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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Nine Minnesota destinations for winter hiking
With a good pair of snowshoes and lots of willpower, one can hike most trails in Minnesota year-round. Luckily for the rest of us, there are also options either paved or packed down enough to not require fancy footwear or an emergency beacon. 
Winter play: A Minnesota transplant learns to love skiing
Finding joy in the winter is essential to survive in Minnesota, as producer Ellen Finn realized when she moved to the Twin Cities from the West Coast a few years ago. MPR News host Cathy Wurzer talks with Finn about her experience learning to ski.
In an ever-brighter world, tourists travel north for truly dark skies
The fourth annual Dark Sky Festival begins Thursday evening in Cook County in far northeastern Minnesota, a region increasingly known for its astrotourism and a chance to see truly dark skies in an ever-brightening world.
St. Cloud voters back tax hike for parks; Duluth voters narrowly say 'No'
Voters in St. Cloud overwhelmingly supported a property tax hike to infuse millions of dollars into city parks over the next three years, while Duluth residents narrowly rejected a similar ballot question.
Research shows that people of color are far less likely to engage in nature-based outdoor recreation activities than their white peers. During this In Focus discussion from the Minnesota State Fair, host Twila Dang discusses the so-called nature gap and what to do about it, with outdoor equity experts Anthony Taylor and Asha Shoffner.
Minnesota angler catches fresh water jellyfish on camera
A St. Cloud resident discovered freshwater jellyfish during a recent fishing trip. The species is not native to Minnesota, but DNR officials say they aren’t considered invasive and have been in various Minnesota lakes for years.