Outside in MN

No experience required. From Minnesota Public Radio and MPR News, Outside in MN provides timely weather updates, events and how-to guides to prepare you for your next outdoor adventure. Download the app and get outside!

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Audio postcard: Searching for orchids at Lake Bemidji State Park
We get occasional dispatches from wildflower chasers Phyllis Root and Kelly Povo, as they roam the state looking for what’s in bloom. Their latest postcard comes from the bog boardwalk at Lake Bemidji State Park, where they caught the beginning of orchid season.
Monuments and teams have changed names as America reckons with racism. Birds are next
As America tries to come to terms with its complicated racial past, efforts are underway to remove all eponymous bird names and to "decolonize the birding experience" to include more Black people.
Friendship, health, community: Twin Cities Latino cyclists on a roll
Latino Social Biking is a Twin Cities group helping Latino people connect, get healthy and get past the isolation and sedentary influences of the pandemic. MPR News recently tagged along for a ride.
Minnesota looks to address disparities in outdoor recreation
Minnesota is known for its natural beauty and many outdoor recreation opportunities. But there are disparities in who has access to outdoor spaces and who feels welcomed in outdoor recreation. Host Angela Davis talked with two outdoor activists who are trying to create more outdoor recreation opportunities for people of color. 
New world record set on Mississippi River, but for how long?
A crew of paddlers took a canoe from the headwaters of the Mississippi River to the Gulf of Mexico faster than anyone in history — breaking a 20-year world record. But a second crew is hot on their heels.
Catch, click, release: Fishing tournaments going virtual
A new format is gaining advocates who say fish caught and quickly released are less likely to die afterward. It's an alternative to the traditional catch-hold-release tournament, in which anglers would race to shore with their catch and crowd around a weigh-in station to see how it stacked up against competitors.
Duluth mayor proposes $24 million investment in Spirit Mountain
Duluth Mayor Emily Larson is recommending a $24 million investment into Spirit Mountain— in addition to forgiving nearly $1 million in debt— to help put the struggling city-owned ski area on more sustainable financial footing.