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Outdoor Recreation
County Office: Le Center Courthouse Contact: 88 South Park Ave., 507-357-8201, www.co.le-sueur.mn.us/165/Parks
Le Sueur County has one state park, 12 county parks, and public access ramps to nearly three dozen lakes and the Minnesota River, a 332-mile long tributary of the Mississippi. Three parks have self-guided trails. For more information on outdoor recreation, visit co.le-sueur.mn.us and click on “Departments,” then “Parks”.
What to do Camping Lake Washington Regional Park & Campground, Clear Lake Park
Cross-Country Skiing Ney Nature Center groomed trails, ungroomed trails at Bradshaw Woods, Lake Washington Regional Park, Rays Lake Park, Richter Woods
Facility Rentals Lake Washington Regional Park & Campground, Ney Nature Center, Richter Woods
Fishing Fishing piers at Clear Lake Park, Geldner Saw Mill Park, West Jefferson Lake Fishing Pier, Ray’s Lake, along with MN DNR Fishing Piers at German Lake and West Jefferson Lake. Shore fishing at Lake Emily, Gorman Lake, Minnesota River, Sabre Lake, Lake Volney, Lake Washington
Hiking Bradshaw Woods, Lake Washington Regional Park, Ney Nature Center, Rays Lake Park, Richter Woods
Mountain Biking Ney Nature Center Mountain Bike Trail
Paddling Canoe, Kayak, or Paddleboard on a number of lakes within the county
Picnic Areas Clear Lake Park, Geldner Saw Mill & Park, Henderson Station River Access & Park, Lake Jefferson Fishing Pier, Ney Nature Center, Ray’s Lake Park, Richter Woods Park, Lake Volney Park, Lake Washington Regional Park & Campground
Playgrounds Richter Woods Park, Lake Washington Regional Park & Campground
Snowshoeing Bradshaw Woods, Lake Washington Regional Park, Ney Nature Center, Rays Lake Park, Richter Woods
County Parks Bradshaw Woods Located in Le Center, near the fairgrounds, this 29-acre wooded park is full of native big woods trees including Basswood, Elm, Maple, and more. Within the woods you can find nearly a half mile trail loop and park benches. If you are looking for a quick getaway to explore the quiet and native big woods, or enjoy the changing colors of the leaves in the fall, this is the perfect park.
Clear Lake Park 35194 Clear Lake Lane, Le Center
Located on the west side of Clear Lake near the boat ramp, this quiet park and campground sits on a hill that overlooks the lake. The park consists of over 2 acres of land, 550 feet of shoreline, and a floating fishing pier. The campground consists of four primitive campsites with a picnic table and fire pit, and are available on a first come, first served basis for $10 per night.
Lake Emily Park 33016 Lake Emily Road, St Peter This 1.5 acre park on the south side of Lake Emily features a fishing dock and 1,000 feet of shoreline that provides fishing for bluegill, crappie, largemouth bass, northern pike, and yellow perch.
Geldner Saw Mill & Park 46542 Beaver Dam Road, Cleveland Located along Beaver Dam Road, the 4.5 acre park features a historic saw mill that is the last steam powered saw mill that is still standing in the state of Minnesota. The park is located on a bay of East Jefferson Lake and provides a fishing pier and shoreline for fishing, which is popular amongst anglers in the spring months.
Lake Gorman Park & Access 19634 Gorman Lake Park Lane, Kilkenny
Within the 8 acres of this park is a road that leads to a dam on the south side of Lake Gorman, as it flows into the Cannon River. This
provides a year round shore fishing location for multiple species of fish, along with a launch point for canoes and kayaks.
Henderson Station River Access & Park 29030 River Street, Le Sueur
On the banks of the Minnesota River near Henderson sits a 52 acre park that features a covered picnic shelter, picnic tables, and an opportunity to shore fish along the Minnesota River for it’s multiple species. The park also provides an access point to the river for canoe and kayak launches.
Lake Jefferson Fishing Pier 28211 470th Street, Madison Lake With 600 feet of shoreline, a floating fishing pier, paved sidewalk, and picnic tables, this is a popular location to spend the day fishing for panfish. The park can also be used as a launch point for canoes and kayaks.
Ney Nature Center 28238 Nature Center Lane, Henderson 507-357-8580, www.neycenter.org, info@neycenter.org.
Ney Nature Center is home to 446 acres of all the natural world has to offer: forests, prairie, meadows, bluffs, creeks, and a variety of wildlife. The center is open sun up to sundown daily for hiking or walking the trails, crosscountry skiing, bird watching, snowshoeing, v iewing wildlife, and enjoying the peace of nature. T he Education Building and office are open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday for visitors. The center offers a number of programs, naturalist-led hikes, day camps and more throughout the year to enjoy. There is truly something for everyone. Ney Nature Center has been a favorite for weddings and reunions, and the Education Building can be rented for gatherings and events. The center also manages and protects the Ney Wildlife Preserve through education and interaction with the natural world.
Ray’s Lake Park 1395 1st Street North, Elysian This beautiful park overlooks Ray’s Lake while featuring several areas of native willow and cedar trees, prairie, and mowed trails within the park. The 9.5 acre park consists of 3,000 feet of shoreline on Ray’s Lake, a fishing pier, and launch area. It is a popular park amongst people looking to shore fish for wide range of species including panfish, largemouth bass, and northern pike.
Richter Woods Park 35674 173rd Ave, Montgomery
An 80 acre park located 1.5 miles west of Montgomery, the park is heavily wooded and reminiscent of the native “big woods.” The park features a basketball hoop, volleyball net, fire pit, and playground. There are 2.5 miles of trails that are popular for hiking, snowshoeing, and cross country skiing. While hiking the trails, make sure to keep your eyes and ears open for abundance of wildlife, vegetation, and birding! The park is home to a unique barn that is available to rent for small gatherings and events. To reserve the barn for you event, please call 507-357-8201.
Lake Volney Park 18608 Beach Lane, Le Center
Located on the south side of Lake Volney next to the boat ramp, this 3 acre park features 600 feet of shoreline, a large sand play area, sand volleyball court, picnic tables, and a path to access the sandy bottom lake just beyond the restored shoreline. This park is a good location for a day of recreating outside, enjoying a lake, the sand, or having a picnic.
Lake Washington Regional Park and Campground 47102 Washington Park Road, Kasota One of only 62 designated regional parks in the state of Minnesota, this 164 acre park is located on one mile of Lake Washington’s shoreline. The campground caters to non-seasonal campers and features 27 RV Sites with electric hookups, 1 non-electric RV site, 3 primitive tent sites, and 1 group camping site with 4 electric hookups. Each site comes with a spacious gravel pad, fire ring, and picnic table. The campground also has a dump station, shower
outdoor recreation
house, and 5 water spigots. The park has 3.5 miles of trails of varying terrain that can be enjoyed by hiking, walking, jogging, snowshoeing, and cross country skiing. There are 2 different playgrounds located within the park, along with an open air picnic shelter and a year round building that can be rented out for gatherings and events. For more information or for reservations, please call 507-995-1161.
Sakatah Lake State Park 50499 Sakatah Lake State Park Road, Waterville 507-362-4438, dnr.state.mn.us. Situated to the south of Sakatah Lake, immediately east of Waterville, the park is open year-round. Beautiful to explore in any season, it features one of Minnesota’s eight old-growth deciduous forests, picnic grounds, boat access and a campground with 62 drive-in and 14 electric sites.
Sakatah Singing Hills Trail Jump on or off the 39-mile long converted rail-trail that lies between what was once the “Big Woods” and the vast prairies. It’s great for biking, in-line skating, horseback riding, skiing, hiking and snowmobiling. The trail, which joins the Minnesota River Trail in Mankato, passes through 3 miles of Sakatah Lake State Park and ends on the east at Interstate 35 in Faribault. It is generally level and wheelchair accessible. Snowmobiles with studded tracks are prohibited, except from Waterville to Faribault. Passes required for horseback riding and cross-country skiing. Snowmobilers need a state trail sticker. Call 1-888-646-6367. Lakes and rivers At least 100 lakes, from zero to more than 1,500 acres, dot the Le Sueur county landscape. About three dozen have public access ramps. Fishing, both during warm weather months and when the lakes are covered with a thick coating of ice, remains a popular pastime. Le Sueur County lakes feature a variety of species, from bullhead to walleye to crappie. There are three public access ramps to the Minnesota River in Le Sueur County, in Henderson, Kasota and Ottawa. Snowmobile trails Le Sueur County is home to a vast network of snowmobile trails; about 150 miles are the responsibility of the Le Sueur County Snowmobile Trails Association. County snowmobile tr ail map: lesueursnowtrails.org. New Prague area snowmobile trail map: newpraguesnowdrifters.com.
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