Trails
There are several hiking trails within the auto tour route. The auto tour route is a five-mile paved roadway that winds through an interior portion of the refuge. It is located about 1.5 miles SE of Ortonville, Minnesota on Highway 7/75. There are three options for you to enjoy along the Granite Outcrop Trail, within the auto tour route.
Boardwalk
Open Season: Available when the auto tour route is open
Length: Short
Location of trail: Granite outcrops within the auto tour route
Surface: Boardwalk
Difficulty: Easy
Information: The boardwalk trail will bring you to a small deck overlooking the Minnesota River
Paved Loop
Open Season: Available when the auto tour route is open
Length: 0.14 mile
Location of trail: Granite outcrops within the auto tour route
Surface: Paved
Difficulty: Moderate
Information: The paved loop will give you a close look at the granite outcrops found along the Minnesota River
Outcrop Trail
Open Season: Available when the auto tour route is open
Length: 0.70 mile
Location of trail: Granite outcrops within the auto tour route
Surface: Gravel/Earthen
Difficulty: Moderate to challenging, be prepared for uneven terrain
Information: The trail brings you up and over granite outcrops with a view of the Minnesota River
Minnesota River Headwaters Trail
Open Season: Available when the auto tour route is open
Length: 1.3 miles
Location of trail: Within the Refuge, the trail is accessed from the auto tour route. The trail can also be accessed at the intersection of Mill Rd and County Road 15 south of Ortonville, MN. A two mile section of trail is paved and mostly follows the Minnesota River channel before it enters the north part of the Refuge, at which point the trail converts to gravel.
Surface: Unpaved
Difficulty: Moderate
Information: This trail offers a trip through riparian riparian
Definition of riparian habitat or riparian areas.
Learn more about riparian woodland and floodplain wetland habitats
Look for the other routes as indicated on the kiosks, they vary in degree of difficulty and length. Visitors are also encouraged to park in the parking lots south of the refuge headquarters and enjoy walking or hiking through the prairie grasses along the Minnesota River.
Open Session: Open year round to walking/hiking. Note that the Auto Tour Route is only open the first Monday in April-First Monday in December. This trail can still be accessed by foot from the Refuge Rd. entry.
Amenities: Paved pull off and floating dock.
Description: This short out and back trail provides access to a small fishing pond. Please pull off the Auto Tour Route and onto the small pull off area enough so that cars can still pass going along the tour route. Hunting is prohibited in this area.
Surface Conditions: Paved trail and wood dock. Both are ~6 feet wide. Use caution after rain.
Open Session: Open year round to walking, snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, etc. Note that the Auto Tour Route is only open the first Monday in April-First Monday in December. This trail can still be accessed by foot from the Refuge Road entry.
Amenities: Paved parking lot, information kiosks, porta potties (removed when Auto Tour Route is closed).
Description: This short loop (0.25 mile loop) and board walk (0.05 mile offshoot) provide access to large granite outcrops (after which the refuge was named), oak savanna that is still under active restoration, and the Minnesota River. The loop provides access to the Granite Outcrop unpaved trail. Hunting is prohibited in this area.
Surface Conditions: Paved trail and wood board walk. Both are ~6 feet wide.
Open Session: Open year round to walking/hiking. Note that the Auto Tour Route is only open the first Monday in April-First Monday in December. This trail can still be accessed by foot from the Refuge Road entry.
Amenities: Paved parking lot, information kiosks, porta potties (removed when Auto Tour Route is closed).
Description: This 0.75 mile loop trail provides access to large granite outcrops (after which the refuge was named), oak savanna that is still under active restoration, views of the Minnesota River, and tallgrass prairie. Hiking can be difficult and uneven, especially after a rain, and tall grasses may obscure the path, especially at the west end of the loop. Watch out for small cacti along the rock outcrops. Hunting is prohibited in this area.
Surface Conditions: Narrow small stone trail (~1 foot wide) and exposed rock that may be slippery after a rain.
Open Session: Open year round to walking, snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, etc. Note that the Auto Tour Route is only open the first Monday in April-First Monday in December. This trail can still be accessed by foot from the Refuge Road entry or from County Road 15.
Amenities: Paved parking lot and information kiosk.
Description: This 1.25 mile out and back (2.5 miles round trip) trail takes visitors along wetlands, prairies, and sections of the Minnesota River. The Refuge portion of the trail ends at the Refuge boundary and has almost no shade. Hunting is allowed in this area. Please wear orange when seasonally appropriate. At the Refuge boundary, the trail continues for another 2 miles to County Road 15 along the Minnesota River channel as a paved trail.
Surface Conditions: Two track gravel maintenance road (~8 feet wide).
Open Session: Open year round to walking, snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, etc. Note that the road is not maintained in the winter and may be impassible for some vehicles.
Amenities: Paved parking lot, information kiosk, and overlook.
Description: This short out and back trail (0.25 mile round trip) provides panoramic views of wetland and grassland areas within the Refuge. A small observation deck at the end directly overlooks East Pool. Hunting is prohibited in this area.
Surface Conditions: Paved trail and wood board walk. Both are ~6 feet wide.
Open Session: Open year round to walking, snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, etc.
Amenities: Paved parking lot, information kiosk, overlook.
Description: This short out and back trail (0.2 mile round trip) provides panoramic views of wetland and grassland areas along the Minnesota River. A small observation deck at the end directly overlooks the Minnesota River. Hunting is allowed in this area. Please wear orange when seasonally appropriate.
Surface Conditions: Paved trail and wood board walk. Both are ~6 feet wide.