Explore the best rated trails in Owatonna, MN. Whether you're looking for an easy walking trail or a bike trail like the Batchelder Trail and John Wellner Memorial Trail. With more than 67 trails covering 305 miles you’re bound to find a perfect trail for you. Click on any trail below to find trail descriptions, trail maps, photos, and reviews.
_0_st.jpg)
The 40th Street Bike Path is an asphalt sidepath trail that follows its namesake roadway through a lightly developed stretch of southern Rochester, coasting over rolling hills and the edge of woods to...
Circling around the 652-acre lake on the eastern edge of Waseca, the Clear Lake Bike Trail System provides a fun recreational experience and a unique way to explore this pristine body of water. A very...
Although only stretching a half mile, the paved Red Wing Riverfront Trail, which opened in 2016, offers an important connection between two parks along the Mississippi River in the charming community...
_162161_sc.jpg)
This Mississippi River Regional Trail running through eastern Dakota County is a segment of a larger regional trail system that is itself part of the National Park Service’s Mississippi National River...
The Douglas State Trail occupies the railbed of the former Chicago Great Western Railway corridor between the cities of Rochester and Pine Island. Several of the concrete obelisk railroad mile markers...
Shooting Star State Trail, currently 19 miles long, is an 8-foot-wide asphalt path from LeRoy (east) to Rose Creek (west). It follows an unused railroad bed on Milwaukee Road, which once stretched...
The Southern Woods Trail is a short, paved trail that runs through a pretty section of suburban southern Rochester. The trail starts in the north where the 48th Street Bike Path crosses over Willow...
_0_sc.jpg)
Located in the low-lying woodlands in along Wolf Creek, this trail picks up across 11th Street from Todd Park and its paved bike trail. The trail winds through the riparian forests on lands once owned...
The Straight River Trail forms a backwards L as it runs north-south through Faribault and then curves west. The paved trail begins at the Cannon River Reservoir, then travels through woodlands in Two...
A neighborhood offshoot of the longer Zumbro South Trail, the Mayowood Bike Path is an asphalt sidepath trail that parallels Mayowood Road in southern Rochester. The trail is relatively flat, running...
The Great River Ridge State Trail runs for 13 miles between County Road 9 just north of Eyota and Third Street Southwest just north of Wabasha Street in the town of Plainview, which serves as the...
Opened in the summer of 2017, the Point Douglas Regional Trail offers a picturesque link along the Mississippi River between Prescott, WI, and Hastings, MN, on a former railroad called the Peanut...
The Cannon Valley Trail, which became a National Recreation Trail in 2018, links the southeastern Minnesota communities of Red Wing, Welch, and Cannon Falls along the former route of the Chicago Great...
The Salem Road Bike Path is an asphalt sidepath trail that runs along Salem Road and West Frontage Road in a pretty, suburban section of southern Rochester. The pathway picks up where the West Circle...
A straightforward asphalt sidepath trail, the St. Bridgets Bike Path runs along the side of its namesake roadway in southern Rochester, in a residential and commercial pocket just off Highway 63....
The Valleyhigh Road Bike Path is a paved asphalt sidepath trail that provides a short connection between several paths in Rochester's system of multi-use trails. The western end marks the beginning of...
One of Rochester's many suburban sidepath trails, the Overland Drive Trail runs along a roadside near the northern limits of the city. Passing over rolling hills and through the edges of residential...
Paralleling South Broadway and 16th Street in the heart of Rochester, the Graham Park Trail provides a nice alternative to the busy roadways for cyclists and pedestrians, leading trail users along a...
Offering a pleasant path along the southern side of Cascade Lake, the Cascade Lake Trail allows cyclists and pedestrians to explore the grounds around the lakeshore and Cascade Lake Park, home to a...
Offering nearly 10 miles of paved pathway through Rochester, the Zumbro South Trail serves as both an important transportation route and recreational destination. As the western end of the trail...
The Batchelder Trail is a local walking and biking path in Faribault, Minnesota, a city south of the Minneapolis-St. Paul metro. The asphalt trail starts on Park Avenue and winds behind a residential...
_0_sc.jpg)
The great thing about Rochester's extensive trail system is that it gives you the best of both words: not only are the trails great for recreation out in nature, they are also convenient for commuters...
The Southern Woods Trail is a short, paved trail that runs through a pretty section of suburban southern Rochester. The trail starts in the north where the 48th Street Bike Path crosses over Willow...
The Cannon Valley Trail, which became a National Recreation Trail in 2018, links the southeastern Minnesota communities of Red Wing, Welch, and Cannon Falls along the former route of the Chicago Great...
At one time, flour and grist mills dotted the Cannon River Valley. These mills formed the backbone industry for a number of towns. The Mill Towns State Trail seeks to honor this legacy with a planned...
Although only stretching a half mile, the paved Red Wing Riverfront Trail, which opened in 2016, offers an important connection between two parks along the Mississippi River in the charming community...
Running alongside Marion Road in southern Rochester, the Marion Road Bike Path provides an asphalt sidepath trail for cyclists and pedestrians to use - together with the Bear Creek Trail and the...
The Northern Link Trail provides a pleasant walking and biking experience in Faribault County. The hard surface trail forms a V-shape, starting at the Two Rivers Park parking area in the east and...
Spanning over three miles along the side of Highway 52 as it runs through Rochester, the North Frontage Trail provides a space for cyclists and pedestrians alongside all the nearby automotive traffic....
A short neighborhood trail that runs through Summit Pointe Park in northwest Rochester, the Summit Pointe Trail provides a great outlet for cyclists and pedestrians to get some exercise and outdoor...
The Salem Road Bike Path is an asphalt sidepath trail that runs along Salem Road and West Frontage Road in a pretty, suburban section of southern Rochester. The pathway picks up where the West Circle...
The Foster-Arend Trail helps connect residents in northern Rochester with the rest of the city's network of trails and bike paths, and leads into Foster-Arend Park, a popular local park that offers...
Linking some of Rochester's most popular parks and recreation sites, the Cascade Creek Trail follows its namesake creek for over three miles, from Manorwoods Lake and Cascade Lake in the west, to the...
Shooting Star State Trail, currently 19 miles long, is an 8-foot-wide asphalt path from LeRoy (east) to Rose Creek (west). It follows an unused railroad bed on Milwaukee Road, which once stretched...
Named in the memory of Arianna Celeste Macnamara, a 7-year old girl who was tragically killed when she was struck by a car while crossing a nearby intersection, the Arianna Celeste Macnamara Memorial...
Located in northwestern Rochester, the White Oaks Trail provides a safe and pleasant connection for residents to access White Oaks Park and the Douglas State Trail, one of the area's premier...
The Goodhue Pioneer State Trail is a work in progress as part of a planned 47-mile trail linking the cities of Red Wing, Goodhue, Zumbrota, Mazeppa, Bellechester, and Pine Island along an inactive...
The Essex Park Trail is a short, paved trail that connects neighborhoods in northern Rochester with the verdant grounds of Essex Park, home to playgrounds and plenty of open recreation space. The...
The Valleyhigh Road Bike Path is a paved asphalt sidepath trail that provides a short connection between several paths in Rochester's system of multi-use trails. The western end marks the beginning of...
One of Rochester's many suburban sidepath trails, the Overland Drive Trail runs along a roadside near the northern limits of the city. Passing over rolling hills and through the edges of residential...
Circling around the 652-acre lake on the eastern edge of Waseca, the Clear Lake Bike Trail System provides a fun recreational experience and a unique way to explore this pristine body of water. A very...
Linking some of Rochester's most popular parks and recreation sites, the Cascade Creek Trail follows its namesake creek for over three miles, from Manorwoods Lake and Cascade Lake in the west, to the...
Largely constructed on a former rail corridor running north/south out of the city of Waseca, the Loon Lake Trail is a short but sweet trail that provides residents with off-road access to important...
The paved North Minnesota River Trail hugs its namesake river for much of its journey on the western end of Mankato. Along the way, it offers views of the river, limestone cliffs and the city. From...
The Valleyhigh Road Bike Path is a paved asphalt sidepath trail that provides a short connection between several paths in Rochester's system of multi-use trails. The western end marks the beginning of...
Rochester, Minnesota is home to a whole host of excellent multi-use pathways and trails, giving cyclists and pedestrians ample opportunity to explore the outdoors and get in plenty of safe recreation...
The Badger Hills Bike Path is a suburban sidepath trail that travels along the side of 41st Street and Badger Hills Drive in northern Rochester. While not much to look at, this asphalt pathway...
The Douglas-Cascade Trail extends 2 miles southeast towards downtown Rochester from the southern terminus of the Douglas State Trail. The paved trail, a portion of which follows the former Chicago...
Opened in the summer of 2017, the Point Douglas Regional Trail offers a picturesque link along the Mississippi River between Prescott, WI, and Hastings, MN, on a former railroad called the Peanut...
The Batchelder Trail is a local walking and biking path in Faribault, Minnesota, a city south of the Minneapolis-St. Paul metro. The asphalt trail starts on Park Avenue and winds behind a residential...
The Goodhue Pioneer State Trail is a work in progress as part of a planned 47-mile trail linking the cities of Red Wing, Goodhue, Zumbrota, Mazeppa, Bellechester, and Pine Island along an inactive...
The great thing about Rochester's extensive trail system is that it gives you the best of both words: not only are the trails great for recreation out in nature, they are also convenient for commuters...
Located in the low-lying woodlands in along Wolf Creek, this trail picks up across 11th Street from Todd Park and its paved bike trail. The trail winds through the riparian forests on lands once owned...
The Vermillion River Regional Greenway offers a beautiful, paved loop in the riverfront city of Hastings, which lies on the banks of the Mississippi in southeastern Minnesota. Highlights of the...
A short offshoot of the longer Zumbro North Trail, the Elton Hills Run Trail provides a quick and convenient connection to the neighborhoods to the west of the river, as well as the small local park...
The Todd Park Bike Trail makes use of an old railroad grade to connect recreational destinations in Austin. The paved trail links Todd Park to Mill Pond on the Cedar River. The trail traverses Todd...
Spanning over three miles along the side of Highway 52 as it runs through Rochester, the North Frontage Trail provides a space for cyclists and pedestrians alongside all the nearby automotive traffic....
The Bandel Road Path is an asphalt sidepath that runs primarily in a utility corridor along the side of Bandel Road in northern Rochester. The pathway provides an alternative option for cyclists to...
The South Route Trail begins west of Mankato in Minneopa State Park, known for its beautiful waterfalls and views of the Minnesota River Valley. Heading southeast from the park, following County Road...
The Bear Creek Cutoff Trail serves as a short connector trail, allowing cyclists and pedestrians access to and from the southern end of the Bear Creek Trail. The asphalt pathway spans from 11th Avenue...
You can get on this trail either at Huber Park or Vet's Memorial Park, both in Shakopee. The eastern end is now paved & goes across the MN river into West Bloomington where there are mountain bike trails. There is new pavement in front of Valley Fair & Murphy's Landing. The trail then goes along the river over to Chaska which can sometimes be flooded out.
Also, from Huber Park you can get on a new segment of trail & go across a much wider span of MN river and go up Flying Cloud towards Eden Prairie. Also, there is a connection to the LRT with a new river bridge and much new road construction in that area. Shakopee has many good paved trails in town to connect to if you want to stretch out your ride.
Beyond Chaska you can now go to Carver on a short paved trail. Going to Jordan or Belle Plaine is on poorly maintained dirt trails--maybe good for mountain or fat tire bike?
Took advantage of our unseasonably warm November weather to try out this trail. The trail was in excellent shape, smooth and mostly flat. Rode from where trail picks up again on the west side of Waterville to a little past Madison Lake, and back, about 28.5 miles.
The trail was great!!! Not alot of people so very peaceful
The pavement around the lake was in good condition. A section was thru city streets but marked. In the south east is Mable Wood Park, on a huge wooded hill for hiking.
The trail is very nice - lots of variety of scenery. In town, neighborhoods, but also parks, prairie, river, ponds, and woods. There’s also lots of little fun detours. Makes for a nice leisurely ride. The trail is not marked particularly well, but it is t as bad as the other reviewer indicates. We used this app to stay on course (or get back on course if we Took a detour).
The path wasn’t always super well marked, but it’s not as bad as the other reviewer said. This app was VERY helpful in guiding us. Some in town, neighborhoods, prairie, woods, ponds, river - and lots of little detours to take advantage of. A very nice leisurely ride.
I fairly level ride along the river. Can be a bit on the busy side, especially on the northern end, but still worthwhile. Some stops along the way for water and for scenic overlooks.
I am not sure what they are doing with everyone's $5 as both trail heads were a very rough ride. The trail is mostly flat and straight which gets quite boring. Our ride was less than 700ft of elevation for a 50+ mile ride if you go down the Hayward trail as well (which was smoother than the CVT).
The trail was very busy to the point of being a nuisance.
Pros would be a view of the river, few road crossing and the trail is sheltered/shaded for 95% of the ride.
I will not do this ride again, there are too many better rides out there.
Rode from Hay Creek Campground along riverbank and horse trail. In good condition and a fun pig tail under Pioneer Road.
The whole thing is a circle, so getting back is easy
I rode this trail as it branched off of the Cannon Valley Trail going into Cannon Falls. The first segment looks like an ancient city trail that is very narrow with rough pavement. After a mile or so it sends you into a little park on dirt, down a hill then back up on gravel. I bypass this by going through the parking lot and then the road where the new segment starts which has smooth pavement and a few hills with an underpass under Hwy 52 and a view of the Cannon River.
This leads to a nice park/campground--Lake Byllesby. It has recently been re-modeled. There are a few old sites along the lake that have shade & grass. The rest of the new sites (over 60 of them) have no shade or grass, just an asphalt pad, some gravel, electricity and a grill or fire pit. It has very nice bathroom facilities. The swimming beach was closed when I was here in late July, although you can swim on the Goodhue side of the park.
As far as the rest of the trail goes there are some huge gaps once you're done with Northfield and Cannon Falls. Some day when it's all connected it will be worth the extra effort.
TrailLink is a free service provided by Rails-to-Trails conservancy
(a non-profit) and we need your support!
TrailLink is a free service provided by Rails-to-Trails Conservancy (a non-profit) and we need your support!
Map Search
_162161_st.jpg)
_0_st.jpg)
