Читать книгу Twin Cities Haunted Handbook - Jeff Morris - Страница 11

ALIMAGNET PARK TRAILS

1200 Alimagnet Parkway, Burnsville, Minnesota 55337

directions

From downtown St. Paul, take I-35E South for about 16.5 miles to exit 90, the CR-11 exit. Turn left to take CR-11 South. After about half a mile, continue to follow CR-11 South by turning right onto McAndrews Road East. After another half mile, turn left to continue following CR-11. After another mile, turn left onto Alimagnet Parkway. Follow Alimagnet Parkway all the way into the park until you get to the lake. The haunted trails cut through the woods adjacent to the lake.

history

Some of the trails near the lake are steep and difficult to traverse. Others are straight and easily navigated. The trails are all confined inside of a park named Alimagnet Park, which was created along the southern shore of the lake. Since the lake is about halfway between Apple Valley and Burnsville, there are actually two different parks. The largest park is the Burnsville Alimagnet Park, and the smaller one is called the Apple Valley Alimagnet Lake Park. The Burnsville Park takes up the southwestern shore of the lake while the Apple Valley Park takes up the southeast corner.

The strange name of the lake traces its origin to a mishmash of names that were put together by the surveyors who discovered the lake. The surveyors named the lake after three 12-year-old girls they both knew: Alice McQuillen, Margaret Davis, and Nettie Judd. Before European settlers discovered the lake, the lakeshore was frequented by Native American tribes from the area. No one is sure what caused the trails to become haunted, but people typically assume the ghosts have something to do with the Native Americans who once lived here.

ghost story

At the Alimagnet Park Trails, the ghosts seem to wait until the sun sets to come out. The ghosts seem to have one goal: to scare anyone away who walks these trails after the sun has set.

Most of the ghost sightings involve dark, shadowy figures that traverse the trails at night. Witnesses see a figure slowly cross the trail in front of them and then disappear into the pitch darkness of the woods beside the trail. These figures are well known throughout the area, and paranormal groups have gone to the trails at night and have actually witnessed and photographed the phenomenon. Perhaps these shadowy figures are the spirits of Native Americans who are to this day protecting their land.

One particularly strange story has circulated about a ghost seen on these trails. This ghost is seen most often just as the sun is beginning to set, when people walking the trails see a figure in the woods next to the trail. The figure looks like a clown and simply stares at the witnesses from the woods. Onlookers always flee.

visiting

There is nothing preventing you from walking the trails at night, but if you do, make sure you take proper precautions. Some of the trails are somewhat hazardous, and there are some steep slopes near the lakeshore. Make sure you have proper lighting so that you are not injured on the trails.

Many of the witnesses to the shadowy figures are unable to properly document the phenomenon when it occurs. They don’t have lights bright enough or cameras that can operate in the darkness well enough. If you are hoping to catch that elusive piece of evidence that proves these trails are actually haunted, bring equipment that allows you to photograph clearly in darkness.