Douglas County
Parks Division
PO Box 398
Alexandria MN 56308

320-762-2966
fax: 320-763-7955

The  Central Lakes Trail Minnesota’s 23rd State Trail

WHERE WE ARE LOCATED:

The Central Lakes Trail, www.centrallakestrail.com, is built on an abandoned Burlington Northern Railroad corridor in central Minnesota. In Douglas County, it begins in Osakis and travels northwesterly across three counties to Fergus Falls in Ottertail County. Along the way it passes through Nelson, Alexandria, Garfield, Brandon, Evansville, Melby, Ashby, and Dalton.

WHAT IS THE TRAIL'S STORY

Minnesota's 23rd State Trail, the Central Lakes is a scenic 14’ wide bituminous recreation trail that joins the Lake Wobegon Regional Trail in the city of Osakis.

The trail corridor was purchased by the State of Minnesota in 1992. Douglas and Ottertail Counties worked with local volunteers and the Minnesota Departments of Transportation and Natural Resources to finance construction of the trail. Federal Inter-Modal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act Funds and State of Minnesota Regional Trail Grant Funds provided the bulk of the 3.2 million dollars needed to construct the 55 mile trail.

The project took 12 years to complete and involved many partners including the National Rails to Trails Conservancy, the Bikes Belong Coalition, and Chambers of Commerce, Service Clubs, Private Businesses & Foundations, Township & City Governments, and cycling enthusiasts from communities all along the corridor.

The Central Lakes Trail was dedicated in August, 2005 with celebration rides originating in Osakis and Fergus Falls. The riders met at Central Park in Alexandria for a ribbon cutting ceremony. The “Driving of the Green Spike” occurred in August, 2007 when the Central Lakes Trail and the Lake Wobegon Trail were finally connected.

Other interesting links:

http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/state_trails/index.html