NEW ULM – Without question, one of the more popular summer attractions state-wide are the Minnesota State Parks. Celebrating 125 years this summer, the state park system has all kinds of celebrations state-wide at the 67 parks spread all across the state.

New Ulm is, of course, home to Flandrau State Park, which is a popular destination for campers, hikers and those wanting to spend an afternoon at the swimming pool.

There are eight miles of hiking trails across the park. The park also has six miles of ski trails and two miles of groomed snowshoe trails in the winter.

The swimming pool, complete with a sand bottom, is probably the most popular destination during the hot summer months. There are also 34 electric semi-modern campsites, 18 non-electric semi-modern campsites and 33 rustic drive-in sites.

Flandrau will host a summer sampler on August 27. On that day, guests will be able to sample a variety of outdoor activities all in one day. Activity stations vary at each park and may include canoeing, fishing, archery, geocaching and digital photography.

“It’s something that we can go over with some people what you can do in state parks,” said park assistant manager Mareen Ziskovsky. “We also have the ‘I can camp’ program for people to sign up and learn how to camp and that one is coming up on [June 25].”

Ziskovsky said that the trails, which vary in levels of difficulty, are a big draw to the park as well.

“Being in the river valley, we have different terrain that some other parks don’t have, but we’ve got woody vegetation which covers 60-70 percent of our trails and prairie vegetation, which is where you find the steeper terrain,” she said. “The grassland trail is uphill no matter what way you enter it.”

Ziskovsky has a few favorite trails, but there is one she recommends.

“The one that I tell people if they’ve got about an hour, its the loop that we give to the hiking club, or the Cottonwood Oxbow, just because they’re about 1.5 to 2.5 miles and they give you some great overlooks,” she said. “I just love all the trails, I’ll walk them all or run them all.”

The trails are not for bicycles nor are there any paved trails.

As far as the campsites, there are many to choose from for all sorts of camping needs.

“We have 33 rustic sites and 17 non-electric and a lot of people like those,” she said. “We have 34 electric sites for campers.”

The state parks also have a program set up for those who frequent the trails at any park. Anyone who completes a total of 125 miles during 2016 by bike, boot or boat receives a “Finisher” sticker. There is a Throwback Thursday feature for those who follow Minnesota State Parks and Trails on Facebook and many parks offer geocaching.

For more information, go to mndnr.gov/125