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Battle Creek Nibi Walk – May 24, 2025
A water walk from Battle Creek Park to the Mississippi River.
8:30 – 11:00 AM
We’ll gather at the Battle Creek Pavilion (2401 Upper Afton Rd E, Maplewood, MN 55119) for ceremony and walk the winding 2.5-mile path along Battle Creek to its end at Point Douglas Road. A free shuttle will return walkers to the pavilion, so please park near the waterpark/pavilion.
Watpa waḳaŋ (Rum River) Nibi Walk – Begins August 1, 2025
Watpa waḳaŋ (Mystic River in the Dakota language) also called the Rum River, is a small, slow river that begins in Mde waḳaŋ, (Spirit(ual)/Mystic Lake in Dakota, also called Lake Mille Lacs). It meanders 151 miles through Onamia, Milaca, Princeton, Cambridge, Isanti, and St. Francis before joining the Mississippi River in Anoka, 20 miles northwest of Minneapolis. Watpa waḳaŋ (Rum River) is a protected Wild and Scenic river in Minnesota.
A note about the river name from Wikipedia: “The current English name is a mistranslation of the one given to it by the Mdewakanton Dakota tribe. Though Watpa waḳaŋ (Spirit(ual)/Mystic River) in the Dakota language, by the late 18th-century Europeans interpreted the Mdewakanton Dakota name for the river not as “Spirit” denoting a mystical force, but instead as “spirit” denoting alcohol and ever since it has been known as the Rum River.”
The walk will last 4-5 days.
Please also be familiar with the Nibi Walk protocols.
More Ways to Support
Do you live near the river and wish to support us? Hungry walkers are always grateful for the gift of lunch. If you are interested inhelping feed the walk, contact Sharon at 651-325-8077.
This article provides a great general introduction to this water walk.