Minnesota State Parks and Trails Kicks off 125th Anniversary

FORT SNELLING, Minn. (AP) - The Minnesota State Parks and Trails system is kicking off its 125th anniversary celebrations Friday at Fort Snelling State Park.

Fourth-graders from the Northrop Urban Environmental Learning Center in Minneapolis will sing "Happy Birthday" to Minnesota state parks and trails and help blow out the candles on a cake.

Parks and Trails director Erika Rivers will unveil new maps, brochures and rule signs for state parks and trails that have been redesigned to better appeal to a new generation of visitors.

And the students will strap on snowshoes and go for a walk with the park naturalist to launch a "125-mile challenge." It's a series of events all year long to encourage visitors to log 125 miles by "Bike, Boot or Boat" at state parks and trails in 2016.