Discovering Pipestone County

Jun 26, 2025Bike Trails, Gravel Biking

A person rides a bicycle on the Casey Jones Trail, following a paved path through green, open fields with a farm and wind turbine visible in the distance under a partly cloudy sky.

Sometimes, the best adventures don’t require a passport or a plane ticket, just a full gas tank, a couple of bikes, and a sense of wonder. That’s how our weekend began: with a travel trailer loaded down with camping gear and a copy of the Pipestone visitor guide on the dashboard. We were ready to explore.

Pipestone Family Campground features parked trailers, vehicles, and picnic tables nestled among tall trees at sunset. The sky glows with pink and orange hues as sunlight gently filters through the forested retreat.

It was a normal Friday afternoon when we pulled into Pipestone Family Campground. The wind carried that faint campfire smell, and kids were cruising the gravel roads on their bikes.

We set up camp under a nice shade tree, then hopped back in the car and pointed the tires southeast toward Edgerton, a quaint little town that wears its Dutch heritage with pride. With tidy brick buildings, cheerful planters, and a main street that practically invites hand-holding and window shopping, Edgerton charmed us immediately.

A brick corner building in Edgerton MN, once a “BANK,” now hosts Tally Ho Koffie cafe. People enter as vintage street lamps with flower baskets line the sidewalk on a cloudy day.

A basket with a sandwich topped with grilled onions and sauce, served with fries. In the background, a salad with greens, vegetables, and dressing sits in a white bowl on a brown table at Tally Ho Koffie in Edgerton MN.

Our first stop was Tally Ho Koffie, a café housed inside the old Edgerton State Bank. It still had some of the vibe of a bank with its high ceiling and tall windows. A vintage adding machine stood at attention on a shelf, like it was lasy used 10 minutes ago. The old vault, now cleverly repurposed as storag, showed off its inner mechanics through a clear door panel. Where customers once cashed checks and deposited money, they now congregate for dinner, and on Wednesdays they serve liver and onions, old-school style. Jen ordered a taco salad, I went with a brisket sandwich, and, like the average checking account, our plates were soon empty.

A green metal building with a small entrance canopy displays a round sign reading Spronk Artisan Bakery. A glass display case with plants and flowers sits outside on the sidewalk in Edgerton MN.

Trays of cookies on display in a bakery case at Spronk Bakery in Edgerton MN, featuring chocolate-dipped stroopwaffels in the foreground with a handwritten label and price, and other cookies arranged nearby on shelves.

Fueled up, we wandered over to Spronk Bakery and Confectionery, where the air smelled of sugar and new beginnings. Danielle Spronk, the co-owner, shared the story of how she and her husband, Nick, opened the shop in September of 2024. We walked out with chocolate-dipped stroopwafels, a caramel-filled waffle-cookie hybrid. and a bag of their homemade sour lemon candy.

A small town main street in Edgerton MN features storefronts like Katie’s Closet, decorated with hanging flower baskets. A white car is parked on the quiet street under a cloudy sky, while the sidewalk and road remain empty.

A brightly lit Katies Closet store aisle in Edgerton MN is filled with shelves of gifts, mugs, signs, kitchenware, and various novelty items. A person in shorts browses the displays further down the aisle.

We popped into Katie’s Closet, a cheerful boutique with locally made home goods, jewelry, and clothing treasures

A brick bakery storefront with a green awning, outdoor seating, and a sign reading HANDMADE PRESERVATIVE-FREE. Colorful flowers hang by nearby shops along the sunny Edgerton sidewalk at Edgerton Bakery.

The interior of Edgerton Bakery in Edgerton MN features empty glass display cases, a counter with a register, drink coolers, shelves of snacks and drinks, tiled floors, and walls adorned with decorations and menu signs.

Across the street, Edgerton Bakery tempted us with apple fritters and classic glazed donuts. We bought one of each, for science.

A brick windmill with a brown shingled roof stands in a landscaped area in Edgerton MN, with a large plaque in the foreground and trees, houses, and a playground visible beneath the cloudy sky.

Edgerton’s city park was our last stop. We sat on a bench and watched kids tumble across the playground as we had dessert next to a replica Dutch windmill.

Back at the campground, the atmosphere had changed. More tents had sprung up. More voices had joined the rustling leaves. There’s something comforting about hearing people laugh around a campfire, although we turned in early to be fresh for another busy day.

A one-story brick building, 8th Ave Diner, with green roof tiles, large front windows, and bicycles parked outside sits in Pipestone MN. Cars fill the lot and trees frame a cloudy sky.

A breakfast table at 8th Ave Diner in Pipestone, MN displays two red mugs, scrambled eggs with toast, and a plate with a breakfast sandwich, melted cheese, and hash browns. Two people in jeans sit in the background.

Saturday kicked off on two wheels.

We pedaled into town for breakfast at 8th Avenue Diner in Pipestone, a local hotspot with coffee strong enough to kickstart a day full of pedal revolutions. Jen’s sausage omelet arrived like a fluffy roll of protein. I had a breakfast sandwich stacked high on an English muffin, with crispy hashbrowns on the side. It was the kind of meal that makes you want to do something ambitious, like bike 30 miles and sightsee.

A person wearing a pink helmet rides a bicycle along the Indian Lakes Trail, a paved path winding through a grassy park with tall green trees under the clear blue sky of Pipestone MN.

A cyclist wearing a pink helmet and colorful shorts rides along the Indian Lakes Trail in Pipestone MN, following a paved path through green fields, trees, and a winding road beneath a clear sky.

A large sculpture of a Native American peace pipe, honoring the Pipestone Keepers of the Sacred Tradition of Pipemakers, stands before a yellow brick building with trees and grass nearby on a sunny day.

An elderly man with long white hair stands in a small shop with wooden floors, surrounded by glass display cases of jewelry, dreamcatchers, and Indigenous art—an inviting space curated by Bud Johnston of the Pipestone Keepers.

At first, we stuck closer to home and took the Indian Lake Trail around the Pipestone National Monument. The trail starts at the campground and loops through prairie and stone, offering a glimpse of the monument grounds. At Keepers of the Sacred Tradition of Pipemakers, we met Bud Johnston, a soft-spoken elder with calloused hands and a sparkle in his eye who shared some of his story in the short time we spent with him. His collection of hand-carved black and red pipestone pipes was breathtaking, each piece holding the history of a tradition much older than any of us.

A rocky cliff with reddish stone rises above green shrubs and trees under a partly cloudy blue sky at Pipestone National Monument. Scattered rocks and tall grasses cover the foreground.

A man at a display table shows carved pipestone to a boy and two adults in a museum, with photo panels of stones and educational exhibits lining the walls. The scene highlights the geological wonders found at Pipestone National Monument. TRAILS appears bottom right.

A person with gray hair walks on a paved trail through a green, grassy park at Pipestone National Monument, carrying water bottles. Tall trees line the path under a partly cloudy sky.

Three people stand near an informational sign about a creek in the lush, green landscape of Pipestone National Monument. One takes a photo of the scenery while the others read the sign.

Just a short ride farther, we stopped at a must-see destination: Pipestone National Monument, a sacred and historic site where American Indian tribes have quarried soft red pipestone for centuries to carve ceremonial pipes. The monument protects both the ancient quarries and the surrounding tallgrass prairie, offering visitors a glimpse into Indigenous culture, natural beauty, and spiritual tradition. Besides its cultural significance, the park features walking trails, interpretive exhibits, and the scenic Winnewissa Falls.

Close-up of a textured, weathered rock formation with green moss or lichen at Pipestone National Monument, surrounded by out-of-focus grass and trees.

Large reddish-brown rock formations, like those at Pipestone National Monument, rise amid dense green trees and foliage on a cloudy day, with patches of moss and lichen adding character—some rocks even resemble an old stone face.

Close-up of a small purple wildflower with long green leaves at Pipestone National Monument, surrounded by blurred greenery and grass. The flower has yellow stamens and is in partial bloom.

A person stands on a bridge in front of Pipestone National Monument-Winewissa Falls, surrounded by lush green trees and foliage. Sunlight filters through the leaves, creating a peaceful, natural scene.

We parked the bikes and walked the Circle Trail, a serene loop through tallgrass prairie and past the red stone quarries that gave the monument its name. It led us to the gentle cascade of Winnewissa Falls, where Pipestone Creek tumbles over primordial quartzite, the extremely hard rock ancient people had to break through to get to the much softer pipestone. We paused on a bench near an overlook and enjoyed a quiet moment in a place that’s been visited by people for thousands of years.

A woman in a tie-dye skirt walks on a sunny sidewalk past a brick building that houses Clothier By Dawn boutique with shops and a sign that reads, “We have loans, evening closing soon,” in a small downtown area with parked cars and street banners.

Clothier By Dawn in Pipestone MN features wooden floors, racks of colorful clothes, and shelves along the walls. Several people shop in the well-lit space, illuminated by ceiling lights.

On the way to the Casey Jones trailhead, we were side tracked. At The Clothier by Dawn, owner Dawn Heidebrink has been offering fashion and fashion advice for over 35 years, and we struck up a good conversation.

A colorful sign for the Pipestone Segment of the Casey Jones State Trail, featuring paintings of a cyclist, a windmill, buildings, a waterfall, a train, and various local landmarks, set near green bushes and a partly cloudy sky.

A person rides a bike on a paved path through green fields and trees along the Casey Jones Trail, with two wind turbines visible in the background under a partly cloudy sky.

A single black cow with branding marks stands alone in a green grassy field along the Casey Jones Trail on a sunny day.

A person wearing a helmet rides a bicycle down the sunlit Casey Jones Trail, surrounded by lush green foliage and wildflowers.

Then it was back on our bikes to catch the Casey Jones Trail toward Woodstock, Minnesota—the next leg of our day’s adventure. The trail, one of Minnesota’s first state rail-trail corridors, rolls confidently through the countryside like the trains it used to carry. It slices through a rare and beautiful geological region known as the Prairie Coteau, a highland ridge that rises like a spine through southwestern Minnesota, eastern South Dakota, and northwestern Iowa. From the French, it translates roughly to “hillside prairie,” and that’s exactly what it feels like: wide, undulating hills clad in grass and farm fields. The air up on the coteau is different, cooler, and always moving. That’s why, like steel giants slowly spinning their arms through the sky, wind turbines dot the landscape. You can see forever out there.

A person rides a bicycle on the paved Casey Jones Trail through green fields, passing a wind turbine and farm buildings in the distance under a partly cloudy sky.

The sun shines brightly in a blue sky partially covered by large, fluffy white clouds.

A single Meadow Anemone with five white petals grows among tall green grass and leafy plants along the Casey Jones Trail.

A smiling woman with gray hair and sunglasses lies next to a man in rainbow sunglasses and a green shirt, both on a gray pavement. Only their upper bodies and faces are visible.

Somewhere between Pipestone and Woodstock, we needed a break and, like a couple of kids, laid our backs right down on the trail. Lifting my chin, I could see the ribbon of tar grow thin and disappear into nothing on the horizon between my feet. I didn’t check the other direction, but hoped someone coming from Woodstock would spot two brightly colored lumps from miles away in time to slow down. We lay there watching the clouds for a while. I can highly recommend this open-eyed trail shavasana.

Two white plates on a wooden counter at Stacis Bar and Grill in Woodstock, MN: one with crinkle-cut fries and beef tips, the other with tater tots and beef tips. The bar and condiments are visible in the background.

By the time we coasted into Woodstock, dust-coated and grinning, we felt like we deserved what was next. Lunch was at Staci’s Bar & Grill, where we both ordered the local delicacy: chislic. For the uninitiated, chislic is cubed, fried, seasoned meat, usually lamb or beef. Rustic, salty, and absolutely delicious. Staci’s offers a deluxe version with fried onions. Yes, please. We struck up a conversation with Dan Timmer, a lifelong local who had a whole anthology of memories tied to the barn-like building. Turns out, Staci’s used to be the community hall. “You can still see the basketball hoops up there,” he said, pointing toward the newer drop ceiling.

A small building with a green roof and Pipestone Dari King sign, with a few people sitting at an outdoor table. Bicycles are parked nearby, and trees and clouds are in the background.

A hand holds up a cup of Pipestone Dari King Glacier ice cream topped with crushed candy and two straws in front of a small building with a porch. People and bicycles are visible in the background.

The ride back to Pipestone earned us a reward: frozen treats at Dari King, a local tradition since 1951. We both got Glaciers, their version of the famous upside-down shake. Jen’s was swirled with peanut butter cups, mine studded with Kit Kats. After 35 miles of biking, we felt we needed to top off our glucose stores.

A sunny street scene in Pipestone, MN with historic red brick buildings, parked cars, and colorful flags along the History Walk. Clear blue sky overhead, with sidewalks and streetlights lining the road in this charming downtown area.

A historic red stone building with ornate windows and a steep gabled roof sits on a sunny street corner in Pipestone MN, perfect for a History Walk. Across the way stands a newer tan brick structure under the clear blue sky.

The image shows the upper facade of a historic brick building in Pipestone MN, with a stone pediment inscribed FIRST NATIONAL BANK and the year 1898 above it—an ornate highlight along the city’s History Walk.

A vintage metal burglar alarm box with red and black text is mounted on a tan brick building wall, featured along the Pipestone History Walk. The alarm reads Burglar Alarm, O.B. McClintock Co., Minneapolis, Minn.

Our legs buzzed in the best way, so we opted to shake them out and followed the walking tour of historic Pipestone using a map from the local chamber of commerce. The self-guided route wound us past stately Sioux quartzite buildings that glowed pink in the late afternoon sun.

A woman in a pink shirt looks up at the historic Calumet Inn, its tall, narrow stone façade and bay windows rising against a clear blue sky. Captured from below, the photo echoes the charm of the Pipestone History Walk.

We wandered along Main Street, where many buildings date back to the late 1800s and early 1900s, built during the boom of the local quarrying industry. Some had elaborate cornices and Romanesque arches; others towered with modest but proud facades and intricate stonework.
The three-story Calumet Inn, with its red stone façade, looked like something out of a classic Western. A luxury hotel for its time, it had hot and cold running water and windows in each room. Unfortunately, it’s no longer in business.

A historic red-brick building with a clock tower stands on a lush green lawn in Pipestone MN, surrounded by trees under a clear blue sky. A curved sidewalk invites visitors to begin their History Walk toward the grand entrance.

We also admired the Pipestone County Courthouse, with its clock tower rising like a sentinel over the town, topped with a blindfolded Justice holding her scales. A local told us it was the “highest court in the state” and, with a smirk, added, “as far as elevation goes.” Indeed, Pipestone sits at 1,739 feet above sea level, second only to Cook County’s Eagle Mountain. The walk was part historical tour, part treasure hunt, and the more we looked, the more details we found hiding in plain sight.

And then we noticed them, the stone faces peering down at us from above. Not the monstrous, snarling gargoyles you might expect on a European cathedral, but more playful, expressive creatures: some with wide eyes and puckered faces, others staring like watchful gremlins frozen mid-thought. A few looked like they might start laughing at any moment. They were carved right into the façade of the Moore Block, guardians of history with a touch of Minnesota Nice.

A brick Stonehouse Restaurant with outdoor seating on a corner in Pipestone, MN, a parked car nearby, streetlamp, and clear blue sky in the background. The building features large windows and decorative round plaques on the facade.

At Stonehouse Restaurant in Pipestone, MN, savor an outdoor meal with a sandwich, fries, and pickle on one plate; Monte Christo Sandwich dusted with powdered sugar, mac and cheese, plus sauce on the other.

By the time we circled back to our bikes, the sun was beginning to soften, casting long shadows down the alleyways and bathing the quartzite buildings in a golden-pink glow. Dinner brought us to Stonehouse Supper Club in downtown Pipestone. We snagged a spot on the patio, watching the moon rise over town and the stone buildings catch the last golden rays of daylight. Jen’s Monte Cristo sandwich, a raspberry French toast twist, came with a zingy raspberry dipping sauce that made her eyes widen with the first bite. My French Dip was rich and savory, layered with tender roast beef and served with a jus that was practically drinkable (well, actually).

A lone cyclist travels down a long, straight gravel road through rural farmland, bordered by fields and trees. Silos and a barn are visible in the distance under a hazy sky.

A cyclist rides on a rural road past a green sign that reads Ihlen under a blue sky, with houses, trees, and grass in the background.

A white shirt pair of bloomers hangs on a clothesline inside a porch with light blue-green walls and white framed windows; a red chair and a wooden chair are visible in the background.

A stone arch bridge crosses a small creek amid grassy fields and rolling hills under a partly cloudy sky at Split Rock Creek State Park. Cyclists ride on a nearby path, while the scenic landscape stretches into the distance.

Sunday started with gravel and grit.

We rode toward Split Rock Creek State Park, crunching gravel under our tires for about 12 miles. Wide pastures and fields passed by, followed by old barns leaning into the wind and fences weathered gray by time. We arrived at our breakfast stop in no time: Fish and Chips Café, which, despite what the name suggests, served a breakfast that rivaled any diner we’ve ever visited.

A round sign on the Fish and Chips Restaurant in Ihlen MN features a cartoon fish wrapped in fries, with the text Fish & Chips in yellow and blue letters above it.

Two plates of breakfast omelets with toast and home fries, each paired with a patterned mug of coffee, are set on a wooden table at Fish and Chips Restaurant in Ihlen MN. The food looks fresh and warm, ready to be enjoyed.

Owners Ericka Jackson and La’Ron Tivis were tag-teaming the morning rush. Ericka greeted us with a coffee pot and the kind of smile that makes you feel like a regular. La’Ron was in the kitchen, working magic on the griddle. We each ordered a loaded omelet and shared a side of hushpuppies that were golden, crisp, and sweet inside.

A person with a blue backpack walks on a grassy trail alongside a river at Split Rock Creek State Park, surrounded by green trees and under a partly cloudy sky.

A group of three people walk along a grassy trail through the rolling green hills of Split Rock Creek State Park under a partly cloudy sky, with trees in the background.

A woman with gray hair and a blue backpack looks out over a calm, wide river at Split Rock Creek State Park. Trees line the riverbank, and wind turbines are visible in the distance under a partly cloudy sky.

A person wearing an orange shirt and backpack walks along a grassy path near a river in Split Rock Creek State Park, with green trees, open fields, and a partly cloudy sky in the background.

A person sits alone on a bench facing a calm lake at Split Rock Creek State Park, surrounded by green grass and trees, under a partly cloudy sky. The rural landscape features open fields stretching into the distance.

A green grassy trail winds through a lush, wooded area in Split Rock Creek State Park. A Hiking Club Trail sign marks the 2.6-mile path as two people with backpacks walk ahead along the scenic route.

Split Rock Creek State Park was just ahead. The dam over the creek made for a postcard-perfect view, and the Hiking Club Trail led us through forest and wildflowers, following the path along the lake for about two and a half miles. We paused on top of a hill in the shade of the historic water tower, where we had a great aerial view of Split Rock Lake, which was created by damming Split Rock Creek in 1938, the only lake in Pipestone County. Before we hit the road, we had a good look at the newly restored historic stone arch bridge across from the dam.
Back in Pipestone, we cleaned up and took a little rest while our bikes leaned contentedly against the tree at our campsite, sun-warmed and dusty.

A table at Los Tulipanes in Pipestone MN, filled with plates of Mexican food—fajitas with rice and beans, a large quesadilla with salsa and sour cream, warm corn tortillas in foil, plus two colorful drinks, one red and one white.

For dinner, we headed to Los Tulipanes, a Mexican restaurant with colorful walls and a soundtrack of sizzling meat and margarita blenders. Jen ordered the Changa Tulipanes, deep-fried burritos stuffed with beef and vegetables, covered in cheese sauce. I had the Carne en su Jugo, thin pieces of steak simmered in tangy green salsa with beans and bacon. It had a heat that made me break a sweat, but I smiled through every bite. To wash it all down, we discovered two new obsessions: horchata, a creamy cinnamon rice milk, and agua de Jamaica, a bright hibiscus tea that tasted like summer in a glass.

A small blue bird perches on the tip of a weathered tree branch over water at Split Rock Creek State Park.

As night settled over Pipestone one last time, we found ourselves sitting in camp chairs by the trailer, quiet, letting the weight of our tired legs and full bellies do the talking, and turning the stories we’d gathered into memory. We came to camp. To ride. To eat. To explore. Sometimes, you just need a good sandwich, an open trail, and someone to share it with.

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About me

A person wearing a yellow helmet, sunglasses, and warm winter clothing smiles while outside in a snowy Minnesota landscape. They are pointing at something, perhaps one of the scenic mountain bike trails nearby, as the sun shines brightly overhead.

I’m Jan, the publisher of Minnesota Trails Magazine. I’m looking for that one trail, the next ride, a new discovery and other reasons to never sit still in Minnesota.

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