Highway 75- King of Trails Scenic Byway
414 miles - This drive will take you about 5 hours, but in order to enjoy this byway, you will want to spend several days.
Stretching from the Gulf of Mexico to Canada, Highway 75 was dubbed the King of Trails 90 years ago. The Minnesota portion, stretching 414 miles along the state's western border, may not be your classic idea of a scenic tourist destination, but take a closer look. One of the attractions of this byway is the lack of spots worn by tourists. The byway travels through small farming communities, expansive grain fields, wide grasslands, and lush state parks. It is also a fascinating fusion of an ecologically-oriented modernity with the rustic. Fields of over 1000 wind turbines rotate gracefully as they generate electricity, creating an image that seems to complement, rather than contrast against, the rustic farming elements. It hosts a marketplace that extends much of the byway every second Saturday of September. The King of Trails is just as important for its history. Once a Native American trail used to gather food and seek shelter, the trail became even more well-used when settlers happened upon it. After vehicles needed it for trading, the trail was paved and made into a part of America's highway system. Today, locals and travelers alike find the unique beauty of the surrounding prairies as beautiful as the lakes and mountains in other parts of the state.