Craving an escape that’s both wild and steeped in history? Welcome to Pig’s Eye Regional Park. This 1,200-acre park in St. Paul holds secrets of the past. It offers a glimpse into the resilience of nature.
Pig’s Eye Regional Park has quite the story. It shares a similar tale with Bruce Vento Nature Sanctuary. This park is bordered by industry. You will see a wood chipper to the west and railroads to the north. A scrap metal facility sits to the south. These create physical and psychological barriers.
Once, this land was known as the state’s largest unpermitted dump. For over a decade, trash piled up starting in 1956. It worsened because the dump sat on a crucial floodplain. Waters flowed through here toward the Mississippi. The area earned a Superfund site designation in the 90s. Cleanup began in 1999. Despite this, pollution threats linger.
Yet, nature tenaciously reclaims its space in Pig’s Eye Regional Park. Clean soil and newly planted trees aid this resurgence. Winged and four-legged creatures return. Great Blue Herons, red foxes, and eagles now call this place home. The Dakota people once knew this area as C?hoká? Ta?ka or the “big middle”. The village of Kapo?ia used this land for hunting and gathering. Pig’s Eye Regional Park was once an area of great beauty.
The park boasts a 500-acre lake. It also offers hiking trails and bird watching areas. It’s home to one of the largest urban heron and egret rookeries in the Midwest. Keep an eye out for eagles soaring overhead. Pig’s Eye Park is part of the East Side River District. This area blends Dakota homeland with industry and recreation. It also serves as a vital bird migration route.
You can access Pig’s Eye Regional Park from two entrances. The north entrance lies off Fish Hatchery Road. This provides access to the archery range. The west entry is off Pig’s Eye Lake Road. This connects to the southern half of the park, Battle Creek, and Pig’s Eye Lake.
The archery range is free. It operates spring to fall from sunrise to sunset. It features six targets. One lane is paved and ADA accessible. Crossbows and broadhead arrows are not allowed here.
Pig’s Eye Regional Park got its distinctive name from Pierre “Pig’s Eye” Parrant. He was an early pioneer with an injured eye. Despite its challenging past, Pig’s Eye Regional Park stands as a testament to nature’s ability to heal. It offers a blend of recreation and ecological significance. It reminds us of the importance of environmental stewardship. So, take a stroll along the trails. Observe the diverse wildlife. Reflect on the stories etched into this landscape. Pig’s Eye Regional Park is more than just a park. It is a living narrative of resilience.