Lake Maria State Park

The trees were in peak fall color when we visited.

Lake Maria (ma-RYE-ah) State Park is a short drive west of the Twin Cities, just outside Monticello.

Sign at the entrance to Lake Maria State Park

The sign at the entrance to the park.

Fall is a beautiful time to explore this park’s trails.

One of the park’s many lakes.

It’s one of the last remaining parts of the Big Woods of Minnesota, and glaciers left many potholes, marshes, and lakes in this area.

It may be Lake Maria State Park, but this is Maria Lake.

The park is celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2013.

The Blandings turtle, a threatened species, can be found in the park, but we did not see any.

The rare and threatened Blandings turtle lives in the park, as do hundreds of species of birds.

Interpretive sign describing the mosquito as 'vampire of the marsh'

Vampire of the marsh: This sign says that the mosquito plays a very important role in the wetland food chain, despite being a nuisance to mammals.

You’ll find lots of maples, oaks and basswood. Many trees have passed their peak color has passed for 2013, but the oaks are at peak now.

One of my favorite fall photos.