Three field trips are planned for the 2025 Conference. Sign up for field trips when you register for the Conference.
NOTE: If you sign up for a field trip, plan your travel accordingly to arrive in time for your scheduled field trip. Please note Field trip 1 is on Monday, the day before the Conference.
1) Voyageur Canoe Mississippi River Paddle
Website: Wilderness Inquiry Mississippi River Adventures
Time: Monday, June 2, 2025, 2:00 – 6:00 pm
Cost: TBD
Description: Join local organization Wilderness Inquiry as they take us on a guided paddle on the Mississippi River. The tour will start on the banks of campus, a short walk from the Graduate Hotel. From there, we will paddle (in large 24-foot voyageur canoes) 6-7 miles down the Mississippi to Hidden Falls in St. Paul. A bus will take us back to the hotel. Each canoe will have a trained guide who will share river history, flora, & fauna with paddlers while you navigate the river. No paddling experience required.
2) Mississippi River Walking Tour
Time: Tour will occur twice within the Conference Schedule (TBD)
Cost: Free
Description: The University of Minnesota’s Minneapolis campus is bisected by the Mississippi River, one of the world’s great rivers. This 1 hour walking tour, led by river historian Pat Nunnaly, will begin at the Graduate Hotel and will proceed to the river via the University’s Scholars Walk, which recognizes many luminaries from the University’s history. At the river, we will see, at a distance, St. Anthony Falls, the historic site of world food giants Pillsbury and General Mills. We’ll learn about how water power provided by the river’s only waterfall powered the mills, and will hear about policy changes that have eliminated barge traffic on this stretch of the river after decades of service. We’ll cross back across the river, examining the head of the only gorge on the Mississippi. Our discussion here will focus on anthropogenic changes to the landscape and current efforts to “restore” former conditions. The tour itself will end at Coffman Memorial Union, where food and beverages are available, as well as the University’s bookstore and other services. The union is 3 blocks from the Graduate Hotel, our starting point. The route is flat and paved, but comfortable walking shoes are recommended.
3) St. Anthony Falls Laboratory and Stone Arch Bridge
Website: St. Anthony Falls Laboratory
Time: Tour will twice occur within the Conference Schedule (TBD)
Cost: Free
Description: The St. Anthony Falls Laboratory (SAFL) is an interdisciplinary fluid mechanics research lab and educational facility located on Hennepin Island in the Mississippi River. It is one of the most renowned hydraulic labs in the world with diverse research focusing on fundamental fluid flow, the environment, and energy. SAFL facilities include general purpose flumes, tanks, and channels, to a heavily-instrumented research wind turbine, water tunnel, outdoor experimental channel, and atmospheric boundary layer wind tunnel. You must wear closed-toed shoes and dress appropriately, as you may get dusty, wet, or muddy – it is a fluid mechanics lab after all!
Following the tour, a short walk will lead you to the Stone Arch Bridge. This bridge is one of Minneapolis’ most visited tourist spots – perfect for taking photos of the Minneapolis skyline and Mississippi River in one. Vans will take participants from the Graduate Hotel to SAFL / Stone Arch, and back.