OLD MILL 110 STATE PARK Trail rum rouse D Because lands exist within the boundaries G FACILITIES AND of this park that are not under the jurisdiction Aspen-Oak Trail of the D.N.R., check with the park manager FEATURES if you plan to use facilities such as trails and • 26 semi-modern campsites roads other than those shown. •Primitive group camp Grouse DrumTrail 1010 •Showers & electric sites 1000 990 •Picnic area Aspen-Oak Trail •Picnic shelter 980 •Swimming pond WINTER TRAILS •Fishing Cross-country Ski il ra il T a •Historic site •Grouse Drum Trail Loop / .9 mile s r e Aspen oak Trail T in 970 w •Hiking trails •Aspen-Oak Trail / .7 mile P 960 ie n V o r e •Snowmobile trails •Larson Pines Trail / .3 mile rs iv a L R •Riverine Forest Trail / 1.0 mile inted Turtle Trail •Cross-country ski trails Pa 960 •Painted Turtle Trail / .7 mile 1000 • Sliding area 1010 0 90 Native PrairieTrail 7 9 •Warming house Snowshoe 9 980 •Snowshoe rental •Aggassiz Self-guided Trail / 1.3 mile loop VISITOR FAVORITES •River View Trail / .6 mile •Swimming •Native Prairie Trail / .6 mile 1000 990 Trail Turtle ted •Picnicking 980 Snowmobile Riverine Forest Trail 970 Park Entrance Pain Riverine Forest Trail •Camping 960 •Hiking FACILITIES Information/Office 950 Overlook Agassiz Self-guidedTrail Historic Site (Old Mill) 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 Dam 0 9 9 1 1 0 7 0 980 0 9 6 5 il 9 0 9 2 0 Campground 0 0 ra 2 1 1 0 39 0 T 1 1 d e Primitive Group Camp id u lf-g Sledding Hill e iz S iz LOOKING FOR MORE INFORMATION ? s orest Ridge Trail s Warming Shelter F a The DNR has mapped the state showing federal, g state and county lands with their recreational A facilities. Private Property Public Recreation Information Maps (PRIM) are available for purchase from the DNR gift shop, DNR Public Use Prohibited regional offices, Minnesota state parks and major sporting and map stores. NORTH Check it out - you'll be glad you did. 0 500 1000 Agassiz Self-guided Trail Feet 0150300 NEWFOLDEN 11 miles © 1/2009 by State of Minnesota, Meters 4 Department of Natural Resources WILDLIFE: prairie still survives in the lower areas. Old Mill is an oasis of native prairie 4 The old grist mill is the focal point of the park. and riverine forest surrounded by fertile agri- 6 When running, it gives a feeling of the history cultural lands left by ancient Lake Agassiz. The Restrooms/Showers 2 OLD MILL STATE PARK of the Red River Valley. A restored cabin can be water course area and patches of aspen parkland Playground found near the mill adding to this feeling. provide wildlife habitat among the farmed e Electrical Sites 8 areas. The river valley acts as a travel corridor to Office Duluth Trails are provided for the hikers in the summer for many species including deer, moose, bear, Water & Old Mill • and for skiers and snowmobilers in the winter. timber wolves and otter. Beaver and fox are Wildlife is readily seen within the park. Beaver Toilets common as are white tailed jack rabbits and 7e can be seen cutting trees along the river and snowshoe hare. 10 Minneapolis/ many times they can be seen swimming in the St. Paul river. Moose, along with other wild animals, 32 • In spring and fall, birds migrating through this Underlined site numbers 25e 9e move through the area. portion of Minnesota add another dimension are RESERVABLE 12 to the parks wildlife. Warblers, finches and The swimming beach and picnic area are favor- hawks, among others, are abundant during 23e ite summertime spots for park visitors. The migration. About 100 species of birds reside in 14 11e 30 magnificent stone buildings and bridges set the the park. Scarlet tanagers, saw-whet owls, pileat- OLD MILL tone for this area. ed woodpeckers, and meadow larks are com- 16 21e mon summer residents. Marsh and red-tailed GEOLOGY: Just a short time ago, geologically 13e 28 STATE PARK hawks hunt small animals and sharp-tailed speaking, this entire part of the state was cov- grouse dance in the spring mating season. 19e FOR MORE INFORMATION ered by a vast freshwater lake, Lake Agassiz. 18 Old Mill State Park Although the area was left fairly level by glacial A recent study of the amphibians and reptiles 15e 33489 - 240th Avenue NW activity before the lake formed, the lake is re- in the park show a number of common species. 26 Argyle, MN 56713 sponsible for the large level areas found here. Reptiles include the common garter, prairie 17e (218) 437-8174 garter, red-bellied, and smooth green snakes. ♦ The lake level dropped in stages after each new 20 Watch for western painted turtles sunning on 24 outlet was uncovered. Each time this occurred, NORTH Department of Natural Resources logs along the rivers. For early spring visitors, a new shoreline was exposed. Ice movement to Picnic Area Information Center frogs and toads, such as the spring peeper and and wave action produced the large beach ridg- & Beach 22 OLD MILL STATE PARK CAMPGROUND 500 Lafayette Road great plains toad, provide an evening concert— es found throughout the Red River Valley. One St. Paul, MN 55155-4040 sometimes an overpowering din. of these beach ridges is located about 1 1/4 miles each year for visitors. Ask the Park Manager or times. A self-guiding trail, the Agassiz Trail, (651) 296-6157 (Metro Area) the Naturalist for the grinding dates for this year. with interpretive brochures and signs is located east of the park. On a day when ground fog HISTORY: The area now in the park was home- at the south end of parking lot to point out 1-888-646-6367 (MN Toll Free) covers the area this ridge can serve as an obser- steaded in 1882 by the Larson family. In 1886 The beach ridges of the old lake were travel interesting natural features of the park. Inter- TDD (Telecommunications vation point where a person can look out and Lars Larson Sr. built the original mill, a water routes across the treeless expanses of western pretive signs and an audio interpretive presen- imagine the shore of the ancient lake. powered mill, downstream from it’s present Device for Deaf) Minnesota. These ridges were used by native tation are located in the mill area. location. In 1888 that mill was destroyed by (651) 296-5484 (Metro Area) The river valley was cut by the river flowing people and their trails were followed by settlers flooding and was rebuilt in 1889 as a wind ♦ 1-800-657-3929 (MN Toll Free) over the loose sediments left behind by the lake. when they first came into the area. powered mill, but that lasted for only a very Each time the lake level dropped, the river would short time before it was blown over in a wind rapidly cut the channel deeper. Where it cuts The beach ridge just east of the park is one of This information is available in storm. The water powered mill was rebuilt later OLD MILL STATE PARK is located in Marshall across old beach ridges, rapids developed be- these travel lanes. For the early settlers this alternative format upon request. County, 13 miles east of Argyle, Minnesota or that same year upstream in an area outside of ridge was known as the Pembina Trail. The cause of large rocks the current could not remove. “Equal opportunity to participate in and benefit from 11 miles west of Newfolden, Minnesota. Access the park. Lars Larson’s son, John, started a mill oxcart trail and the river crossing are still evident at the same location and used the Case steam programs of the Minnesota Department of Natural to the park is one-half mile off County State The steep walled valley and narrow flood plain about a half mile east of the park. These carts Resources is available to all individuals regardless of Aid Highway 4. are typical of a young river valley. The dam is engine No. A359 for power. In 1897 both mill were made entirely of wood and, without race, color, creed or religion, national origin, sex, marital placed in a narrow part of the valley. were moved to the area where the “Old Mill” greased axles, were so noisy that they could be status, status with regard to public assistance, sexual now stands. orientation, age or disability. Discrimination inquires Old Mill State Park contains examples of the heard for miles. Try to imagine what an oxcart should be sent to the Minnesota Department of Natural landscape as seen by the first settlers over a Some of the newest geologic features are visible train must have sounded like! Resources, 500 Lafayette Road, St. Paul, century ago. The riverine forest contains most along the west edge of the park. These are the The mills were owned and operated by several MN 55155-4031; or the Equal Opportunity Minnesota of the same plants and animals found here small dunes forming along the edge of fields people before being sold to the state in 1937. INTERPRETIVE PROGRAM: During the summer, Office, Department of the Interior, Wash- ington, D.C. 20240.” originally. Small areas of oak savanna and prai- outside the park. With time, they may intrude the Park Naturalist conducts programs each The steam engine and the mill were rebuilt in Sunday at Old Mill. Check the program sched- DEPARTMENT OF rie can still be found on the beach ridges.