ONAMIA, Minn. - Climbing up a fire tower is a great way to see the fall colors. There are several towers that you can climb in the state of Minnesota. You can find the list by clicking here.
Last year, I went up the fire tower at St. Croix State Park in Hinckley. But this year I wanted to go up another one, so I chose Mille Lacs Kathio State Park in Onamia.
It was my first time at the park and my photographer and I were greeted by a fresh dusting of snow. Yes, snow blanketed a majority of the colorful leaves at the park. I was not overly excited to see this, but I quickly changed my attitude once I got on the trail. The fresh snow brought out the colors of the leaves even more. For me, the brighter the better.
Ellery's Photo Stop
It's a short walk to the fire tower, which stands 100 feet up. The climb reminded me of what's to come, the cold. As I got near the top, the wind picked up and I found myself asking out loud 'Why didn't I wear gloves?" The temperature was in the 30s. Yup, winter is coming.
At the top of the tower, blasts of wind shot through the open windows, so I ducked below them at times to give my hands a break while taking photos.
The view on top is great. You can see Mille Lacs Lake in the distance and an endless supply of trees at full peak. The reds, greens, yellows and oranges were vibrant, even under cloudy skies, and some trees were already bare. I'm glad I caught this sight just in time.
Where do you enjoy seeing the fall colors? Let me know and I'll hit the road to check it out.
Email: emccardle@kare11.com
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