interest and enthusiasm in the game remains very high.”

The Meadows at Mystic Lake has also been the home for the LPGA Land O’Lakes Legends Classic the last two summers. Hall of Famer Juli Inkster won the inaugural event and 2021 and defended her title in 2022.

The golf course is not only

challenging for some of the top women professionals, but for any skill level.

The course is surrounded by 11 acres of wildflowers and prairie plants and has 80 bunkers. The fairways, tees and greens are bent grass, and there’s a 2,500-foot stream that flows through the course with five total waterfalls.

“Unique at The Meadows are the par 5’s, which can typically be holes to score, but are some of the more difficult holes and are all guarded by water,” said Mike Luckraft, the director of golf at The Meadows.

The Chaska Town Course is also a great place to play for all skill levels. The course can play long, 6,817 total yards, or shorter for beginners at 4,900 yards.

The Wilds, designed by Tom Weiskopf, a 16-time winner on the PGA Tour, is known for its mature trees and natural wetlands. With 70 bunkers and multiple water hazards, the course from the tips (7,025 yards) can be challenging for many low handicappers.

The Ridges of Sand Creek Golf Course is the home for the Minnesota State High School League’s Class AA boys and girls golf tournaments each June.

The par 4 eighth hole at Stonebrooke Golf Club in Shakopee was voted one of the top 10 holes in Minnesota and voted favorite par 4 by Tee Times Readers Choice Awards.

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