Whenever I feel the urge to sneak in a summertime day trip, my internal compass aims toward Taylors Falls. Or, rather, the area within 10 miles or so of the little St. Croix River town. It’s ...

There are also trips to places that normally aren’t open to the public, like a hike on the Cat Island Wave Barrier in Green Bay (197, Aug. 19 or Sept. 16) to see breeding piping plovers and ...