Minnesota’s Cannon Valley Trail Gets National Designation

CANNON FALLS, Minn. (AP) _ U.S. Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke has designated the Cannon Valley Trail in southeastern Minnesota as a national recreation trail.

The Cannon Valley Trail is one of 19 newly designated national recreation trails in 17 states announced Wednesday. Zinke says the designations recognize the efforts of local communities to provide outdoor recreational opportunities that can be enjoyed by everyone. The announcement adds more than 370 miles to the National Recreation

Trails system of more than 1,000 pathways.

The 19.7-mile Cannon Valley Trail opened in 1986. It runs through diverse and spectacular scenery along an old rail bed along the Cannon River, connecting the cities of Cannon Falls, Welch and Red Wing. It's open year-round for hiking, bicycling, in-line skating, skateboarding, and cross-country skiing. It attracts close to 100,000 visits per year.