Walk The Woods By Candlelight At These Awesome Minnesota Parks

Walking through the winter woods is one of the more underrated cold-weather activities, in my opinion. The crisp air, the empty trails, the quiet... as long as you are dressed properly, it can be an amazing experience.

Two parks in the suburban Twin Cities are taking that sentiment to the next level with a pair of "Trails By Candlelight" events on Friday, January 24th and Friday, February 7th of 2025.

The January 24th event will take place at Thompson County Park in West St. Paul and the February 7th event is set for Spring Lake Park Reserve in Hastings.

The event costs $8 for ages five and up, with tickets going on sale December 1st at 9 a.m..

Events planned for the event (in addition to the trails themselves) include bonfires, hot cocoa station, food trucks and ski/snowshoe rentals. There will be an additional charge for the rentals, which are available on a first come, first served basis.

The event is asking for volunteers for jobs like bonfire tender, luminary setup and lighting, cocoa assistants, greeters and more. Sign up for volunteers will open soon.

All planned event activities are conditions-permitting. A final plan for event activities will be determined 24 hours in advance and posted in the event’s web page and on the Dakota County Parks - forever wild Facebook page. No refunds will be issued if event activities change due to unsafe conditions. Full refunds will be issued if the event is cancelled due to weather.