La Crescent is located in southeastern Minnesota on the Mississippi River.
La Crescent, MN is located in southeastern Minnesota on the Mississippi River. Tucked along the bluffs of the Mississippi River, the City of La Crescent’s natural surroundings set the stage for a vast assortment of recreational opportunities. La Crescent is uniquely located on three scenic byways: Apple Blossom Scenic Byway, National Historic Bluff Country Scenic Byway and the Great River Road all pass through La Crescent.
Apple Blossom Scenic Byway is a biker heaven. Picturesque bluffs and a quiet country road make biking in this region some of the best-mountain and road biking in the area. From atop the bluffs, you can smell the apple blossoms blooming in the spring and view the beautiful river valley below. The steep bluffs attract athletes from around the country that are looking for a challenge. They provide great training for those training for races or to simply stay in shape. In fact, the only American to win the Tour de France trained on these bluffs.
The La Crescent area has a variety of trails that include hiking and biking trails. The newest trail in La Crescent is the Wagon Wheel Trail, offering an opportunity to bike through the backwaters of the Mississippi River. The Wagon Wheel Trail is historically named because early settlers came from the east over the Mississippi Rriver along a wagon and rail corridor in La Crescent . This corridor is now a multi-use recreational trail that in part runs adjacent to the Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge. This paved trail allows the trail user to view birds and flora and fauna of the upper Mississippi River watershed and Mississippi River flyway.
Riding Highway 16 south to Houston takes bikers to the Root River trail-head at the Houston Nature Center. The Root River Trail is southeast Minnesota’s paved trail network meandering along the Root River amid 300-foot bluffs. This 60- mile trail attracts thousands of outdoor enthusiasts each season.
Enjoy a variety of events in La Crescent, including Applefest (3rd weekend in September every year), the Apple Blossom Bike Tour (2nd Saturday in August every year), and La Crescent Live Concert Series (Five FREE family-friendly concerts held on Wednesdays at 5:30pm) located at 322 South 1st Street, city-owned green space behind the Library. The events include food and beverage vendors, and a variety of family games.
