Mower County: Prairie, Lakeshores and History

Mower County offers travelers a variety of highlights: lakeshores and prairie, outdoor trails, museums and local history. Austin adds more nature and cultural attractions. If you’re looking for a vacation rental, it helps to first consider which of these experiences you want to shape your stay.

Lakeshores, Prairie and Trails at Lake Louise State Park

Lake Louise Beach, with its sandy shoreline, sits on the shore of Lake Louise. Lake Louise State Park also features restored tallgrass prairie with big bluestem, Indian grass and other prairie plants. The lakeshore and prairie offer two distinct natural settings. The park’s picnic shelter has picnic tables and electrical outlets. Hikers and horseback riders use the Lake View Trail; the riding area is also the starting point for the trail network for horseback riding. Fishing is a popular activity in the Group Camp Bridge area.

The park’s history can also be traced through a specific structure: Lake Louise Dam was built in 1925 after a flood in the early 20th century washed away its predecessor. The date and sequence of events make the changes over time tangible, without treating the dam merely as a backdrop for outdoor activities.

The Shooting Star State Trail and Nature in Austin

The Shooting Star State Trail passes through Lake Louise State Park and is paved for about 29 miles between LeRoy and Austin. Native wildflowers and grasses are a distinctive feature of the trail and the Shooting Star Wildflower and Historic Route Scenic Byway, also known as Highway 56. Trail conditions can change; check them before setting out. Parking for the trail is available at Lake Louise State Park, where a vehicle permit is required. Check this requirement before you go.

A paved trail connects the Shooting Star State Trail with the Jay C. Hormel Nature Center in Austin. The nature center encompasses more than 500 acres of prairie, forests and wetlands. The city parks offer other activities: the walking path at Shirley Theel Memorial Park is about half a mile long, while Todd Park has an 18-hole disc golf course. This lets you distinguish between a natural area, a walk and a recreational activity as you plan, without combining these offerings into a set route.

Museums and History in Mower County

The SPAM® Museum features interactive exhibits with quizzes and games. The Hormel Historic Home was built in 1871 and preserves the legacy of George A. and Lillian Hormel’s family. Together, these places offer different ways to explore history and culture: quizzes and games are part of the museum experience, while the Historic Home focuses on its construction date and the family history it preserves.

The Mower County Historical Society offers tours Tuesdays through Fridays at 1 p.m. during its regular tour season, from May through September. If you’d like to include a tour in your plans, schedule your visit within this time frame and check the date in advance. This makes it easy to plan a cultural and historical activity alongside nature and outdoor activities.

Choose the Right Focus for Your Stay

The experiences that matter most to you can be a practical starting point when choosing a vacation rental. If you want to spend plenty of time by the lakeshore, in the prairie and on the trails, focus your search on the destinations suited to those activities; if museums and history are a priority, include Austin’s attractions and the Historical Society tours in your plans. If your travel group has different interests, you can make nature, outdoor activities and culture separate focuses of your stay. Then check which accommodation location works best for the destinations you’ve selected.

Explore More Destinations

Explore more destinations: Douglas County, Aitkin County, Marshall County, Waseca County, McLeod County, Beltrami County, Dodge County.

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