Rice County Parks, Including CRWA, Need Funding Increases To Cover Routine Maintenance: Parks And Facilities Director – May 3, 2021 – With trees downed by a tornado that raced through the area and invasive buckthorn choking out native species, the Cannon River Wilderness Park may be the most obvious example of a Rice County park needing some TLC. But Matthew Verdick isn’t about to stop there. […] Verdick, who took the Rice County job last year, plans to ask commissioners to increase the parks budget in 2022.

Cannon River Wilderness Park Buckthorn Removal Recommended – April 20, 2021 – A group of University of Minnesota students addressed the Rice County Board of Commissioners today meeting as a Committee of the Whole.  The group expressed their thoughts surrounding the growth of Buckthorn in Cannon River Wildnerness Park just north of Faribault.

DNR Requests Deer Hunt In the CRWA – December 1, 2020 – Jeanine Vorland, Area Wildlife Manager for the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources today went before the Rice County Board of Commissioners.  They were meeting as a Committee of the Whole.  It was the only item on their agenda at the Government Services Building in Faribault.  The DNR was asking permission to hold a special deer hunt in Cannon River Wilderness Park about 4 miles north of Faribault.

Escape Into The Cannon River Wilderness Area – November 20, 2020 – Some days I wish I could simply disappear, vanish into the woods or wheel across the prairie like the Ingalls family to an unknown destination. Far from reality. Far from COVID-19. But, since I must live in the context of a pandemic, in the place I call home, I look for places to escape nearby. And, on a recent Sunday afternoon, Randy and I disappeared into the Cannon River Wilderness Area between Faribault and Northfield off Minnesota State Highway 3.

Walking Paths Pave The Way To Get Outside During Pandemic – April 16, 2020 – As the weather warms, people are looking for ways to get outside during Gov. Tim Walz’s stay-in-place order.

Two People Rescued From Flooding Cannon River – August 7, 2019 – Two people who were briefly submerged Tuesday on the Cannon River south of Dundas were rescued by first responders after swimming to shore.

Cannon River Wilderness Area Could Partially Re-open Soon – February 21, 2019 -Cannon Wilderness Park, also known as the Cannon River Wilderness Area, located on Hwy. 3 south of Dundas, has been closed for months, due to storm damage from the Sept. 20 tornadoes. The storms ripped through the area, creating masses of knocked down trees, and piled up branches and brush.

Rice County Still Dealing With Storm Damage – February 12, 2019 – The Rice County Board of Commissioners Tuesday approved awarding a contract for cleanup of the Cannon River Wilderness Park Trail.  Several miles of trails were damaged from the September 20th tornadoes and straight line winds.  Then Governor Mark Dayton approved a request by Rice County for a State Disaster Declaration.  The declaration means the county receives some assistance in the cleanup.