2. Central Lakes Trail
Upon its completion in 2005, the Central Lakes Trail quickly became one of the area’s most treasured outdoor resources. The trail is built on the abandoned Burlington Northern Railroad line which was purchased by the State of Minnesota in 1992. After a little over 12 years of development, with lots of support and help from the community, the Central Lakes Trail became Minnesota’s 23rd state trail. Since it is was built on an old rail line, the trail provides its users with a flat and smooth experience as it routes through dozens of rolling hills, lakes, woods and prairies.
The Central Lakes Trail spans a total of 55 miles from Fergus Falls to Osakis, where it connects to the Lake Wobegon Trail, giving a cumulative span of a continuous 117 miles of paved trails. The trail is used for biking, running, walking, longboarding and blading in the summer, while many parts are used for snowmobile routes in the winter. Alexandria has a wonderful stretch of trail surrounding the city with Big Ole Central Park serving as the main trailhead for Alexandria. You’ll be able to adventure through many areas of beautiful woods along the trail and pass by 9 lakes within a 4 mile radius of the trailhead.
