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| Lake Carlos State Park, Alexandria, Minn. |
to experience autumn colors in the Alexandria area than a hike.
The brilliant yellows, oranges and red of maples to the scarlet
The brilliant yellows, oranges and red of maples to the scarlet
and russets of oaks...
the crisp, fresh autumn air and the last warm
rays of sunlight before winter arrives...the
crunch of fallen leaves and acorns beneath
your boots...stopping to enjoy a warm mug of apple cider or a caramel apple pulled from your backpack – it all calls for an afternoon on the trail.
Fortunately, there are plenty of great autumn trails around Alexandria to hike. Some are right out your back door, while some are a day trip that you can do in an afternoon.
Lake Carlos State Park (Alexandria)
Maples, basswoods and aspens in their full autumn glory can be seen at Lake Carlos State Park. The 2-mile round-trip Maple-Basswood Interpretive Trail heads through the heart of the park across gently rolling hills. From Alexandria, take Minn. Hwy. 29 north. Turn left/west onto County Road 38 and once in the park right/north onto County Road 62. When County Roads 38 and 62 split, take the former left/west. Park in the lot at the road’s end. Walk west on the trail that skirts Hidden Lake’s north shore.
Glacial Lakes State Park (Starbuck)
Hikers can cross a terrain deeply shaped during the last ice age and enjoy autumn colors because of it. The 4.8-mile Mountain Lake Trail at Glacial Lakes State Park features a kame, rolling hills, and kettle lake. Yellow-leaved basswood and russet-colored oaks thrive on the kame, a hill created when a melting glacier deposited sediment, while crimson sumac, golden quaking aspen, and orange wild plum fill the flat spaces between the low hills. From Starbuck, take Minn. Hwy. 20 south. Go left-straight/south on County Road 41, which curves left/east into the park. Once past the entrance station, take the third left/east and park in the lot at the road’s end.
Frikken Waterfowl Production Area (Elbow Lake)
Among the best places to find autumn colors in the prairie is near water. The Frikken Waterfowl Production Area is one such spot with a tree grove along its northern side near a pond and wetlands that attracts birds. A jeep trail runs about 0.7 miles round trip through the production area. From Elbow Lake, take U.S. Hwy. 59 north. Turn right/east onto County Road 26 then right/south onto County Road 51. In about 0.3 miles, look for a driveway on the road’s left/east side. Park off the side of the road and walk straight east to the tree grove.
Burleene Wildlife Management Area (Long Prairie)
An aspen-oak woods offers some rare fall leaf colors on the prairie at Burleene Wildlife Management Area. A 0.23-mile round trip jeep trail runs to the woods on the wildlife area’s south side. The hike can be extended via game trails and degraded footpaths. From Long Prairie, take County Road 38 west. Turn right/north on County Road 1 then right/east onto 290th Street. Look for a driveway into the wildlife area on the road’s left/north side. Park in the driveway and walk north.
Birch Lake States Forest (Melrose)
A diverse array of autumn leaves await hikers at Birch Lake States Forest. A 1.7-mile round trip unnamed lollipop trail heads through a forest of oak, red maple, ironwood, birch and aspen. From Melrose, take County Road 13 north. Turn right/east onto County Road 17, left/north onto Birch Lake Road then right/east onto Birch Lakes Forest Road. Park in the first lot for the campsites 30-35. At the first trail intersection, go straight/west then at the next intersection go left/east.
Inspiration Peak State Wayside Park (Fergus Falls)
An array of autumn leaves surround the sides and plains around Rustling Leaf Mountain at Inspiration Peak State Wayside Park. A 0.5-mile trail heads up the “mountain,” which rises 400 feet above the countryside. While the route up is under a canopy of harvest-hued leaves, the top is a prairie that on clear days offers a 20-mile view around. About 50 lakes, many surrounded by hardwoods, sit in that circle. From Fergus Falls, take Minn. Hwy. 210 east. Turn right/south onto County Road 5 then left/east on County Road 38. When the road curves south, go left/northeast onto 435th Avenue then right/east onto 120th Street.
