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LENGTH: 414 Miles
ROUTE: Hwy 75 near the western border of the state, running the entire length of Minnesota
QUICK TRIPS
Communities up and down Historic Highway 75 celebrate life along the route, showcasing baked goods, fresh produce and flowers, plus antiques and collectibles, during the King of Trails Marketplace, held annually the second weekend of September.
ALONG THE BYWAYS
Highway 75 Coalition
117 Eighth Ave SE, Pipestone, 56164
507-825-3316
www.highway75.com Enjoy peaceful vistas, fascinating historical sites, vibrant festivals, and warm hospitality along the lakes, rivers and trails of remarkable Highway 75. Contact for a colorful Visitor Guide. |
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Historic Highway 75 crosses the whole of the United States, beginning in Winnipeg, Canada, and ending at the Gulf of Mexico in Galveston, Texas. But the Minnesota drive alone is a trip through the great rural American landscape, with rolling farmland, remnants of tallgrass prairie, and towns with charming historic main streets along the route. Crops of corn and soybeans change to potatoes and beets on a northbound drive. With five state parks spread out along the way, the King of Trails is a bird lover’s paradise. And prairie winds are gently harvested by the enormous blades of literally hundreds of wind turbines along Buffalo Ridge at the southern end, near Lake Benton and Pipestone.
Day 1
Towns, Prairies, Parks: Charming Luverne, with its recently restored historic Rock County Courthouse, is also the hometown of famed National Geographic photographer Jim Brandenburg. The 4,000-square-foot Brandenburg Gallery-Luverne features photos emphasizing the majestic American prairie. Bird lovers can look for nesting blue grosbeaks and other birds of the tallgrass prairie in Blue Mounds State Park. A herd of bison also resides in the park, with a buffalo roundup every fall. Then head to the north edge of Pipestone to walk a self-guided ¾-mile quarry tour at the Pipestone National Monument. The site is considered sacred by many American Indians, who still mine the soft red pipestone from shallow quarries. Summer pipe-making demonstrations are held at the Upper Midwest Indian Cultural Center here.
Day 2
Start with a visit to the Wind Power Learning Center of Southwest Minnesota in Lake Benton. It has a “wind garden” with interactive stations to learn more about renewable energy. Then head north for a little wildlife, fishing, and a picnic lunch at Big Stone Lake State Park, where the lake is the source of the Minnesota River. Another outdoor option along the route is Buffalo River State Park, where birders can enjoy beautiful prairie hikes and listen for bobolinks, prairie chickens and sandpipers. The park is just 14 miles east of Moorhead, the largest city along the route with a population of more than 32,000. Here you’ll find seasonal events from marathons to music and heritage festivals, plus galleries, museums, numerous restaurants and lodging options.
Day 3
Spend the morning touring Moorhead’s heritage-rich attractions, including the 1882 Victorian Comstock House, and the Heritage Hjemkomst Interpretive Center with the replica of a Viking ship. Continue northward to the town of Crookston on the banks of the Red Lake River, where numerous downtown buildings date back to the late 1800s. Farther north, Old Mill State Park features a steam-powered flour mill. The mill fires up on Grinding Day in August, turning the grist stone to grind wheat into flour. Nearing the Canadian border, visitors might spot migrating swans, bald eagles and owls in and around Hallock, while moose, deer and occasionally black bear can be observed on a trail hike in Lake Bronson State Park.
More info:
800-336-6125 www.highway75.com |
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