Great fall color hikes in Rochester MN area

Chester Woods Park, Rochester, Minnesota

There’s no better way

to experience autumn colors in the Rochester 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 Rochester to hike. Some are right out your back door, while some are a day trip that you can do in an afternoon.

Chester Woods Park (Rochester)
Hikers can head through a large oak woods at Chester Woods Park. The 5.3-mile North Trail, Prairie Ridge, and Dam Overlook Loop overlooks tree-shrouded Bear Creek, runs alongside pretty Chester Lake, and passes a prairie areas whose grasses turn gold in fall. From Rochester, take U.S. Hwy. 14 east. Turn right/south onto the park entry road; when the road splits, go right/west and park in the roundabout. The trail first crosses the prairie then enters the woods.

Whitewater State Park (St. Charles)
Hikers can head through and below a maple and oak forest at Whitewater State Park. The 4.5-mile round trip Dakota Trail crosses the ridge above the Whitewater River, where you walk beneath the harvest-hued canopy, then descends to the waterway for a great view of the gold, orange, scarlet and tan trees covering the hill. From Rochester, take U.S. Hwy. 14 east. In St. Charles, turn left/north onto Minn. Hwy. 74. Use the Nature Store parking lot.

Root River State Trail (Lanesboro)
A riverside resplendent with fall colors, a quaint small town, and 300-foot limestone bluffs await hikers on the Root River State Trail in Lanesboro. Fall colors usually peak early to mid-October on a 3.4-mile round trip segment of the trail. In Lanesboro, park near the Root River Trail Center on Milwaukee Road between Parkway and Kenilway avenues. Take the trail southwest, turning back at the Grit Road crossing.

Iron Horse Prairie Scientific and Natural Area (Hayfield)
Finding autumn colors on the prairie can be difficult, but there are a number of small spots, such as Iron Horse Prairie Scientific and Natural Area. The 2.9-mile round trip Iron Horse Trail follows the railroad grades of where two former spurs diverged. Various shrubs and trees have taken root along the former grades; meanwhile, the prairie grasses preserved there turn a beautiful gold color that stands out at sunset. From Hayfield, take Minn. Hwy. 56 south. Turn left/east onto County Road N. The natural area’s entrance is on the right/south in a half-mile. Park on the road shoulder.

Great River Bluffs State Park (Winona)
A great view of the Mississippi River awaits at the Great River Bluffs State Park on the 2.2-mile round trip Kings Bluff Trail. After heading through a forest of white pine and the yellow to maroon-colored leaves of ash trees, the trail arrives at Kings Bluff, which offers a spectacular vista of the Mississippi River valley below, a blue ribbon surrounded by the yellows of various birch and aspen. From Interstate 90 near the Minnesota-Wisconsin border, take County Road 3 north. Turn right/east onto Kipp Drive, which becomes Park Road. About two miles in, look for a small parking lot on the left/northwest. The trail heads northwest from the lot.

Wabasha Riverwalk (Wabasha)
One of the best urban areas in the Midwest to enjoy fall colors in the small town of Wabasha. For seven weeks from September through October, the small town celebrates a harvest festival. You can enjoy the festivities and take a nice stroll on the 0.8-mile round trip riverwalk. The Wisconsin shoreline on the opposite side of the Mississippi River is lit up in golden hues, the perfect match to the streets’ autumn decorations. To reach the riverwalk, park in downtown Wabasha. Finding a spot on Big Jo Alley near Pembroke Avenue is best, as the National Eagle Center is at the corner of those two streets. The riverwalk is behind the center.

Jay C. Hormel Nature Center (Austin)
Autumn leaves abound in the 518-acre hardwood forest at Jay C. Hormel Nature Center. The 1.8-mile combo of the Yellow and White trails with the connectors between them take you into the heart of the forest. In east Austin, take County Road 61 north. Turn right/east into the nature center. From the parking lot, take the connector southeast past the Rock to the looping Yellow Trail; a connector links the Yellow to the looping White Trail. The loops cross North Branch Dobbins Creek several times.

Great autumn hikes in Owatonna MN area

Rice Lake State Park, Owatonna, Minnesota

There’s no better way to experience autumn colors in the Owatonna 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 Owatonna to

hike. Some are right out your back

door, while some are a day trip that

you can do in an afternoon.

Rice Lake State Park (Owatonna)
The glorious autumn colors of maple, oak and aspen can be enjoyed at Rice Lake State Park. The 2.4-mile Hiking Club Trail loops through several such woods and cross meadows featuring bur oak. About half of the trail runs alongside scenic Rice Lake. From Owatonna, take County Road 19/Rose Street east. Turn right/south onto County Road 40 into the park. When the park road splits, go left/southeast and follow it the parking lot at the walk-in and group campsites; follow the turf trail to the trail shelter.

Nerstrand Big Woods State Park (Faribault)
Hikers can walk through a large stand of white oak in Minnesota’s famed Big Woods at Nerstrand Big Woods State Park. The 2.4-mile round trip White Oak Trail runs through the park’s center. A temperate hardwood forest, American elm, basswood, sugar maple, and red oak dominate the canopy while ironwood, green ash, and aspen ruled the understory. Nerstrand Big Woods preserves 1280 acres of a forest that is now virtually gone. When pioneers arrived in the area during the mid 1800s, the Big Woods covered 5000 square miles, stretching in a diagonal strip 100 miles long and 40 miles wide across Wisconsin and Minnesota. From Faribault, take County Road 20/Cannon City Boulevard northeast. Turn right/east onto County Road 30 then right-straight/east onto County Road 88. When the road splits, continue left-straight/east. Go left/north into Nerstrand Big Woods and park at the lot for the picnic area.

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.

Iron Horse Prairie Scientific and Natural Area (Dodge)
Finding autumn colors on the prairie can be difficult, but there are a number of small spots, such as Iron Horse Prairie Scientific and Natural Area. The 2.9-mile round trip Iron Horse Trail follows the railroad grades of where two former spurs diverged. Various shrubs and trees have taken root along the former grades; meanwhile, the prairie grasses preserved there turn a beautiful gold color that stands out at sunset. From Hayfield, take Minn. Hwy. 56 south. Turn left/east onto County Road N. The natural area’s entrance is on the right/south in a half-mile. Park on the road shoulder.

Myre-Big Island State Park (Albert Lea)
Gold, red and orange maples and chartreuse-colored basswood leaves light up Myre-Big Island State Park in Albert Lea. The leaves usually reach their peak about mid-October on the looping 1.5-mile Big Island Trail. This trail circles the 120-acre wooded island in the middle of Albert Lea Lake. In Albert Lea, take County Road 46 east. Turn right/south onto County Road 38. Park in the lot when the road ends on Big Island.

Northwest Nature Park (Waseca)
Walkers can enjoy autumn leaves along pathways at Northwest Nature Park. About 0.75 miles of hiking trails run through the park in three small loops. From downtown Waseca, take Minn. Hwy. 13 north. Turn left/west onto 13th Avenue NW and then left/south onto 12th Avenue NW. Upon arriving at Northwest Park, leave your vehicle parked against the curb and walk west past the playground. At the trail junction, go right/northwest. The loops begin in about 0.13 miles on the trail’s left/west side.

Fall color hikes abound in Austin MN area

Jay C. Hormel Nature Center in early autumn

There’s no better way

to experience autumn colors in the Austin,

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

Jay C. Hormel Nature Center (Austin)
Autumn leaves abound in the 518-acre hardwood forest at Jay C. Hormel Nature Center. The 1.8-mile combo of the Yellow and White trails with the connectors between them take you into the heart of the forest. In east Austin, take County Road 61 north. Turn right/east into the nature center. From the parking lot, take the connector southeast past the Rock to the looping Yellow Trail; a connector links the Yellow to the looping White Trail. The loops cross North Branch Dobbins Creek several times.

Myre-Big Island State Park (Albert Lea)
Gold, red and orange maples and chartreuse-colored basswood leaves light up Myre-Big Island State Park in Albert Lea. The leaves usually reach their peak about mid-October on the looping 1.5-mile Big Island Trail. This trail circles the 120-acre wooded island in the middle of Albert Lea Lake. In Albert Lea, take County Road 46 east. Turn right/south onto County Road 38. Park in the lot when the road ends on Big Island.

Rice Lake State Park (Owatonna)
The glorious autumn colors of maple, oak and aspen can be enjoyed at Rice Lake State Park. The 2.4-mile Hiking Club Trail loops through several such woods and cross meadows featuring bur oak. About half of the trail runs alongside scenic Rice Lake. From Owatonna, take County Road 19/Rose Street east. Turn right/south onto County Road 40 into the park. When the park road splits, go left/southeast and follow it the parking lot at the walk-in and group campsites; follow the turf trail to the trail shelter.

Iron Horse Prairie Scientific and Natural Area (Hayfield)
Finding autumn colors on the prairie can be difficult, but there are a number of small spots, such as Iron Horse Prairie Scientific and Natural Area. The 2.9-mile round trip Iron Horse Trail follows the railroad grades of where two former spurs diverged. Various shrubs and trees have taken root along the former grades; meanwhile, the prairie grasses preserved there turn a beautiful gold color that stands out at sunset. From Hayfield, take Minn. Hwy. 56 south. Turn left/east onto County Road N. The natural area’s entrance is on the right/south in a half-mile. Park on the road shoulder.

Chester Woods Park (Rochester)
Hikers can head through a large oak woods at Chester Woods Park. The 5.3-mile North Trail, Prairie Ridge, and Dam Overlook Loop overlooks tree-shrouded Bear Creek, runs alongside pretty Chester Lake, and passes a prairie areas whose grasses turn gold in fall. From Rochester, take U.S. Hwy. 14 east. Turn right/south onto the park entry road; when the road splits, go right/west and park in the roundabout. The trail first crosses the prairie then enters the woods.

Root River State Trail (Lanesboro)
A riverside resplendent with fall colors, a quaint small town, and 300-foot limestone bluffs await hikers on the Root River State Trail in Lanesboro. Fall colors usually peak early to mid-October on a 3.4-mile round trip segment of the trail. In Lanesboro, park near the Root River Trail Center on Milwaukee Road between Parkway and Kenilworth avenues. Take the trail southwest, turning back at the Grit Road crossing.

Lake Hendricks Park (LeRoy, Iowa)
Fall foliage surrounds a beautiful lake at Lake Hendricks Park. The 2.3-mile Loop 2 circles the lake, staying in the woods the entire way. A portion of the trail runs alongside lovely Watson Creek. From Austin, take Interstate 90 east then exit south onto Minn. Hwy. 56. In LeRoy, turn right/south onto 775th Avenue, which at the Iowa border becomes Dale Avenue. Go right/west on Iowa Hwy. 9 and in Riceville turn right/north onto Hwy. T68/Addison Avenue then right/east into the park. Leave your vehicle in the lot north of the Lower Campground.

Otranto Park (Mitchell County, Iowa)
Fall colors await along a bend in the Cedar River at Otranto Park. A short footpath runs beneath an orange and yellow canopy at the 5-acre park. From Austin, take U.S. Hwy. 218 south. Turn right/west onto Hwy. A19. The park’s entry is on the right/north just before the Cedar River.