Minnesota · Hiking

River Bottoms Trail

River Bottoms TrailPhoto: Joe Passe, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)
8.7 mi
round trip
1,000 ft
climb
824 ft
high point
Out and back
route
Apr–Oct
best months

River Bottoms Trail is a moderate hike in Minnesota, about 1.6 miles from the town of Port Cargill. The trail is managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and runs roughly 17 miles out and back, with a total climb of about 1,000 feet, so the one-way gain is about 428 feet. The route starts near 700 feet and reaches a high point of about 824 feet, with the steepest stretch beginning just 0.17 miles from the start. For comfortable conditions, late spring through early fall works well. Typical averages from a nearby weather station show highs around 69°F in May and 73°F in September, with July peaking near 83°F. The trail is also a good option for riders. Bikes are allowed on the route. Several other trails sit close by. The Minnesota River Greenway Trail and the Minnesota River Bridge Trail are each about 0.7 miles away, the Bluff Trail is about 1.1 miles off, and the Cliff Fen Trail is about 1.4 miles away.

  • Best time to go · Apr–Oct

    Best time to visit River Bottoms Trail

    Best months: April–October. Best months have typical highs of 55–85 °F, lows of 30 °F or warmer (32 °F where the station doesn't record snow), at most one snowy day and no more than 12 wet days.

    1. Jan

      24° / 9°

      10 wet

    2. Feb

      29° / 13°

      8 wet

    3. Mar

      42° / 25°

      9 wet

    4. Apr

      57° / 38°

      11 wet

    5. May

      69° / 50°

      12 wet

    6. Jun

      79° / 60°

      12 wet

    7. Jul

      83° / 65°

      10 wet

    8. Aug

      81° / 63°

      10 wet

    9. Sep

      73° / 54°

      9 wet

    10. Oct

      58° / 41°

      9 wet

    11. Nov

      42° / 28°

      9 wet

    12. Dec

      29° / 15°

      9 wet

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Minneapolis/St Paul Ap, MN, 6.9 mi away at 872 ft. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

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