Maple Grove, MN: Minnesota Chapter: Training Hike, Shell Ceremony & Camino Waymarker Visit

We will park and meet at the Bluebird Picnic Area at Elm Creek Reserve in Maple Grove. This is near the Elm Creek Swimming Pond. For those who have attended other recent hikes at Elm Creek Reserve, this location is several miles from the Eastman Nature Center so please don’t go there! If you type “Bluebird Picnic Area” on Google Maps, it will pop up. In the event that the lot at Bluebird is full, there are other lots available within 100 yards of Bluebird.

This entire 10k (6.2 mile) loop hike will be on paved pathway that has only mild elevation changes. Our pace will be roughly 3 mph. There are toilets at the start/finish and roughly 1 mile in but none other. Although the path is mostly shaded, please be prepared for heat and make certain that you carry an adequate supply of water with you.

If you are walking the Camino this summer or fall and did not attend our Spring Shell Ceremony, we will hold an abbreviated ceremony and gift you a scallop shell (that was harvested from the beaches of Spain!) at this event. Please let us know in the comments if you’d like to receive a shell.

And, as an added treat, we will stop at a Camino Waymarker that is on our loop. Pilgrims who have walked the Camino often deposit small stones here that are painted with their name or initials, year walked and the name of the Camino route that they walked. Please bring such a stone if you are so inclined.

This hike qualifies as 10 kilometers for those pursuing the Minnesota Compostela.

Hope to see you there!
Chuck Johnson
Co-Coordinator, Minnesota Chapter