Mill Towns: Trail development

Proposed Project Overview

This project will add one new trail mile near Dundas and renovate three miles of trail along the Cannon River between Northfield and Dundas.

The Mill Towns State Trail is a work in progress with three separate segments totaling six miles. The trail parallels the Wild and Scenic Cannon River and connects the cities of Faribault, Dundas, Northfield, Waterford, Randolph and Cannon Falls. It will ultimately serve as a 26-mile connection between two other long-distance trails: the 40-mile Sakatah Singing Hills State Trail that runs from Mankato to Faribault and the 20-mile Cannon Valley Trail that runs from Cannon Falls to Red Wing. The name of the trail comes from the many mills that were constructed on the Cannon River in settlement times. The vision is for the trail to serve as an interpretive hub that preserves the history of the flour milling industry that sprung up and fostered the growth of the cities along this trail and led to Minnesota being a major milling state in the early 19th century. This project is a critical next step that builds on previous investments made by the Legislature.

Project Support

Grassroots initiative in partnership with Friends of the Mill Towns State Trail.