Minnesota’s Rocori Trail is named for the three small towns through which it runs (Richmond, Cold Spring and Rockville). From its western end in Richmond, the paved rail-trail heads east through Cold Spring to Rockville.
At its western end on at 178th Ave in Richmond, the trail connects seamlessly to the Glacial Lakes State Trail. The majority of the trail was built on a former BNSF Railway corridor and runs parallel to MN-23 for nearly its entire length. Nearing the eastern end, the trail curves northeast away from MN-23 and parallels Broadway Street/County Road 82 through Rockville. In Rockville, the trail runs through Rockville's quaint downtown area and offers easy access to residences, businesses, and city hall.
Features along the trail include views of the Sauk River, the Rockville granite quarry, Cold Spring dam and waterfall, and scenic countryside and parks. The headquarters of Coldspring (formerly the Cold Spring Granite company), nationally known for contributing to both the FDR Memorial and Korean War Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C., is located along the trail. Other sites along the way include the Cold Spring Baseball Park (a short trek up Seventh Avenue in Cold Spring) and the sprawling Rich-Spring Golf Club (across MN 23 from the trail).
Long-term plans include extending this trail east all the way to St. Cloud. Besides the Glacial Lakes State Trail, the Rocori Trail is part of a network of trails, including the Lake Wobegon Trail and the Lake Koronis Recreational Trail in Paynesville.
Parking is available at the eastern end of the trail (intersection of Broadway St/County Rd 82 & Pine St in Rockville) and mid-route in Cold Spring (Main St, on the east side of the bridge over the Sauk River). Visit the TrailLink map for all options and detailed directions.
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