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| Sibley State Park, Willmar, Minnesota |
There’s no better way to experience autumn colors in the Willmar,
Minnesota, 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 Willmar to hike. Some are right out your back door,
Fortunately, there are plenty of great autumn trails around Willmar to hike. Some are right out your back door,
while some are a day trip that you can do in an afternoon.
Prairie Woods Environmental Learning Center (Willmar)
A visit to Prairie Woods Environmental Learning Center offers a two-for-one fall color experience – the brilliant purples of prairie grasses and the autumn leaves of maples, oaks and basswoods on the hills. Try the 0.56-mile Kemp Trail, which circles a pond through the woods while dipping briefly into the prairie. From Willmar, take U.S. Hwy. 71 north. Turn left/west onto 122nd Avenue NE/County Road 29. Follow Hwy. 29 when it curves right/north. Go left/west onto the learning center and leave your vehicle at the Trailhead Building. The trail heads northwest near the building into the woods.
Sibley State Park (Willmar)
Hikers can enjoy a panoramic view of fall colors at Sibley State Park. The 3.3-mile Mt. Tom Trail (also known as the Hiking Club Trail) loops through the center of the park’s oak woods as ascending a hill about 200 feet above the surrounding terrain. From Willmar, drive north on U.S. Hwy. 71. Enter the park by turning left/west onto County Road 48 then taking a right/north onto the road to the park office. Once past the office, the road splits; go right/east and park in the interpretive center lot at the road’s end. The trail heads northwest from the lot.
Harvey Waterfowl Production Area (Willmar)
A small woodlands brightens the prairie in autumn colors at the Harvey Waterfowl Production Area. A 0.15-mile one-way path passes trees and leads to the woods near a large pond frequented each fall by migrating birds. Extend the trail into the woods via game trails and degraded footpaths. From Willmar, take U.S. Hwy. 12 east. Turn left/north onto 560th Avenue then right/east onto 290th Street. The entry to the waterfowl area is in 0.66 miles on the right/south; park along the country road.
Lagoon Park (Montevideo)
Autumn colors abound alongside the Chippewa River at Lagoon Park in Montevideo. A 0.6-mile trail combined with the campsite road loops beside a wide meander in the river. From the junction of Minn. Hwy. 7/29 with Canton Avenue in Montevideo, take the latter east. Turn left/north onto North Parkway Avenue. After going under the highway, go left/west onto Forest Avenue. Leave your vehicle in the lot at the park’s southwest corner.
River Warren Outcrops Scientific and Natural Area (Redwood Falls)
One stretch of the Minnesota River in the prairie that brims with harvest colors is River Warren Outcrops Scientific and Natural Area. A 1.6-mile trail loops through the woodlands. Bur oak covers the rock outcrops area above the river while silver maple, American elm, rock elm, and the rare (for Minnesota) Kentucky coffee tree rule the floodplain forest. From Redwood Falls, take County Road 101 north; upon crossing the Minnesota River, it becomes County Road 1. Turn left/northwest onto County Road 15. After passing County Road 21, watch for the natural area driveway and parking lot on the left/south.
Monson Lake State Park (Benson)
Hikers can enjoy the fall colors of oak, ash and basswood as well as sparkling lakes at Monson Lake State Park. The wooded 2-mile round trip Hiking Club Trail passes Monson and West Sunberg lakes, where migrating waterfowl stop over during autumn. From Benson, take Minn. Hwy. 9 east. Turn right/south onto 160th Avenue NE, which when it swerves left/east naturally becomes 15th Street NE. The park entry is on the left/north with the road ending at a parking lot. The trailhead is at the lot’s southeast corner.
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.
Prairie Woods Environmental Learning Center (Willmar)
A visit to Prairie Woods Environmental Learning Center offers a two-for-one fall color experience – the brilliant purples of prairie grasses and the autumn leaves of maples, oaks and basswoods on the hills. Try the 0.56-mile Kemp Trail, which circles a pond through the woods while dipping briefly into the prairie. From Willmar, take U.S. Hwy. 71 north. Turn left/west onto 122nd Avenue NE/County Road 29. Follow Hwy. 29 when it curves right/north. Go left/west onto the learning center and leave your vehicle at the Trailhead Building. The trail heads northwest near the building into the woods.
Sibley State Park (Willmar)
Hikers can enjoy a panoramic view of fall colors at Sibley State Park. The 3.3-mile Mt. Tom Trail (also known as the Hiking Club Trail) loops through the center of the park’s oak woods as ascending a hill about 200 feet above the surrounding terrain. From Willmar, drive north on U.S. Hwy. 71. Enter the park by turning left/west onto County Road 48 then taking a right/north onto the road to the park office. Once past the office, the road splits; go right/east and park in the interpretive center lot at the road’s end. The trail heads northwest from the lot.
Harvey Waterfowl Production Area (Willmar)
A small woodlands brightens the prairie in autumn colors at the Harvey Waterfowl Production Area. A 0.15-mile one-way path passes trees and leads to the woods near a large pond frequented each fall by migrating birds. Extend the trail into the woods via game trails and degraded footpaths. From Willmar, take U.S. Hwy. 12 east. Turn left/north onto 560th Avenue then right/east onto 290th Street. The entry to the waterfowl area is in 0.66 miles on the right/south; park along the country road.
Lagoon Park (Montevideo)
Autumn colors abound alongside the Chippewa River at Lagoon Park in Montevideo. A 0.6-mile trail combined with the campsite road loops beside a wide meander in the river. From the junction of Minn. Hwy. 7/29 with Canton Avenue in Montevideo, take the latter east. Turn left/north onto North Parkway Avenue. After going under the highway, go left/west onto Forest Avenue. Leave your vehicle in the lot at the park’s southwest corner.
River Warren Outcrops Scientific and Natural Area (Redwood Falls)
One stretch of the Minnesota River in the prairie that brims with harvest colors is River Warren Outcrops Scientific and Natural Area. A 1.6-mile trail loops through the woodlands. Bur oak covers the rock outcrops area above the river while silver maple, American elm, rock elm, and the rare (for Minnesota) Kentucky coffee tree rule the floodplain forest. From Redwood Falls, take County Road 101 north; upon crossing the Minnesota River, it becomes County Road 1. Turn left/northwest onto County Road 15. After passing County Road 21, watch for the natural area driveway and parking lot on the left/south.
Monson Lake State Park (Benson)
Hikers can enjoy the fall colors of oak, ash and basswood as well as sparkling lakes at Monson Lake State Park. The wooded 2-mile round trip Hiking Club Trail passes Monson and West Sunberg lakes, where migrating waterfowl stop over during autumn. From Benson, take Minn. Hwy. 9 east. Turn right/south onto 160th Avenue NE, which when it swerves left/east naturally becomes 15th Street NE. The park entry is on the left/north with the road ending at a parking lot. The trailhead is at the lot’s southeast corner.
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.
