Explore the best rated trails in Willmar, MN. Whether you're looking for an easy walking trail or a bike trail like the Lake Koronis Recreational Trail and Luce Line Trail. With more than 8 trails covering 225 miles you’re bound to find a perfect trail for you. Click on any trail below to find trail descriptions, trail maps, photos, and reviews.
As fans of public radio can tell you, this trail’s namesake is the fictional town of Lake Wobegon, made famous by author and radio personality Garrison Keillor of A Prairie Home Companion. Along the...
When complete, the Minnesota River State Trail will stretch from Big Stone Lake State Park north of Ortonville to Le Sueur, a distance of more than 175 miles. Currently, three disconnected segments of...
The Glacial Ridge Bike Trail, also known as the Villard-Starbuck Trail, is a paved multi-use trail that takes users through a picturesque stretch of Western Minnesota farmland near Lake Minnewaska....
Phase one of the development of central Minnesota’s Dairyland Trail was completed in April 2013, allowing trail users to hike, bike, or ride a horse for more than 6 miles between the small towns of...
As you walk, bike or skate this smooth trail around Lake Koronis, you'll enjoy take in scenic views of water, farmland, and forests and Native American burial mounds. The trail rings around the lake...
Minnesota’s Rocori Trail, named for the three small towns through which it will eventually run (Rockville, Cold Spring, and Richmond), currently has two disconnected segments open for use. The...
The 22-mile original section of the paved Glacial Lakes State Trail follows the former right-of-way of the Burlington Northern Railroad between Willmar and about 1 mile west of Paynesville at...
The Luce Line Trail occupies the former railbed of the Electric Short Line Railroad, started in 1908. The tracks continued to be expanded into the late 1920s, when the rail line became known as the...
The 22-mile original section of the paved Glacial Lakes State Trail follows the former right-of-way of the Burlington Northern Railroad between Willmar and about 1 mile west of Paynesville at...
As fans of public radio can tell you, this trail’s namesake is the fictional town of Lake Wobegon, made famous by author and radio personality Garrison Keillor of A Prairie Home Companion. Along the...
The Luce Line Trail occupies the former railbed of the Electric Short Line Railroad, started in 1908. The tracks continued to be expanded into the late 1920s, when the rail line became known as the...
Minnesota’s Rocori Trail, named for the three small towns through which it will eventually run (Rockville, Cold Spring, and Richmond), currently has two disconnected segments open for use. The...
As you walk, bike or skate this smooth trail around Lake Koronis, you'll enjoy take in scenic views of water, farmland, and forests and Native American burial mounds. The trail rings around the lake...
The Glacial Ridge Bike Trail, also known as the Villard-Starbuck Trail, is a paved multi-use trail that takes users through a picturesque stretch of Western Minnesota farmland near Lake Minnewaska....
Phase one of the development of central Minnesota’s Dairyland Trail was completed in April 2013, allowing trail users to hike, bike, or ride a horse for more than 6 miles between the small towns of...
When complete, the Minnesota River State Trail will stretch from Big Stone Lake State Park north of Ortonville to Le Sueur, a distance of more than 175 miles. Currently, three disconnected segments of...
The Luce Line Trail occupies the former railbed of the Electric Short Line Railroad, started in 1908. The tracks continued to be expanded into the late 1920s, when the rail line became known as the...
The Glacial Ridge Bike Trail, also known as the Villard-Starbuck Trail, is a paved multi-use trail that takes users through a picturesque stretch of Western Minnesota farmland near Lake Minnewaska....
As fans of public radio can tell you, this trail’s namesake is the fictional town of Lake Wobegon, made famous by author and radio personality Garrison Keillor of A Prairie Home Companion. Along the...
When complete, the Minnesota River State Trail will stretch from Big Stone Lake State Park north of Ortonville to Le Sueur, a distance of more than 175 miles. Currently, three disconnected segments of...
As you walk, bike or skate this smooth trail around Lake Koronis, you'll enjoy take in scenic views of water, farmland, and forests and Native American burial mounds. The trail rings around the lake...
Phase one of the development of central Minnesota’s Dairyland Trail was completed in April 2013, allowing trail users to hike, bike, or ride a horse for more than 6 miles between the small towns of...
The 22-mile original section of the paved Glacial Lakes State Trail follows the former right-of-way of the Burlington Northern Railroad between Willmar and about 1 mile west of Paynesville at...
Minnesota’s Rocori Trail, named for the three small towns through which it will eventually run (Rockville, Cold Spring, and Richmond), currently has two disconnected segments open for use. The...
This loop has lots of shade with a couple of good hills. Very relaxing and enjoyable I look forward to riding it again.
We road out-and-back from the Masonic West Riverside Park campground in Hutchinson to Silver Lake which is approximately 20 miles round trip. The trail is fully paved in this section . It is a combination of shade and full sun as the trail meanders through cornfields.
The trail could use a little maintenance in certain sections. There were tree roots and wide cracks across the path but overall the trail in this segment was pretty good. It felt like a slight uphill grade to Silver Lake so we enjoyed a bit of a downhill back into Hutchinson. A few benches along the way but no other amenities except for Hutchinson.
Hutchinson has a number of parks along the trail with benches and sculptures which are very nice. I would recommend this trail.
Coming from Minneapolis, once you near the city of Winsted, the paved section of the trail is very pleasing. Smooth, clear of debris and beautiful nature signs along the way to the rest of the trail. The cities along the entire trail offer food, restrooms, campsites and the amenities you might need. Well shaded trail due to the abundance of trees on the sides. Yes time to ride this trail is when it is dry, especially for road cyclist.
Good biking with parks and a nice military memorial by the trail. Did 20 miles in this area. The trees were at their peak colors, beautiful.
Beautiful ride with a few busy street crossings, but scenery and path through woods are lovely. Downside is only the walkers who won’t go single file when the path is narrow. Appreciate the rest stops throughout the trail.
I've ridden this trail many times in the past. It's pretty much the same as most rail trails--flat & straight. This trail has quite a bit of open to the wind as well as sheltered mileage. You pass by some nice lakes but too much of it is too close to noisy, busy Hwy 23.
I've taken all the side routes also. This time I went clockwise around Lake Koronis starting at the Regional Park. There are some pretty steep hills and the routes aren't well marked. On the east side of the lake it's mostly roads.
The part I enjoyed the most was from Roscoe to Richmond which is separated from the Paynesville terminus by a few miles. But it was a pleasant surprise with lots of trees, fields, water but best of all away from Hwy 23. On the east side of Richmond towards Cold Spring it goes along noisy Hwy 23 again. There is the best trailhead in Richmond, most of the rest have almost nothing--maybe a porta potty but no water or shade.
I was pleased to ride the newly paved trail into Winsted. From there to the end of the pavement west of Hutchinson, it's 22 miles, so 44 miles round trip. Once you hit Hutch you can go about another 6 miles past some nice lakes & river water features. Also nice parks on west end of Hutch.
The scenery though is about the same start to finish except for Hutch. It's well shaded and flat. The only hill is a bridge over a busy highway. There are some corn/bean fields & lots of buckthorn, scrub trees and swamp.
One of my favorite trails.We have biked here multiple times and most part of the trail is flat which makes it easy to go with kids too.
July 2020 - Found the beginning of the trail off of 6th St. or Babcock Ave. near the Farmer's Coop. There is a very small grassy area to park near the Coop. We stopped to ask. Last section of the trail is now paved by the airport runway, which is currently getting paved itself. Enjoyed the ride from Winsted to Silver Lake. Appoximately 18 miles round trip. Biked through shaded areas and sunny areas in between farm fields.
Beautiful country side. However no shades and gets hot quickly.
Went to St. John’s University so this review 100% biased... but for great reasons! The views at this unique spot are absolutely incredible... over 60 miles of beauty. If you’re able to make it all the way to the end, you won’t be disappointed! Top 5 trails over 18+ miles. 1) Root River Trail 2) Paul Bunyan Trail 3) Cannon Valley Trail 4) Lake Wobagon
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