Houston County: River Trails, Nature, and History

River trails, cool valleys, and a variety of nature experiences define Houston County. You can hike or bike along trails, explore wetlands and prairie, visit exhibits, and discover the county’s history on your own. For planning, it’s worth first choosing the experiences that will shape your stay: this lets you match your hotel choice to your planned activities without limiting each day to just one kind of outing.

Along the Root River: Trails and Nature

The paved Root River State Trail runs for 42 miles along the Root River from Fountain to Houston. The Root River Trail System’s eastern starting point is at Trailhead Park in Houston, which is also home to the Houston Nature Center. There is ample parking there and access to miles of biking and hiking trails. Trailhead Park also offers biking, hiking, and birdwatching through the trail system—a combination that brings exercise and nature observation into the same day’s plans.

The grounds of the Houston Nature Center also feature a variety of habitats: its 17 acres include prairie and wetlands with native plantings. The center’s wildlife exhibit area features taxidermied animals, reptiles, and fossils. Outdoors, the focus is on the landscape and plants; indoors, the exhibits offer a different way to explore wildlife.

Another hiking destination is the Beaver Creek Valley Trail in Beaver Creek Valley State Park. The 3.5-mile loop runs through a cool valley surrounded by steep slopes. Beaver Creek is home to brook trout and native brook trout that attract anglers. The creek is not stocked with hatchery-raised trout; the fish reproduce naturally. This makes the options there quite different from the longer biking and hiking routes along the Root River.

Activities on Land and Water

Wildcat Park has 62 campsites, three picnic shelters, two boat launches, and a fishing pier. If you’d rather combine several activities, the county’s trails offer more options: the Wet Bark Trails include 11 miles of horseback riding and hiking trails. In summer, six miles of designated mountain biking trails are added. In winter, there are 11 miles of cross-country ski trails and six miles of snowmobile trails. These seasonal details clearly distinguish between warm- and cold-weather activities.

The annual Root River Triathlon also combines different ways of getting around: a 6.5-mile canoe or kayak course is followed by eight miles on a bike and a three-mile run. The distances give a concrete sense of the three stages; for planning purposes, the format differs from a single hike or bike ride. Caledonia also hosts two hot air balloon rallies each year: one in October during MEA weekend and one on the first weekend in December. If you’d like to include a rally in your trip, check the specific event dates before planning.

Owls, History, and Discoveries

At the International Owl Center, static and interactive exhibits complement each other. An educator is available to answer visitors’ questions about the exhibits; during the workday, three to five live birds are usually on display. On an Owl Prowl, participants first learn indoors how to identify owls by their calls. They then follow staff to three or four different locations within 10 miles of Houston.

The Houston County Historical Society collects, preserves, and shares the county’s history. Its offerings include museum exhibits, photographs, and research materials, as well as educational programs, tours, and historic sites. The Houston County History Hunt is a self-guided scavenger hunt throughout the county. The guidebook and map can be downloaded from the website or picked up at any library in Houston County. The Houston County Courthouse was completed in 1885; the Episcopal Church of the Holy Comforter in Brownsville was built in 1869.

For a scenic drive, the Great River Road follows Highway 61 through Brownsville. These cultural and scenic stops add further reasons to go out and explore alongside the trails and activities. When looking for a hotel, you can first decide whether you’d like your stay to focus mainly on the trails along the Root River, the nature paths, the seasonal activities, or the county’s history.

Discover more destinations: Houston, Ramsey, Hubbard County, Waseca County, Anoka, Rock, Dakota, Otter Tail County

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