Minnesota’s Underrated Rice Lake State Park Will Surprise You This Fall

The Land of 10,000 Lakes is a truly fantastic place to be when fall rolls around. From the aspens, birches, and golden tamaracks in the north to the tawny tallgrass and scarlet sumac of the western prairies, and the bright and bold oranges, reds, and glowing yellows of the Big Woods, Minnesota is truly an autumn wonderland for fall foliage lovers. Folks head to the North Shore, Maplewood and Lake Maria State Parks, and the Mississippi River valley to take in all of the autumn splendor. One place that you almost never see on folks' favorite places for leaf peeping in the Bold North, however, is a state park that I think is criminally underrated: Rice Lake State Park. Pay a visit in the fall, and I think this little gem just may surprise you.

Rice Lake State Park is located in south-central Minnesota, just east of the historic city of Owatonna. At just over 1,000 acres (750 of which are covered by lake and wetlands), Rice Lake is a relatively small unit in the Minnesota state park system—especially when compared to massive parks like St. Croix or Itasca State Park, both of which comprise more than 30 times Rice Lake's area. What Rice Lake State Park lacks in size, though, it more than makes up for in charm—especially once the trees begin to don their autumn mantles.

The area around Rice Lake was once dominated by oak savannas, a biome that marked the transition zone between the Big Woods deciduous forests to the east and north and the tallgrass prairies to the west and the south. Much of this biome has been lost, but Rice Lake State Park preserves a remnant of the oak savannas that once characterized this part of Minnesota, as well as pockets of restored prairie. The shallow lake for which the park is named, along with the wetlands that surround it, is an important stop for migratory waterfowl like swans, several species of geese and ducks, and black terns, which actually nest in the park.

It's the oak-dominated forests that make Rice Lake State Park come to life when autumn sets in. The fact that relatively few species dominate the park's forests means the leaves all tend to pop around the same time, creating a massive golden canopy that you can enjoy on an autumn hike along the park's trails or a fall paddle on the lake. Whatever you do, try not to miss the sunset at this lovely little park. It's always beautiful, but when the glow of the setting sun dances off the saffron foliage, it gives a whole new meaning to the phrase "golden hour."

The foliage at Rice Lake State Park typically peaks around mid-October, and it's a perfect place to avoid the leaf-peeping crowds. For more information about the park, head over to Rice Lake's page on the DNR website.

Do you have a favorite place for enjoying fall colors in Minnesota? We'd love to hear about it. If you're feeling inspired to get out and see some fall foliage in the Land of 10,000 Lakes, try planning your own adventure using Only In Your State’s itinerary planner.