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FARMERS MARKET PLUS

Street event will kick off concert days downtown

BY ALYSSA HUGLEN ahuglen@swpub.com

The farmers market is back in Shakopee this summer, returning with its early morning hours and variety of vendor items.

Vendors will gather in the Lewis Street parking lot for this year’s market, across from Turtle’s Bar & Grill and Bill’s Toggery.

The market will take place on Wednesdays from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. for seven weeks, each one the morning ahead of a Rhythm on the Rails concert: June 21, June 28, July 12, July 19, July 26, Aug. 2 and Aug. 9.

“We encourage everybody to come out and enjoy a full day in downtown Shakopee before the concert festivities start,” said Heather Proskey, the Shakopee Chamber’s main street and special events director.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF SHAKOPEE CHAMBER AND VISITORS BUREAU Baskets of berries belonging to Svihel Vegetable Farm on display at the farmers market.

Canned goods, like pickles and jams, are part of the different products that will be offered at this year’s market.

Shakopee has held a farmers market since 2018, taking a year-long hiatus in 2020 due to the pandemic. Last year, the Shakopee Chamber and Visitors Bureau made multiple changes to the market.

This included moving the market times from the afternoon to the morning and relocating the site from the River City Centre parking lot to the Lewis Street parking lot. Proskey said the market was “small but mighty” and continues to grow as it prepares for 2023.

Regarding this year’s numbers, Proskey said she expects there to be approximately 15 vendors.

Vendors will be selling a variety of products, including vegetables, fruits, cheese, bread and pastries, meat, jams and other canned goods.

Proskey said the farmers market is just one part of a greater movement happening in downtown Shakopee, with residents and outsiders coming to visit and explore all the fun the city has to offer.

“We just want to bring people into downtown Shakopee so that they can see how amazing our downtown is,” she said.

“We’re just so honored to have such a vibrant downtown … it feels like a community, and it feels like a very family friendly place with all that there is to do and see and experience.”

Those wanting to be a vendor in the farmers market can apply via the link on downtownshakopee.org/farmersmarket. For vendor inquiries or questions, contact Heather Proskey at (952) 641-9044 or hproskey@shakopee.org.

PHOTO COURTESY OF SHAKOPEE CHAMBER AND VISITORS BUREAU Fresh produce from multiple vendors will be included in the downtown market.

A RANGE OF ARTISTS

Plenty to choose from at Canterbury Park concerts

BY ALYSSA HUGLEN ahuglen@swpub.com

Canterbury Park is hosting multiple outdoor concerts at the park’s grandstand concert bowl this summer as part of its Concerts at the Park series.

The dates, all Fridays, feature nationally touring artists performing throughout June-September. All the shows begin at 7:30 p.m., with gates opening at 6:30 p.m.

Concerts for this summer feature Night Ranger on June 2, The Marshall Tucker Band on June 23, Killer Queen — A Tribute to Queen on July 21, Smash Mouth and Spin Doctors on Aug. 11 and Randy Houser on Sept. 8.

Canterbury first began hosting live music in its grandstand in 2021. The concert bowl accommodates around 2,500 visitors.

“Rock and country performers attracted

2023 Lineup

June 2: Night Ranger

June 23: The Marshall Tucker Band

July 21: Killer Queen — A Tribute to Queen

Aug. 11: Smash Mouth and Spin Doctors

Sept. 8: Randy Houser

tremendous crowds,” Canterbury Entertainment Director Deb Schaber said about the last two summers. “We found our wheelhouse, and that will be our focus this year, offering popular national rock and country artists in a really special setting adjacent to the horse track that is Canterbury’s roots.”

The outdoor concert venue features a variety of seating options, food and bar service, the Kwik Trip Pit Pass dance area with front-of-the-stage access and a beer

garden, among other amenities.

“Live music fits so well in Shakopee and at Canterbury Park, which have for decades been an entertainment destination for the region. The available options continue to expand,” Schaber said.

Tickets are available at tickets.canterburypark.com.

Killer Queen — A Tribute to Queen performs July 21.

PHOTO COURTESY OF CANTERBURY PARK

Night Ranger performs June 2.

Canterbury Park hosts its Concerts at the Park series.

BY ALYSSA HUGLEN ahuglen@swpub.com

The Shakopee skate park has reopened after months of construction, now featuring sturdier equipment and more accessible options.

The skate park is located at the Shakopee Community Center, 1255 Fuller Street S. The city has had a skate park since 2001, relocating it to its current spot in 2016.

Many elements of the skate park had been kept through the years and were in need of replacement. Wooden ramps and sub structures were starting to fail, and the park’s surface material needed continuous replacement.

Concerns about screws popping out of surfaces was also a problem.

Construction began on the skate park in August 2022 and finished in November. A grand opening for the park was held May 4.

“Everybody that’s been there so far that we’ve talked to thinks it’s really a nice, neat spot with a lot of great features out there. So I think everybody’s going to be liking it,” said Keith Raines, Shakopee Parks and Recreation supervisor and project manager for the skate park project.

Renovations included replacing all the wooden ramps and features with concrete versions, making the equipment more sturdy.

The city also reached out to the community for feedback, especially skaters, on what features they would like to see in the newly renovated park.

The park now has quarterpipe extensions, a roll-in quarterpipe, box jumps, grind rails and other features requested by the skate park users.

Another change with the new park was better accessibility. The renovated skate park will now be ADA compliant by having handicap stalls and an accessible access point into the park. A drinking fountain and additional restrooms are being added, as well, so visitors do not have to enter the Community Center to access bathrooms or get water.

“This upgraded space has amenities that will fan the flame of those who are already passionate skaters,” Shakopee Parks and Recreation Director Jay Tobin wrote in a statement. “It will also pique the interest of new users, drawing them to Shakopee to check out this awesome skatepark … boys and girls of all skill levels and ages will come together and grow together in their skating interest and skills for many years to come.”

Skaters and scooter riders take advantage of nice late April weather to spend time at the newly reopened Shakopee skate park.

PHOTOS BY ROBB JEFFRIES Amenities at the newly reopened Shakopee skate park include grind rails, box jumps and, in the distance, seating with a shade canopy.

New digs for Family Resource Center

Site chosen to better serve Scott County families

BY ALYSSA HUGLEN ahuglen@swpub.com

The newly relocated Family Resource Center in Shakopee is now better able to support Scott County residents and families in a larger space with expanded resources and services.

The Family Resource Center, one of a few in the county, provides support services to individuals and their families via programs in the following areas: parenting, early literacy and education, health and wellness, peer recovery support, financial literacy, housing consultations, legal information, the Economic Assistance Program support, and navigation support for Latino and Somali communities.

This move was a long time in the making, as city and county officials agreed to relocate the site from the Shakopee Library in early 2022. The new site is now at the Marschall

Road Transit Station, 1615 Weston Court in Shakopee.

Construction began in 2022, and the grand opening took place in March of this year.

The previous library site was heavily limited due to location constraints. This is no longer a problem at the transit station, with the FRC making up two floors in the building.

The space now has enough room to include several children’s play areas, a lobby and office spaces for the FRC’s many community partners and partnering agencies.

“This work really wouldn’t have been possible without our Family Resource Center partners,” said Suzanne Arntson, Scott County Health and Human Services deputy director. “I’m proud today to say we have three dozen partners that come together and work out in this space to bring services and support to families.”

These 36 partnering agencies include county departments, nonprofits and organi-

zations across Scott County and the entire Twin Cities metro.

The new site also includes private meeting rooms and conference rooms. These offer more privacy options for families looking to get support and discuss matters in a safe, confidential location.

Beyond space and privacy, having a permanent site strictly for these community resources allows people to have better accessibility without feeling intimidated or overwhelmed visiting a government center.

“We’re trying to help families to get connected. Sometimes, families need resources … so this here is a wonderful experience for families because we’re here to help them,” said Alicia Brambila, a family development support worker for the FRC.

FILE PHOTO

The new FRC site is located at the Marschall Road Transit Station in Shakopee.

Rhythm on the Rails

Series brings live music to downtown Shakopee

BY ALYSSA HUGLEN ahuglen@swpub.com

Rhythm on the Rails is back in Shakopee this summer, with seven weeks of free live music performed downtown in front of thousands.

This year’s outdoor concert series has expanded from its typical six weeks, largely due in part to its increased popularity within the metro area. Last year’s series had about 30,000 attendees — its best year yet.

This year’s shows all take place on Wednesdays this summer in downtown Shakopee.

 June 21: Neil! Martin Zellar’s Tribute to Neil Diamond

 June 28: Rocket Club

 July 12: Xpedition

 July 19: Mallrats

 July 26: World According to Garth

 Aug. 2: Fab ulous Armadillos Party Band

 Aug. 9: Josh Baldwin of Bethel Music and Maryanne J. George of Maverick City Openers will take the stage at 6 p.m. and headliners will come on at 7:30 p.m. The road will close midday the day of the concert, so attendees are welcome to come early and enjoy the day in downtown Shakopee.

“We encourage people to come in, get their chairs set, and be prepared for a very fun night ahead,” said Heather Proskey, the Shakopee Chamber’s main street and special events director.

The Aug. 9 show will also serve as Shakopee Community Spirit Night, a new addition to Rhythm on the Rails. The night, sponsored by HEART Ministries and Hosanna Church, will be centered around lots of fundraising and opportunities to give back to the community.

New food opportunities will also be featured this year with new vendors set up for the series. Rhythm on the Rails is also partnering with O’Brien’s Public House, with the restaurant bringing in a full bar and providing lots of new adult beverage opportunities.

“We just want everybody to come down,” Proskey said. “The weather’s going to be amazing in Shakopee, so we want everybody to come down and just have a lot of fun.”

A crowd watches one of last year’s Rhythm on the Rails shows.

PHOTO COURTESY OF SHAKOPEE CHAMBER AND VISITORS BUREAU

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

Looking for a BEACH?

Plenty to choose from in Scott, Carver counties

BY MATTHE W VOIGT

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

PRIOR LA K E B EAC H ES

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.

Sand Point Beach is located at 14349 Crest Avenue in Prior Lake.

FILE PHOTOS

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 quartermile walk from the parking lot. The beach is open Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend.

CLEARY LA K E

REGIONAL PAR K

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.

CE DAR LA K

E

REGIONAL PAR K

Cedar Lake Regional Park, 25875 Juniper Avenue, New Prague, has an unguarded beach on Cedar Lake. The beach is open Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend 9 a.m. to sunset.

NEXT BEACH TO TRY

Parking is free and the beach is shaded with trees. There are also dog trails and fishing spots at the park.

LA K E M INNE WAS H TA REGIONAL PAR K

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 from June 11 to Aug. 21 the beach has lifeguards from noon-6 p.m. Amenities include changing rooms with showers and restrooms, shade umbrellas and picnic shelters for reserve.

LA K E ANN PAR K

The beach at Lake Ann Park in Chanhassen, 1456 West 78th Street, is open starting Memorial Day weekend. The beach is guarded typically from mid-June to midAugust 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.

FILE PHOTOS

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

A cove of Prior Lake as seen from the trail to Watzl’s Beach in Lakefront Park.

Summer Fun at the Scott County Library

BY MATTHE W VOIGT mvoigt@swpub.com

Libraries across Scott County will be hosting their summer reading programs to get kids to read over the summer.

Scott County Library’s program runs June 1 through Aug. 26 and is open to children ages birth through 18. The libraries across Scott County will have Summer Spotlight starter kits that age specific and include a reading log, booklist and activities. Families who miss out on getting a kit will be able to still print out the reading log and book lists from their local library.

In addition, libraries will be hosting various activity events such as story stations and story times throughout the summer.

“These activities really are a tool for families to use to keep their kids on track with reading all summer,” said Lisa Pollard, Learning & Outreach Manager with the Scott County Library. “The core of our

whole program is keeping kids reading and learning through experiences throughout the summer so they’re more ready for school in the fall.”

This year is the first year since 2019 that Scott County Libraries will have performers back doing events. Musicians, magicians and animal programs are just a few of the many things that the library has planned for this summer.

“It looks more prepandemic than it has since 2019,” Pollard said.

This year, the library will have Family Fun Spots. Every other week, the libraries will have a self-directed educational activity for families to participate in. Activities change by the week and range from bug exploration to origami. Family Fun Spots alternate weeks with to-go packets which are take home projects children can pick up from their library.

More information about these programs, as well as location information, can be found on the Scott County Library Website, scottlib.org.

PHOTO BY ALYSSA HUGLEN

The Shakopee Library is located at 235 Lewis Street South.

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

PHOTOS COURTESY OF THREE RIVERS PARK DISTRICT

Campers paddle through the water at Cleary Lake.

Children pose in their tent set up in Cleary Lake Regional Park.

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

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 Landscaping & 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

FILE PHOTO

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

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.

The Mustard Seed Landscaping and Garden Center, 10000 Great Plains Blvd., Chanhassen.

FILE PHOTO

UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA EXTENSION PHOTO

The University of Minnesota Soil Testing Laboratory is located at 1902 Dudley Ave. in St. Paul.

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

small population

PHOTO BY TONY NELSON, TWIN CITIES TROUT UNLIMITED Eagle Creek is at the crossroads of Highways 13 and 101 in Savage and has a catch-and-release rule for its self-sustaining

of brown trout.

Top photo: 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.

FILE PHOTO

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 varieties 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 firstever 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.

TRO U T FIS H ING

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 70-acre lake was designated for trout in 2018, and each year roughly 2,000 yearling rainbow trout get stocked in midOctober.

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.

FILE PHOTO

An early morning mist sometimes comes off the water at Courthouse Lake in Chaska. The lake was a former clay mine and now is stocked with rainbow trout.

GROUPS AND TRAILS provide area riders with several bicycling 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.

C

YCLING GRO U P RI D ES

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

PHOTO BY ANDREA GELHAR

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

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.

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

NEXT IN BIKING

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.

Thomas did have some tips for riders looking to pick up mountain biking before going out on the trails. For starters, a rider would need a more specialized mountain bike with front suspension. Additionally, bicyclists should also begin on easier trails. Murphy-Hanrehan, for example, has three separate singletrack loops, and each is designed for different levels (beginner, intermediate and advanced).

PHOTO BY TERRY BLACKFORD

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

BY TOM SCHARDIN tschardin@swpub.com

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

Stonebrooke is best known for its signature hole, the par-4 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 was No. 1 and Alaska ended up No. 50.

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,

Minnesota ranked 11th best state for golf by LINKS Magazine

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The par 4, eighth hole and 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.

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.

PHOTO BY TOM SCHARDIN The approach shot on the par-4, 18th hole at Dahlgreen Golf Club in Chaska is not an easy one.

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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.