Mission of the Month: City of Duluth Parks & Recreation

The Enger Park Adventure Mission helps visitors navigate one of Duluth’s most popular parks while learning about both the history of the location and also the plants and animals that now call Enger Park home. Whether people visit for the great views of Lake Superior, the beautiful flower and zen gardens, or to climb to the top of Enger Tower, Agents of Discovery helps park users learn about the world around them. Both first time visitors and locals are able to experience Enger Park in a new way!

The Enger Park Adventure Mission also helps create higher participation at other Mission sites, as Enger has more foot traffic than other parks and is centrally located. Many players, especially during COVID, have learned about Agents of Discovery at Enger Park, then continued on to play Missions at more secluded, less-busy parks and trails to continue their learning (and playing)!

Quarry Park is one of Duluth’s newest parks and provides a wide range of recreational opportunities, including an Agents of Discovery Mission called “Quarry Park – Rock Talk!” This hidden gem feels quite a bit different than a normal ‘green-space’ park. A formerly active quarry that provided gravel and crushed stone for a variety of projects in the Midwest, Quarry Park is a stark example of the impact humans can have on the natural landscape. The hollowed out quarry floor and wall are now traversed by hiking and mountain biking trails, as well as a disc golf course. The 100’ high quarry wall is also a popular ice-climbing destination for climbers from around the region.

The “Quarry Park – Rock Talk!” Mission teaches users about the fascinating geology found in Duluth (and the Lake Superior Basin), as well as other recreational opportunities that can be found in Quarry Park. This Mission was created to educate visitors on the natural history of the area, but also about ways in which people can continue to enjoy Quarry Park with their friends or family on future visits! Challenges include geology facts, like learning to spot the differences between local types of basalt and gabbro, as well as selecting the correct equipment to use for disc golf.