Bob Timmons
Outdoors reporter
Timmons previously was the Page One layout and news editor at the St. Paul Pioneer Press before joining the Minnesota Star Tribune in 2005. He's a University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire (Wis.) graduate.
Latest from Bob Timmons
Outdoor Activities
How Minnesota became the center of the broomball universe
The action runs the gamut from indoor to out, with many of the world’s best players and teams from the North Star State.
February 4, 2025
Outdoors
How Minnesota reflects 2025’s big camping trends
One increasingly popular amenity: pickleball courts.
January 31, 2025
Outdoors
Snowy owl influx excites birders, keeps MSP airport officials on alert
The impressive Arctic owl has turned up in above-average wintering numbers in Minnesota and other parts of the U.S., including a return to the expanses of MSP.
January 8, 2025
Outdoor Activities
Minnesota’s ‘First Day’ hikes offer a fresh way to start the new year
The organized outings have become a Jan. 1 staple at state and regional parks around Minnesota.
December 31, 2024
Outdoors
Fat biking 101: How to get rolling and where to go in Minnesota
Riding a burly fat bike over snow is a fun cycling experience. Minnesota experts offer tips for trying it.
December 26, 2024
Outdoors
Where squirrels collide: Are Minnesota’s southern flying squirrels overtaking their northern cousins?
The southern species is pushing north in Minnesota, where its habitat overlaps with its northern cousin; researchers want to know what that means for both.
December 23, 2024
Environment![The moonrise above South Fowl Lake Friday night. ] Aaron Lavinsky ¥ aaron.lavinsky@startribune.com DAY 4 - Tony Jones, his 14-year old son Aidan
, their friend Brad Shannon and Outdoors editor Bob Timmons started the day on Mountain Lake on Friday, June 14, 2019. From there, they portaged three times in quick succession through rocky, muddy terrain into Moose Lake. They paddled southeast, eventually setting up camp on an island in South Fowl Lake, outside the BWCA in the Superior National Forest](https://arc.stimg.co/startribunemedia/LNHNBVCHSKSXWPVBAGUMOTGD5I.jpg?&w=252&ar=3:2&fit=crop)
Federal government to expand Superior National Forest, buy 6,200 acres in northern Minnesota
Forest Service’s purchase from a conservation group aims to help protect critical wildlife and water habitat. It’s connected to larger negotiations involving state school trust land and Boundary Waters.
December 18, 2024
Outdoors
A plunge through thin ice, a panic and a struggle for safety
A veteran ice angler and volunteer emergency responder recalled a frightening plunge into a central Minnesota lake, lending truth to the unreliability of ice thickness.
December 14, 2024
Outdoors
Fat biking 101: How to get rolling and where to go in Minnesota
Riding a burly fat bike over snow is a fun cycling experience. Minnesota experts offer tips for trying it.
December 26, 2024
Outdoors
Where squirrels collide: Are Minnesota’s southern flying squirrels overtaking their northern cousins?
The southern species is pushing north in Minnesota, where its habitat overlaps with its northern cousin; researchers want to know what that means for both.
December 23, 2024
Environment
Federal government to expand Superior National Forest, buy 6,200 acres in northern Minnesota
Forest Service’s purchase from a conservation group aims to help protect critical wildlife and water habitat. It’s connected to larger negotiations involving state school trust land and Boundary Waters.
December 18, 2024
Outdoors
A plunge through thin ice, a panic and a struggle for safety
A veteran ice angler and volunteer emergency responder recalled a frightening plunge into a central Minnesota lake, lending truth to the unreliability of ice thickness.
December 14, 2024