WCCO Viewers' Choice For Best Horse Trail In Minnesota
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- It is your typical Minnesota campground: Shared stories, laughter around the campfire -- even the "neighsayers."
Yes, this is a place for people and their horses. Zumbro Bottoms it is your pick for Best Horse Trail in Minnesota.
Zumbro Bottoms has 44-plus miles of trails, and they are designated for horseback riding.
"We have some wide trails," equestrian Barb Partington said. "They've all been amended with some crushed rocks so they're not slippery when they're wet. We also have single-track trails, and that's my personal favorite. And they meander around. There's some up and some down. Seems like a little something for everyone … This is like the best place in southeast Minnesota to ride."
Make that all of Minnesota! Zumbro Bottoms is a 4,000-acre state forest with the Zumbro River flowing through it.
"That's one of the good things about this place is that there's something for everybody," one rider said. "There're all these different kinds of trails."
From steep inclines to scenic overlooks, you can ride for days and not see it all.
As riders say, if you want to see what man made, ride in a car; if you want to see what God made, ride a horse.
At the end of a long day out on the trails, the grounds are set for an easy dismount. There are picket lines to tie up your horse, and manure pits for cleanup.
As I discovered, these folks are as tight with their horses as they are each other.
So from tails to tales, Zumbro Bottoms is a place for riders and their horses to share a ride and a story. Good thing the horses are great listeners.
Zumbro Bottoms is open from May until October 1. Anyone is welcome to use the campground and trails that are maintained by the Minnesota DNR.
Your other favorite trails were Sand Dunes in Big Lake and Hay Creek in Red Wing.
