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Article: STATE PARKS; Nearby Afton State Park makes for an easy getaway.(SPORTS)
- Article from:
- Star Tribune (Minneapolis, MN)
- Article date:
- August 6, 1999
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 1999 Star Tribune Co. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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1/3 Afton State Park manager Cal Kontola admits it. His park is a "little different than most."
That's mostly because of the park's location - just 12 miles east of St. Paul, a little more than 20 miles east of Minneapolis - and partly because of planners' response to that proximity when the park was developed 30 years ago.
There's no huge campground filled with electrical hookups, no superhighway boat ramp leading into the main attraction, the St. Croix River. Instead, there are 24 backpack sites hidden a half-mile or more into the park and miles and miles of trails accessible only by foot or bicycle. The park itself is rather small, just 1,700 ...