We have Bike Trail News!

We received word today that Big Stone County’s grant application to Minnesota’s Federal Lands Access Program (FLAP) has been approved!

What does that mean? It means that the one-mile section of the bike trail (The Minnesota River Headwaters Trail) will be hard-surfaced – as a 2023 project. There will be no match expense to the County or the City for this grant. A big shout out to Commissioner Roger Sandberg for his persistence year after year in searching for funding to get this done! I think Roger would be able to give you quite a list of programs and connections – letters and verbal requests to our representatives – and so forth. The mission has been accomplished and in 2023 it will be completed.

This trail has been a topic of conversation in Ortonville for many years. In 2008, when the county constructed the trail – the plans and budgets included the 1.3-mile section that connected the trail to the Big Stone National Wildlife Refuge’s auto tour; however, that section was not completed (for various reasons out of the County’s control) – and left it difficult at times to travel via bike from Ortonville’s Lakeside Park to join up with the 5.2-mile auto tour with additional hiking trails within the 11,586-acre Big Stone Wildlife Refuge.

What a beautiful ride it will be to travel by bike from Ortonville’s Lakeside Park to the Refuge – travel the auto tour and explore the trails!

City of Ortonville – www.relaxurhere.com