Kandiyohi County: Trails, Water and History

Kandiyohi County offers several distinct reasons to visit: trails and water, historic sites, events and environmental education. When planning, you can decide whether nature experiences or local history should take center stage; the attractions offer different highlights for each.

Trails, Nature and Water

Mt. Tom Trail, a 3.3-mile loop, is in Sibley State Park. Mature oak trees, remnants of native prairie and scenic overlooks shape the nature experience along the trail. Swimming is possible at Lake Andrew in the same park. Here you can enjoy both a loop trail with distinctive landscape features and an opportunity to swim.

The Glacial Lakes State Trail is mostly flat and accessible to wheelchair users. This gives you specific features to consider when choosing a trail: the loop format, vegetation and overlooks of Mt. Tom Trail, compared with the flat terrain and wheelchair accessibility of the Glacial Lakes State Trail.

The county parks also offer different highlights. Diamond Lake County Park is on the west shore of Diamond Lake and has 60 campsites. This number may change as part of a park redesign, so take that into account when planning. Green Lake Saulsbury Beach County Park has a public beach next to the DNR boat landing. Camping at Diamond Lake and the beach and boat landing at Green Lake are therefore two different park experiences.

Discover Local History

The Kandiyohi County Historical Society offers a museum gallery, a research library and historic buildings to explore. The Kandiyohi Depot & Museum brings a specific piece of railroad history to life: it is the original Great Northern Railway depot from Kandiyohi. Built in 1900, it was moved to its current museum site in 1967.

The Lars and Guri Endreson Cabin offers a different historical perspective: it is a log cabin built around 1858 that reflects Norwegian American heritage. In northern Kandiyohi County, an interpretive center at the Old Log Church site features exhibits about life in the past. The dates associated with these historic sites refer to different milestones: the cabin’s approximate year of construction is recorded, while the depot’s construction and subsequent relocation are dated.

Events and Environmental Education

The Kandiyohi County Fair features agricultural, home economics and industrial exhibits. Grandstand events include bull riding, a semi-tractor and truck pull, and a demolition derby. The events scheduled may vary from one year’s fair to another. The exhibits and Grandstand program are different parts of the fair; when planning your trip, it’s worth checking the dates and program for that year.

The Prairie Woods Environmental Learning Center is a center for environmental education and outdoor activities in Kandiyohi County. Its focus differs from the fair exhibits: environmental education and outdoor activities take center stage here. Along with the trails, lakes and historic sites, it offers a range of themes for your stay, without nature, culture and events needing to have equal importance.

Discover more destinations: Willmar, Spicer, Pine County, Chippewa County, Marquette, Polk County, Benton County, Becker County.

For the broader travel overview: Minnesota.