Spring is here, spring is here. Life is Skittles and life is beer.
Among the other signs of spring in Minnesota, we have both river flooding, and scenic sights along Minnesota’s Great River Road. This includes the Apple Blossoms of La Crescent, eagles, birds and other wildlife emerging for the season.
Today’s map features the Great River Road through Minnesota. This is one segment of the National Scenic Byway.
If you are tripping over the coming long weekend, or as the summer continues, consider the sights of the Great River Road along your path.
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For those that don’t know the history of the road, the original 1938 concept was a new construction parkway along the river, along the lines of the Natchez Trace parkway. The idea languished during the war and immediately afterwords and was resurrected as an idea to sign (mostly) existing routes in 1949. There were also for a time two bizarre extensions to Warroad and International Falls and into Canada.
I’ve been on both sides from Brainerd-ish down to St. Louis. Obvious favorites would be both old an new magnificent bridges; The Big Blue Bridge, The Lansing Bridge, the old Savannah-Sabula Bridge, the Bayview Bridge to name a few. Also Pike’s Peak State Park, the Casseville Ferry, and the stretch of road in northeastern Iowa.
I’ve also been on all of Minnesota’s Scenic Byways as noted on the map, although I’m assuming the King of Trails was designated as a Scenic Byway for appearances sake to spread them out, since it’s just another two lane major highway in the boring part of the state.
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Knowledge of the history, geology & culture of western Mn. makes the Mn. Highway 75 Scenic Byway anything but boring IMHO.
Weird, the above map seems to show I-35 on the route of MN 61 (former US 61) north of Duluth