Area Lakes, Parks and Trails

The many parks, lakes, and rivers in and around the area offer fishing opportunities, canoeing, boating, and swimming beaches. Camping facilities as well as cabin rental and hiking are also available. Several City parks have picnic shelters, playground equipment, volleyball courts and horseshoe pits. The Sauk River Park, located in the heart of the Melrose community, has camping sites as well as electrical hookup sites.

Sauk River Park
North Fifth Avenue East

tent sites and RV sites (no service) available @ $6.00/day; no reservations taken 8 recreational camp sites with grills, picnic tables, water and electricity @ $12.00/day; maximum 7 days; no reservations taken 4 recreational camp sites with grills, picnic tables and electricity @ $12.00/day; maximum 7 days; no reservations taken sanitary dump station handicap accessible restrooms fishing horseshoe pits basketball courts outdoor volleyball courts regulation soccer field youth soccer field two regulation softball fields—one with lighting small picnic pavilion with tables large picnic pavilion with serving area containing electricity, refrigerator, sink, and hot water; for reservations call the Melrose City Center @ 320-256-4278; $50.00 plus $50.00 clean-up and key deposit fee playground equipment including swing sets, spring animals, and activity center

Big Birch Lake

• Big Birch Lake has great Walleye and Northern Pike
• Many visitors enjoy jet skiing and waterskiing
• Camping sites available

Little Birch Lake

• Little Birch Lake is located West of Big Birch Lake

Lake Sylvia

• Lake Sylvia is a small lake with public access
• Many residents and visitors visit Lake Sylvia to relax and have picnics

Sauk River Mill Pond

• Canoe landing west of Fifth Avenue East
• Boat landing along North Third Avenue West
• World record Red Horse fish was caught just below the falls Summer of 2005

Jaycee Park

North Fifth Avenue West unlighted volleyball courts horseshoe pit picnic pavilion with stove, refrigerator, sinks, hot water, drinking water; for reservations call the Melrose City Center @ 320-256-4278; $50.00plus $50.00 clean-up and key deposit fee picnic tables and benches modern handicap accessible restroom facilities grills playground equipment including swing sets, spring animals, and activity center skating and hockey rinks skateboarding/rollerblading rink Meadowlark Park Meadowlark Lane picnic pavilion; no reservations accepted modern handicap accessible restroom facilities grills picnic tables and benches playground equipment including swing sets, sandbox, spring animals, and activity center basketball court near golf course Lake Wobegon Regional Trail

The Lake Wobegon Regional Trail is a 35 mile long, 10 foot wide, bituminous surface trail that stretches from Sauk Centre to St. Joseph and north to Holdingford and offers hikers, bikers, walkers, rollerbladers, and joggers an opportunity to enjoy the great outdoors. In the winter, cross country skiers and snowmobilers can also enjoy the Trail. Plans are underway to extend the trail from Sauk Centre to East Alexandria and from St. Cloud to the Twin Cities Metro area.  Once finished, this will be the longest continuous trail in the United States. (See also the official Lake Wobegon Trail site - http://www.lakewobegontrails.com/.)   Birch Lake State Forest Birch Lake Campgrounds & Hiking Trails (located 9 miles north of Melrose)

• 35 campsites; $10.00 per night
• 8 picnic sites
• boat landing
• fishing
• swimming
• 8 mile hiking trail
• snowmobiling trails

For additional information contact Caretaker Jerry Schmidt 320-285-2399