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Glacial Lakes State Trail

The area around the Glacial Lakes Trail is dotted with countless lakes shaped by retreating glaciers some 10,000 years ago. Today, communities in this popular tourist area welcome visitors who come here to recreate at the lake, on the bike or both. Read more …

Glacial Lakes Trail map

Download map

Wildflowers like Bloodroot bloom along the trail in the spring on the Glacial Lakes Trail

Wildflowers like Bloodroot bloom along the trail in the spring

Read more here:

Along the Trail

The trail starts at the Civic Center on the northern edge of Willmar. It goes northeast through beautiful farm land, prairie, and communities along the way include Spicer, New London, Hawick and Paynesville, where the trail currently terminates. A five-mile segment between Roscoe and Richmond is also paved.

Enjoying the sunshine near Willmar on the Glacial Lakes Trail

Enjoying the sunshine near Willmar

A nature hike is a popular activity on the Glacial Lakes Trail

A nature hike is a popular activity on the Glacial Lakes Trail

The Glacial Lakes State Trail is built on an old railroad grade and has gentle elevation changes

The Glacial Lakes State Trail is built on an old railroad grade and has gentle elevation changes

Things are starting to bud on an early season ride on the Glacial Lakes Trail

Things are starting to bud on an early season ride

The trail crosses Nest Lake between Spicer and New London on the Glacial Lakes Trail

The trail crosses Nest Lake between Spicer and New London

Connections

Just northeast of Willmar, take the five-mile Eagle Lake Loop Trail which circles back to the Civic Center. A city bike route also takes you to downtown Willmar. In Spicer, take a ride around Green Lake on a combination of trails and signed routes. A five-mile on-road connection takes you to Sibley State Park near New London, but plans are underway to build a standalone trail. Take a detour in Paynesville and ride around Lake Koronis.
At Richmond, the Glacial Lakes Trail connects to the RoCoRi Trail, which in turn will one day reach the Lake Wobegon Trail.

Read about the section of the Glacial Lakes State Trail inside Sibley State Park

Windmills along the Eagle Lake Loop on the Glacial Lakes Trail

Windmills along the Eagle Lake Loop

At the eastern end of the Glacial Lakes Trail, take Paynesville’s connector route to the Lake Koronis Trail. At Richmond, the Glacial Lakes Trail connects to the RoCoRi Trail, which will connect Richmond, Cold Spring and Rockville. Currently, this trail ends about a mile east of Cold Spring, but will continue on to Rockville soon and eventually reach the Lake Wobegon Trail.

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