Located along the meandering Minnesota River, the Minnesota River Valley National Scenic Byway is a destination in itself. Close your eyes and image becoming an explorer for a day.

From Browns Valley to Belle Plaine along the Minnesota River, the Minnesota River Valley National Scenic Byway has six state parks with trails, natural beauty and history, important museums and historic sites that tell stories of war and settlement, and pristine prairie that holds the secrets of the past.

The Destinations are your guideposts as you travel through the Minnesota River Valley. You will not want to miss these sites, which also provide visitor information and services. Also, there are many off-the-beaten-path stops that we call Discovery Sites. To see all of our discovery sites, view sections of the byway below, or go to Things to Do. For a complete list of our sites, go to Sites Along the Byway.

1

Choose An area you Want to explore on the map

Or take the whole byway for the best adventure!

Not sure where you want to go? Get suggestions on the Itineraries page or view a list of the sites under Things to Do.

2

Find the Attractions you want to visit

Hover or click on for more information on each stop. Use + and – to zoom.

Too many attractions to pick from? The filter helps you sort by topics such as Natural History and the U.S. – Dakota War of 1862, or go to the Things To Do map and filter by activities such as museums, birding or paddling.

3

Know where to go but want to add options to your route?

We also have alternative routes for you!

The Minnesota River Valley has so many beautiful roads that we identified alternative routes for your adventures along the Minnesota River. Some have sections of gravel too, so we’ve identified that as well.