We urge the Minnesota Legislature to designate the 25-mile Shell Rock River Water Trail as an official part of the state’s water trail program. 

The trail highlights the work being done to improve Fountain and Albert Lea lakes and would attract canoeists and other water enthusiasts to the city.

The water trail begins at the north end of Fountain Lake in Edgewater Bay and winds through Fountain and Albert Lea lakes until reaching the mouth of the Shell Rock River at the Albert Lea Lake dam. From there, the trail follows the river until it reaches the Iowa border.

It includes 13 miles of trail on the river.

Organizers have already installed signs throughout, and they hope in the future there could be more soft canoe and kayak landings put in along the trail, along with canoe rentals.

Brookside Boathouse served over 2,000 canoeists on Albert Lea and Fountain lakes last year, and that number could only grow with the passage of the trail into the state trail program.

The project cleared its first hurdle last week in the Senate Environment and Energy Committee, and we hope it sees further success as it works its way through the Legislature for approval.

Albert Lea Lake is, after all, the first lake people see when they drive into Minnesota on Interstate 35 from Iowa.