Minnesota River Valley Scenic Byway
Flandrau State Park, MN

Flandrau State Park, named after Charles E. Flandrau, a prominent lawyer and Indian agent of the Minnesota River country during the 1860s, boasts many recreational opportunities. Recreational facilities located in the park include a sand-bottomed, filtered swimming pool, trails, playground equipment, horseshoe courts, volleyball courts, and campgrounds.

The Big Cottonwood River wanders through the diverse terrain, near woods, oxbow marshes and open grasslands. Hikers and cross-country skiers find easy, flat trails on the valley bottom or a greater challenge on the oak-shaded bluff trails. Visitors may see historic stone buildings crafted by WPA (Work Projects Administration) crews. If lucky, enthusiasts can see goat prairies, small white lady's slippers, and the floodplain forest.