Short Vacation: Blue Earth, Minnesota
While most cities have brown, or occasionally red soil, Blue Earth, Minnesota got its name from having an entirely unique tint to its ground. The town is named after its interesting, rich blue-black soil found on the river that runs through it – also named the Blue Earth River.
Clearly, its unique natural attributes are important to natives of this small Minnesota town. And that’s also what makes it perfect for RVers looking to escape from the hurried nature of big-city living.
WHERE TO STAY: DALY PARK AND CAMPGROUND
Located right along Lura Lake in nearby Mapleton, Minnesota, Daly Park is a perfect spot for RVers to set up camp for a few nights. This scenic, wooded park provides a wide range of facilities for overnight campers, and features an island, a half-mile long primitive trail and plenty of scenic wildlife on all sides. Just a short drive from Blue Earth and Mapleton, RVers that enjoy the wilderness and serenity of the outdoors and a great fishing spot shouldn’t pass up Daly Park.
JOLLY GREEN GIANT
Lots of places stake claim to all sorts of odd things. (Blue Earth, for instance, is the birthplace of the ice cream sandwich and the exact center of America’s longest highway, I-90.) But few can stake claim to having an enormous green mascot overseeing their town.
Blue Earth proudly features an enormous statue of the Jolly Green Giant, the mascot often found on frozen vegetables. This monument was made to celebrate the frozen foods empire in nearby Le Sueur, but later became an attraction on its own, including a museum, gift shop and annual “Giant Days” festival. There’s also a statue of “Sprout,” the giant’s little friend, not far from the statue!
ARCHITECTURE
Surprisingly, Blue Earth is one of the architectural crown jewels of the area and has a handful of great examples of Midwestern architecture, including the Faribault County Courthouse, which was built in 1872 and is an example of Richardsonian Romanesque architecture. It is built from bricks and sand sourced from the Blue Earth River.
Also nearby is the Blue Earth County Courthouse, which is one of the oldest courthouses in the Midwest.
BLUE EARTH RIVER WATER TRAIL
The area around Blue Earth is some of most pristine and river-laden in the state. With so much rushing water around, this part of Minnesota is prime for fishing, hiking and water activities.
The Blue Earth River flows through varied landscape, from remnants of the Big Woods that used to cover much of east-central Minnesota to flat plains with natural grassland where buffalo used to roam. And, as far as fishing goes, it’s one of the best spots in the state, full of smallmouth bass, walleye and carp.
Photo courtesy jjandames
