The Glacial Lakes State Trail is a multi-use recreational rail trail

Rail trail

A rail trail is the conversion of a disused railway easement into a multi-use path, typically for walking, cycling and sometimes horse riding. The characteristics of former tracks—flat, long, frequently running through historical areas—are appealing for various development. The term sometimes also...

 in south-central Minnesota

Minnesota

Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...

, USA. Developed from a former Burlington Northern Railroad

Burlington Northern Railroad

The Burlington Northern Railroad was a United States-based railroad company formed from a merger of four major U.S. railroads. Burlington Northern operated between 1970 and 1996....

 grade, it traverses a landscape of lakes and gently rolling hills formed 10,000 years ago during the last glacial period. The trail currently extends 22 miles (35.4 km) from outside Willmar

Willmar, Minnesota

As of the census of 2000, there were 18,351 people, 7,302 households, and 4,461 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,549.9 people per square mile . There were 7,789 housing units at an average density of 657.8 per square mile...

 through the communities of Spicer

Spicer, Minnesota

As of the census of 2000, there were 1,126 people residing in the city. The population density was 1,038.4 people per square mile . There were 605 housing units at an average density of 557.9 per square mile...

, New London

New London, Minnesota

As of the census of 2000, there were 1,066 people, 415 households, and 261 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,103.4 people per square mile . There were 439 housing units at an average density of 454.4 per square mile...

, and Hawick

Hawick, Minnesota

Hawick is a small unincorporated community in Kandiyohi County, Minnesota, United States. Minnesota State Highway 23 serves as a main route in the community. Hawick is located between the cities of Paynesville and New London at the junction of Highway 23 and County Road 2.The community is located...

 to the North Fork Crow River

Crow River (Minnesota)

The Crow River is a tributary of the Mississippi River in south-central Minnesota in the United States. It drains a watershed of 2,756 square miles .-Hydrography:The Crow River flows for most of its length as three streams:...

. Beyond that the undeveloped railbed is open for some recreational uses for another 22 miles (35.4 km) through the city of Richmond

Richmond, Minnesota

Richmond is a city in Stearns County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 1,422 at the 2010 census. Richmond is part of the St. Cloud Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...

, but some of the original railroad bridges are closed. The developed section is continuously paved, with parallel grass trackways or shoulders for horseback riding along the whole route. Bicyclists can connect to a 3 miles (4.8 km) roadside route to access Sibley State Park

Sibley State Park

Sibley State Park is a Minnesota state park near New London.It is set on Lake Andrew and, it was named for Henry Hastings Sibley, the first governor of the state. A city park in Mankato, Minnesota is also named for Sibley ....

.

External links

• Glacial Lakes State Trail