November 3, 2011: Thompson Regional Park/Kaposia Regional Park Hike (West St. Paul/South St. Paul)

Join the group for a hike on the North Urban Regional Trail from Thompson Regional Park in West St. Paul to Kaposia City Park in South St. Paul by way of a recently opened bridge/walkway connecting the two parks. In the early to middle 1800’s, the Dakota Indian villages of Kaposia on the east and Mendota on the west bordered the area that is now West St. Paul. The first permanent settlers to West St. Paul arrived in 1848 and the city was platted in 1855. In 1887, the City of South St. Paul was formed, including the area of the current City of West St. Paul. Present-day West St. Paul was incorporated in 1889. Thompson Park features Thompson Lake and the remnants of an oak savannah. In Kaposia Park, the hiking trail descends through Simons Ravine and ultimately connects to the Mississippi River Regional Trail. South St. Paul is a working-class city that is trying to shed its historic stockyard and meat-packing industry aura. The major meat-packing plants closed and the stockyards operations downsized during the 1960’s and 1970’s. Kaposia Park takes its name from the Dakota Indian village of Tayoyateduta/Chief Little Crow (1810-1863,) Kaposia, meaning ”not encumbered with much baggage,” but the site of the park is upland from the actual village site. Little Crow’s bones were displayed for decades in a Minnesota museum and were only buried in 1971, after his grandchildren mounted a significant protest and demanded their return.

From I-94 in downtown St. Paul, take the Lafayette Freeway/Highway 52 south from the east side of downtown St. Paul, cross the Mississippi River over the Lafayette Bridge, and exit at Butler Avenue, approximately two miles south of the river. After turning west (right) onto Butler Avenue, just before reaching the first stop sign, turn left into Thompson Park.

Map to the hike start point, 1101 Stassen Lane, West St. Paul

Thompson Park website

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This webpage was last updated on July 27, 2010.