Day 5 – St. Paul to Red Wing – 55 miles

Highlights today –

National Park Service ribbon cutting for the MRT within MNRRA, cross the 525 foot longest free standing, tied-arch span bridge in Hastings, the “hills” part of the trip begins as we reach the bluff country, visit Red Wing Shoes, and Red Wing Pottery.

Hastings – With a current population of about 22,000, this is the county seat for Dakota County and a river town that brought many settlers via steamboats to take advantage of the logging and flours milling in the area. The name was selected by drawing a name out of a hat by the original founders.

• Home of Lock and Dam #2
• Vermillion River runs through town and into the Mississippi – official end of the MNRRA
• Hastings and Allina Health have developed a new bike share system to promote a healthy city

Red Wing – The county seat for Goodhue County with a current population around 16,000, it was named after Sioux Chief, Red Wing, a friend of the United States during the War of 1812. Treasure Island Casino is nearby and part of the Prairie Island Indian Reservation.

• Home to the Cannon Valley multi-use trail that runs east/west to Cannon Falls
• Red Wing Pottery founded in 1861 when the clay was discovered near Hay Creek
• See the 16’ tall size 638-D boot at the Red Wing Shoe Museum
• Peek into the St. James Hotel built in 1875
• Visit the Tourism Office/RR Depot/Information Center downtown – Amtrak Stop
• Pass the historic Romanesque style MN Correctional Facility which was built in 1889 and can house up to 111 juveniles. It was also the subject of a Bob Dylan song called, “Walls of Red Wing”.