Trail riding Crow-Hassan Park Reserve
Last week as the sun came out and the temperature in Minnesota began to rise. As trail riding enthusiasts we thought we would take full advantage of the good riding conditions and drive south from Sells Lake Ranch to the Crow-Hassan Park Reserve. If you haven’t been there or aren’t familiar with this trail system, it is one of a number of trail systems located within the Three Rivers Park District. The Three Rivers Park District Crow-Hassan Trail system offers year round riding for us equestrians to enjoy.
The trails have a variety of footing from sand, packed soil, and grassy trails. It was enjoyable to get to work our horses up and down hills, around winding corners through the woods, along the rivers and lakes. There is a variety of nature to enjoy on this trail system. The park reserve has some of the most vast prairie lands that we have seen. At many points throughout this park you can look around and see no signs of civilization. Can you imagine looking out in the distance and realizing it is just you, your horse, and nature?
A few places in the park were exceptionally beautiful this time of year. One of our favorites were the winding trails in the woods that parallels the Crow River. These trails were nice and wide with plenty of room for other riders. Traveling through the woods along the river led to group camping area which had places to tie your horses and restrooms for passing riders. The trails are well marked with clear mapping at each trailhead.
Crow-Hassan Park Reserve offers a number of accommodations for people to get out and enjoy their horses on the trails. Guests are able to utilize benches, picnic tables, group camping, day trips. At Sells Lake Ranch we typically take advantage of annual parking and trail passes. This makes going out to the trails in Minnesota much easier as we always have our passes available.
With each park we visit at Sells Lake Ranch we always come up with a conclusion after a comparison of other horse parks and trail systems we have ridden in Minnesota. The Crow-Hassan Park Reserve in the Three Rivers Park District is one of our favorites! It offers terrain and experiences that are perfect for all levels of horses and riders. If you get a chance to get out on the trails with your horse this year, be sure to check out the Crow-Hassan Park Reserve!
At Sells Lake Ranch we always say…safety comes first. Remember to ride in boots with a heel and don’t forget to bring your helmet
When riding young horses we often take turns leading and following. This is critical for making a trail horse that is comfortable no matter where it is at in a line up. We want them to be patient and pick up speed or change position only when asked.
The horses handled the terrain and exposures of the park with ease. This is an excellent park for inexperienced horses or riders.