Parks

Monkey Around

There is nothing better than playing a round of disc golf with your friends at Mineral Springs Park, or participating in a favorite Owatonna pastime by playing pickleball at the Morehouse Park Courts.

Grab a blanket and have a romantic picnic next to the Morehouse Bridge while watching the Straight River flow by. Rent a canoe with your sweetheart at Rice Lake State Park and float on the lake for an afternoon.

Book Your Stay

City Parks

Park & Recreation Office: 540 West Hills Circle | Phone: 507-444-4321
Website: www.ci.owatonna.mn.us

Parks throughout the city not only preserve the small-town appeal of nature with prairie grass, trees and wildflowers within city limits, but offer volleyball, basketball, tennis and horseshoe courts, ball diamonds, in-line and ice skating rinks, and exciting playgrounds. They offer a variety of activities including fishing, geocaching, disc golf, skating, skiing and much more! Our City parks are the perfect place to hold family reunions. For trail descriptions, click here.

Geocaching

Park & Recreation Office: 540 West Hills Circle | Phone: 507-444-4321
Website: www.ci.owatonna.mn.us

Geocaching is an outdoor activity that uses a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver to hide and seek out small containers other geocachers have hidden. Once found, the containers, called “geocaches” or “caches,” reveal a number of tiny treasures that have been hidden inside that you or your kids can take as a souvenir as long as you bring a trinket to trade for it, along with a small writing log for geocachers to sign. Geocashing units are available to check out for individual/families use at the Park and Recreation Office.

Owatonna Park Passport

(Available September 6th – October 7th)
Park & Recreation Office: 540 West Hills Circle | Phone: 507-444-4321
Website: www.ci.owatonna.mn.us

The Park Passport program is an initiative of Owatonna Parks and Recreation to promote healthy lifestyle choices. The program encourages families and individuals to explore our parks and trails and exercise by walking the mapped trails. The four-week program is FREE and all access to the parks is FREE!

Leo Rudolph Nature Reserve

Location: 57 Acres | Young Drive, Jeffrey Drive or Lemond Road
Website: www.ci.owatonna.mn.us

During the state legislative session of 1987, the City obtained this tract of land for $1.00 from the State of Minnesota.City staff, with assistance from the Department of Natural Resources and Soil Conservation Service, developed plans for this tract to be restored to a native prairie. This reserve area includes a two acre pond, and numerous varieties of prairie grasses and wildflowers. Amenities include a hiking and cross-country ski trail and picnic site.

Rice Lake State Park

Location: 8485 Rose Street | Phone: 507-455-5871
Website: www.dnr.state.mn.us
Operations: Open year-round

Long ago, American Indians harvested wild rice from this lake where today, the shallow waters and marshy edges of Rice Lake attract many waterfowl during migrations. Rice Lake is a major wetland in the area. Visitors enjoy photographing spring wildflowers, picnicking, and bird watching. Winter activities include cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, hiking and snowmobiling on the trails. For a more secluded camping experience, paddle across the lake and camp in a canoe campsite (camping available April-October). Located 7 miles east of Owatonna, the park is open for day-use activities year-round.