What mysteries lurk in the darkness? When the sun sets, a whole new world of animals and insects emerge – in the night they act differently and play by different rules. Discover more about their world at “Park After Dark”.  

As darkness falls, take a ranger-led hike through the park’s prairies and forests, looking for signs of nighttime life. Then look for nighttime insects drawn to light, listen for insect sounds in the environment, and learn about insects who live in water with Entomologist Jessica Miller. 

Come with your insect questions and consider downloading the iNaturalist app to help with species identification. We will provide guide books and an insect expert!

This is a drop-in event and registration is not required. We hope to see you there!

Parking: There is public metered parking along Minnehaha Park Drive near the entrance of Coldwater Spring. The park is located at is at 5601 Minnehaha Park Dr S, St Paul, MN 55111.

GPS coordinates: 44.90169360811069, -93.19824379260979 

Arrival: Signs will be set out to mark the event and a ranger will be stationed at the turnaround at the end of Minnehaha Park Drive, just before you see the big “Coldwater Spring” entrance sign. If you arrive late, head toward the big lights and ranger uniforms to find the fun.

Please note: Bathrooms are not available at Coldwater Spring 

Accessibility: Trails to the insect program are paved and smoothed. The night hike is optional and will take place on varied surfaces: dirt nature trails, bike trails, trails with woodchips.