By dctrail in September, 2010
The Soo Line Trail - Southern Route has a newer addition beginning at Highway 10 south of Little Falls, MN that takes you through the communities of Bowlus and Holdingford and eventually connects with the Lake Wobegon Trail taking you into Albany. Unlike the section of trail running east of Highway 10, this newer segment is paved. Leaving the trailhead on Highway 10, an overpass takes you right over the highway and adjoining railroad tracks. Roughly a mile or so down the trail, the trail crosses the Mississippi River with some breathtaking views of the river, Blanchard Dam and gorgeous scenery. In nearby Bowlus, there is a nice trailhead where the community recently remodeled the train depot into a very functional community center. Bowlus also has some conveniences (cafe, convenience store, bank, etc). From here, the trail continues to the community of Holdingford and eventually connects up with the Lake Wobegon Trail. The trail runs through a variety of landscapes including forests, prairies, marshes, farm ground and even a few lakes. The particular day I rode was quite nice for late August, with high temperatures in the low 70's with a bit of a breeze. It was well worth checking out this trail while visiting on a recent business trip to centrail Minnesota.