Purple wildflowers on trail with sunset
June 1, 2016

Building a trail to connect pastoral towns

In 1990, community leaders in southern Minnesota wanted to preserve the area’s natural and historic resources while creating a sustainable economy. They soon formed a group to focus on this goal.

Since then, the group has been diligently working, along with Parks & Trails Council to advocate for public funding to develop the Shooting Star State Trail. This year the group will celebrate the opening of 11 new miles of trail connecting into the city of Austin. With this addition the trail will cover about 30 continuous miles from LeRoy to Austin.

The friends have also successfully fundraised to add benches, signs, and shelters along the trail. In 2015 the friends funded, designed and built a Norwegian-style shelter along the trail near the city of Adams. They have also fundraised to get a trail sweeper to keep the trail clean.

Their annual bike ride was on June 25 this year. The ride promotes the trail where bikers enjoy wildflowers and remnant tall-grass prairie.

About Lisa Filter

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