Reno Quarry (MN) Hike

The south view from the top

Located in Minnesota's Richard J. Dorer Memorial Hardwood State Forest in the Reno Recreation area, this easily-accessed, short set of trails results in some spectacular river and bluff views and unique rock formations. 

The trailhead is near the top of the bluff about a mile off MN Hwy 26. As you head up to it, you pass a few homes and then enter the forest. There is a campground to the left but just keep heading up the road until just before a sharp left-hand bend in the road, you spot a gate with a small parking lot to the left of it. 

Fire ring and "Flintstone 
Furniture" on quarry floor

The trail begins by the gate. Head north along the old-logging road and you soon make a sharp turn (south) to the right and begin a steady ascent up to the quarry itself. The woods along this first part of the trail are alive with wild flowers and ferns through most of the growing season. Along the way on your left, you will begin to see sharp drop-offs on private land and the beginnings of the rock face of the bluff as well. 

Soon you emerge into the quarry itself.  It is a well-used area with "Flintstone furniture," a large homemade fire ring, some graffiti and some trash (I try to come prepared with a small trash bag). There are some small, steep spur trails here and there to access the rock wall, although I didn't take the time or risk to explore them much. There is plenty of room to wander and explore on the flat stone quarry floor.

The north view at top of quarry

If you continue upward on the main trail for a few more hundred feet and turn left, you end up at the top of the quarry itself with a spectacular view of the bluffs and Mississippi River to the north. The trail ends here at a fence to prevent access to the quarry top.

The money view though, in my opinion, is still to come. Head back down towards the trail but go straight rather than turn right. You quickly emerge onto a point in a goat prairie remnant with expansive views of the Mississippi River, the Reno Spillway and its floodplain forests, Wisconsin river bluffs and MN bluffs. During spring and fall waterfowl migration, it's not unusual to have swans and geese flying just over your head on their migration routes. The rocks and grass provide ample seating to give you time to soak up the incredible views.

Enjoying the views on the outlook - including swans migrating

Atop the "spinal column" rocks

Once you turn around and head back down again, you come to an intersection (where you originally turned to your right). Follow the trail north and then up towards the river. There you will find a unique rock formation that, from a distance, might remind you of a human spinal column. Made up of alternating layers of limestone and sandstone, these columns again afford a panoramic view of the river and WI bluffs. You can easily scramble to the top of these columns to soak up the views. Fifty feet or so down the trail from these, you can get great camera shots of people standing on these unique flat-topped columns.

You can follow the trail slightly further north where it descends down into the woods and bushwhack back through the woods on the faintly outlined old logging/quarry road or head back directly from the outlook on the established trail.

These trails aren't regularly maintained so summer hiking is pretty overgrown and there are deadfalls to go around or over in all seasons. Spring and fall when growth is new or dying back are ideal. This is a hunting area so be aware of MN hunting seasons and wear blaze colors as you hike.

THE HIKE

My favorite rocks on my favorite hike
Image - Lloyd Lorenz

This 2.5 mile hike has about a 250 foot elevation gain. It starts high up on the bluff so the views of the river, bluffs and rock formations make it a hike that even older kids can do. The first part of the hike up to the quarry and higher outlooks is the steepest. The trail down to the "spinal column" rocks is fairly level and great for a short amble - definitely more family-friendly as well. The trails tend to be overgrown during the summer so spring and fall when vegetation has died back or is just emerging is ideal. It's also the best time to try to catch swan and geese migration on the wing  (early mornings and evenings).

Location

Heading south from La Crescent, take Hwy 26 about 20 miles or so until you see a sign for "Reno Recreation Area" on your right. Turn right at Hillside Dr and follow that about a mile up the road until you see a gate with a small 3-4 car parking lot ringed by stones to the left of the gate (before a sharp left-hand bend in the road). The trailhead begins behind the gate.

Unless noted, all images - Marge Loch-Wouters