Fall color hikes abound in Red Wing MN area

Barn Bluff in Red Wing, Minn.

There’s no better way

to experience autumn colors in the Red Wing area than a hike.

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 Red Wing to hike. Some are right out your back door, while some are a day trip that you can do in an afternoon.

Barn Bluff (Red Wing)
Yellow, orange and red maples with tan and russet oaks await hikers on Barn Bluff, a Red Wing icon. The 1.66-mile round trip South Trail heads through the wooded portion of the sandstone bluff and via the Kiwanis Stairway takes you to the top. The East Scenic Overlook offers a view of the surrounding river valley from 30 stories up. From U.S. Hwy. 61 in downtown Red Wing, go southeast onto Plum Street. Next, head left/northeast onto Fifth Street. When the road crosses under Hwy. 61, find a parking spot along the street. The trailhead is on the road’s left/northwest side.

Frontenac State Park (Frontenac)
Hikers can traverse the top and the base of a bluff looming 430 feet above Lake Pepin at Frontenac State Park. The 2.6-mile Bluff Side Loop Trail offers impressive views as it heads up and down the steep bluff with a series of wooden stairs and switchbacks. Fall is a particularly good time to visit with the bird migration through the area at its peak and the leaves resplendent in an array of harvest colors. The trees change with the elevation; the trail at the top of the bluff is a mix of aspen, basswood, elm, maple and oak while cottonwood, maple and willow dominate the trail along the bluff’s bottom. Fall colors usually peak in late September to mid-October. From the park entrance, go left/northwest on County Road 28; follow the road to its end, where it loops back upon itself and forms a parking lot.

Lake Byllesby Regional Park (Cannon Falls)
A variety of trees and bushes light up Lake Byllesby Regional Park each autumn. Try the five stacked loop trails in the park’s undeveloped northwest corner for the greatest range of leaf colors. On the 2.2-mile round trip hike are alder, red-osier dogwood, willow, sumac, and Amur maple. From Cannon Falls, take County Road 20/Fifth Street north. Turn left/west onto County Road 17, which becomes County Road 88 along the way, then left/south onto Harry Avenue and right/west onto Gerlach Way. The parking lot is on the right/north just before the Echo Point Road intersection.

Miesville Ravine Park (Cannon Falls)
Maple, birch, willow, and box elder brighten the deep, narrow gorge at Miesville Ravine Park in harvest hues. A 1.54-mile round trip trail runs through the ravine alongside Trout Brook, a tributary of the Cannon River. The ravine is thickly wooded and almost entirely shaded. From Cannon Falls, take Minn. Hwy. 20 north. Turn right/east onto 280th Street. Once in the park after crossing the stream, go left/north onto a dirt road that leads to a parking lot.

Cairns Woods Park (Ellsworth)
Autumn colors can be enjoyed at Cairns Woods Park in Ellsworth. The 0.74-mile Orange Trail loops on an old logging trail through the 34-acre site, which was donated to the city in 1949. In Ellsworth, take Wis. Hwy. 65 north and turn left/west onto Cairns Street.

Maiden Rock State Natural Area (Stockholm)
Day hikers can explore a bluff steeped in majestic white oaks and legend high above Lake Pepin. The Maiden Rock Bluff Trail runs 1.4-miles round trip. It’s located in the Maiden Rock State Natural Area, which preserves a blufftop prairie that turns golden in autumn. Beyond the giant oaks, sunlight sparkles off the blue lake, as if diamonds had been tossed across a turquoise cloth. From Stockholm, take County Road J north. Turn left/northwest onto County Road E then go left/west into Long Lane. The road dead ends at a grassy parking lot on the blufftop. A trailhead is a few yards east of the lot and heads north from the road.

Nerstrand Big Woods State Park (Cannon Falls)
A picturesque waterfall awaits hikers at Nerstrand Big Woods State Park. The 1-mile round trip walk via Hidden Falls Trail is especially beautiful in autumn with yellow, orange, red sugar maple and ironwood, bronze-colored basswood, and russet-leaved oak lining the path. Hidden Falls sits in a glade amid this northern hardwoods forest, and boasts a 12-foot drop over a 90-foot wide ledge. From Cannon Falls, take County Road 24 Boulevard south. Turn right/west onto County Road 9 Boulevard, left/south onto Minn. Hwy. 246, then right/west onto County Road 40. Nerstrand Big Woods’ entrance is on the right/north and heads straight to the parking area. From there, walk east on the White Oak Trail to the Hidden Falls Trail.

Spring Lake Park Reserve (Hastings)
Maple and ash trees along with some quite large oaks await hikers at Spring Lake Park Reserve. A 3-mile trail loops through a woods atop a bluff on the Mississippi River. Moss-covered rocks and birch accent the mostly maple forest. From Hastings, take Second Street west. When the street splits, go right/northwest onto Niniger Road, which naturally becomes 132nd Street East. Turn right/north onto Idell Avenue, which becomes 127th Street East when it curves west. Head right/north onto the park entry road and leave your vehicle in the lot for the playground. The connector trail heads east from the parking lot.

Great day hikes found in Red Wing, Minn.

Memorial Park overlook of Mississippi River and Wisconsin shoreline bluffs.
Photo courtesy City of Red Wing, Minn.

Mississippi River views, blufftop prairies, country creeks and more await day hikers in the Red Wing, Minn., area.

Nearly 20 day hiking trails can be found in the city, located about an hour’s drive southeast of the Minneapolis-St. Paul metro area. They range from under a quarter mile in length to nearly 20 miles.

Based on location, the trails generally can be grouped into five areas: Barn Bluff; Cannon Valley; Coon Hill; Hay Creek; and Memorial Park.

Barn Bluff
The prominent bluff rises 30 stories above downtown Red Wing along the Mississippi River. It contains five trails:
• Carlson Lime Kiln Trail – The 0.22-miles round trip hike heads to historic kiln ruins. Park in the lot along Fifth Street northeast of U.S. Hwy. 61.
• Midland Trail – The 0.28-miles one-way trail links the South Trail to the North Trail on the bluff’s forested south side. Park along Fifth Street near the South Trail trailhead.
• North Trail – The 1-mile one-way trail runs along the bluff’s east and north sides on its way to an overview of the Mississippi River and to the bluff’s summit. Park along Fifth Street near the South Trail trailhead.
• Prairie Trail – The 0.55-mile one-way trail sits at Barn Bluff’s summit, heading across a blufftop prairie between two scenic overlooks. The shortest way to reach the trail is from the South Trail.
• South Trail – The 0.54-miles one-way trail rambles alongside the bluff’s south side to near the bluff’s top, where it connects with the Prairie Trail. Park along Fifth Street near the South Trail trailhead.

Cannon Valley
At one time, railroads connected small towns across America, usually running right next to rivers as that was the flattest route. The Cannon River spills into the Mississippi River north of Red Wing. The railline since has been converted to a bicycle/hiking path:
• Cannon Valley Trail – The paved trail runs 19.7 miles, most of the way alongside the Cannon River, on a former Chicago Great Western Railroad line, connecting Red Wing to Welch and Cannon Falls. Parking lots to access the trail in Red Wing are available at the Old West Main and Bench streets junction or at Lower A.P. Anderson Park.

Coon Hill
Several trails can be found on this wooded hill, which is mostly located in the wooded Billings-Tomfohr Conservation Area (Part of the hill is owned by the Red Wing school district.). Trails there include:
• Coon Hill Loop – The trail loops about the top of Coon Hill for 0.4 miles with a couple of spur trails to scenic overlooks. The best way to reach it is via the Neal Street Trail for a 0.8-mile round trip hike.
• East Loop – The 0.5-miles trail links the Sumac and the Twin Bluff trails; park at the trailhead off of Sumac Drive or at the middle school during non-school hours. The hike runs about 1.2-miles round trip if taken from the Sumac Trail and 1-mile round trip if from the Twin Bluff Trail.
• Neal Street Trail – The 0.2-mile one-way trail heads almost to the top of Coon Hill where it links with the West Loop and the Coon Hill Loop. A parking lot is at the end of Neal Street.
• Sumac Trail – The trail goes 0.35-miles one-way, heading uphill to the East Loop and ending at Coon Hill Loop. Park at the lot at the end of Sumac Drive.
• Twin Bluff Trail – The steep 0.25-mile trail ascends the hill behind Twin Bluff Middle School and connects with the East Loop. Park at middle school during non-school hours.
• West Loop – A 0.6-mile loop is on west side of Coon Hill, near its highest point. The best way to reach it is via Neal Street Trail for a 1-mile round trip.

Hay Creek
One usually doesn’t expect to find a pretty little creek running through a city, at least not one that feels like you’re ambling down a rural road. One trail follows the creek on the city’s south side:
• The Goodhue-Pioneer State Trail – Formerly known as the Hay Creek Trail, the state trail runs from near the intersection of Pioneer and Hay Creek Valley roads for about 3-miles one way to the Hay Creek Unit of the Richard J. Dorer Memorial Hardwood State Forest. A number of other trials can be found in the state forest.

Memorial Park
Several interconnected trails run throughout the park that sits on Sorin’s Bluff east of downtown, offering great views of the Mississippi River and of the city:
• Bush Street Trail – Take Skyline Drive to the parking lot at the disc golf course and walk the trail to Bush Street. It runs 0.2-miles one-way.
• Cow Path Trail – The inclined nature trail at 0.75-miles round trip passes a historic pump. Take Skyline Drive to the parking area at Upper Quarry and then walk to Bluff Street.
• Lower Quarry Trail – Park in lot at end of Skyline Drive in the Lower Quarry then walk it to Seventh Street East. The trail goes about 0.5-miles one-way.
• Main Trail – This route consists of several stacked loops that over four-miles heads through three prairie areas and to Lower Quarry. Park at the golf clubhouse off of Golf Links Drive.
• Wilkinson Street Trail – The 0.3-mile one-way trail starts at the end of Wilkinson Street north of Hwy. 61 and connects to the Main Trail at Prairie area 2. Park along Wilkinson Street.

Learn about trail guidebooks available in the Hittin’ the Trail series.

Hike to skyscraper view of Mississippi River

View of west side of Barn Buff from downtown Red Wing,
courtesy www.red-wing.org.

Map of Barn Bluff trails, courtesy City of Red Wing.

Barn Bluff rises
forty stories
in Minnesota

A 360 degree view of the Mississippi River awaits day hikers on the Barn Bluff Trail in Red Wing, Minn.

The 1.75-mile loop takes you to the top of the ancient bluff that rises 40 stories over the river. A steep trail, it’s best done in summer, autumn or after several dry days in spring.

To reach the trailhead, from U.S. Hwy. 61 in downtown Red Wing, turn southeast onto Plum Street. Next, go left/northeast onto Fifth Street. When the road crosses under Hwy. 61, find a parking spot along the street. The trailhead is on the road’s left/northwest side.

Barn Bluff actually consists of four trails – the South, the Midland, the North and the Prairie. The route here is a combination of three of those trails.

Half-billion year-old rock
From the trailhead, head north on a staircase. At the top is an interpretive rest area, where you go right/north onto the North Trail. The trail heads through a forest of oak and maple.

The bluff has long impressed those who’ve seen it. According to Dakota legend, when two tribes fought to control the bluff, the Great Spirit split it in half, so both of his peoples could have it. The other half, legend says, is the famous Sugar Loaf rock formation overlooking Winona, Minn., about 60 miles to the south.

In just under 0.1 miles the trail passes a stone arch with a tunnel into the bluff. Though entering it may be tempting, for safety reasons don’t go beyond the arch. At this point, you are about seven stories above the Mississippi River.

The trail soon passes the Midland Trail junction. Continue north. This heads by a popular rock climbing area.

Sandstone making up the bluff begin piling up about 540 million years ago. It continued to grow for another hundred million years. During the last ice age when the Mississippi River, swollen with glacial meltwater, ran hundreds of feet higher than it now does, Barn Bluff would have been an island in the cold river.

West Outlook and summit
After the rock climbing area, the trail begins to gain some real elevation. As the trail finally curves west, it is just below the East Overlook.

Barn Bluff got its name from the French, who claimed this area during the 1600s through the early 1700s. They named it “La Grange,” which translated to English as “The Barn.”

The trail next curves gently around the bluff’s north side through a wooded area. A natural rock wall runs the length of this segment. These are the base of the rocks that cap the bluff, slowing its erosion and allowing it to remain high on the horizon.

As the trail curves south, it traverses the bluff’s western side. A staircase of 200-plus steps switchbacks up to the West Outlook, which offers commanding views. Immediately below the overlook is the Eisenhower Bridge that connects Minnesota to Wisconsin over the Mississippi River. The city of Red Wing stretches to the north and the river’s back channels, which are part of Wisconsin, along the entire eastern horizon.

From the overlook, the trail ascends about 30 feet to the bluff’s grassy summit, a long plateau with even better views. From there, the trail loops back to east. This is the beginning of the Prairie Trail segment of the hike.

Red Wing Fault
Upon reaching the South Trail junction, go right/southeast onto it. The trail then begins a gradual descent down the bluff’s south side.

Along the way, a staircase heads directly south. This takes you down about 50 feet over 54 steps. The trail then runs east, passing a secluded campfire area.

At the Midland Trail junction, go right/east, staying on the South Trail. This stretch parallels Hwy. 61.

The rock on this side of the bluff belongs to the Franconia Formation, which formed 540 million years ago. On the north side of the bluff, this formation sits below the Mississippi River. An ancient fault line, known as the Red Wing Fault, raised the Franconia Formation on the south side about 150 feet higher than that north of the fault.

Upon reaching the staircase at the trailhead, go right/southeast back to street where you parked.

Learn about trail guidebooks available in the Hittin’ the Trail series.