This is a two stage cache along the walking/skiing trails of Elm Creek Park Reserve. The first stage being a micro, the second being a regular cache big enough for swag and trackable items. Park at the Eastman Nature Center parking lot.
The area around the nature center was originally settled by imagrants from Schwanden Switzerland. they called this new community of theirs New Schwanden.
As you walk along the trails you may see remenants of their dwellings such as wood or concrete foundations, rolled up barbed wire a rusted metal barrel, a clothesline pole and fruit trees. Imagine what it was like back then.
There are also some large old maple, oak, and cottonwood trees in this flood plain forest, that are definately pioneers of Elm Creek.
At 4,900 acres, Elm Creek Park Reserve in Maple Grove, Champlin and Dayton, is the largest park in Three Rivers Park District. The park features more than 20 miles of paved hiking and biking trails, miles of turf hiking trails, a chlorinated upland swimming pond, massive children’s play area, picnic pavilions and picnicking sites, an archery course, an off-leash pet exercise area and much more. Winter activities include a new snow-tubing hill, a beginner-level downhill ski and snowboard hill, cross-country skiing, sliding and snowshoeing.
Be sure to stop by Eastman Nature Center, which offers imaginative interpretive programs and exhibits. Keep an eye out for wildlife; the park is home to many wild animals including eagles, sandhill cranes, deer, bluebirds, beavers, coyotes, loons, trumpeter swans and hawks.