Walking Lake Pepin - The Walk Talk | Walk Lake Pepin

Hok si la Park: First WLP group walk of the season

6/15/2025

The Walking Lake Pepin (WLP) weekly group walk on June 11 was cancelled due to weather. The WLP group did not let weather stop them on Thursday, June 12, as the group walked at Hok si la Park the next evening,
The group walked the southern hiking loop that led to the memorial bench for Frank Lupton a WLP organizer and outdoor educator who passed away in 2021.
The group made the traditional pause at the bench for a photo and recited Frank’s unforgettable phrase; “The sun is shining. The birds are singing. It’s a great day to be alive.” A great motto to apply to the WLP theme this year, “Walk More, Stress Less”.
As the group continued on the far end of the walking trail they searched for and found the large eagle’s nest that has returned to the large cottonwood tree beyond the trail. No eaglets were seen but a large adult eagle was seen flying nearby.
On June 18 the WLP group walk was scheduled to be at Colville Park in Red Wing. Story and photo in next week’s Graphic.
On June 25th the WLP walkers will meet at Ohuta Park at the new pavilion at 6:30 and walk to the marina and out along the breakwater of the outer harbor and back to Ohuta Park.
All Lake City residents are invited to the walk with the group at 6:30 on Wednesday June 25.
To find out more about Walking Lake Pepin check out the WLP webpage at walkinglakepepin.com or the Walking Lake Pepin Facebook page and follow the WLP group in the Lake City Graphic.

Wednesday, June 11, WLP Group Walk at Hok-si-la Park

6/2/2025

June 8th is the start date for the 18th season of Walking Lake Pepin (WLP). The goal for this Lake City summer community walking/fitness event is for participants to establish or renew a regular walking program or other exercise routine to improve their health and fitness.
All community members are invited to sign up online (walkinglakepepin.com), at Treats and Treasures on Washington Street or Anytime Fitness on 7th Street to make a commitment for regular physical activity over the 10-week event. Log sheets to record minutes and miles of walking are online and at the sign-up locations.
This year’s walking slogan is “Walk More, Stress Less” promoting the American Heart Associations “Healthy for Good” campaign. https://www.heart.org/en/healthy-living/fitness
Chronic stress whether at work or home can increase risk for raising blood pressure and can lead to anxiety, depression and heart disease. Walking and being physically active is one of the best ways to combat stress.
Starting Wednesday June 11, WLP participants will meet up for the first WLP group walk of the season at Hok-si-la Park. Anyone who wants to join can meet at the Park Office at 6:30 pm and walk the trail loops. Fun Fact, there is a new eagle’s nest on the south loop to check out.
After the walk, marshmallows will be roasted, and S’mores will be shared at one of the campsites.
For complete information about walking Lake Pepin go to the website; walkinglakepepin.com. Check the Graphic weekly and the WLP Facebook page for updates and what’s next for WLP.

Photo: 2024 WLP Group walkers at Hok-si-la Park.

Walking Lake Pepin 2025: Walk More! Stress Less!

5/2/2025

Plan to join the Walking Lake Pepin group this summer to improve your fitness level, reduce your stress and make new friends. All are welcome. See HOME and SIGN UP pages for details

Wacouta Group Walk 2023

Ohuta Park
Group Walk 2022

Catholic Workers Farm
Group Walk 2024

Twin Cities Volkssport Walking club visits Lake City

10/2/2024

Members of the Walk-n-Lunch Twins Cities Volkssport walking club visited Lake City on Tuesday Oct 1. They took a 5 K walk in Hok-si-la Park and on the River Walk enjoying a peaceful walk in the park and a beautiful view of Lake Pepin along the River Walk. They met for lunch at Kelly's Lake House to cap off their time in LC.
AVA (American Volkssport Association, https://ava.org/ ) is an national group that promotes and organizes noncompetitive fitness activities that encourage lifelong fun, fitness and friendship for all ages and abilities. There are 3 walking clubs in MN who plan group walks in the cities and outstate MN. Check out their website. All are welcome to join.
Lake City has a 5K and 10 K sanctioned walking routes in town. The routes includes Hok-si-la Park and the River Walk. Lake City will be listed on their website inviting club members to come to LC for a seasonal walk.

Season Ends for Walking Lake Pepin

8/22/2024

Thanks for a great summer of WLP!!!!!!!!!!
Walking Lake Pepin will be back in June 2025, and all are encouraged to keep “ Walking….It’s Good for the Soul!”

A walk and talk in and about the Jewel Nursery was the final gathering for Walking Lake Pepin (walkinglakepepin.com) participants.
On Wednesday August 14, the WLP group walkers met up at Underwood Park on 10th and after Jim Schreck gave a talk about the history of how the Jewel Nursery started the walkers headed up Wabasha County 5 and then along the paved walkway the connects CTY 5 with the Jewel Development.
Jim has been doing research into the Jewel Nursery history for a video he plans to create and had lots of new stories to share.
Phineas Jewel was a physician who wanted a livelihood in the outdoors after serving in the Civil War. He traveled up the Mississippi River in search of the right place to start a nursery to grow trees and fruit to supply the new settlements that were being established. He found just that next to the bluffs in Lake City.
Phineas along with his brother-in-law J. M. Underwood started the nursery with 10 acres of land in 1868. By 1923 the nursery had grown to 1,500 acres with 200 employees and as many as 700 salesmen scattered throughout the country.
Jewel Nursery not only grew trees, shrubs, ornamental vines and plants but was also a self-sufficient industry with a saw mill to build its own shipping grates, it grew feed for the horses and cattle and had a dormitory to provide housing and meals for its workers.
At its peak the nursery grew millions of trees, hundreds of thousands of apple, plum and cherry trees and tens of thousands of ornamentals. It was the largest nursery in the Untied States and a leader in producing new varieties of trees and fruit.
The 1930’s depression brought the end of the Jewel Nursery. The nursery was sold to William Lindmeier in 1944 and was managed by his sister Agnes until 1996. Eight hundred acres of the original nursery was sold to developers who began building the Mississippi Jewel that we know today.
After the walk and talk a drawing for Lake City Chamber Bucks was held for those walkers who logged their miles and minutes over the 10 weeks of the walking challenge. Jen Befort and Terry Smith were the winners of the drawing. Door prizes were given away to those in attendance who had attended weekly group walks.
The WLP committee would like to thank Treats and Treasuer and Anytime Fitness for assisting with sign up walkers, Erica Swenson for the t-shirt design and printing and Jim and Anne Schreck for monetary support.
Special appreciation to Katie Himanga for providing historical content on two of the group walk, the Catholic Worker’s Farm for letting WLP walk their meadow, Flower Valley Orchard Flower Farm for giving us a tour of their beautiful farm and First Lutheran Church for sharing their Labyrinth with WLP.

Labyrinth walking is "Good for the Soul"

8/12/2024

Wednesday August 7th the Walking Lake Pepin (walkinglakepepin.com) walkers had an opportunity to experience walking an 11-circuit medieval Labyrinth that was built in 2021 at First Lutheran Church, 100 Peace Ridge in Lake City.
A labyrinth is a spiral walking course, an ancient symbol that relates to wholeness. Labyrinths have been used by many cultures throughout history

Labyrinths differ from mazes though the two are often confused.
Unlike a maze that can be confusing, trick the mind and disorienting, a labyrinth calms the mind and relaxes the body.

A labyrinth has a single, winding, unobstructed path from the outside to the center. Some believe it is a path that represents “the walk” that we take through life; many twists and turns but no dead ends.

A labyrinth is a powerful tool to help your mind and body relax. Recent research indicates that labyrinths have a positive effect on brainwave activity and neurological response. Therefore, the chance to release both mental and physical tension by walking a labyrinth is there for each individual.

For people who find it difficult to sit still and meditate a walk in a Labyrinth may be the perfect walking meditation that is the labyrinth experience.

On still another level, a labyrinth can be a mind-focusing tool to enhance one’s prayer life, healing and mental wellbeing.

The WLP participants walked in and out of the Labyrinth as a group and all felt it was “Good for the Soul”, which has been the theme for this summer’s WLP event.

Lake City community members are invited to walk the Labyrinth at First Lutheran Church during daylight hours.

WLP walkers to experience Labyrinth Walk August 7

8/5/2024

Wednesday, August 7, the WLP walkers will meet at 6:30 pm at First Lutheran Church Labyrinth, 100 Peace Ridge, (left off Hwy 61 cross from the Jewel entrance) to learn about and walk the 11 circuit Labyrinth that has been built on the church grounds.
Labyrinths are circular walking paths that have been found all over the world. Some of them being thousands of years old. Walking a Labyrinth provides an opportunity for quiet meditation, contemplation and prayer. This group walking experience will focus on this year’s WLP theme, “Walking....Is Good for the Soul.”
All community members are invited to attend. Watch Facebook (walkinglakepepin) and the Graphic for updates on the group walks. Questions? Contact Patty Svien 651-345-4383.

Historic Walk in Downtown LC rained on.

8/5/2024

The Wednesday evening WLP group walk on July 31 was to highlight the history of Lake City commerce and business development beginning in the mid-1800s.
Katie Himanga from the Lake City Historical Society shared photos and told stories of how the city developed from she described as the "Wild West" centered at the end of Washington St. to the "Progressive Era" with focus on Lyon Avenue and the Patton Park area of town.
Katie explained that the Lake City Woman’s Club was responsible for turning a farmstead at the current Patton Park location to the city park it is today. She also highlighted buildings that still exist in town; city hall, the post office, Merchants and Lake City State Banks and the Hanisch Opera House.
Katie presented in the Gazebo and as the weather grew more threatening, the decision was made not to walk the streets and observe the building she described.
The Finale gathering for 2024 Walking Lake Pepin (walkinglakepepin.com) will be held Wednesday August 14 at 6:30 pm in Underwood Park on 10th Street. Walkers will meet there and take a stroll up Wabasha County 5 and into the Jewel.
Jim Schreck will give a talk about the history of the Jewel Nursery as the walkers hike toward the golf course. Jim has been working on a production of a video featuring the history of the Jewel Nursery and it’s success in the early 1900’s as one of the premiere nurseries in the nation and has new information to share.
After the walk, the group will meet at Underwood Park for drawings for those who have tracked their mileage or minutes of walking over the 10 weeks of WLP. Participants can bring their log sheets to the walk on August 14, turn in their log sheets to Treats and Treasures on Washington St before August 14 or mail the log sheets to Patty Svien, 612 Willer Court, Lake City. MN to be eligible for the drawing for LC Chamber Bucks.
A drawing for 10 door prizes will also be held for those who attended the Wednesday group walks. You do not need to be present to win.
Follow Facebook and the LC Graphic for any changes in the WLP schedule. Questions contact, Patty Svien, 651 345 4383.

Lake Pepin River Walk with NO BUGS!!!

7/29/2024

July 24th the Walking Lake Pepin group walk (walkinglakepepin.com) took place along the Riverwalk instead of Miller Creek because of an over population of mosquitos along the creek. The group had a pleasant walk from Roschen Park to the Lake City Marina sans “bugs”!
They took time for a “photo op” at the giant Adirondack chair beside the outer Harbor before heading back to Roschen Park.
Wednesday August 7th, the WLP walkers will meet at 6:30 pm at First Lutheran Church Labyrinth, 100 Peace Ridge, to learn about and walk the 11 circuit Labyrinth that has been built on the church grounds.
Labyrinths are circular walking paths that have been found all over the world. Some of them being thousands of years old. Walking a Labyrinth provides an opportunity for quiet meditation, contemplation and prayer. This group walking experience will focus on this year’s WLP theme, “Walking is Good for the Soul.”
All community members are invited to attend. Watch Facebook (walkinglakepepin) and the Graphic for updates on the group walks. Questions? Contact Patty Svien 651-345-4383.

Flower Valley Orchard and Flower Farm in Bloom

7/29/2024

Wednesday evening July 17th the group of walkers from Walking Lake Pepin (walkinglakpepin.com) met at the Flower Valley Orchards and Flower Farm. Mary, owner of the farm, was there to share the history of the orchard/farm and show the group the many varieties of flowers that are available for picking.

Sam and Barbara Blue, Mary’s parents, purchased Flower Valley Orchard in 1969 when they moved their family from St. Paul. Four generations of Blues, many friends, and acquaintances worked the farm and grew apples for 48 years.

In 2017 they stopped selling apples to focus on retirement but missed interacting with their many long-term customers. By starting the flower farm, they have been able to provide friends and families the experience of once again coming together at the farm, now picking flowers instead of apples.

They are thankful to continue this traditions weekends from July through September.
The farm is open on Saturdays and Sundays from 12:00 pm to 5:00 pm and Monday through Friday by appointment. (Flowervalleyorchards.com; 715-225-2462)

The WLP group walked along with Mary as she identified the variety of flowers available for picking. One of the most impressive varieties was the Zinnias. They were in full bloom with a rainbow of different colors.

Other blooming varieties were; Verbena, snapdragons, marigolds, gladiolus, and poppies. The 2024 list of flowers at the farm includes 35 different varieties.

After the walking tour, members of the WLP group were able to go out into the garden and pick flowers creating beautiful bouquets to take home. The lovely weather added much to the enjoyment of the evening.

The next group walk on Wednesday July 31 will be a historical walk through the business district of Lake City. Anne Tabat from the Lake City Historical Society will narrate the tour high lighting the many buildings and business important to the history of Lake City.

All community members are invited to attend. The walk will start at the gazebo in Patton Park at 6:30 pm. Watch the Graphic and Facebook for updates of the WLP group walk schedule. Questions, call Patty Svien, 345-4383.

Author

I'm Patty Svien and I started Walking Lake Pepin as a part of my Graduate studies in 2008. This is the 13th year that our grassroots committee has promoted this event to raise awareness of the health benefits of walking. We hope you join us again this year or sign up for the first time and enjoy the beautiful surrounding of Lake City as you commit to Active Living and a healthy lifestyle.

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