Lake Louise State Park

Lake Louise Beach

Enjoy a sandy beach area on the shore of Lake Louise. Sunbathing, building sand castles, and wading are popular past times in this area of the park. The beach and picnic area are lasting reminders of Wildwood Park, which served as a community park for the town of LeRoy beginning in the late 1800s. In 1962, the city of LeRoy donated Wildwood Park to the state of Minnesota to form the core of Lake Louise State Park.

Picnic Area Shelter

Located by the beach area, this picnic shelter offers a central location for family picnics and group gatherings. It also provides a quiet place to sit and enjoy the lake, or to keep an eye on the kids as they play on the beach. The shelter has picnic tables and electricity, so bring your crock pot along for a warm lunch by the lake.

Picnic Area

Bring your Frisbee, croquet set, or your favorite book to this quiet picnic area. Picnic tables, fire rings, and a large open area overlook the lake. Eighty years ago, picnickers could sit here and enjoy concerts in a band pavilion that was once a focal point in this historic area of the park. From here, trails lead you to the dam, campground, and other areas of the park.

Group Camp Bridge

A hiking bridge is located at the confluence of the Upper Iowa and Little Iowa Rivers. Fishing, canoeing, and wildlife observation are favorite activities in this area of the park. The bridge connects the camping areas of the park to the picnic area and beach.

South Prairie

An expanse of restored tall grass prairie can be found on the south end of the park. Big bluestem, Indian grass, and many other prairie plant species thrive in this area. Fire, which historically was a naturally occurring friend of the prairie, has been used extensively in this restoration project.

Lake View Trail

Lake View Trail is part of the trail system at Lake Louise State Park. It is used by both hikers and horseback riders, and offers many views of the lake and surrounding areas. Located on the south end of the park, it meanders through the south prairie and along the south shore of Lake Louise.

Lake Louise Dam

This dam forms the impoundment of Lake Louise. It was built in 1925 after its predecessor was washed away in a flood in the early 1900s. The original dam and impoundment powered a grist mill which ground flour from locally produced grain, making it central to the original community of LeRoy.

Equestrian Trail Head and Campground

The equestrian area is the starting access for the horse trail system. Here you will find an area to park horse trailers and hitching rails to tie horses. The area also has six campsites that allow you to combine camping and trail riding.

Lake Louise Campground

The campground at Lake Louise State Park consists of 20 semi-modern campsites that each have a fire ring and picnic table. Eleven campsites also have electric hookups. A modern shower building provides campers with restroom and shower facilities. This lovely campground also offers easy access to the Shooting Star Bike Trail, which runs within a quarter mile of the camp.

Red Oak Group Camp

Groups of up to 30 people can enjoy the seclusion of Red Oak Camp. The camp is primarily designed for groups with tents, but families with small RVs have also used the site. The group camp offers a fire ring and picnic tables, and is within easy walking distance of the main camp’s shower building and the upper reaches of Lake Louise.

Riverview Group Camp

Located on the banks above the Little Iowa River, Riverview Group Camp can accommodate up to 50 people. A fire ring and picnic tables are provided, and access to the main campground shower facilities is available. Riverview Group Camp also offers easy lake access for canoes or fishing.

The Airfield

In the 1960s, this area of the park that was used as an airfield for small single engine airplanes in the 1960s. A hangar facility was located on a farm on the far north end of the field and was used primarily by an insurance agent in LeRoy. The entire area is now being restored to tall grass prairie.

Shooting Star State Trail

Stretch your legs on a walk or bike ride along the paved Shooting Star State Trail as it winds through the park. This trail is a wonderful place to take in blooming wildflowers and wildlife. It also offers a great birding experience with rarities such as grasshopper sparrows and dickcissels.

Little Iowa River

After flowing through the farm fields, woods, and a wildlife management area north of the park, the Little Iowa River enters the park as one of two tributaries that supply Lake Louise. Some of the river cuts through shallow limestone and forms the underlying karst formations prevalent in southeastern Minnesota. Several sinkholes in the park are another example of this type of geology.

Woodcock Loop Trail

The Woodcock Loop Trail passes through native oak savanna and prairie remnants, as well as restored prairie and woodland. In the spring, beautiful shooting star and prairie smoke flowers bloom near the trail.