General
State Trail projects completed in 2025
Years of steady advocacy achieved key trail segment constructions for Mill Towns, Blazing Star, and Gitchi Gami State Trails in 2025.
December 19, 2025
Mill Towns State Trail is a work in progress with three segments that are currently unconnected, totaling eight miles. All the segments run along the Cannon River and connect into the cities of Northfield, Dundas, and Cannon Falls. It will ultimately serve as a 25-mile connection between two other long-distance trails: Sakatah Singing Hills State Trail and Cannon Valley Trail.
The trail name comes from the many mills that were constructed on the Cannon River by white settlers in the late 19th century. The vision is for the trail to interpret the history of the flour milling industry that sprung up and fostered the growth of several cities in the region, which led to Minnesota being a major milling state in the early 20th century.
between Cannon Falls and Lake Byllesby and between Dundas and Northfield.
Starts in Lake Byllesby Regional Park and connects to the 20-mile Cannon Valley Trail.
A six-mile extension is planned for 2026 in this segment.
Connects to local trails and city parks.
Project 1) Crossing the Cannon River, connecting two parks
Parks & Trails Council acquired the final piece of the puzzle to build a 2-mile segment of the state trail that runs from Cannon Falls to Lake Byllesby Regional Park.
This land enabled the construction of a pedestrian bridge across the Cannon River, which provides the only connection between the two regional parks along the river.
Steve Hennessy, DNR trail planner, said this trail involved numerous partners, including Dakota County, Goodhue County, the city of Cannon Falls, Parks & Trails Council, and the DNR. “Everyone really worked together to make the pieces fall into place.”
Half of the land was already in public ownership at the start of the route planning phase. The remaining private land was divided among three owners, which seemed like a manageable number—until all three declined the original offer to buy their land.
That’s when Parks & Trails Council stepped into the negotiations, which evolved over several years of discussions. Ultimately, we acquired the land located adjacent to Goodhue County’s Lake Byllesby Park. This land was required for the bridge, which is designed according to ADA standards with a gentle slope down through the river blufflands.
This land had previously been farmed and has been restored with oak savanna plants. Much of the two-mile segment is a restored and managed landscape of oak savanna and prairie.
Years of steady advocacy achieved key trail segment constructions for Mill Towns, Blazing Star, and Gitchi Gami State Trails in 2025.
Overall, this was a good year for parks and trails, but especially so for the Mill Towns Trail, which saw an incredible $8.19 million investment
Support the continued development of the Mill Towns State Trail.
Friends Since: 1998