Funding Source
General Obligation Bonds
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Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund
(lottery proceeds)
Harmony-Preston: trail development
2018 Legislative Outcome
| Amount Requested | Amount Funded | |
| General Bonding | $1.5 million | $1.5 million |
| LCCMR Recommendation | $235,000 | $235,000 |
Final Bill » Law
Bonding Bill H.F.No. 4425
Session Law Chapter 214: Article 1: Capital Improvement Appropriations
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Session Law Chapter 214: Article 4: Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund Appropriations
Final Funding Language
Subd. 6. Blufflands State Trail – $1,500,000
To acquire land for, construct, and pay expenses related to an extension of the Blufflands state trail system from Harmony to the Iowa border, to include a connection to Niagara Cave in Fillmore County as authorized in Minnesota Statutes, section 85.015, subdivision 7.
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$235,000 the second year [available until June 30, 2019] is from the trust fund to the commissioner of natural resources for an agreement with the city of Harmony to acquire fee title of about 16 parcels to allow for the approximate six-mile extension of the legislatively authorized state trail from Harmony south to the Iowa state border with a spur to Niagara Cave. The land must be transferred to the state after it has been purchased.
Project Overview
Extend the Harmony-Preston Valley State Trail to Niagara Cave and Iowa border.
2018 Identified Need
$1.5 million in General Bonding, plus $235,000 recommended by LCCMR
Project Impact
When complete, the Preston-Forestville State Trail will connect the existing Root River and Harmony-Preston State Trails to Forestville-Mystery Cave State Park. To date, one mile of trail and two bridges are built. The next phase of the project will complete 6 miles of trail, connecting Preston to Carimona, and includes 7 bridges as the trail follows the bank of the South Branch of the Root River and it’s narrow valley.
Project Support
Grassroots initiative in partnership with Harmony Trails Commission and recommended by Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources (LCCMR) to be funded by the Environment & Natural Resources Trust Fund.