My husband and I have driven by Quarry Hill Nature Center numbers times in the month we've lived in Rochester. We've been dying to go for a hike! What better day to do this, than a 78 degree Sunday afternoon, with low humidity? Here's 8 things we spotted...

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1) Streams

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I love to be anywhere near water, so I was exciting as soon I heard a babbling brook in the distance. This pretty stream greets you almost immediately when you choose the "left" fork of the main path.

2) A fireplace.

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Apparently, Quarry Hill had a working fireplace at one time. Their website explains, "the lands of Quarry Hill Park were once part of Rochester’s historic State Hospital grounds." and this fireplace was part of it.

3) A cemetery.

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4) A quarry. 

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quarry love
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Don't know who "C" and "R" are, but nice job!

5) Wildflowers... tons!

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Seriously, all of the wildflowers can be found there. You can find several different landscapes within the park!

6) A cave.

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No bears. We checked.

7) A lake/picnic spot.

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There are more than just this one, but I dug this view.

8) A butterfly garden.

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You can find monarchs here! Take the kids to see them. Here's some info on an upcoming butterfly event.

We hiked around for a little over an hour, and we'll definitely be back! Not only is it close to home, it's easy to navigate! The trail markers are helpful - even us first-timers found our way.

After we hiked, we went out for some post hike beers. Cheers Minnesota, we love you already!

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