Find the top rated birding trails in Worthington, whether you're looking for an easy short birding trail or a long birding trail, you'll find what you're looking for. Click on a birding trail below to find trail descriptions, trail maps, photos, and reviews.
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While the part of the trail on the Woodstock is freshly paved, the first 10 miles or so from Pipestone to the east are in pretty rough shape. You will damage your bike if you're not careful and paying attention to the worst of the cracks. Trails like this are what make me appreciate the crushed limestone approach to trail building.
This is a great small town bike trail! Wide enough in most places to accommodate multiple riders meeting. A bridge over or tunnel under Highway 75 would be a nice touch as that is a very busy state highway. Would like to see it connect to a nearby community someday soon.
I rode around West Okoboji using some roads on the east side before rejoining the trail. The following day I again rode around the lake staying on dedicated trail by joining Tatonka Ska Trace trail which connects to the GLT at 155th street in the west and at Peoria street in the east. From there you can head also head north to Big Spirit Lake. In the south at 202nd street you can ride south to Milford or take some streets to reconnect at Three Cross road.
Traveling cyclist
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I rode this trail in early August 2024. I rode from Spirit Lake to past Montgomery and back. It's a good connector between two sections of the Great Lakes trail. I want to return when the expansion is complete. I continued on to ride the trail on the west side of Big Spirit Lake. Nice wide and smooth cement trail. I parked at Walmart in Spirit Lake. Big thumbs up on this one.
Traveling cyclist
I rode this trail numerous times in early August 2024 in perfect weather. Each time I started from Emerson Bay Recreational Area. I rode south around West Okoboji but where the trail ends I got lost and ended up riding the shoulder if Hwy 71 to get back to the trail on the other side. I rode south to Milford and back. My second outing I rode n north until the trail ended on the map in the app so I followed Lake Shore drive around the lake until I met the trail again. Third time I rode north again and realized I could continue north and connect to the road Tatonka Ske Traceti connect back to the IGL trail.
June 1st started at Woodstock MN , brand new paved trail going east tward Pipestone. First 2.5 miles perfect new surfaced trail, second 2,5 miles not new asphalt but smooth. Then the next 5 miles to Pipestone Wes asphalt with cracks all the way. Expect your bike to have rattles and your perineum to be jolted on this section. From Pipestone rode brand new concrete sidewalk trail surrounding the National Monument. Beautiful. Back to Woodstock, 19 miles total. Parked at City Park, one room bathroom, very clean. Bar and grill downtown recommended by a friend looked nice,
This is a wonderful bike trail that goes all the way around West Okoboji to the north taking the old railway—beautiful Iowa prairie with wild flowers, all the way to Spirit Lake. Then it goes south to East Okoboji, Hwy 71 with a nicely paved trail. Not always marked well but once you know the way, it’s a piece of cake. 26 miles around West and East Okoboji. We love it!
Thank goodness for the TrailLink app bc this trail is very poorly marked. Pay attention to white spray painted arrows to guide you bc there is very little signage. The majority of the trail is asphalt or blacktop and sections are along the major US 71 highway. We parked at the Milford end of trail trailhead and there is no parking. We pulled into the grass along the road. Overall very shaded and nice and would recommend but have you TrailLink app ready to guide you!
My husband and I (and our brother-in-law, a Sheldon resident) rode some of the trail this morning, starting out near the schools and then crossing over Rt18 to ride through some scenic areas — a park, some neighborhoods, lots of trees and even past a cow farm, with an up close view! The trail goes under Highway 18 at the Floyd river, and continues to the community college. We turned around at the fork that would have taken us to the college, and headed back the same way we came. The current trail connects the college, the schools, and parks. Future goals for the trail are to complete it on the south side of the highway, so that it forms a loop all the way around the city. The newest phase loops around the pond right behind Crossroads Pavilion Event Center, near the intersection of H18 & H60 on the east end of town. (This doesn’t show up on the trail map yet.) All of the trail is paved. There are a few areas where you ride on a couple of neighborhood streets until you pick up the trail again. The trail developers have added some really nice touches — benches, a gazebo, an arched entryway at Hills Park created from bricks that were salvaged from Sheldon Middle School. They’ve done a great job, it was an enjoyable ride.
Some of the complaints about this trail are not entirely invalid...and it should also be noted that not everything needs to be perfect, in order to be worthwhile. Yes, I wish the ashpalt were in somewhat better condition (and I wish it ran all the way to Woodstock.) But the ride is still enjoyable, and worth making. The Casey Jones Trail is the only place on Earth (other than a zoo) where I have seen a soft-shelled turtle.
Google Maps seems to indicate that the ashphalt only runs about halfway to Woodstock, but in my experience, it's a lot more like 3/4ths of the way.
According to the 2020 census, Woodstock only has a population of 110...so you wouldn't really expect there to be cool place like Staci's Bar & Grill, where one can obtain sandwiches & beer. But fortunately, you'd be wrong.
This is a cool little trail. There's a five dollar park entrance fee, however.
Lake Pahoja seems like maybe more of a pond, but it's a pleaseat ride. Very smooth trail. KInd of a short loop, but you can go around it as many times as you like.
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